Tunica County approves payment to IRS for late-payment penalties; amount on agenda $13,204.97

The Tunica County Board of Supervisors approved payment to the Internal Revenue Service for late-payment penalties listed on the claims docket; the agenda item listed the amount as $13,204.97.

At a regular meeting, a staff speaker identified as Mister Willis presented the item and said, “this is included in the claims, and this is for late fees and penalties. This has been discussed with the IRS, and they recommended that we pay this amount.” When a board member asked whether the overall amount remained in dispute, Willis replied, “part of it has been vetted, and there's no fee, but we are appealing another amount.”

The motion to approve the payment was called and carried; the verbal vote recorded was “all in support … aye” and the chair declared the motion carries. The audio record of the motion language contains a different, garbled number (recorded as “$13,002.00 $4.97”), which conflicts with the agenda figure. The meeting transcript does not identify a mover or seconder by name for the motion.

Why it matters: the payment appears as part of the county claims and reduces the unresolved IRS liability for the listed tax periods; county staff indicated an appeal remains open for a separate amount but did not specify that amount or a timeline for resolution.

The board took no additional public action on the appeal at the meeting.