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County Settles With Partel Broadband

Recently, Wayne County settled a delinquent tax bill that was owed by Partel Broadband. Partel Broadband no longer exists; several years ago, Boycom Communication purchased the company.
Boycom and the county had been negotiating since October of 2016. They reached a settlement of $40,000 for tax years 2008-2016. When the county held a public meeting in October 2016, $175,327.74 was owed in delinquent taxes. The majority of the tax money owed was to the two public schools. Of the amount Partel Broadband owed, $90,230.59 was to Clearwater R-1 and $29,230.59  to Greenville R-2.
Partel also owes the city of Piedmont delinquent taxes. According to Collector Bill Kirkpatrick, $3,087 is owed. He said that the city was not named in the settlement case. This $3,087 was part of $8,014 that the Piedmont city council charged McMurry to collect at the Tuesday, May 9, city council meeting.
The Partel delinquent tax issue has been ongoing since 2006. The company disagreed with how the county was assessing its assets. Wayne County has been assessing the company’s cable lines and towers as real estate; the company maintained that it is personal property.
Boycom purchased the business in 2007. The company disputed their taxation and the case eventually went to the State Tax Commission and then to Butler County Circuit Court. According to Jennifer Hackworth-Thompson, who represents Boycom, the State Tax Commission agreed that the majority of the assets were personal property and requested more information. The company’s attorney  (which was not Hackworth-Thompson) did not supply the needed information; when the case when to court in Butler County, the judge ruled in favor of Wayne County due to lack of information.

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