HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-12-1999 Meeting
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FINANCE & APPROPRIA TrONS
COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE ROOM - July 12, 1999
1:30 P. M.
PRESENT: Hons. Bob Young, Mayor; Bridges, Chairman; H. Brigham, Vice-
Chairman; Beard and 1. Brigham, members; Jim Wall, Attorney; Randy Oliver,
Administrator; Gary Hewett, Keith Schoultz and other representatives of IT Department;
Lon Morrey, Comptroller; David Collins, Finance Department; Jerry Saul, Tax
Commissioner; North Williamson, Deputy Tax Commissioner; Lena Bonner, Clerk of
Commissioner and N.mcy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commissioner.
Also Present: George Eskola ofWJBF Television, Stacey Eidson of The
Metropolitan Spirit, other members of the news media and Hons. Colclough and Mays,
Commissioners.
The Clerk: We have a request to add an item to purchase an ad in the August '99
issue of the Georgia County Government Magazine "Family Album".
Mr. J. Brigham: I so move we add this.
Mr. Beard: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously with Mr. H. Brigham out of the room.
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A request to abate 1996 taxes on property at Map 18, Parcel 440 Boy Scout
Road, was read.
Mr. J. Brigham: I so move.
Mr. Beard: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously with Mr. H. Brigham out of the room.
A request to refund 1996 taxes in the amount of $129.31 to Solomon Hood for
overpayment of taxes on Map 85-3, Parcel 106, was read.
Mr. Beard: I so move.
Mr. J. Brigham: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
A request to purchase an ad in the August '99 issue of the Georgia County
Government Magazine "Family Album", was read.
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The Clerk: A full page is $500, a 2/3 page is $365 and a half page is $275.
Mr. Beard: Where would we get the funding?
The Clerk: Either "Commission Other" or the publication account. We have
about $3,500 left in "Commission Other" and they couldn't give me a figure on the
publication account.
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Mr. 1. Brigham: I move that we do the full page ad for $500 and charge it to the
publication account.
Mr. H. Brigham: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
The Committee next discussed setting the millage rate.
Mr. Oliver: We're required by the last meeting in July to set the millage rate and
we are recommending that it remain unchanged as it has been the last two years. We
would note the City of Blythe fire tax varies a little bit each year because of the way they
apply the fire premium tax. Historically, any surpluses that remain at the end of the year
we had used for capital purchases, and we have budgeted somewhat conservatively which
I think is financially prudent. Because of the estimate we had, there will be about a
$330,000 amount that will come in as a result of reassessments. We recommend that this
money, as it has in the last two years, pass into capital and that capital as part of the
budgetary process be allocated out. This county is vastly undercapitalized as it relates to
having good equipment to do the job. If you wish to decrease the millage rate, it would
be my recommendation to look at the expense side of the ledger.
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After further discussion, Mr. Mayor: 1'd like to see us pass these savings from the
reassessment back to the taxpayers. The increased valuations we got from the
reassessment is nothing more than a backdoor tax increase and we all ought to know it
and if want to include this figure in our spending plan, then we ought to say we've
increased taxes for the people here $322,544.40. If we need that money for capital
expenditures, then we ought to budget for it and tax for it rather than using a sleight-of-
hand to get the money.
Mr. Oliver: In the past the government has not elected to do capital expenditures
and I feel that is shortsighted to do this.
Mr. Mayor: If we have capital needs, why don't we identify those and then tax
for them?
Mr. Oliver: In effect that's what we'll wind up doing next year.
Mr. Mayor: You also have potential savings from the management study which
would more than offset a loss of revenue plus give you additional money for capital
purchases.
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Mr. Oliver: And I think those are valid savings if that's something to be
addressed and I think that's more appropriate than looking at the revenue side.
Mr. Beard: I move that we accept the Administrator's recommendation to
maintain the millage rate as it is with no increase or rollback.
Mr. H. Brigham: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Lena 1. Bonner
Clerk of Commission
NWM
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FINA.1\JCE & APPROPRIATIONS
AGENDA
COMMITTEE ROOM - July 12, 1999
1:30 P. M.
1. Request to abate 1996 taxes on property at (Map 18, Parcel 440) Boy Scout Road.
2. Refund of 1996 taxes in the amount of$129.31 to Solomon Hood for
overpayment of taxes on Map 85-3, Parcel 106.
3 Set 1999 millage rate.
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ADDENDUM
FINANCE & APPROPRIATIONS AGENDA
July 12, 1999
1:30 P. M.
ADDITION TO THE AGENDA:
1. Motion to approve the purchase of an Ad in the August '99 issue of the Georgia
CowIty Government Magazine "Family Album".
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