Supervisors have endorsed the recommendation of the Warren County tax assessor on property values along U.S. 61 North, rejecting a landowner’s protest.

The county board also finalized the full year 2000 tax rolls that will be used to collect taxes in January.

The major protest this year had centered on the 19 acres owned by the Andover Group on U.S. 61 North west of the Bowie Road junction. On Aug. 21, one partner in that group, Joseph Strickland, took a formal objection before the board after the property’s value went from $2,880 on the 1999 tax rolls to $288,000 for tax purposes this year.

Despite Strickland’s objection, supervisors agreed with Tax Assessor Richard Holland who recommended appraising the property at $12,500 per acre, bringing the total to about $240,000.

“I believe their complaint was that they wanted agricultural value,” Holland said. But, “I feel it is a commercial piece of property.”

Mississippi law allows agricultural land to be assessed at a lower rate for tax purposes. A 39-acre tract south of the Andover property on U.S. 61 is valued at $9,870.

That property has not been marketed for sale, but a 1.6-acre lot was sold out of the Andover property and is assessed for $139,390 on the tax rolls.

In other matters the board:

Received the district attorney’s report for the month of July.

Approved a utility permit for the Fisher Ferry Water District on Nailor Road.

Authorized the purchasing department to begin advertising for a crawler for the county highway department.

Accepted the Port Commission minutes for information.

Ratified the 30-day countywide burn ban that went into effect Thursday.

Appointed Larry Boykins to a second term on the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority Commission.

Supervisors will meet again at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Warren County Courthouse.