RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - Trouble seems to be brewing in the Rutherford County Assessor of Property office, according to a recent ethics complaint filed with the ethics committee. Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr told WGNS on Wednesday (June 26, 2024)... The Mayor said that a hearing will take place to determine the scope of a possible investigation on July 17, 2024 in the county courthouse.
Carr highlighted a few of the issues in the complaint... The more square footage a home has, the more the homeowner will be charged in property taxes, which Carr said he knows first hand... Carr's additional square footage apparently dates back approximately 9-years. He says that when he called the assessors office about the added space to his home, which again equaled a higher tax payment, he learned that his years of over-payment could not be fully refunded... Carr was evidently told laws only require a reimbursement of up to 2-years. He also told WGNS...
In addition to Mitchell's office being accused of intentionally delaying the recording some property value changes to future years, hiding it from taxpayers and the TN Comptroller's Office, the complaint also alleges that Mitchell favors unqualified friends and family members of political supporters for hire, ignoring more qualified candidates. According to the complaint, Mitchell is further accused of awarding raises based on favoritism rather than merit. Raising more red flags, the person who submitted the complaint suggested a senior manager in the office is alleged to be working as a real estate agent while working for the assessor of property office, which is a possible conflict of interest.
The complaint argues that the actions of some is leading to an erosion of public trust and is damaging employee morale. The so called whistle-blower is asking for a full investigation into these allegations and if found to be accurate, to hold Mitchell, the assessor of property, accountable. Mayor Carr told us the assessor's office deserves a chance to clear the air
Here are some of the key details from the complaint:
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The Assessor's Office is supposed to review property accounts every four years and update values based on market changes.
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The complaint alleges that staff is instructed to defer recording these changes until the next reappraisal cycle, preventing taxpayers from receiving timely notifications and potentially affecting their ability to appeal.
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The complaint details specific instances where Mitchell allegedly hired unqualified individuals based on their political connections.
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Mitchell is accused of giving himself broad authority over employee compensation and awarding raises based on his own judgment, without a clear system or documented criteria.
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A senior manager, Chance Baker, is alleged to be actively selling real estate while working for the Assessor's Office, despite potential conflicts of interest.
The whistleblower filing the complaint is a concerned employee who fears retaliation, but believes these issues need to be addressed. They request a thorough investigation and hope to restore trust in the Property Assessor's Office, according to the letter that was sent to the Ethics Committee and others holding leadership roles within the Rutherford County government.
Mayor Carr told us the assessor's office deserves a chance to clear the air and the public deserves to know if the allegations are truthful or fictitious... Scroll down to see some of PDF files that were submitted with the complaint.
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