City and county officials are reminding residents that they haveone place where they may pay this year’s property taxes, which aredue by Feb. 1.

Lincoln County Tax Assessor Nancy Jordan and Brookhaven CityClerk Mike Jinks said their offices have received a few calls aboutthe notices for city and county tax assessments, which were firstcombined last year.

“We did a big push to get the information out last year and mosthave remembered,” Jinks said. “I’ve only had two calls, but I don’tthink that will be the last of it.”

The two calls were by residents asking why they had received taxnotification from the county, but had not received their cityassessment, he said. Jordan said her office had only received ahandful of calls asking why their county taxes were high.

The callers were satisfied when they were told the county andcity taxes had been combined on the notices, which were sent outabout two weeks ago.

Jordan’s office is handling tax collections for both the countyand the city after last year’s board of aldermen decision toabolish the city tax collector’s office.

The biggest change this year is that taxpayers can now pay theirassessments by debit or credit card, she said.

The tax collector’s office is equipped with machines to processthe cards and it has helped it to provide quicker and moreconvenient service, Jordan said.

In addition to collecting tax payments, Jordan said her officehas been busy preparing for the homestead exemption qualifyingperiod. Residents wishing to qualify for homestead exemption canqualify between January and March.

“Those who have had any change in property or marital status,turned 65 years old or been declared 100 percent disabled need torefile their exemption,” Jordan said.

First-time filers will need to present the copy of the propertydeed, social security numbers, full cost of home and amount of downpayment, all car tag numbers and proof of age or disability, ifnecessary.