CLAY COUNTY – On her first day as the Clay County Tax Collector, Diane Hutchings strengthened a policy to help alleviate the excessive wait times being experienced at all branches.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, Clay County joined surrounding counties in providing services exclusively to local taxpayers and residents only.

“Though this policy has been in effect since May 2020, our branches have continued to accommodate citizens from surrounding counties,” Hutchings said. “Word of mouth spread quickly, and residents of other counties informed us that they had been advised by representatives of those agencies to visit our branches for faster service.

While we sympathize with their frustration over wait times in their locale, the Clay County Tax Collector has a responsibility first and foremost to the people of Clay.

This is just the first of several steps in our commitment to improve the experience for the taxpayer of Clay County.”