The second half of the property tax collection has brought in $8.995 million to county coffers, about a one percent decrease over the amount that came in this time last year.

That means the county has collected just over $24 million for the year, down $100,000 from 2009.

That was the report County Treasurer Stephen Burcham gave to the Lawrence County Commission at its Thursday meeting.

Burcham noted that credit card payments totaled $27,000 for the month of July.

“It is growing in popularity,” he said. “(These taxes) may have gone unpaid, if they did not have this option. Even given the economy, people have been good to pay their taxes.”

The commissioners also received and filed an opinion from the county prosecutor’s office that they cannot contract out the code enforcement officer’s duties normally performed by the health department.

“The powers and duties of enforcement reside in the Board of Health and/or the health commissioners,” the opinion states. “Those enforcement powers and duties may not be delegated to any other board of agency.”

The request had come after calls to the commissioners by numerous residents over eyesores in their neighborhoods that could cause health problems. Residents said they contacted the health department without any satisfaction.

The prosecutor’ opinion prompted Commissioner Les Boggs to request a meeting between the commission and the health department board.

“How they can obtain enforcement of the code,” Boggs said.

The death of a young soldier from Coal Grove prompted the commissioners to declare Sunday Justin Bradley Allen Day.

Allen was the Army Ranger who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. Sunday is the day the soldier’s body is expected to be returned to Lawrence County.

In other business, the commissioners:

Signed a resurfacing contract to Shelly Co for $1,106,428.

 Approved the Board of Developmental Disabilties to dispose of three buses.

 Filed the weekly Dog Warden Report where 64 dogs were destroyed; 2 sold; 1 returned to its owner. Currently there are 71 animals in the custody of the pound.