County Sets Millage Rate
Few people turned out for the final public hearing on the county’s millage rate held last Friday by the Jasper County Commission, and the subsequent meeting to vote on the millage.
Those who did protested the meeting saying the law was not followed, and no action should be taken. The law requires that “due notice”—posting of a written notice at least 24 hours in advance of a called meeting, be given. However, the meeting was not posted until about 2 p.m. Thursday, only 19 hours before the scheduled meeting.
The meeting had been announced in this newspaper, with an agenda published. However, the law says it must also be posted.
County Manager Greg Williams read a statement into the minutes for the record. That statement noted that the statue does provide that for “special circumstances” the 24-hour rule may be waived.
“Legal counsel has advised that special circumstances are applicable for the called meeting due to the critical nature of a timely levy of property taxes. Should the millage rate not be set at the prescribed time, there would be an undue burden placed upon the county that would cause the delay of the submission of the tax digest and a delay in creating and mailing the 2006 tax bills.
“Given that the five year history, which gives notice of the meeting, has been previously run in the local paper, as well as specific notice of today’s meeting being provided to the local paper, this board recognizes that special circumstances exist and this meeting will proceed as planned.”
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Charles Forsythe and Francis Cason both objected to the public hearing and the meeting setting the millage, saying threw is no big deal to delay setting the millage by a couple of days so that “due notice” can be given.
However, the four members of the commission present met, and set the county’s millage rate.
Commissioner Carl Pennamon abstained from the vote, saying that it remains his opinion that the budget should be set before considering setting the millage.
Commissioner Charles Hill was not present.
Commission Chairman Jack Bernard, Vice-Chairman Bob Yar-brough, and Commissioner Greg Johnson voted to approve the millage rate of 12.59 mills for unincorporated Jasper County, 14.76 mills for support and operation of the schools, and 1 mill for bonded indebtedness for the school.
The Tax Levy resolution signed by the four commissioners at the meeting, and presumably by Charles Hill later, began, “At a meeting of the Jasper County Board of Commissioners, Jasper County, Georgia, held on August 25, 2006, there being all members present, the following order passed.”
Tax Commissioner Merry Faulkner said she sent the appropriate tax documents to Atlanta on Monday. The signed Tax Levy resolution is to be posted on the Courthouse door for 30 days and published in this newspaper for four weeks.
