Brunswick County board amends personal-property filing rules at commissioner’s request

The Brunswick County Board of Supervisors voted to amend the county code governing tangible personal property filings after a presentation from Commissioner of the Revenue Camilla Clayton Bright.

Camilla Clayton Bright told the board that mailing declaration forms each year has become more expensive and administratively burdensome and requested an update to the ordinance to allow certain personal property forms to be handled "by exception," excluding business forms and mobile homes, beginning in tax year 2025. "To save on postage and service fees ... I am requesting that the ordinance be updated," Bright said during the public hearing presentation.

No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition during the hearing and the board moved, seconded and approved the amendment that staff presented. The action was taken during the meeting’s public hearing portion after the county read the public-hearing rules and confirmed legal notice.

The change preserves the county’s regular data feeds from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Bright said. The ordinance amendment will be implemented by the commissioner of the revenue and the county treasurer as applicable.

The board’s action followed normal public-hearing procedure: staff presentation, opportunity for public comment, and then a board motion and vote. The board did not specify an effective date beyond Bright’s request that it apply beginning tax year 2025.