Commission Mulls Protested Tax Settlement

The Grundy County Commission is considering an offer from Wright Memorial Hospital that would settle a two-year tax dispute and allow the county to collect at least a portion of taxes assessed on the WMH Physician’s Group building that the hospital has protested.
Wright Memorial Hospital CEO Gary Jordan met with the county commission on Tuesday to make the offer on the protested taxes that are in escrow for the 2012 and 2013 tax years. The State Tax Commission currently has the tax protest cases under review, but has not made any decisions.
According to Presiding Commissioner Rick Hull, Jordan asked that the county consider changing the valuation on the building from $3 million to $1.3 million and pro-rate the taxes during those two years based on the new valuation. In addition, the hospital is asking that the building be tax-exempt beginning with the 2014 tax year.
Under that plan, the county would end up receiving approximately $60,000 of the approximate $140,000 in taxes now in escrow, with those monies in turn being distributed to the entities to which they are owed.
Hull said the commission would be meeting with an attorney from the Missouri Association of Counties to seek advice as to whether or not to accept the offer. Commissioner Gene Wyant said that several individuals to whom commissioners have talked have indicated supporting the county in its efforts to collect the entire amount. The commission does have some concern regarding the amount of money the county has spent for legal services in trying to get the matter resolved as well as concerns about future tax revenues that would be lost if tax-exempt status is granted.
In other business, the county set Tuesday, Oct. 7 as the date for a public hearing to close a portion of Sage Lane near SW 10th Ave., south of Trenton. Signatures on the petition requesting the closure were verified and the hearing was set according to state statute. The commission anticipates making a decision following the hearing.