Max Seats, a resident of Melbourne, told the Osage County Commission on Dec. 9 that he made repeated efforts to pay property taxes after notices did not arrive as posted online and at the expected Nov. 1 statutory timeline. "I came in here in November... they said they're having a problem," he said, describing unsuccessful attempts to pull up his statement and pay in person.

Commissioners and staff responded that, by statute, the county clerk certifies the tax roll on Nov. 1, after which the treasurer receives the roll to generate bills. The chair said the county clerk sent the roll to the printer on Dec. 1 and "the treasurer did not receive it as she should have," so bills were not mailed as residents expected. Commissioners said the roll had been uploaded as of the prior Friday so the treasurer could now take payments.

Treasurer Becky Holmberg and county clerk Michelle Moore were referenced in the discussion as the offices responsible for printing and mailing. Commissioners acknowledged frustration and said staff would identify avenues to prevent taxpayers from being unfairly penalized while the vendor, printing process and internal handoffs are reconciled.

Rhonda Margaret, a local business owner, told the board the clerk’s absence and repeated service failures were damaging public trust and asked whether recall was an option. Commissioners did not propose disciplinary action at the meeting; instead they urged staff to prioritize fixes and promised to provide more information to residents about payment options and timelines.

What happens next: Commissioners directed staff to trace the chain of custody for the tax‑roll file, confirmed the treasurer can accept payments now that the roll is uploaded, and said they will review vendor contracts and web content to prevent future miscommunications. The commission encouraged residents with unresolved payment issues to contact the treasurer and to provide specific documentation to the commission for follow‑up.