Property owners paid the Tyrrell County tax collector $85,721 in April, Sylvia Brickhouse, tax administrator, reported to the county commissioners on May 21.

$51,123 was paid on the 2017 real estate levy and $18,833 on solid waste fee, both of which began accruing interest last January. As of April 30, $251,545 was still owed on the 2017 levy.

Much smaller amounts were paid on delinquent accounts dating back to 2008.

As of April 30, the total amount of taxes and solid waste fees owed the county for the period going back to 2001 was $653,087.

The county manager has recommended a one-cent increase in the property tax rate for 2018, upping it to 84 cents per $100 valuation. The county commissioners will decide during June what the new rate will be, and tax notices will go into the mail during the summer, payable at par until early January 2019.