Ex-commissioner takes on new role

A 16-year veteran of the Grady County Board of Commissioners is accepting a new role as a county public servant.
Former veteran commissioner Bobby Burns, who completed his fourth term on December 31, 2010, was unanimously elected by county commissioners to serve on the Grady County Board of Assessors.
Burns replaces Wednesdee Sadler on the board of assessors and will serve a six year term.
In May 2010 the Grady County commission voted not to reappoint Chief Appraiser Susan Bennett to the board of assessors and replaced her with John Tillis, who had served as a member of the Grady County Board of Equalization.
Burns joins Tillis and former tax assessors office employee Julian Rawls on the board of assessors.
The county commission began the shake up of the tax assessor board two years ago by not reappointing Mrs. Bennett.
Then chairman Al Ball said in 2010 that having two current employees of the assessors office and a former employee on the board gave the appearance of a conflict of interest.
“It does not give the public much confidence that any appeals heard by the board would have equity,” Ball said in May 2010.
During Burns’ tenure on the board the new Grady County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center was built as was the Grady County Senior Center, the Health Department was expanded, new ball fields installed at Barber Park, and a permit to construct Tired Creek was issued.
The county Board of Tax Assessors, appointed for fixed terms by the county commission, is responsible for determining taxability, value and equalization of all assessments within the county. The county Board of Tax Assessors notifies taxpayers when changes are made to the value of the property; receive and review all appeals filed; and insures that the appeals process proceeds properly. In addition, they approve all exemptions claimed by the taxpayer.