Board authorizes write-offs of delinquent personal property accounts and approves publishing of delinquent list

The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors voted to write off specified delinquent personal property accounts and allowed staff to publish the list of delinquent accounts online.

Patricia Barkley, the tax office representative on the record, told the board she recommended writing off $11,004.09 in personal property charges from February 2019 and $19,753.12 in deceased accounts that the office cannot actively collect. Barkley said her office excludes balances under $5, accounts in bankruptcy, and accounts enrolled in payment plans from the published list. She also said the tax-statement vendor is changing how statements are supplied — the county must now provide final PDFs to the mail house — and that the visual layout of bills will change; Barkley said she will post examples and explanations on the county website once finalized.

Supervisors moved and seconded separate motions to write off the two account groups; both motions carried by voice vote. The board also granted permission to publish the delinquent list online.

Why this matters: writing off uncollectible amounts removes them from active receivables and allows the county to clear records and pursue other collection avenues; publishing delinquent accounts is a standard tool to encourage payment but carries reputational effects for listed individuals. Barkley noted ongoing collection activity — over 450 third‑party tax liens were issued recently and some funds have been recovered — but said the deceased accounts selected for write-off cannot practically be collected.