WINNSBORO — Fairfield County has hired a new tax assessor who will begin work on Feb. 25.

James R. Roberts was born in the small, rural town of Bethune. He graduated from North Central High School in 1988, attended Midlands Technical College and obtained his associate’s degree in Engineering Graphics Technology in 1991. He worked for Richland County as a cartographer in the Mapping Department for two years and then worked for the Lexington County Assessor’s Office for nine years as a Mapping Technician/GIS Coordinator.

Roberts then accepted a job offer from Kershaw County as GIS Manager to start up the GIS Department. He began taking night classes at Central Carolina and obtained his associate’s degree in computer technology in 2009. Roberts then was promoted to the Assessor position for Kershaw County in March 2009.

He attended classes offered by the Real Estate School of South Carolina and passed the State Exam to obtain his Certified Residential Mass Appraisal License. He completed a successful county wide reappraisal of 46,000 parcels in 2010. He also converted the existing CAMA data into a new CAMA package, Patriot Properties, in 2012.

Roberts has completed numerous classes sponsored by Department of Revenue regarding legislative changes and valuation practices. He has worked with his local Appeals Board to resolve appeals when the taxpayer did not agree with the county’s opinion of value.

He has been married to his wife, Sheila, for 18½ years and they have two children. He and his family are members of Trinity Baptist Church in Lugoff, where he and his wife teach the sixth grade Sunday School Class. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, outdoor activities and spending time with his family.

County Administrator Phil Hinely said he is confident that Roberts will do a great job in this position.