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Hendry County to refund collected legacy solid‑waste lien payments after resident appeals
Summary
After residents urged relief, Hendry County commissioners approved refunding payments already collected on legacy solid‑waste liens and directed staff to work with the tax collector or clerk to return the funds (approximately $43,000 was cited as collected).
Hendry County commissioners voted Nov. 12 to refund payments already collected on longstanding solid‑waste liens after residents said those who paid before the board forgave remaining liens should not be penalized.
Augusta Ross, a Port LaBelle resident, told the board she and others received notices about delinquent bills dating to prior billing systems and began paying when they learned of liens. "We put out all for effort to start paying on those bills," Ross said, asking for leniency and that payments already made be returned to residents after the board decided to forfeit the liens.
County staff explained the liens dated back to a billing method the county used decades ago and that more recent collections had moved to the tax‑collector/TRIM process. The county had collected roughly $43,000 before the board directed staff to stop collection and forfeit remaining liens. Commissioners moved to refund the payments already collected and directed staff to coordinate refunds with the tax collector or, if necessary, the clerk’s office. One commissioner noted the tax collector likely has the information needed to process refunds efficiently.
The board approved the motion unanimously; staff said they would return with the refund process and report back to the board when refunds have been issued.
