Agenda - 10-03-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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3 1 late 2010. Jim was the one who addressed finances, and it wasn't until early 2016 that I 2 discovered the error. Doris was wrongly taxed due to a clerical error. 3 4 I first contacted Orange County's senior tax appraiser in 2016, pointing out the error before her 5 taxes were due. He told me there was nothing I could do about it, except to appeal the tax 6 appraisal in 2017. He cited laws to me to support his statement. I don't know who made the 7 error, but it resulted in thousands of dollars of wrongful billing. This didn't seem fair, so with 8 Doris' permission, I looked into this issue further. 9 10 I subsequently met the Director of Tax Collections. In a follow up email, he eloquently 11 acknowledged the error and offered an amount far less than the excess charges billed to Doris 12 as reflected in my submitted accounting. 13 14 Because of multiple errors, I don't think it would be appropriate for staff to solely decide the 15 outcome and it was recommended I address the Board. Like Doris says in her letter, "we need 16 your help". We simply want these errors to be fully corrected. I request you review Doris' letter, 17 my accounting, and decide the best method to resolve this. I would be happy to meet with any 18 Commissioners, or the County Manager with Staff to review the facts further. 19 20 In the paperwork provided, you can see and have confirmed the amount her property was 21 appraised for in 2008 and 2017. The 8 year in between of taxing in error are noted. There are 22 columns that reflect interest rates lost and interest rates the courts of the County would apply 23 as examples for Doris' claim. 24 25 Like Doris, I humbly request the Board apply sound ethics and the Golden Rule in helping us 26 resolve this mistake that cost my mother in law so much. 27 28 Thank you, 29 30 Tom O'Dwyer, POA for Doris Tippens 31 32 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 33 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda 34 below.) 35 36 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members 37 Bonnie Hammersley introduced two new staff members: Sherrill Hampton, Housing, 38 Community Development and Human Rights Director; and Tyrone Fisher, Cooperative 39 Extension Director. 40 Commissioner Marcoplos said that four of the Board of County Commissioners was able 41 to meet in late August as part of the SWOT meeting, and passed the Living Wage Day— Labor 42 Day— in Orange County. 43 Commissioner Marcoplos reported that while attending Partnership to End 44 Homelessness meetings, the need for a street outreach coordinator arose. He said money to 45 fund the position is an issue, and he suggested using Social Justice funds. He petitioned the 46 Board to follow up on this. 47 Commissioner Marcoplos said he and Commissioner Jacobs have a joint petition on the 48 rural buffer, which is 30 years old; to celebrate and re-educate the public on this. He suggested 49 creating a new group of staff and Board of County Commissioners to develop a presentation on 50 this at the upcoming Assemblies of Governments (AOG) meeting in November.