The Erath County Commissioners Court gave a preliminary nod of approval for MVBA – the law firm the county uses for tax collections – to move into a vacant space in County Annex III.
County Judge Brandon Huckabee said he has been in preliminary discussions with John O’Connoll, Vice President of MVBA and the principal attorney at the Abilene office, in order for the Stephenville office to relocate inside County Annex III.
“It will simply be easier access for the public. This is something that is fairly common in other jurisdictions. Basically the tax attorneys have space in the tax office or the appraisal district or places like that,” Huckabee said. “Benefits are it’s easier access for our citizens if they have issues and there is a benefit for our tax office to have that knowledge and extra manpower in the office to help with any questions.”
“We can’t charge rent but they will be paying utilities etc. through a tech agreement if this is approved,” Huckabee said.
Commissioner Dee Stephens said he felt like it was a big asset to the tax payers and to the newly-elected Tax Assessor-Collector Valerie Stephen.
Commissioner Albert Ray voiced concerns over the potential move.
“Isn’t there one of two other companies that we work with? Are we going to offer them a place also?” Ray questioned.
Huckabee stated that the county does not work with any other firms in regard to county taxes.
Ray inquired if the firm currently has space in Stephenville to operate and they answered that they do indeed have office space locally.
“We are going to be here for the county and citizens whether we are on the square or in a county office,” O’Connoll said.
He expressed concern on making sure the potential new office space is staffed during operating hours so it does not become an additional burden on county employees.
“We are staffed four days a week so it’s possible we would need to find a solution for the other day,” O’Connoll said.
Stephen also addressed the court stating she had heard concerns from other workers about the potential move.
“Is this going to be open access for citizens to go to their office?” Stephen asked.
O’Connoll stated generally citizens would call before they come.
O’Connoll said one of the main goals was to have more access to the taxpayers to walk in.
“We would definitely have more walk-ins,” he said.
Stephen also asked for clarification on how they would get in and out of the building, since the responsibility of keeping the building secure would be hers once she takes office in January.
“The thought today is to have the discussion about is that something we want to allow. Second, we can work out the moving parts because if it’s not going to happen, there are no moving parts,” Huckabee said.
It has been made clear that if there is an issue with space, MVBA would be asked to relocate.
“Any conversations with functionality you would be involved in,” Huckabee said to Stephen. “We are 20 days away from it being your building to decide how it all functions, so you would be at those meetings and it would function how you would want it to function.”
Ray asked for the item to be tabled for more discussion at a later date.
“I just feel like this came up all of the sudden and it’s the first I’m hearing about it,” Ray said.
Commissioner Sherman Edwards said as long as there wasn’t an issue with space, he saw it as a benefit to taxpayers.
“Are there any issues – and I don’t know, I’m asking – with providing donated spaces for for-profit companies? I’m going to have to look that up,” County Auditor Kent Reeves said. “I know they do it other places I just want to check, because they are for-profit.”
The motion was made to allow MVBA to begin the process to move into County Annex III, pending verification that it was ok to do so.