County reduces country club's assessed value

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Feb. 19, 2003
Lauderdale County supervisors reduced Briarwood Country Club's assessed value by more than 50 percent on Tuesday a move that also will reduce the club's property tax bill.
District 5 Supervisor Ray Boswell said he would vote to do the same for anyone else because he believes the county's assessed property values are too high.
District 1 Supervisor Hank Florey and District 2 Supervisor Jimmie Smith also voted for changing the assessed value from $10,000 an acre to $4,500 an acre.
District 3 Supervisor Craig Hitt and District 4 Supervisor Joe Norwood said they voted against the move because they were confused.
For 2001 the property tax for the 197 acres that includes the country club brought in $829,430, or about $4,200 an acre.
A group called Recreation Inc., representing Briarwood Country Club, asked supervisors to reduce the assessed property value.
Supervisors previously heard from two appraisers and an attorney for Recreation Inc. all of whom suggested the $4,500 an acre average.
Hitt asked Lauderdale County Tax Assessor Jimmy Slay for a recommendation during the Tuesday meeting about whether supervisors should reduce the original assessed value.
Slay said county reappraisal valued the land at $10,000. "That's what you voted to accept originally. You have the authority to make any changes at this point. We can't make changes."
Slay recommended county supervisors and Recreation Inc. complete separate appraisals of the property and then determine the average.
Hitt, however, said he did not feel comfortable changing the assessed property value
Slay said state guidelines were figured in the assessment and he said other guidelines related to recreational property are expected to be received from the state Tax Commission.
Said Hitt: "I vote no and I vote that very confused tonight. Coming into this meeting I thought I understood the situation."