NATCHEZ — The City of Natchez owes approximately $14,000 in penalties and interest for failing to file reports and taxes to the Internal Revenue Service dating back to 2011.

Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell said IRS representatives made a stop at City Hall Friday to inform the clerk’s office the city had failed to file quarterly payroll tax reports.

Grennell said newly appointed City Clerk Wendy McClain was out of town Friday, so the IRS representatives met with a deputy city clerk about the taxes owed.

The city is still attempting to determine why the reports were not filed, Grennell said. City staff has reported at least some of the reports were not filed following the death of the city clerk office’s employee who handled the filings, Grennell said.

“Evidently, the city dropped the ball,” he said.

Grennell, who took office July 1, said he has spoken with the clerk’s staff and plans to meet today with McClain to ensure procedures are in place to timely file reports and taxes.

“We will make sure this doesn’t happen during this administration,” he said.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen meets Tuesday, and Grennell said he expects the board will take up discussion of the matter then. He said the funds to pay the taxes might come out of the general fund, but the board will likely determine that at the meeting.