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Editor Becky Watts: Phone # 770-468-7583 editor(@)pikecountytimes.com
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October 14, 2025 - 9 A.M.
ZEBULON - These meetings are open to the public and are usually held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9 a.m. at the EMA building located on the left as you turn into the Public Works driveway across from the Rec Fields.
Members in attendance include Christopher Tea, Lyn Smith, Parrish Swift, Tim Ingram, and Gary Hammock along with Chief Appraiser Greg Hobbs and Board Secretary Emily Morris.
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of the Agenda
Motion to amend the agenda and add the 17 waivers. Approved 5-0.
3. Invocation
4. Pledge of Allegiance
5. Approval of the September 23, 2025 Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes from the last meeting. Approved 5-0.
6. Public Comment: None.
7. Invited Guest.
Norman Appraisals. Tom. Have started the commercial properties. Working from the square and out from there. Swift. Updates on a regular basis? Williams. Yes.
8. Board Member Report
Tim Ingram. Noticing people buying land, turning it to commercial, and then selling it for big money. This needs to go to the county. We need to do something next year. Taxes need to be adjusted for commercial land. Concerned with jacking up prices for the people around these properties. Swift. This is a multi-tier issue. Discussion. Properties that go commercial will be priced commercial the next year.
Parrish Swift. Question about mapping and legal descriptions. GIS mapping isn’t accurate or supposed to be like this.
9. Chief Appraiser Report
Billings that went out did not match tax bills. There has been significant confusion and frustration because their initial notices only showed the school board portion, and the ending bill had the county, school bond, maintenance and operations, and IDA on them. Since February of 2025, 2011 properties have been inspected and visited. Dusty is visiting properties daily. Greg is focused on new construction and permits and preparing for the 2026 digest. Danyeal and Emily working on appeals and property transfers.
2 employment applications received.
23 active appeals.
57 sent a 30 day notice.
73 to Board of Equalization.
173 have been resolved.
47 have been waived.
1 withdrawn.
Smith. Asked about an adjusted appeal. Hobbs said that he would check on it and have it ready at the next meeting.
Question about the tax bills that the state sent out. Is there anything we can do to change this? These were sent out by the state and only had the school board part on it. Hobbs. Some have come in with a bill that is half of what it should have been. People are angry and confused.
10. Old Business
a. 2016 Ford Fusion SE. For sale for $2300. Needs a transmission. Put it at $6800 according to the state. He put a tag on a car that isn’t drivable. Can’t appeal the valuation until you buy a tag. Catch 22. When he bought it, it wasn’t worth $6800. Paid $1600. $476 for the ad valorem tax. We have something in our policy for vehicles that are inoperable. We are supposed to access at the value in the state the car was purchased. $4500 for the transmission. $6800-$4500=$2300. Motion to access the vehicle at $2300 in accordance with that policy in our manual. Discussion. This is in our guidelines? Consistent and non-descriminatory. Within our guidelines. Passed 4-1 with Smith abstaining.
Motion to amend the agenda for Garced from New Business to be item B on Old Business. Approved 5-0.
b. Board Consideration. Garced.
Came at the last meeting and said that their square footage is incorrect. Hobbs visited the property twice. Found that sent out wrong notice. Charged 8,857 square feet when 5,702 square feet. That will lower their valuation to about what they paid for it. Swift. When was it accessed last? Hobbs. That property was not reviewed yet. If we had, we would have caught that. Are we going to miss some more? Yes. They should speak out. Hobbs. The BOA sent the bad information to them. Removed the unfinished basement. This would be accurate without the basement. Garced. Paid taxes last year on the 11,000+. Hobbs. These people have been through enough. That wasn’t right. Garced. No appraiser to measure the house before they bought it. Discussion that an appraiser would have caught this. Question on what it was appraised before. Probably incorrect before too. Swift. Assuming that we are compliant legally and can fix this legally, we are opening the door for others. Motion to correct the square footage. Approved 5-0.
11. New Business
a. Approval/Denial Homestead Exemptions S5. (Disabled Veteran under 65)
Three. Motion to approve for all. Approved 5-0.
b. Approval/Denial Homestead Exemption SS (Surviving Spouse of Disabled Veteran)
She has survivorship rights and has not remarried. If she remarries, it goes back. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
c. Board consideration for Abbie Brown
Old Zebulon Road. Belonged to Virgil and Eric and gave Abbie 12 acres in 2024. When creating a parcel, it mirrored the big notice for a huge amount of money. Virgil didn’t see the notice or it would have been appealed. Needs to be sent for the correct amount for the 12 acres. Motion to make corrections. Approved 5-0.
d. Board consideration for Tomasina Rich
Both of properties are under appeal. One was Mom’s property. Mom has passed. End that conservation and combine with current property. Combine 40 acres and 10 acres. Someone in the office (who no longer works there) gave her incorrect information about conservation. Want to combine for tax purposes and then to put in conservation. Can do this because under appeal. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
e. Board consideration MRJ Construction.
Sold in 2021 and never transferred in 2022. Just missed this at the time. Motion to correct the name on the property. Approved 5-0.
1. Real Property
a. 2025 property tax appeals recommended changes. Staff request board consideration.
None.
b. 2025 appeal waivers (17) with fair market revisions
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
c. Approval/Denial CUVA in lieu of an appeal
Filed for conservation in lieu of an appeal. Meet the qualifications. Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
2. Personal Property
a. Car appeals
*Elliott 2005 Honda Civic.
Paid $500. Tag value. $2750. Average retail. $3300. Motion to leave it at $2750. 4-1 with Christopher Tea abstaining. Tea. We need training and support on this. 2012 is when this started. Has asked instructors and not been given information that would be helpful. Code says that it is based on the market value at the time.
*Holt 2006 Dodge Ram Vehicle needs a lot of work including transmission. $5000 to rebuild the engine. Said that truck is not near $14,000 value. Paid $6,000 for it. Tag value $14,875. Average $12,513. Motion to set it at $12,513. Approved 5-0.
*Curtis 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Discussion that we need to review our rules. 204,000 miles. Paid $4400 as is. State value 6575. 5568 average price. Motion to set at $5568. Approved 5-0.
12. Public Comment: None
13. Attorney Comment: None
14. Approval to adjourn.
Motion to adjourn. 10:03 a.m.
Here are links to some of the past meetings that Pike County Times has attended. There are more that are slowly going online. Budget time and the county commission are my focus right now.
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - October 14, 2025 - 9 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor8.14.25.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING - May 13, 2025 - 9 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor5.13.25.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING - December 9, 2024 - 9 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor11.19.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - November 19, 2024 - 4:30 p.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor11.19.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - August 20, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor8.5.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - August 5, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor8.5.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - July 16, 2024 - 4 p.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor7.16.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - June 18, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor6.18.24.html
Board of Assessors Leaves Sales Ratio at $91 Per Square Foot
By Editor Becky Watts
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor6.3.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - May 21, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor5.21.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - March 7, 2024 - 11 a.m.
http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor3.7.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - February 6, 2024 - 4:30 p.m.
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor2.6.24.html
Click here to read: "BREAKING NEWS: Commission Votes to Appeal Fine and Request a State Review of the Board of Assessors" http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BREAKINGNEWSrequestforreview2.2.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - January 18, 2024 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor1.18.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - January 4, 2024 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor1.4.24.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - December 19, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor12.19.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - December 5, 2023 - 11:30 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor12.5.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - November 9, 2023 - 11:30 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor11.9.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - October 17, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor10.17.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - October 3, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor10.3.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - September 19, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor9.19.23.html
BOARD OF ASSESSORS REGULAR MEETING - September 7, 2023 - 11:00 AM
http://www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/taxassessor9.7.23.html