Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tax Assessment Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Upson County commissioners expand Board of Assessors to five members and request state performance review
Summary
The board voted to recruit and fill the Board of Tax Assessors to its maximum of five members and adopted Resolution 13-2025 requesting a performance review of the Board of Assessors under O.C.G.A. §48-5-295.1; commissioners said the steps aim to improve property valuation accuracy and ensure proper resourcing of the assessor’s office.
The Upson County Board of Commissioners on March 25 approved two actions affecting the county tax-assessment process: (1) a motion to recruit and fill the Board of Tax Assessors up to the authorized maximum of five members, and (2) adoption of Resolution 13‑2025 requesting a performance review of the Board of Tax Assessors by the State Revenue Commissioner’s Office under Official Code of Georgia Annotated §48‑5‑295.1.
Chairman Brew said the change to a five‑member board is intended to broaden oversight and reduce the likelihood that a two-person quorum on a three‑member board carries decisions affecting property valuations. Commissioners discussed concerns raised over the last 6–8 months about commercial and industrial valuations and noted missed revenue tied to utility assessments; Brew said the county did not realize expected revenue when utilities were assessed at a lower rate the prior year.
Commissioner Watson seconded the motion to expand and recruit to five assessors; the motion carried unanimously. Brew and other commissioners said the recruit-and-fill process would include preparing and publishing information about duties and time commitments for potential appointees.
The board also unanimously approved Resolution 13‑2025, introduced by Commissioner Ellington and seconded by Commissioner Watson, to request a state performance review of the Board of Tax Assessors. Brew described the review as a baseline “inspection” to identify strengths and areas needing resources or improvement and said county staff and the chief appraiser, Charles, have worked to address issues. Commissioners emphasized the review is intended to improve service and compliance and not to single out individual staff.
