Letter: Former Chief Clerk over Collections speaks out

Dear Editor,
The following was posted on the Marengo County Politics Facebook page on Tuesday, July 2, 2013. There was “full investigation” into the matter of the Marengo County Revenue Commissioner’s office losing an employee that day in which the employee was not contacted at all. To make this a true FULL INVESTIGATION, I am speaking out and telling my side of the story.
According to the Code of Alabama 1975, Section 40-5-44, “On or before July 1 in each year, the tax collector must make final settlement, under oath, with the Comptroller, of all matters pertaining to the office of tax collector.” On June 7, 2013, Peytie Bowen, Office of the State Comptroller, signed off on final settlement for Marengo County for the tax year of 2012. This finalized all reports due up to July 1, 2013. There are no further reports due in the collections division until after October 15, 2013, after which time collections for the calendar year begin.
According to the Code of Alabama 1975, Section 40-7-35, “When the book of assessments has been completed, the county tax assessor must without delay make out in triplicate, upon forms to be furnished by the Department of Revenue, a complete abstract of all real and personal property as contained in the assessment book of the county…such abstract of assessment must be approved and certified to by the Department of Revenue, one copy of which the said tax assessor must forward to the Department of Finance not later than the second Monday in August of each year, one to the Department of Revenue at Montgomery, and the other to the tax collector by said date.” As stated in this Code, the next report due is August 12, 2013 and must be generated by the assessing division (not the collecting division) of the Marengo County Revenue Commissioner’s office.
For the past 27 years, I have worked in the collections division of the Revenue Commissioner’s office for Marengo County. Of these 27 years, I have spent the last 14 years as Chief Clerk over Collections. The assessing division of this office is a completely different entity. On July 2, 2013, with a clear conscience and all work, including reports, completed, I RETIRED from the position of Chief Clerk over Collections in the Marengo County Revenue Commissioner’s office. In accordance to the Code of Alabama 1975 all reports were filed in a timely manner and as required by law.
In reference to the comment being made that prior employees were trying to make Marengo County Revenue Commissioner Sharon Barkley “look bad,” the five employees that RETIRED since Sharon was appointed have no malice or jealousy in their hearts. They have moved on and are enjoying their retirement.
Sincerely,
Susan Rentz Heidbrink