County Commissioners approve schedule of values for 2025 revaluation

KENANSVILLE — The Board of County Commissioners approved the schedule of values for the 2025 Duplin County revaluation during the Dec. 2 meeting.

North Carolina law mandates a revaluation at least once every eight years to ensure that property assessments are aligned with their fair market value and is based on recent sales data, to ensure that property owners don’t bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.

Gary Rose, the tax administrator, informed the board that homeowners are likely to experience the most impact from the revaluation. “That’s where we’ve seen the largest increase in sales. Bear in mind that you try to tell people even though your value is going up, the tax rate will come down some,” Rose explained. “We just set the value. But probably homeowners will take the brunt of the increase.”

The 2025 tax rate will be set by the commissioners in June when the budget is adopted.

Rose told Duplin Journal that while he does not know what the new rate might be, “it will be lower than what it is currently.”

Rose also noted that “the commercial value increases do appear to be slightly less than the residential increases, but we have not completed the revaluation as of this time. Once everything has been completed we will have a better picture of the real estate market and what segments performed better than others.”

In other business:

• The board also adopted the amended Solid Waste Management Ordinance, which addressed article four, solid waste disposal under the operational policies; this provides protection and enforcement remedies for solid waste staff from unruly or demeaning conduct while on county property. Article five clarified the exemption for an annual availability fee: “Property that has been occupied within the reference 12-month period, even where such occupancy is temporary in nature, is not eligible for the exemption set forth year-end.” Also, in article five, for the exemption of annual household and business disposal fees. “We had received some comments from residents about this issue, and this is to address resident concerns and allow for easier exemption for those contracting with haulers for disposal. This allows haulers to provide a list to the tax department, which they will use to issue a release or exemption from the annual disposal fee,” said Miller, after thanking Rose, Tim Wilson, and Daryl Whaley for working on the amendments.

• Commissioners Elwood Garner, Jesse Dowe, and  Wayne Branch were sworn in.

• The Board elected Dexter Edwards as chairman and Garner as vice-chairman.

• Miller introduced Jessica Helms, the newly appointed deputy finance director.

The next meeting will be on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.