Neighbor News
Virginia Municipal League Local Champions
Commissioner Franklin D. Edmondson and the Portsmouth Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue Receive Local Champion Awards
The Virginia Municipal League, at its annual virtual conference in October, presented two Local Champion Awards to the Portsmouth Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue for special services to the community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The first award was for the category of Communication. To stay connected with the community, the Commissioner’s office teamed together to send out COVID-19 Resource and Recovery packets to taxpayer households and businesses in the city. The packets were sent to help ease tax-related and financial concerns amidst the pandemic and included a COVID-19 fact sheet; an announcement about the relief from penalties and interest on late remittance of certain local taxes; and options for businesses suffering economic injury from COVID-19.
The second award was for Continuity of Operations. The Commissioner’s office made individual appointments with taxpayers and DMV Select customers, following COVID-19 guidelines, to assist them with their transactions during a time when many services were unavailable or operating minimally.
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Along with the two office awards, the Virginia Municipal League presented Commissioner Franklin D. Edmondson an individual Local Champion Award for recording a personal COVID-19 YouTube message in concert with the Rotary Club of Portsmouth.
The message, to fellow Rotarians and to the community at large, encouraged everyone to stay safe and healthy, and to remain engaged with their local leaders. He also affirmed that the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue would continue to be a Resource and Recovery Center available to answer citizens’ questions and concerns during the ongoing pandemic.
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“Our team is very honored by these awards,” stated Commissioner Edmondson, “but we are even more grateful to our true local champions – the first responders, healthcare workers, assisted living staff, teachers, bankers, just to name a few - that continue to serve our community during very challenging times.”
While Portsmouth City Hall remains closed to the public due to COVID-19, the Portsmouth Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue remains staffed to assist taxpayers and DMV Select customers, by phone and appointments following COVID-19 guidelines, with their questions and concerns.