The Henry County Board of Supervisors amended their ordinance on Tuesday to change the due dates and delinquent dates for real estate and personal property taxes.
Following a public hearing, the Board voted to establish Oct. 1 as the due date for real estate taxes and the delinquent date will be set for Nov. 1. Personal property and machinery and tools taxes will be due on Dec. 1 and will be considered delinquent on Dec. 16.
While the due date is the official deadline for the payment of taxes, penalties are not levied until the delinquent date. This provides a grace period for residents. Prior to the Board’s action on Tuesday, real estate taxes were due on Oct. 1 but weren’t considered delinquent until Dec. 5.
Personal property and machinery and tools were due on Dec. 5 but had no grace period and were immediately considered delinquent the following business day.
“This change was recommended as a way of alleviating some of the financial pressure on our residents,” said Treasurer Scott Grindstaff. “Since no penalties are accrued until after the delinquent date, it has essentially become the de facto due date. As a result, a large percentage of our residents ended up in a situation where they were paying both bills on the same day to avoid any late fees. Moving the real estate dates up and implementing an actual grace period for personal property will ease the burden on taxpayers without hindering county operations.”
A failure to pay before the delinquent date for these taxes will result in a 10% penalty and interest will be charged at a rate of 8% per year on unpaid taxes and levies commencing six months after the due date.
The effective date of this amendment will be July 1, 2025.
In other matters, the Board:
- Adopted a proclamation recognizing April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $9,500 from State Asset Forfeiture funds for the purchase of gym equipment for the employee fitness facility at the Adult Detention Center.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $241,648 from the General Fund to complete electrical upgrades at the Administration Building and awarded a contract of $755,118 to Elliott Electric Inc., to perform the work.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $50,000 from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs for repairs and updates to the burn building at the Public Safety Complex.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $100,000 from the state Forest Sustainability Fund and contingency funds to assist the Town of Ridgeway with the development of an outdoor recreation project.
- Appropriated $236,320 to purchase a 2021 Wheeled Coach/Ford F450 Ambulance for the Ridgeway District Volunteer Rescue Squad and placed a lien on the vehicle to protect the county’s interest on the property.
- Approved a request to the Opioid Abatement Authority for the funding of a kinship navigator position and adopted a resolution agreeing to meet authority’s “gold standard” requirements.
- Recognized the winning teams from the boys’ junior and senior basketball season, and the girls’ volleyball season.
- Conducted a public hearing and approved a request to rezone approximately 2.978 acres of the Collinsville District from Government and Special Use District to Limited Industrial District. The applicant wishes to use the property for a welding and fabrication business.
- Conducted a public hearing and approved a request to rezone approximately 8.35 acres of the Blackberry District from Suburban Residential District to Agricultural District. The applicant wishes to use the property for agricultural purposes.
- Conducted a public hearing and approved a request to rezone approximately 0.19 acres of the Reed Creek District from Agricultural District to Commercial District.
- The applicant intends to use the property for a commercial automobile repair garage.
- Appropriated $100,000 from the General Fund to go along with $583,291 in previously allocated funds for the purchase of a new fire truck for the Collinsville Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD). CFVD selected a custom fire truck at a cost of $797,750 over a commercial fire truck that cost approximately $635,000. The additional funds will allow for CVFD to afford the custom fire truck, with the remaining additional funds provided by the fire department.
- Reappointed Wesley George III to the West Piedmont Planning District Commission for a four-year term, set to expire on April 30, 2029.
