By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

The Morgan County Board of Commissioners (BOC) voted to deny a tax refund requested by Warren and Ken Howard and voted to approve the amendment to their Sunday sales of beer and wine.

The Howards’ request for a tax refund in the amount of $19,149 pertains to their participation in the Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) program.

Commissioner Andy Ainslie asked Chief Appraiser Chuck Anglin if anything should have been done differently regarding the county’s dealings with the Howards. Anglin said no.

“We contacted the Howards numerous times in person, we sent numerous letters,” he said. “The only thing I can think of would be not to do something. Not to do anything at all would be the wrong thing. That would be the only thing I could think of and I won’t do the wrong thing.”

Ainslie asked about interest and penalties the Howards had paid. Anglin said that this refers to late payment of taxes.
Councilman Donald Harris asked Anglin whether or not anyone from outside of the Tax Assessors Office had come in to look over their work relating to the Howards. Anglin said that they had and agreed with Harris that they thought Anglin and his office had done everything correctly.

Councilman Mack Bohlen said he couldn’t see where Anglin and the others had done anything wrong.
While the Howards’ request was denied, Angela Clark’s request was approved.

Clark of Cowboy’s had requested to have the percentage of alcohol to food altered from 75 percent food / 25 percent alcohol to 60 percent food / 40 percent alcohol.

Ainslie asked Planning and Zoning Director Chuck Jarrell about the county’s definition of a restaurant. Jarrell said that a restaurant in the county must be open 5 days a week and serve 2 meals each of those days.

Chairwoman Ellen Warren asked how catering might alter that definition and Jarrell said that it was looked at separately.
Ainslie asked Jarrell if the change in percentages would reflect the percentage of food to alcohol for the city of Madison. Jarrell said it would be pretty much the same thing.

When Warren opened up the meeting to public comment Andy Chase spoke up and said that he made a request “some months ago” for the county’s budget sheet but has yet to receive it.

Warren said that they are in the process of updating the county’s website and agreed with Chase that the documents should be available to the public. She noted that a software and CFO change in the last years brought to light that some information had not been entered in correctly and that some information had been lost.

County Manager Michael Lamar said that they hope to have the process streamlined by the first quarter of next year and that he would give Chase what documents they have at present.

Chase also noted that the county’s solid waste budget is $600,000. Warren said that recycling would help reduce this. She added that she has heard of some cities that fine residents who knowingly throw away recyclable items.

In other news:
Courtney Moore, Chief Financial Officer for Morgan Memorial Hospital, gave the financial report for the hospital.
Lamar went over the county’s calendar of events for October, November, and December.
The BOC adopted the Youngblood Motors X-Plan for friends and family.

Printed in the October 4, 2012 edition.