The Henderson City Council voted unanimously to approve a policy in which demolition fees will not be waived in order to collect ad valorum taxes during its regular short meeting yesterday evening.
The policy was codified in response to a specific request from the inheritors of property owned by the late Lessie M. Long Crews through their attorney, Paul Stainback.
The property at 1129 Booker Street is currently valued at $3,000 on the tax rolls. In 2002, a demolition was conducted on the structure that was on the property at a cost of $7,659.36, and a lien was placed on the property in that amount.
With interest, the demolition costs are now more than $9,000.
The current owners, George and Linda Long Bailey asked that they should pay the taxes, around $900, along with $1,000 towards the demolition costs. They argued that if the city and county become owners of the property that they would derive no income from it.
City Manager Ray Griffin, after apprising the council of the situation, argued that such forgiveness would set a precedent for other demolitions. He went on to say that there would be no incentive for those who have incurred demolition costs to pay the liens on their property.
Griffin acknowledged that the Baileys had inherited the situation with the property.
City Attorney John Zollicoffer noted that Stainback is a member of the same law firm in which he practices. He said that he did not advise Stainback on the matter except to tell him that by state law ad valorum taxes cannot be waived and when the matter would be considered by the council.