1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:09,920 Welcome all to the border Bear Wood County Board of Commissioners special 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:13,280 called meeting August 31st, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Please silence your cell phones and 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:17,920 any other electronic devices. 4 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:22,880 Please stand for the indication given by the bishop 5 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,880 followed by a prayer and two pledges. 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:29,880 » Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day for the opportunity to come together 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:34,240 in service to our community. As we begin this meeting, grant us 8 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:39,640 wisdom and good judgment in the decisions before us. Help us to listen 9 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:46,000 with patience and work together with with spirit of cooperation. Guide our 10 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:50,440 actions, bless the citizens represented, and help us always remember the 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:55,080 responsibility entrusted us. In Jesus Christ we name, we pray. Amen. 12 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,720 » Amen. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the 13 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,960 United States of America, and to the republic 14 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:08,040 for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and 15 00:01:04,320 --> 00:01:08,040 justice for all. 16 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,400 » Now we'd like to adopt the agenda. Any changes to the agenda? 17 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,280 » No sir, Mr. Chairman. >> I'll make a motion we adopt the agenda. 18 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,120 » Second. >> All in favor? 19 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:35,800 Now I need a motion to go to public hearing for 2026 property tax millage 20 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,640 rate. >> So moved. 21 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,320 » Second. >> All in favor? 22 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:46,680 » Commissioners, Georgia law requires the county to advertise its tax digest and 23 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:49,920 5-year history, and levy each year, and to hold a public hearing before the 24 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:53,600 Board of Commissioners adopts the annual millage rates. 25 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:56,960 The 2026 rollback rates have been calculated by the tax commissioner, 26 00:01:55,160 --> 00:02:00,880 certified on the Department of Revenue's PT-32.14 27 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:04,840 The required notices were published in the county's legal organ on August 20th, 28 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,960 2026. The purpose of this public hearing is to 29 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:11,640 provide citizens with an opportunity to comment on the proposed millage rates 30 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,760 before the Board of Commissioners takes actions to adopt the county's millage 31 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:19,480 rates and approve the millage rate adopted by the Board of Education. 32 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:24,000 The proposed rollback rates for 2026 are as follows: Countywide General 33 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:29,200 Government, 12.277 mills. 34 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:33,959 Fire District, 2.304 mills. Fire Bond, 0.646 mills. The Board of Education 35 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:39,400 millage rate adopted on August 28th, 2026, 16.661 36 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:43,360 mills. Because the county has proposed to adopt the calculated rollback rates, 37 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:47,360 the proposed rates do not constitute a property tax increase under Georgia law. 38 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,959 At this time, the recommendation is to conduct the public hearing, allow an 39 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:53,600 opportunity for public comment, and to ensure the record reflects that the 40 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:58,040 hearing was properly advertised and conducted with accordance with Georgia 41 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,040 law. 42 00:02:59,959 --> 00:03:05,360 » At this time, I'd like to ask if anybody have public comment. 43 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:23,760 There's no public comment. We'd like to adopt the 2026 44 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:30,200 » I'll make a motion to close the public hearing on 2026 millage rate. 45 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,200 » Second. All in favor? 46 00:03:31,959 --> 00:03:38,440 » At this time, I'd like to adopt the 2026 millage rate recommended from 47 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:42,400 Meriwether County Board of Education and associated documents. 48 00:03:41,239 --> 00:03:45,800 » Commissioners, approval of the Meriwether County Board of Education's 49 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:49,000 2026 millage rate is required by the Board of Commissioners. The Board of 50 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:53,520 Education adopted a millage rate of 16.661 51 00:03:50,519 --> 00:03:56,160 mills on August 28th, 2026. State law requires the Board of 52 00:03:54,840 --> 00:04:00,400 Commissioners to approve the Board of Education's millage rate so that they 53 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:04,960 may properly levy be levied and collected by the Tax Commissioner. 54 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:08,000 And you have the cabinet documentation of the Board of Education resolution to 55 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,640 adopt the millage rate and they did advertise their 5-year history. 56 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:18,359 » There's a small decrease also. >> Yes, sir. 57 00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:22,680 The school board decreased .155 58 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,680 mills. 59 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,320 » We have a motion to adopt >> I make a motion to adopt it as 60 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:49,840 presented. >> Second. 61 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,840 » All in favor. 62 00:04:52,680 --> 00:05:00,280 Now we need to adopt 2026 millage rate for Barrow County. Adopt resolution and 63 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:03,560 all the associated documents. >> Commissioners, as presented, the 2026 64 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,680 rollback millage rates have been calculated and certified by the Board of 65 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:09,960 Assessors and Tax Commissioner and has properly been advertised. 66 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:17,160 The proposed millage rates are countywide general government 12.277 67 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:22,800 mills, fire district 2.304 mills, fire bond .646 mills. Adoption of these 68 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:26,760 rollback rates ensures that the 2026 millage levy does not constitute a 69 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:29,840 property tax increase under Georgia law. A resolution has been prepared for the 70 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:33,440 Board's consideration and approval. The resolution will require the signatures 71 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:37,080 of all Board members, the County Attorney, and the County Clerk. 72 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:41,480 With the Chairman authorized authorized 73 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:45,240 to execute any additional documents necessary to complete the millage rate 74 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:51,880 process. And the millage rate for the county 75 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,880 reduced 0.113. 76 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:58,360 We did take the rollback rate that was 2.07. 77 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:04,160 And for anybody that's interested in that, the cost of a mill in 2026 is 78 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,160 $867,808. 79 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:10,200 It's about a 10% increase over last year. 80 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:17,040 And that's just due to the increase of the digest, not overall tax. So, it's 81 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,040 the assessment of the tax in the county. 82 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:26,680 And the fire bond and fire district was slightly decreased as well. 83 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:31,400 Fire district went down 0.021. Fire bond reduction of 0.006. 84 00:06:35,840 --> 00:06:43,280 And because we took the rollback rate and a decrease in the military, we only 85 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,280 required to have one public hearing. 86 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,360 » We have a >> motion in period of 2026 millage rate, 87 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:49,880 Meriwether County. >> So moved. 88 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,720 » Second. >> All in favor. 89 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:58,560 Would it include the adopting the resolution in lieu of the chairman 90 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,960 signing any other related documents? >> Yes. 91 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:02,880 » Yeah, I thought that was included. I thought the motion included that. 92 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,880 » Yes. >> It does. 93 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:08,000 » Well, I mean >> How we doing for maybe for the rest 94 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:11,120 » to approve carries with it the chairman's authorization. 95 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,600 » And adopting the resolution. >> Yes. 96 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:16,400 » Okay. We'll make sure everybody is on the same page. 97 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:22,040 We'd have to leave for the executive session. 98 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:25,800 » We do for personnel. >> I'd like a motion to go into executive 99 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:29,360 session for litigation, personnel, real estate, tax matters, and cyber security. 100 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,960 » So moved. >> Okay. 101 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:35,880 » All in favor. Motion to come back into uh 102 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,440 I'd motion to go back into regular session. 103 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,720 » So moved. >> Second. 104 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,400 » All in favor. >> Aye. 105 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:44,360 » No action was taken in executive session. 106 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,760 Need a motion to adjourn. >> So moved. 107 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,000 » Second. >> All in favor. 108 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,000 » Aye.