Officials in Shelby County today (Tuesday) discussed a levy error that inconvenienced the county’s treasurer’s office. In a board of Supervisors meeting, Shelby County Treasurer Carolyn Blum said the IKM-Manning School District levy rate error added an additional 110 hours of work load along with making 3,600 copies of tax payments to citizens, $500 to send out the statements and $200 in supplies. The tax levy occurred when the district submitted the wrong levy rate to four counties, Audubon, Carroll, Crawford and Shelby.

The good news was all four counties use the same software system and was not charged by the company. Shelby County Auditor Marsha Carter said that would have been an additional $10,000. Blum was asking for guidance from the board of supervisors on what to charge the district in terms of an hourly rate. The county handbook states certain circumstances but never to this degree. The board agreed to charge the research fee to the school district. A final billing statement will be reviewed by the Supervisors at their next meeting.

Marsha Carter also noted the county and city are working on a joint project to replace flags around the square in downtown Harlan. Carter said she’s had conversations with Harlan City Administrator Terry Cox to create a plan to replace the flags. She noted eventually the current flags will be removed. A timetable has not been established and the item will be brought up at a future supervisor’s meeting. Towards the end of the meeting, the Shelby County Supervisors approved two representatives to the compensation board along with 1 rural Shelby County resident to the Hotel/Motel Tax Committee.

Current representatives Ron Goodside and Ron Roseman were approved for the compensation board while Becky Miller of Portsmouth was approved to the Hotel/Motel Tax Committee. Supervisor Roger Schmitz reported the Supervisors are looking for another Shelby County resident for the Hotel/Motel Tax Committee. He said preferably the board would like a resident in the Irwin area so both sides of the county were represented. If you are a citizen in Shelby County interested in being a rural resident representative for the Hotel/Motel Tax Committee, contact the Shelby County Auditor’s office.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)