TIFTON — Tift County has called for a performance review into the county tax assessors office in response to public concern regarding the recent property tax revaluation.

Following immense pushback and protest from residents over the conduct of the county’s property tax revaluation process, the County Board of Commissioners approved a request for a performance review of the tax assessors office and their associated staff and branches.

County manager Jim Carter explained that the evaluation would be conducted by the state Department of Revenue, who would investigate the tax assessors office, county appraisal staff, and the board of assessors via an independent committee, then submit a report with their evaluation and recommendation for action moving forward.

This committee will be composed of two field agents from the Department of Revenue and at least two chief appraisers from counties sized similarly to Tift.

Carter noted that as soon as the resolution was signed, the state department would be notified, and would have 30 days to assemble the investigation committee. He estimated that the review would cost the county anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000.

Both he and Hayward Becton, county chief appraiser, asserted that the board of assessors and tax assessors office were fully aware and prepared for the review, but were unsure of how long the process would take.

While Becton estimated that the review itself would likely only be around a week, he explained that the  release date for the report was dependent on how much the investigation committee uncovered, with a detailed report taking as long as three months to compile and be sent back to the county.