County approves budget, tax rates

Bedford County Board of Commissioners, in a special meeting Tuesday night, approved final budgets and tax rates for the new county fiscal year which began July 1, according to County Mayor Jimmy Woodson.

The county property tax rate was set at $2.27 per $100 assessed value. This is the "certified tax rate," as approved by the state, which is equivalent to last year's $2.77 rate after adjusting for the impact of reappraisal. For the average property owner, the $2.27 rate applied to newly-reappraised property values will result in the same tax bill as last year's $2.77 rate applied to old property values. Individual property owners may differ, however, if their appraised property values rose faster or more slowly than the county average.

Only minor adjustments to the most recent budget proposal were made; a contribution of $5,000 to the Motlow College Foundation was restored, and money was added to the sheriff's department budget to fund a School Resource Officer at Liberty

The county budget was approved by a vote of 15-2-1, with commissioners J.D. "Bo" Wilson and Frank Butler opposed and Wayne Tucker abstaining. The tax rate and the tax rate resolution were approved 16-1-1, with Butler opposed and Tucker abstaining.

It was the last formal meeting for commissioners Tucker, Butler, Virgil Johnson and Sewell Griffy, none of whom sought re-election (Tucker ran for county mayor but lost in the Democratic primary). It was also the last meeting for Woodson as county mayor and for commission chairman Eugene Ray in their current positions; on Sept. 1, Ray will become county mayor and Woodson will become a commission member.

Plaques were presented to Tucker, Butler, Johnson, Griffy and Sheriff Clay Parker, who is also leaving office at the end of the month.