Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – At their formal meeting Monday, December 9, Montgomery County Commissioners appointed Erinne Hester as the new Montgomery County Assessor of Property. Hester had previously held the job as Accounts and Budgets Director for the county and won the post with commissioners voting 18 to 3 over two other candidates also vying for the title.
The office of Montgomery County Assessor of Property was formerly held by Betty Burchett who resigned in October to take a job at Legends Bank as Vice President of Operations. Burchett had held the position of property assessor for five years and her last day was November 30.
A total of nine people had originally applied for the office of Assessor of Property but only two besides Hester attended Monday’s meeting so they were not considered for the post. Before the vote, Roy Manners, who works in the property assessor’s office, and Heather Thorpe addressed commissioners as did Hester on their qualifications for the position.
The property assessor’s office maintains a large amount of public information on local property to be able to classify and assess the property for tax purposes. An individual property record card is kept on every parcel of property in Montgomery County. The property assessor’s office also provides other services to county officials and the public.
Hester said she was excited about the opportunity to take over as Assessor of Property. “I am appreciative to the commission and very much humbled by their faith in me and all the people who came out to support me this evening. I’m looking forward to getting up tomorrow and going to work for the same employer but at a different office,” said Hester.
Hester will finish the unexpired term of Burchett which goes through August 2014 and Hester says she plans to seek the office of Assessor of Property in the Montgomery County General Election scheduled for August 7 of next year.
In other business at Monday’s meeting the commission voted unanimously to purchase of a building at 1136 Dunlop Lane. Plans are for the structure to be used for future industrial development. Commissioners also approved a resolution for amendments to the 2013-14 school system budget and to accept the 2014 Legislative Agenda for local Tennessee lawmakers.
In the only zoning case at Monday’s session an application to rezone land near the intersection of Ashland City Road and Oak Plains Road was voted down by commissioners. The vote was 19-2 against a plan to rezone the property from Agricultural District to Highway and Arterial Commercial District.