Interim Tax Collector  Kelley Ross-Brown approached the Board of Supervisors last month with an idea to collect city taxes for Prentiss and Bassfield within her office.

“When there is an error of any kind,  it has to be fixed in the tax collector office  before it is adjusted within the town. I already do a majority of the paperwork anyway regarding city taxes.  This way I wouldn’t have to separate it.  It will cut down on time and paper,” said Ross-Brown.

Chancery Clerk John Davies concurred.  “She is doing the majority of process already,” he said.

“I know it’s a fairly common thing,” added Wes Daughdrill, board attorney.  “Several counties in our area handle taxes in this manor.”

The county would enter into a local agreement with the two towns then send the agreement to the Attorney General’s  office to be approved.

“Since this will take a large workload away from the towns, and the towns and county would be working together, I would like to see the towns represented here for a discussion regarding this issue,” said Supervisor Michael Evans.

After requesting representation from each town, the matter was brought up again for discussion at Tuesday’s meeting with both mayors present.

Prentiss Mayor Charley Dumas addressed the board.  “We approached the tax assessor’s office several years ago about the county collecting the city taxes.  It will streamline things for the taxpayers.  We get a large number of people paying one and thinking they paid both.  This will give taxpayers one place to go to pay their taxes and be done with it,” said Mayor Dumas.  “The county will be reimbursed for their work.   As long as the tax assessor’s office is okay and willing to do it I think it would be a great thing for the county to do, “ he added.

Bassfield Mayor Pat Courtney agreed.  “If the county will do this for us, it will be a great thing.  This was my first time to deal with taxes and it was not easy,” she said.

Both mayors agreed to pay the county 3% mil in compensation to handle the city taxes.  Both mayors will also meet with their boards for approval Tuesday night.

Once all boards are in compliance, Board Attorney Wes Daughdrill will send the necessary paperwork to the Attorney General for finalization.

In other board news,  Attorney Daughdrill notified the board that the county  won the True-the Vote lawsuit.

The lawsuit sought  to compel Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, the Mississippi Republican Party, and nine county election commissions to release poll books without removing any information.

A federal judge entered an order on Friday granting judgment in favor of all the counties named in the suit.  “The Secretary of State took the correct position according to the judge and she granted the relief that we asked for.” said Daughdrill.