Its Tax Time in DeKalb County

September 26, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

It’s tax time in DeKalb County!

2024 property tax notices will be going out in the mail Monday, September 30 bearing the color of royal purple, which has a special meaning to Trustee Sean Driver.

Property taxes will be due and payable starting October 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025 before any interest becomes due on March 1, 2025. Interest will accrue on March 1, 2025 @ 1.5% per month. If you choose to mail in your tax payment, it must be postmarked on or prior to February 28, 2025 to avoid any accrued interest.

For 2024, the tax rate is 2.51% per $100.00 of your assessed value. The tax notices include an example provided by Trustee Sean Driver on how the property taxes are calculated.

Example: Appraisal Value————$175,000 X (multiply) Assessed Value @25%—-$43,750 X Residential Tax Rate @ 2.51%——$1,098 Tax Amount to Pay.

“It’s always good to talk to the great folks of DeKalb County once again. Hey, it’s Sean Driver your DeKalb County Trustee reporting on the new 2024 Property Taxes. Those 2024 property tax notices will be mailed out on September 30th for annual collection. For 2024, you will see a new ‘ROYAL PURPLE’ color on the notices. I chose the color ‘ROYAL PURPLE’ this year because of what happened to me 35 years ago. You see, I have made my earthly home here in DeKalb County for 50 years now. But what happened 35 years ago is when I became a believer of the Royal Bloodline of Christ. So, one day coming soon, I’ll have a Heavenly Home and become a Royal Descendant with a flow of living ‘ROYAL PURPLE’, “said Driver

The Trustee’s office offers up to 6 different options to pay your property taxes:

1. Come in person to the office to pay

2. Mail in your payment

3. Pay online @ www.tennesseetrustee.org, then select DeKalb and follow the instructions to the next screens – The Vendor BIS/I3 Verticals accepts Discover, MasterCard, Visa, or American Express – The Vendor convenience fee of 2.75% on the total tax bill will apply and fees are subject to change using Credit/Debit Cards. Also, a $2.75 fee will be assessed on an E-CHECK payment of any amount. DeKalb County does not collect any online payment fees.

4. A QR (Quick Response Code) is also on your notice to access the website with your I-phone, smartphone, etc. @ www.tennesseetrustee.org

5 A Dropbox is located on the outside of the building at the County Complex (County Offices Section) for your convenience after hours and/or weekends.

6. Partial Payments are accepted, and you the taxpayer sets the amount to pay until full payment is satisfied.

Eligibility for Property Tax Relief:

The State of Tennessee offers qualified property owners Tax Relief on property taxes. This program was implemented in 1973 and the program has a few changes every year. At this time, DeKalb County has 431 applicants on the program for 2024. So, as a property owner for 2024, you can qualify for Tax Relief if:

(A) Your DeKalb County home is your primary residence,

(B) You are 65 years old (or older) on or before December 31, 2024, or

(C) You are under 65 years of age with a totally and permanently disability per SSA or another qualifying agency, and last

(D) Your 2023 Annual Income of all living owners on the deed and their spouses that DID NOT exceed $36,370.00.

If the State of Tennessee qualifies you for Tax Relief, then you can receive a rebate up to $134.00 for the 2024 tax year. You must pay your 2024 tax bill IN FULL to start the application process. Applications are handled, executed, and sent to the State of Tennessee by the Trustee’s office.

The State of Tennessee also offers Tax Relief to Disabled Veterans and the Surviving Spouses of a Disabled Veteran. You must provide proof from the Veteran’s Administration that you have a total and permanent disability rating that was service connected. You and your spouse will NOT have to report any amount of income to apply as a disabled veteran or the widow/er of a disabled veteran. If the State of Tennessee qualifies you as a disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, then you can receive a rebate up to $740.00 for 2024.

Meanwhile, DeKalb County has a “Tax Freeze” program authorized by the state and Trustee Driver explains the qualifications for that.

‘TAX FREEZE’

• Established through voters in the State of Tennessee through a referendum passage in 2007

•The Program is only for ELDERLY – 65 years or older

•Income Limit (2023 Annual Income) is $36,370.00. All owners on the property

•Can only have Tax Freeze on your primary/principal residence

•The TAX AMOUNT is Frozen. The property value, assessment, and tax rate are Not Frozen.

•You can apply or have both Tax Relief and Tax Freeze.

•Applications are administered and executed by the Trustee’s office.

•There are acreage limits that can be frozen.

The Trustee’s office will start accepting applications for the Tax Relief & Tax Freeze Programs on October 1, 2024 and will continue through April 5, 2025. If you would like to inquire more about a possible Tax Relief for property taxes or about the Tax Freeze Program, come by the County Complex in the Trustee’s office @ 732 S. Congress Blvd – Room 103, Smithville, TN 37166 or call @ 615-597-5176.

“Until the Inheritance comes”, said Trustee Sean D. Driver.

September 25, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

An Alexandria businessman appeared in DeKalb County Criminal Court Tuesday where he entered a plea to two counts of forgery.

50-year-old Stein Edward Prichard of Brush Creek Road, Brush Creek, manager of Prichard’s Foods received a two-year sentence in each case to run concurrently and all suspended to judicial diversion probation. He must pay restitution of $3,000.

Prichard was indicted on four counts of forgery, but he entered a plea to two counts. The offense dates were March 30, 2023 and April 12, 2023. If all conditions of probation have been met after the first year of the sentence, Prichard can petition the court to terminate the balance of the sentence, and the state will not oppose it.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that Prichard was accused of having altered checks of store customers, changing the actual amounts to much higher amounts.

“People would come into the store and buy goods and would write a check and then he allegedly would change the amount of the check and run it through the bank and used the proceeds for his benefit,” said Sheriff Ray.

“We got a report at the sheriff’s department on December 5 about an altered check and found it was altered at Prichard’s Foods. We started an investigation with assistance of the District Attorney’s office. They assigned an investigator to help us. A total of four subpoenas were issued on business records of the store. We found one victim had three altered checks while there was one altered check on another victim That’s what the investigation revealed,” said Sheriff Ray

September 25, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A local clergyman indicted last year in a child sex crime was sentenced Tuesday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

68-year-old James Michael Carpenter, indicted for aggravated sexual battery, entered a plea to sexual battery and received a two-year suspended sentence except for 11 months and 29 days to serve. He will then be on supervised probation.

Carpenter has pastored or been involved in several local churches and has reportedly participated in ministry mission trips over the years.

The victim in this case was 4 years old at the time of the alleged first offense.

According to the indictment, Carpenter “on or about April 17, 2015 to April 17, 2017 in DeKalb County and before the finding of this indictment did unlawfully make sexual contact with a minor child less than 13 years of age in violation of state law”.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Gabriel James Hesson entered a plea to two counts of aggravated assault in each case to run concurrently with each other. The term is for four years and has been suspended except for one year to serve. He has been given 53 days of jail credit. Hesson is also to make restitution of $40,000 to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department jointly and severally with a co-defendant.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on October 20, 2023 both Hesson and Christopher Edward Spoon, Jr assaulted another male inmate at the jail by hitting him in the face several times with a closed fist. The fight was caught on video surveillance and officers responded to the cell to stop it. The video showed both Hesson and Spoon delivering the blows causing the victim to suffer broken bones, abrasions and facial swelling.

In the second offense committed on Saturday, September 21, 2024, Hesson entered a plea by criminal information to unlawfully and intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to another while utilizing a deadly weapon, to wit: a gun. The case was investigated by the Smithville Police Department.

46-year-old Ricky Ashford, II entered a plea to aggravated assault and received a three-year suspended sentence as a Range I offender to run consecutive to a violation of probation in DeKalb County. Ashford was given jail credit of 325 days and must make restitution of $40,000 to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department jointly and severally with a co-defendant.

51-year-old Melissa Faye Murphy entered a plea to possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and received a four-year suspended sentence. She must forfeit any weapons seized. She was fined $10.

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