BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Baldwin County Revenue Office staffers are busy processing thousands of property tax bills representing millions of dollars which arrived in the mail during the past week.

Monday was the last day to pay 2010 tax bills without late fees and other penalties. In addition to piles of mail received Monday, a line of property owners paying in person extended outside the Bay Minette office on U.S. 31.

Baldwin County property tax bills totaled $126.4 million for the 2010 billing cycle. Most taxpayers traditionally wait until the last week of December to mail payment, according to Revenue Commissioner Teddy Faust.

Payments postmarked Dec. 31 are not subject to penalties.

Faust estimated it will take about 30 days to process the flurry of eleventh-hour mail.

“We are processing bills as they come in,” Faust said Monday. “We are working on bills received Dec. 10 and working forward.”

He said property owners should not expect checks to be processed immediately.

“We get lots of calls from property owners to verify payment, but it takes time to process this many payments,” Faust said.

Property owners can check payment status by calling (251) 937-0245, or by going to co.baldwin.al.us, clicking Revenue Commission, then View Tax Records, and follow prompts.