GCBOC to discuss tax digest software

Teresa Williams

CAIRO — Tax digest software, zoning and solid waste consolidation are three items on the Grady County Board of Commissioners’ Thursday workshop agenda.

The board will hold the 5:30 p.m. session in the first floor courtroom at the Grady County Courthouse to discuss these points with staff and a representative from the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.

The workshop was originally planned for mid-December but was postponed due to an illness in a county employee’s family who was expected to attend it.

“It is my understanding that we have experienced some problems in the past with getting the digest out on time (it is due Aug. 1),” Chairman Al Ball said Tuesday.

“Most counties in the state have switched over to the system the state has in place and have not experienced the same kinds of problems. We’re going to discuss the merits of possibly switching over, the costs and time.”

The goal, county staff said, is to get the digest completed and to Atlanta in a timely manner.

Tax Assessor Susan Bennett plans to attend the workshop with information she gathered on the alternate program.

“They really just wanted me to check into actually doing this computer system,” she said. “Basically, I’ve been checking on the costs involved and talking with other counties who have the software.”

She said the program looks “pretty good” but her biggest concern right now is additional time if a switch is approved.

“If we try to switch to another program right now it is going to take additional time we really don’t have at this point,” she said. “We’re already trying to get the digest completed for 2010.”

Bennett said staff always has to check for any glitches that might occur during a conversion to a new program.

“If we started trying to convert now, it would take additional time with a limited staff to do all the work,” she said. “If glitches did occur, we’d need the proper time to take care of them.”

Zoning is an item that has been brought up in previous board workshops and meetings.

“This is mainly going to be a discussion of what is involved in the process, the procedures that have to be followed in order to have zoning,” Ball said.

“We are not going to vote on it now. We’re just going to be talking about research gathered on what other counties have done and looking at the option.”

Solid waste consolidation is also a topic that has been previously discussed numerous times.

The board, if time allows, is expected to talk over problems with litter and abuse at county sites, plus suggested locations for a potential consolidated site.

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