News & Announcements
THE OFFICE OF INDEPENDENCE COUNTY ASSESSOR
110
BROAD ST.
ROOM 106
BATESVILLE, AR 72501
PHONE (870) 793-8843
FAX (870) 793-8803
E-mail: assessman@att.net
News Release:
Independence County Assessor Odus Fulmer announced today that citizens in the county can now assess their personal property online effective January 1, 2011. Fulmer said that the county has contracted with DataScout, LLC, an internet and database software provider based in Arkansas, to make this service available on the internet. The program known as ScoutAssess can be accessed by going to the Independence County website at www.independencecounty.com and click on the link titled ‘Assess Personal Property Online!’ in the County Assessor subpages.
It is a free access website.
Fulmer believes that the benefits of the online personal property assessment’s capabilities to Independence County and the taxpayers are numerous. Making this service available online allows for the citizens to assess their personal property without ever visiting the assessor’s office.
They can access it from the convenience of their home or office any time throughout the day or even after business hours. Fulmer also added that the program will allow for his staff to respond more efficiently to all of the personal property assessment requests. Fulmer said it will be like extending the office hours to 24/7 for internet users.
Fulmer said the office only has two phone lines and they remain busy most of the time and it is difficult for people to call and assess during the most busies times. The new website will be like adding hundreds of phone lines and will allow multiple assessments at one time.
Fulmer said that the new website will allow the assessor’s office to use the website to blast emails to all users as to news releases and deadline date reminders to avoid late assessment penalties.
Free access searches for real estate records have already been on line for a number of years and the new access to personal property records will be similar to the real estate records search. Business personal property records at this point in time will not be available online.
The Independence County Assessor’s office is one of the leading counties in technological innovation in Arkansas. There are only a few counties in the state that currently offer assessing personal property online. Fulmer said assessors in those counties have reported significant decreases in office traffic, and have received overwhelmingly favorable comments from the public.
Fulmer said that this new process is a step forward in making local government more transparent and accountable.
To assess online, you will need to provide a last name, zip code, and house number. The program will allow renewals or deletions only. If adding new personal property, then you will have to contact the Assessor’s office by phone or in person. As the software develops in the future, changes will be made to allow more convenience to the assessing public.
2011 SALES TAX RECREATION GRANT APPLICATION
YEAR-AROUND-COUNTY CLEAN-UP
It's that time of the year when citizens' get the urge to start spring cleaning, the Independence County Judge's Office wants to remind the citizens of all the items the County will pick-up, or residents may take their own stuff by hauling the items to the I.E.S.I. Transfer Station (adjacent to the recycling center), with no fee for disposal to all County residents.
Items that Independence County crews WILL pick up:
Appliances, tires, scrap metals, furniture, non-hazardous containers, mattresses, televisions and items that are not considered being hazardous or burnable.
Items that Independence County crews WILL NOT pick up:
Lumber, household garbage, animal droppings, broken concrete, refuse, demolition material, edgings, yard debris including stumps, roots, or shrubs, or debris in bags, buckets, garbage cans.
All collectable items needs to be placed on the side of the curbside terrace (i.e., area closest to the road) and not placed under power lines or on top of water meters. Call the Independence County Judge’s Office to schedule the pick-up, (870) 793-8800.
All electronics not just limited to computers, and cellular phones can be taken to the County/City Recycling Center located at 110 Environmental Drive for recycling.
ALERT EXPRESS
The Independence County Office of Emergency Management is offering an all hazards early notification program through Alert Express. This is a free program. Recipients must sign up, giving the name of the fire district you live in, your name, address, and up to two numbers they wished to be called on. You will then be entered into a secure database and grouped according to your fire department coverage. No information will be shared with outside groups.
Types of notifications to be included in this program are, but not limited to; Tornado warnings, flood warnings, ice storms, Amber Alerts, missing persons, prisoner escapes, boil water alerts, road closings, major health alerts, evacuation routes, school closings, and chemical spills.
The Alert Express number of 501-682-7424 will show up on caller ID when a message is incoming. Do not try to call this number back.
Depending on the nature and severity of the incident, such as a flood warning for the areas along the White river, your fire department coverage area may or may not be notified.
To sign up you can contact your local fire department districts for areas and locations of sign up forms and mail them to:
Independence County OEM
368 East Main Street
Batesville, AR 72501