Several callers urge Burke County to resolve tax-exemption dispute for Hechoka Retreat Center

During informal public comments on July 21, several speakers representing Hechoka (also referenced as Healing with Horses) urged the Board of Commissioners to grant county property tax exemption or otherwise resolve a valuation dispute the nonprofit says has prevented it from moving forward. Joseph Tate, a volunteer and board member, said Hechoka is a 501(c)(3) that provides equine therapy for veterans, first responders and people experiencing homelessness and mental-health challenges. “I have seen firsthand how being around horses brings people's innermost feelings to the surface, allowing them to work those feelings out and heal,” Tate said.Ms. Marsha Love, identified as a board member, said the county has held the organization in limbo for nearly three years and that the county’s tax assessments have applied value to items the farm uses but does not sell. “There's no profit to be made at this farm,” Love said. Kimberly Clark, described in the record as the founder of Healing with Horses, said repeated written requests to the county had gone unanswered and that the organization had retained counsel and filed a lawsuit after the county did not respond. Clark asked the county to provide a timeline for resolving the matter and said the group seeks a county decision on tax exemption to proceed with plans to add small transitional housing for people in need.The clerk recorded no immediate action by the board; commissioners and staff acknowledged the comments and said the county attorney and staff were engaged on outstanding legal matters. The public-comment period closed after the speakers finished.