Board of Education Approves Millage Rate for FY23
Board of Education, Community August 10, 2022
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.- The Dawson County Board of Education approved the millage rate for the fiscal year 2023 at a special call board meeting on Aug. 9 after the third public hearing on the subject.
The board also approved putting bus #233 up for sale as a surplus item. The policy IKBB was additionally approved by the board at the meeting.
Finance Director Beth Covington while presenting the proposed millage rate to the board.
The current millage rate for fy22 is 15.00. Last year was the first time the rate has been lowered since 2016 when it was lowered to 15.778. The millage rate that the board approved is a rate of 14.200.
This millage rate is lower than the previous year’s rate however it is not the rollback that was recommended which was 13.305. The reason for selecting the 14.2 rate is due to the extra cost of the budget.
For the average home valued at $375,000, the tax levy will be $2,130. Finance Director Beth Covington has presented this presentation the required three times and there have been no public comments at any of these meetings. To review the full millage hearing visit https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=4051&AID=1421557&MID=103560.
Bus #233 has been approved for surplus sale. The bus has been out of commission since 2019 and is beyond the school system’s ability to repair.
When a government or school system put items up for surplus sale anyone can buy them. The website to view items for surplus sale or auction is https://doas.ga.gov/surplus-property/georgia-auctions-and-sales.
Policy IKBB has been approved by the Board of Education as well. The policy was brought before the board at the July meeting and work session. To view that meeting visit https://dawson.fetchyournews.com/2022/07/20/board-adopts-and-expands-learning-resources-for-k-5/.
The policy had to sit on the table for 30 days to give the community an opportunity to review the policy. The community has not made any comments for or against the policy so was approved as written. The policy can be viewed at https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/DownloadPolicyPDF.aspx?S=CpluslXcYFFT3A9JrOJ3bb36g==&AttachmentID=BFPiVWSQ46FQGK2Cu2xPDA==&IID=qYDEvVVYslshXy08VByFv5cJQ==.
This is in response to House Bill 1084 which was past in March. All Georgia School Boards are required to approve a policy for this bill. Lumpkin County approved one on Monday night, and White County approved one at their July board meeting.
Heard in the clip above is Superintendent Nicole LeCave describing the successful start to the 2023/24 school year.
Dawson Board of Education Meeting Aug. 9
Announcements, Board of Education August 9, 2022
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.- The Dawson County Board of Education will be holding the regular meeting and a called meeting on Aug. 9 the regular meeting is at 5:00 p.m. and the called meeting is at 6:00 p.m.
The meetings are open to the public. This is the agenda for the regular meeting and the called meeting.
Regular Meeting:
1. Call To Order
2. Welcome, Invocation & Pledge To The Flag
3. Approval Of Agenda
4. Special Recognition & Celebrations
- Because Coffee
5. Presentation & Discussion Items
- Facilities/Operations Update
6. Consent Agenda
- Monthly Financial Reports
- School Student Activity Reports
- Surplus Bus #233
- Minutes
- Policy IKBB – Divisive Concepts Complaint Resolution Process
- Overnight or Out-Of-State Field Trips
7. Action Items
8. Citizen’s Comments
9. Board Member Comments
10. Superintendent’s Report
11. Executive Session
12. Personnel
- Personnel Actions August 2022
13. Adjourn
Called Meeting:
Purpose of the Called Board Meeting: Setting of the FY23 Millage hearing.
1. Roll Call
2. Call To Order
3. Approval Of Agenda
4. Presentation & Discussion Items
- FY23 Millage Rate Presentation
5. Citizens’ Comments
6. Action Items
- The setting of the FY23 Millage and Adoption of the Resolution
7. Adjournment
Commissioners Approve Millage Rollback Rate
Announcements, Business, Community August 5, 2022
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.- The Dawson County Commissioners approved the millage rollback rate from the current 7.6250 to 7.2225 after the third public hearing.
County Manager David Headly while presenting the transfer station options to the board.
The commissioners also approved one of the two options proposed for the transfer station improvements. The moratorium on residential rezoning applications was voted on at the meeting as well. The request for the additional fire department positions was approved also.
The county is required to hold three public hearings before making changes to the millage rate to give citizens time to voice their opinions on the rate. The millage rate is used to calculate property taxes, it represents the amount per every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. To learn more about the millage rate visit https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/millagerate.asp.
Since 2018 there has been a rollback every year. The school board will also vote on a millage rate and the property taxes are divided 66% to the schools and 34% to the county.
At this rate taxes due for the county with no exemptions are $866.70. The approximate tax levy at this rate is $14,695,708. The millage rate is the only part of the property tax process that the commissioners deal with any other concerns need to be addressed with the tax assessor’s board.
At the first board meeting in July County Manager David Headly presented the commissioners with an option on how they could improve the transfer station and get it back up and running. After review, the commissioners asked if there were other viable options for the improvements.
The layout for how option one would look.
Headly brought the board two options for the improvements. The first option would cost an estimated $250 to 275,000 for the needed repairs. It would also potentially call for two part-time positions to open up at the recycling station to help citizens understand how to properly sort their recyclables. This would just be phase 1 of the process and if it were to work then the commissioners could begin looking at options to buy more equipment and do more work to the areas around the facility.
The second option would cost an estimated $700,000. It would require extensive excavation to put another building beside the old structure, new road construction, and a retaining wall. There is also an EPD concern of potential runoff into the retention ponds with this option.
The commissioners voted to have a budget of $350,000 to come out of the solid waste fund for option 1. This would accomplish the main goal of getting the facility back up and running for residential use.
Heard in the clip above are Commissioner Tim Satterfield, Headly, and Chairman of the Board Billy Thurmond discussing what will be done to the site in option one. To review what the plans will look like go to https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/daga-pubu/MEET-Packet-1f592063f63f415ea879edc50a63f704.pdf, they begin on page 42.
The residential moratorium has been extended until Nov. 2. This is in order to give staff time to look at the residential zoning codes and the CIE. The board will then vote in Nov. to either extend again or allow the moratorium to end.
Chief Thompson requested at the July 21 work session for the creation of two new positions within the fire department to help with recruitment. To review that meeting and what those positions are visit https://dawson.fetchyournews.com/2022/07/22/board-ratifies-emergency-purchase-of-police-vehicles/.
The commissioners voted to approve both positions that Thompson requested. This will give him the ability to hire candidates that lack some of the necessary certifications and be able to help them achieve those certifications. There is no extra money needed in the fire department budget at this time for the positions.
Anne Styles has donated 120 acres of land to Dawson County. This land is to be set up as a park per the donation. Commissioner Fausett has been working with Styles and the County Attorney on this donation for months and it was approved by the commissioner at the meeting on Aug. 4.
To review the complete videos of the work session and the voting meeting visit:
Dawson County Commissioners Will hold work session and voting meeting
Announcements, Community August 3, 2022
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.- The Dawson County Commissioner will be holding their work session on Aug. 4 at 4:00 p.m. Then, at 6:00 p.m., they will hold a public hearing on the millage rate and their voting meeting.
The meeting and work session is open to the public. These are the agendas for both.
Work Session:
NEW BUSINESS
1. Presentation of Application for Parade and Assembly – Five Star NTP Bootlegger
Triathlon – Planning & Development Director Sharon Farrell
2. Presentation of Land Donation Agreement- County Attorney
3. County Manager Report
4. County Attorney Report
Voting Meeting:
A. ROLL CALL
B. OPENING PRESENTATIONS
1. Proclamation of Achievement for Eagle Scout Projects
2. Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia Introduction- Executive Director Steve Napier /
Vice President of Development & Strategic Initiatives Sabrina Kirkland
C. INVOCATION
D. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
E. ANNOUNCEMENTS
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Minutes of the Work Session held on July 21, 2022
2. Minutes of the Voting Session held on July 21, 2022
G. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
H. PUBLIC COMMENT
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. 2022 Millage Rate and Property Tax (3rd of 3 hearings; 1st hearing was held July 7, 2022,
and 2nd hearing was held on July 21, 2022)
2. Extension of an Existing Moratorium on the Acceptance of Residential Rezoning
Applications (1st of 1 hearing)
J. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Consideration of Proposed Transfer Station Improvements (Tabled from July 21, 2022,
Voting Session)
K. NEW BUSINESS
1. Consideration of Request for Addition of Position Classification
2. Consideration of Request for Funding for Fire Hydrants
L. PUBLIC COMMENT
M. ADJOURNMENT
City sets rollback millabe rate at zero
News August 18, 2020
Mayor Mike Eason
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – City Council voted unanimously Monday to set a millage rate of 8.511 mils for the 2020 tax year and then approve a rollback millage rate of zero which means, once again, city residents will not pay a city tax.
Finance Director Hayden Wiggins calculated that the city’s action would save a homeowner whose house is valued at $250,000 about $851.
Council also unanimously approved a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) budget amendment from $1,812,912 to $2, 269,269,569 to coverage an overage in the cost of the Main Street Park/Farmers Market.
After a lengthy discussion on the status of the 53rd Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival with Rhonda Goodwin, president of Kare for Kids, Mayor Mike Eason said in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Council required more specific information before the city could approve the event. The festival is traditionally held the third week in October.
City Attorney Dana Miles suggested the council not make a decision until September.
“I anticipate if the governor follows the timeline he has in the past you may not have a new EO (executive order) until August 31. It might be prudent to set your meeting Sept. 1. By then we will, for certain, have a published executive order.”
Council voted to postpone any decision until a called meeting Sept. 2 at 4 p.m.
Council members voted 4-0 to utilize the services of Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) to conduct an operational efficiency study rather than participate in a similar study with Dawson County Government and the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority.
Mayor Eason said the cost of the GMA study will not exceed $4,000 while the cost of the other in unknown.
ABOUT FETCH YOUR NEWS
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Commissioners will set millage rate Thursday
News August 16, 2020DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — The Board of Commissioners is expected keep the current millage rate of 8.089 when it holds the third public hearing on the issue Monday at 4 p.m. in the Dawson County Courthouse/Administration Building at 25 Justice Way.
Unfortunately, that decision will result in a 5.3 percent increase in property taxes for county residents in 2021.
Georgia law requires that counties reassess property values within the county annually. When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, the law requires that a rollback millage rate be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest as that of the previous year. A rollback millage rate of 7.682 mils would have produced the same revenue.
But county officials say the FY 2021 budget tentatively adopted by commissioners requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate to be able to maintain the current level of services. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $300,000 is approximately $48.84 and the proposed tax increase for non-homestead property with a fair market value of $250,000 is approximately $40.70.
Voting session
During the voting session commissioners are expected to vote on a request by Paul Behrmann to rezone 5 acres on Hwy. 53 Commercial Community Business (CCB) to Residential Sub-Rural (RSR) a request by Derek Perry to rezone 7.48 acres at Big Savannah Road from Residential Sub-Rural (RSR) to Residential Agriculture (RA) and a request by Ronald Jones to rezone 2 acres at 1710 Howser Mill Road from Residential Agriculture (RA) to Residential Sub-Rural (RSR).
Items to be voted on under New Business include consideration of:
- Information Technology Exemption Request for Ambulance Transport Billing Software and Electronic Patient Care Reporting Software;
- Naming the New Pavilion at Veterans Memorial Park;
- Moving forward with a Public Hearing for 9-1-1 Ordinance Update
Work Session
In addition to the millage rate public hearing, other items to be considered during the work session include:
- A presentation of a Continuation Application for Victims of Crime Act Grant for FY 2021 by District Attorney Lee Darragh;
- A presentation of FY 2021 Department of Human Services / Deanna Specialty Transportation Contract and Memorandum of Understanding;
- A presentation of Annual Capital Improvements Element Update.
City to approve millage rate Monday
News August 15, 2020
DAWSON COUNTY, Ga – Finance Director Hayden Wiggins has calculated the 2020 millage rate to be 8.51 mils and city officials are expected to unanimously approve a roll back that relieves city residents of the burden of paying city taxes when City Council meets Monday (Aug. 17) at 5 p.m.
Council approved a FY ‘20-’21 General Fund budget of $$1,879,698 in June that included the 14 percent budget cuts recommended by Gov. Brian Kemp. The overall budget is $5,891,758.
Items expected to be approved under the Consent Agenda include:
- The Coronavirus Relief Fund Resolution;
- Ratification of Coronavirus Relief Fund Agreement Signed by Mayor Eason;
- Lease Contract for Wide Format Printer/Scanner for Planning and Zoning Department;
- Change Order for Modifications to Well
Under New Business, council will consider a SPLOST VI budget amendment in the amount of $456,657 for the over encumbered account for Main Street Park and the Farmers Market, bringing the expenditure total to $2,269,569.
During the Work Session, council will discuss the 53rd Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival and the Operational Efficiency study.
City Manager Bob Bolz and Wiggins will provide departmental reports.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com