Commissioners were told a mistake of unknown origins occurred in the years 2015-16 and 2016 -17 when fire tax assessment money wasn’t collected from Williston Crossings.
The mystery is how it happened.

All other property taxes were collected on the property both years.

Commissioners voted unanimously on April 3 to bill Williston Crossings for the fire tax money. Commission Chairman John Meeks said he also wanted the company to have the option of paying the money in installments.

County Attorney Anne Bast Brown told commissioners she doesn’t know what really happened other than the fire tax wasn’t collected for the two years in question.

She said the county’s tax consultant, Government Services Group, an arm of Nabors Giblin and Nickerson law firm, apparently didn’t find the parcels listed on the Department of Health website.

“We don’t know if the Department of Health didn’t put them on there right. We don’t know,” Brown said.

Brown said typically RV sites are counted before the fire tax is assessed. The Department of Health records the sites and GSG picks up the information off the health department website.

“The information wasn’t accurate and it was pointed out to GSG by the Property Appraiser,” Brown said.
Brown said every parcel on the Williston Crossings site failed to be recorded on the health department site.

“There may not have been a mistake,” Brown said in answer to a question. “The (Williston Crossings) site wasn’t on the Department of Health website where they should have been. Where the problem happened we don’t know.”

Toni Collins, who observes county government closely, said the owner of Williston Crossings is a “large conglomerate” with many RV parks in the state.

“How did this happen?” Collins said.

Brown replied the “Department of Health website was inaccurate.”

Regular Board of County Commission April 3, 2018
Posted April 9, 2018