Deadline approaching for payment of 2020 property taxes

January 26, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The deadline to pay your 2020 DeKalb County property taxes is Sunday, February 28 but you need to act sooner if you want to pay in person.

The Trustees office is open Monday-Friday each week from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. This year’s deadline falls on a weekend and while the Trustee’s Office will be closed Saturday and Sunday, February 27 & 28 due to the weekend (when the office is typically closed) and COVID-19 concerns there are other options to pay your property taxes including by mail, online, and at the dropbox located on the outside of the building at the County Complex (County Offices Section) on South Congress Boulevard.

“Remember if the last day comes and you can’t make it to the Post Office to postmark your payment you can drop the payment in our dropbox. If you choose to use our dropbox on February 27 or February 28 we will gather the mail in the office on Monday morning, March 1 and no interest will be applied to your 2020 tax bill,” said Trustee Sean Driver.

“If you do place your payment in our dropbox that weekend (February 27 or February 28) make sure it is by check or money order. If you make a cash payment be sure it is in the exact amount because if you overpay we cannot make a refund,” added Driver.

Property taxes are now due and payable through February 28, 2021 before any interest becomes due on March 1, 2021.

As of Monday, January 25, Trustee Driver said collections were at 52.13% of almost $10.8 million in DeKalb County property taxes to be collected by February 28, 2021 which includes property, residential, commercial, personal, and public utility taxes. That is 4.5% better than collections last year by the same date, January 25, 2020.

For budgeting purposes, the county expects tax collections each year to be at least 94.75% with a 5.25% delinquency.

The Trustee’s office offers up to 6 different options to pay your property taxes prior to February 28, 2021:

*Come in person to the office to pay (Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.)

*Mail in your payment (a receipt can be sent to you upon request)

* Pay online @ www.tennesseetrustee.org, then select DeKalb and follow the instructions to the next screens. The Vendor BIS (Business Information Systems) accepts Discover, MasterCard, or American Express-The Vendor convenience fee of 2.75% on the total tax bill will apply and fees are subject to change for using credit/debit cards. Also, a $2.75 fee will be assessed on an e-check payment of any amount.

* A QR (Quick Response Code) is also your means of accessing the website www.tennesseetrustee.org with your smart phone.

* Dropbox located on the outside of the building at the County Complex (County Offices Section) for your convenience after hours or on weekends.

*Partial Payments are accepted and you the taxpayer sets the amount to pay until full payment is made.

The Trustee’s office is accepting applications for the Tennessee Property Tax Relief Program through April 5, 2021.

If you would like to inquire more about a possible tax relief for property taxes, come by the Trustee’s office in the County Complex at 732 S Congress Boulevard-Room 103, Smithville or call 615-597-5176.

Meanwhile any 2019 property taxes still unpaid will be turned over by the Trustee to the Chancery Court for collection the week of April 1, 2021. Full or partial payments are being accepted with interest and penalty on unpaid 2019 property taxes through April 1, 2021.

January 25, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The county commission has a new member.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, Shaee Flatt of Alexandria was appointed by the commission to fill the unexpired term of Dennis Slager who resigned in November. Flatt edged out Tom Chandler by a vote of 7 to 6 for the position. A third candidate, Waylon Kyle received no support from the commission.

Flatt is a former Mt. Juliet resident and former managing editor of the Chronicle of Mt Juliet. He now serves as a special education teacher and football coach at Mt Juliet High School. Flatt and his wife and children have lived in Alexandria for three years.

Each of the three men, Flatt, Chandler, and Kyle was given an opportunity to address the county commission prior to the vote to express his desire to serve.

The commission then adopted a procedure for the selection of the appointee. Commissioners could place a name in nomination. First district member Julie Young nominated Chandler. Seventh district Commissioner Beth Pafford nominated Flatt. No one nominated Kyle. During the roll call each of the commissioners voted by calling out the name of either Flatt or Chandler.

Commissioners voting for Flatt were Myron Rhody, Bobby Johnson, Jenny Trapp, Janice Fish Stewart, Dr. Scott Little, Jeff Barnes, and Beth Pafford. Those voting for Chandler were Julie Young, Sabrina Farler, Anita Puckett, Jerry Adcock, Matt Adcock, and Bruce Malone.

Flatt will serve out Slager’s term which ends August 31, 2022.

Near the end of the meeting, Flatt was sworn into office by County Mayor Tim Stribling.

The county commission is made up of two members from each of the seven districts including Shaee Flatt and Julie Young from the 1st district; Sabrina Farler and Myron Rhody from the 2nd district, Bobby Johnson and Jenny Trapp from the 3rd district, Janice Fish Stewart and Dr. Scott Little from the 4th district, Jerry Adcock and Anita Puckett from the 5th district, Jeff Barnes and Matt Adcock from the 6th district, and Bruce Malone and Beth Pafford from the 7th district.

In a letter to the County Mayor and Commission expressing his interest in the position, Flatt wrote “This month marks three years since my wife and I decided to move from Mt. Juliet to Alexandria. We have two small children who have made friends here and have known no other home. My wife and I agree that we want to make Alexandria and DeKalb County our permanent home. After talking with family, friends, and other members of the community, I decided to seek the office of Commissioner”.

“As someone who went to school for journalism and ended up working three years as the Managing Editor of the Chronicle of Mt. Juliet, I spent many nights at county commission and city council meetings as well as numerous other similar meetings. I developed an appreciation and fondness for local government as the institution most committed to solving the problems and issues that emerge in the community whether that is education, emergency services, safety and security, or whatever the people themselves think will be important in enhancing the quality of life for them and the County”.

“After leaving the Chronicle, I worked a few years at Wilson Bank and Trust before finally settling into a career as a Special Education teacher and football coach at my alma mater, Mt. Juliet High School. I have always placed a great emphasis on investing in the youth in any community and being able to mentor, lead, and shepherd teenagers through such a critical time in their lives, This is something I deeply value. I feel extremely blessed to be in the position I am in and would love to be able to pursue those interests in DeKalb County”.

January 25, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County pulled in more local option sales tax dollars in the fiscal year 2019-20 than the previous year—even with the pandemic.

The local option sales tax collections in DeKalb County totaled $1,146,811 from July 2019 to June 2020 which is up from collections of $967,741 from July 2018 to June 2019 and $853,233 from July 2017 to June 2018 according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

DeKalb collections of local option sales tax dollars for the first half of the current fiscal year 2020-21 (July-December 2020) have also been up compared to the same time period in 2019-20.

Figures show that DeKalb County collected $814, 952.44 from July-December, 2020 which is up from collections of $575,865.74 from July-December, 2019.

June 2020 was the best month for collections of local option sales taxes in DeKalb County during the 2019-20 fiscal year at $122,195 followed by January 2020 at $120,455 and $118,949 in August 2019 and $112,770 in July 2019.

So far this fiscal year 2020-21, July has been the best month at $150,968 followed by August $145,266, September $138,476, October $137,940, November $117,000, and December $125,299.

A host of factors plays into the sales tax. Many believe that more people have been shopping locally instead of traveling to larger cities during COVID-19 and that online shopping may have increased causing a spike in local option sales tax collections from online purchases.

Since the fall of 2019, Tennessee has been collecting sales taxes from online retailers even if the retailer does not have a physical address in the state thanks to a US Supreme Court decision allowing states to collect such taxes.

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