2023-07-18 · City Council · Transcript · Public Hearing 1 for Millage Rate

--- title: Public Hearing 1 for Millage Rate date: 2023-07-18 source: 2023-07-18_Public_Hearing_1_for_Millage_Rate.wav --- [0:03:38, 0:03:43]: I I know Miss Ms Washington. Uh Madam Clerk, are we about ready to go? [0:03:57, 0:03:58]: Yeah. [0:04:05, 0:04:13]: We're good. Okay, good. All right, appreciate it. All right, ladies and gentlemen. I have we'll have a special call meeting for our village [0:04:14, 0:04:17]: rate discussion. Uh this is uh Tuesday. [0:04:18, 0:04:20]: July eighteenth. [0:04:20, 0:04:24]: July eighteenth at and I have nine oh five and like to call this meeting to order. [0:04:26, 0:04:31]: All right, on a note, um Mr Blount, uh invocation please, could you please stand? [0:04:39, 0:04:59]: Dear Heavenly Gracious Father, we come to you this morning. Thank you, Lord, for your grace and we thank you for your mercy. We come, Lord, asking that you would continue to guide us and keep us as we make decisions, Heavenly Father, as we move this great city called Stockbridge forward. We thank you for all that have come today, God. We ask that you would continue to bless and cover the leaders of this great country, Heavenly Father. [0:04:59, 0:05:00]: And this awesome city. [0:05:00, 0:05:20]: We ask Heavenly Father you continue to keep us in all that we do, all the decisions that we make, and let it benefit the citizens of the Stockbridge, Heavenly Father, and continue to cover our minds and continue to put the safety upon us in this city. Cover those that are grieving right now, Heavenly Father, from hardship. Heavenly Father, loss and mourning of any uh such anything that they're mourning about this morning. [0:05:20, 0:05:40]: in heavenly father continue to keep us we thank you law for the staff and community and it's in jesus name we pray amen amen pledge allegiance pledge allegiance to the united states of america to republic from one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice [0:05:40, 0:05:41]: This is all. [0:05:42, 0:05:44]: Roll call, Madam Kirk. [0:05:48, 0:05:54]: Mayor Ford? Present. Mayor Proton Barber. Present. Councilman Alexander. Present. [0:05:54, 0:05:56]: Councilman Blount. Present. [0:05:56, 0:05:58]: Councilwoman Gantt. [0:06:00, 0:06:11]: Let the record reflect Councilwoman Gantt is not in attendance. Councilman Thomas. Present. Mayor Ford, you have a quarrel. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh Council, I need the motion to adopt current agenda for today, please. [0:06:12, 0:06:20]: So move. Okay, Mr. Blount. Sir I got uh some okay Mr. Alexander, I got you, sir. All in favor, please indicate. [0:06:20, 0:06:34]: Thank you very much. All right, on that note, this is a public hearing, proposed millage rate, property tax increase. And we'll start off uh with uh presentation by um Mr. Gardner, our city manager. [0:06:37, 0:06:47]: And uh just a special note here, we do have the task commissioner, Michael Harris, and his staff are present as well. Uh so welcome back, Mr. Harris and your staff. Thank you, sir. [0:06:49, 0:07:07]: Okay. Good good morning, uh Mayor, Council members. Um today we're here to discuss uh setting of the Miller's rate. Um with that I'm gonna kinda go through a presentation that I did with you guys just a month ago, so but before I get there, I wanna bring Mr. Harris up to talk a little bit about the [0:07:07, 0:07:16]: the setting of a miller's rate and which we haven't done in a number of years here in the city of Stockbridge, and the process by which we got our digest and then I'll turn it and go from there. [0:07:17, 0:07:17]: All right. [0:07:19, 0:07:20]: All right. You want them now? [0:07:21, 0:07:22]: Yes. Mr. Harris, please. [0:07:29, 0:07:31]: We want to talk about it. [0:07:33, 0:07:34]: Okay. [0:07:37, 0:07:57]: Good morning, Mayor. Good morning, Council members. Good to be back again. So many familiar faces. We're excited about the opportunity to partner with the city in this endeavor. I have with me today our Deputy Task Commissioner, Ms. Lynn Cardi, as well as some of our property tech specialists, Ms. Karen Spinks and Ms. Ebony Hambrick. [0:07:57, 0:08:13]: And again, just briefly, it is the role that the county plays in this process. Um, you know, we're attending the Millage Rate hearings for both the county, um, Board of Education, as well as all the cities that have a um have a millage rate in place. [0:08:14, 0:08:34]: You know, so what our role is some once the military rate is set and established, we go through the process of working with the county, with the city staff, um, to make sure that all of the deadlines, all the requirements that the state has imposed are are carried out. I can tell you right now that working with um your city manager and your [0:08:34, 0:08:54]: finance folks um has been seamless as far as the process going forward. Ms. Cole has been wonderful to work with. Because again for us, what's tantamount for us is we we have a set deadline as far as having to, you know, we're constrained by the state. We have to have tax bills out sixty days prior to [0:08:54, 0:09:14]: to their due date. So that would take us to, you know, bills are due November 16th. So by September 16th, everything has to be done. So when we first began conversation some several months back, um it was in reference to you know what are those deadlines, what information do we need prior to um the process beginning so we can ensure that we they that that [0:09:14, 0:09:15]: The um [0:09:16, 0:09:36]: That we meet all of our requirements. Um it's critical, as you can imagine, from a cash flow standpoint for organizations like cities and our school board to make sure that you know bills do out on a timely basis. So um being able to make sure that we have uh the personnel in place and we have the communication between has been critical for us. [0:09:36, 0:09:56]: What happens now we go through the hearing process. Um today represents the first of three hearings that'll take place. Um should the council, mayor and council decide to adopt a millage, at that point we would take that information and we begin generating the bills. We anticipate the we'd send that also. [0:09:56, 0:10:16]: We have to go back to send it to the state. They'd have to go back and review all of our information, our digest information. That entire package is put together by Ms. Cardi and her team as well in conjunction with our tax assessor's office. They submit that to the state, the state reviews, and they subsequently give us a response back saying that we have authorization to move forward with the collection of taxes. [0:10:16, 0:10:36]: Um typically that takes place sometime around the first weekend in August, um by mid-August, and from there we have to work with our printers and our the folks that actually prepare the bills. That's about a two-week process. So again, we try to give ourselves a little bit of a cushion to make sure that we can we aim every year to have bills out by no later than the first of September. So it gives a little bit of a cushion. [0:10:36, 0:10:48]: So that's kind of the timing. Um I will tell you that, you know, the efficiency of the staff over the last several years has yielded a collection rate of [0:10:49, 0:11:01]: ninety eight, we're probably about ninety seven, ninety eight percent in the first year. And that continues to grow over course of time as we continue to move forward with collecting delinquents. So um but I will say, you know, one thing I'm really mindful of [0:11:02, 0:11:09]: Um whatever the perception of the task collector's um task commissioner's office may be, the [0:11:10, 0:11:19]: The good part about what we do is it the how we are able to carry out our work. You know, we are really mindful about working with our citizens. Um [0:11:20, 0:11:40]: Po pre-pandemic, we did a lot of going out outreach, reaching out to senior citizens centers to educate, help further educate, and just advise and give information to all of our citizens, but in particular our seniors, those who have questions about the homestead process, the frozen process, how that affects them, how that impacts. [0:11:40, 0:12:00]: impacts them um and what some of the deadlines are and some of the things they can make sure we want to make sure that they're be able to they're they're able to um utilize and maximize all the available exemptions that they may have coming their way. So that's something we take great set sense of pride in. We work diligently with those people, even those are in our delinquent um stages to help them work [0:11:59, 0:12:01]: Yeah. [0:12:02, 0:12:22]: Again, in this process, we serve as a partner with the city. And you know, as we work through the process of again, should the city opt to move forward with the with the military, then we would um help the the the operational functional part of it. What we don't get involved with is the portion and you know the questions in very [0:12:22, 0:12:42]: that comes how those how those funds being spent. The question and things of that nature that can deferred back to the city. We don't add we don't respond back to city on a response as far as how those funds are being utilized. Obviously those are budgetary questions that the that the mayor and council make determinations on. So that's our role, you know, throughout the process we'll be here with you lockstep. Any questions [0:12:42, 0:12:52]: that that that you may have. Any council members I've spoken the number, I've spoken to the mayor, spoken to the number of council members over the course of over the course of the last few months. So that's what we're here for be here to support any any way we can throughout the process. [0:12:53, 0:12:55]: All right. Uh Mr Alzani, you must have a question, sir. [0:12:55, 0:13:15]: Yeah, thank you, Mr. Harris. I appreciate that. You've been along for this ride with us since day one in twenty sixteen when we were sworn in. I'm no m Mr. Blount and I. So uh we appreciate your public service to the community and know you don't have any role in deciding what the tax is gonna be, potential tax would be you. [0:13:15, 0:13:35]: You're just the facilitator. But you've been doing an amazing job, as you said, you've collected ninety-seven, ninety-eight percent. But what I want uh do is ask a couple of questions if I'm able to to be able to just understand your role in terms of other things. Uh right now, most residents are probably unaware. [0:13:35, 0:13:55]: That you have actually already been collecting a property tax on behalf of the city for police services. A 1.9% millage rate that they have already been paying. They've been paying it to Henry County instead of paying it to the city. But now, since we have our own [0:13:55, 0:14:15]: police force, we have to collect that money. So in one in some instances, in some essence, we really have to implement a millage in order to collect those funds that Henry County has been collecting for us. And again, you've already been paying that one point nine percent already. [0:14:15, 0:14:35]: The county was collecting it for us up until uh very recently. And what actually happened is we had to actually dip back to request the money from the county because they had collected collected it for us since we started uh in the middle of the year. Talk about that process of transferring it over. [0:14:35, 0:14:45]: over to us and how we would have to collect that 1.9% uh ourselves uh versus that and that would require us to implement a millage to correct collect it. [0:14:46, 0:15:06]: Sure. So you're right. Um over the last several years there was a millage incorporated for a you know, and and part of it still remains, you know, for I believe for fire services, I believe the city still relies on the county to provide fire services. So it is a it was last year it was a one point nine something mill. [0:15:06, 0:15:25]: Not a percent of exactly one point nine mil um that was done. My understanding is through the process of the service delivery strategy um um meetings and and and and negotiations, the determination was made that since the city now has their own police force, that they would now um [0:15:25, 0:15:33]: They wanted that taken off since they were providing their own force. Much in the same manner that the city of McDonough, they have their own police force. They don't have uh so to s so the m [0:15:33, 0:15:45]: citizens and city and an incorporated McDonough, they don't pay that millage rate for police either. Police services, but they don't nothing's not providing that service. So it's the same thing. Um [0:15:45, 0:15:52]: So when that negotiatation took place, the one point nine mills went away. So you're right. So as it stands right now, the city [0:15:52, 0:16:12]: That funding mechanism specifically for police that was going to county police previously, that doesn't exist right now within the city's confines. Um so to your point, yeah, it's in order to recoup that back and get back to where the same levels, the same taxation levels you were before, at the very minimum it would need to be at least that one point nine four or whatever. [0:16:12, 0:16:16]: Whatever again, that all comes back to on to your your actual budgetary costs. [0:16:18, 0:16:38]: What that process looks like is kind of what we're doing right now. A determination is made by the municipality to say, you know, this is a, you know, and typically the process is you have your budget, your budget, make the determination on your budget, and you use your those budget numbers. Once the digest is determined, the digest tells you how much you're investing. [0:16:38, 0:16:41]: value of your property is within your respective jurisdiction. [0:16:41, 0:16:55]: From there, you take your assessed value, which is simply forty percent of your of your market value for all your all your all your all your digest um entities, your property, your real, your mobile homes, all those entities. [0:16:56, 0:17:03]: And from there a digest number is determined. And from there you look at 40%. That's the amount, the taxable amount that's available within the city. [0:17:04, 0:17:24]: From there, a determination has to be made on how much your millage rate will be to see, to make the determination of how much of that taxable amount you want to be able to pull back in order to meet your budgetary requirements. So that's the conversation where I guess the county, the city is getting ready to embark on. Um, what type of millage [0:17:24, 0:17:28]: [1049.0, 1069.0]: Absolutely. And um to follow back up on that a little bit dip more detail is that uh last night I personally went to the Henry County School Board Millage Rate meeting. And folks need to understand that the the assessment that they received earlier this year it [0:17:48, 0:17:51]: It didn't include any city tax at all, did it? [0:17:51, 0:18:11]: No, it did not. It did not except for that one point nine percent. So understanding if you had a three hundred thousand dollar house or my home, my taxes were nearly five thousand dollars on that assessment that I received. But none of that was charged to the city. You know, I look at the room now, there's more people in this room than there were in the room. [0:18:11, 0:18:31]: Last night and the school board charges you 60% of the taxes. The city, if a village were to be informated, would be a minimal amount compared to the$5,000 that I would be paying to the county and to the school board. Talk about that breakdown real quick and the how much who pays. [0:18:31, 0:18:39]: pays between the between the city, the county, uh uh and the and and what percentages go to each one. Yeah. [0:18:40, 0:18:41]: What's on your slide? [0:18:41, 0:19:01]: Okay, he's got it on this slide. Okay, we'll we'll follow back up with that. Yeah. And then the the other thing of everything that's collected, yeah, I can tell you about sixty percent of taxes that are collected are are going to the school board. And about thirty seven percent are going to the um to the county. Then you have a [0:19:01, 0:19:05]: a smaller percentage of two mills that's going to the water authority and then within that um [0:19:06, 0:19:07]: Portion of that [0:19:08, 0:19:15]: um county portion is denoted toward the respective cities that have militaries in place. Right now it's just McDonough and Hampton. [0:19:16, 0:19:36]: And then there's also a a exemption for seniors uh for that school board portion of the tax, right? So that would significantly impact them if they did apply for that uh exemption uh for those who are uh of age, correct? Right. The school board [0:19:36, 0:19:37]: [1178.5, 1186.9]: The reduction in the school board taxes begins at age sixty-two and it progresses, sixty-two, sixty-five, sixty-eight, and by age seventy, you're no longer paying any school taxes. [0:19:47, 0:19:52]: Um so you're right, that is in place and that varies from county to jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Um it should also be noted [0:19:53, 0:20:04]: Henry County is unique in that it does have a provision called a frozen provision, if you will, which in essence really just states that the year that you file for your homestead on your personal property, on your home. [0:20:05, 0:20:17]: as your primary s uh dwelling, um, your value is frozen in that year. So if you bought your home in the year 2000 and you purchased it for two hundred thousand dollars. [0:20:17, 0:20:24]: your value would be frozen at that value. So fast forward now to twenty twenty three and the property is now worth [0:20:24, 0:20:26]: триhрот о форусе. [0:20:26, 0:20:32]: On your county taxes, again, it's it's important to notice just on the county taxes side that thirty seven percent. [0:20:33, 0:20:38]: You're still only being charged at or still being valued at that two hundred thousand the year you file for your homestead. [0:20:39, 0:20:59]: So that's a tremendous savings throughout the, you know, for residents within the county. Again, that only applies to the to the county portion of your taxes. That does not apply to your to the school taxes, the the majority of sixty percent. But again, that is a substantial um savings for a majority of our of our residents. All right. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Any other questions, Council for Mr. Harris? [0:20:59, 0:21:01]: Go ahead please, Mr. Martin. [0:21:02, 0:21:03]: Morning, Mr. Harris, how you doing? [0:21:04, 0:21:05]: Good to see you again, Councilman Blount. [0:21:05, 0:21:06]: Um [0:21:07, 0:21:10]: I have a question prior to um [0:21:12, 0:21:16]: I'm trying to remember. When did you come into office? What year was it? Oh [0:21:19, 0:21:20]: Fifteen? [0:21:21, 0:21:29]: Fourteen, fifteen? Okay. That's fine. I'm just trying to I don't wanna ask any questions. That was pre your time. Um [0:21:31, 0:21:34]: In twenty in in February eighth of twenty twenty one [0:21:35, 0:21:47]: Um when we talked about the minutes rates and the bonds that we was doing with as a city, um my concern was then that there was no clear financial path. [0:21:47, 0:21:49]: to the decisions that was being made. [0:21:51, 0:21:53]: Um we had our financial advisor. [0:21:54, 0:22:03]: to come and address our issues. Uh Mr. Walls, he just walked in today. And um with no clear financial path. [0:22:04, 0:22:07]: Mr. Wall mentioned there would likely be a property tax. [0:22:08, 0:22:13]: This is an uh February eighth, twenty twenty one meeting that we had with the city. [0:22:13, 0:22:16]: Uh on March twenty first. [0:22:16, 0:22:21]: Um my question was what was gonna be the annual payments to [0:22:21, 0:22:41]: The 25 million bond,$25 million bonds that was presented and and passed by my colleagues, how are we going to pay that? And Mr. Walls stated then that the expenses would need to be, the expenses would need to be cut back, or a property tax would have to be. [0:22:41, 0:22:42]: Yeah. [0:22:42, 0:22:43]: On the city. [0:22:44, 0:22:46]: When you take a budget [0:22:46, 0:22:49]: And it's gonna come to a question. You when you take a budget from [0:22:50, 0:22:52]: About twelve million dollars. [0:22:53, 0:23:11]: In twenty twenty four that budget gonna double or more. This is a point of order. What's the point of order? Is this Germain? This is a millage rate hearing and it this is a tax commissioner. This question is from should be asked to the city manager. The tax commissioner has no jurisdiction over our city budget. [0:23:11, 0:23:31]: None. Uh Mayor, the the reason I'm asking these questions because whatever would be filed with um uh the uh tax commission, nobody that would have that information more than Mr Mr. Harris would right here. That's I'm leading to the question that asked me. [0:23:31, 0:23:34]: Mr. Harris. Oh, go away. Continue on please. [0:23:35, 0:23:39]: See, there's times when you're asking questions that are uncomfortable. [0:23:40, 0:24:00]: I'm not uncomfortable asking questions. I'm not uncomfortable about telling the truth. I'm not uncomfortable about what needs to see to know. Oh, appeal to the council. He's giving a speech. He's not doing anything related to it's not jumping into the topic. I'm appealing to the council. [0:24:00, 0:24:18]: Stand by guys. Stand by I'm appealing to the council. I'm appealing to the council. No need to appeal to the council. Uh Mr. Harris. She needs to be cut off. As you know, our tax budget. Guys, listen. Uh point of order, Mayor. I got your point of order. But I'm gonna overrule your point of order. I ask I appeal to the council. [0:24:19, 0:24:37]: Um I appeal I can appeal to the council. I appeal to the three council members. Mr. Blount is making a speech. He's not making anything in judicial to what we're talking about. I appeal to the council. He has to ask his question, not question the commissioner about what is going on. I appeal to the council. [0:24:39, 0:24:50]: Ask the question. The the question has to be germane to the topic. The tax commissioner has no idea about twelve million dollars and all of that. He has no that's not his role. That's the city manager's role. [0:24:52, 0:25:02]: Mr. Harris is not uncomfortable talking about the subject. I just want to make sure that the city is a very important thing. We're talking about was germane to the city of Stockbridge, not the school board that was mentioned. [0:25:03, 0:25:05]: Which was allowed to be spoken about. [0:25:06, 0:25:11]: So I'm speaking specifically about the financial and taxes of the city of Stockbridge. [0:25:12, 0:25:21]: When I sat back and listened to my colleagues speak about the school board, that has nothing to do with what we're gonna have to implement in the city. [0:25:21, 0:25:23]: So if we're gonna go off of West Germain. [0:25:24, 0:25:34]: on one council member respect the other. As simple as that. Continue on please. I appeal to the council. We had a twelve million dollar I appeal to the council, you did not ask for a vote. [0:25:36, 0:25:38]: Mayor. Yes sir. [0:25:39, 0:25:56]: Let me have to finish. This is the problem that I have when it comes to comp there should be a vote. Fellas, listen, calm down. This is appeal to the counselor. We have security here. If you don't want to lose the case, you can't. Hold on, fellas. Come on. Now you you guys gotta realize you're on camera now. Darn it. You're on camera. [0:25:57, 0:26:00]: Oh listen. Um Mr Washington. [0:26:03, 0:26:05]: Is there such a thing as appealing to the council on this issue? [0:26:10, 0:26:13]: rules if you go down to [0:26:17, 0:26:17]: Okay. [0:26:25, 0:26:26]: Yeah. [0:26:37, 0:26:43]: The point of order can be recognized. Let Mr Washington s do what he needs to do. Thank you. [0:26:43, 0:26:58]: The presiding officer, two point under your charter, two point oh four one one oh deciding questions of order. The presiding officer shall decide all questions of order, but any member dissatisfied with any of his decisions shall have the right to appeal to the council. All right. [0:27:00, 0:27:07]: All right, so do you want to appeal to the coun so otherwise you can appeal to the council, do you want to appeal to the council the fact that you don't think he's germane his commissary germane to the a topic? [0:27:07, 0:27:12]: Yes, and for him to ask his question and then make the presentation to the city manager. [0:27:13, 0:27:30]: All right. On that note is that uh you need a we need a of official vote on this aspect. Okay. So all in favor of what the the Mr. Alezan is talking about appeal to council. Is there is there uh is the rest of the council in favor of that? It would require three votes to pass. I I understand, sir. Is it i is the council in favor of that? [0:27:31, 0:27:45]: Ma yes sir, you have a question. Uh I I am mayor and and and I think as you sort of alluded to, uh we need to be civil uh in these discussions. Uh we need to I I think [0:27:46, 0:27:48]: Make sure that the questioning [0:27:48, 0:28:01]: or pertaining to the subject at matter, um, ask mister Harris the questions. Uh this is a very serious issue and and I don't think we need any grandstanding or any [0:28:02, 0:28:03]: discussion about [0:28:04, 0:28:24]: What this council did in the past to get us to this point. We're here now at this point. I think the conversation just needs to stay here today, not what happened a year ago. Thank you, sir. All right. So you all are you in favor? Is there a m you made a mo this appear to council otherwise the motion? [0:28:24, 0:28:26]: So all in favor of the motion, please indicate. [0:28:27, 0:28:33]: All right, all right. So the motion actually passes. Now, so we've got to ask a specific question, Mr. Blount. [0:28:33, 0:28:35]: Two um uh [0:28:36, 0:28:37]: To uh Mr. Harris. [0:28:37, 0:28:40]: One of the things that's not gonna happen to me is I'm gonna sit quiet. [0:28:42, 0:28:44]: Well we're in this mess now because of these three. [0:28:45, 0:28:50]: Let me say this to you. Was anything given to you, mister Harris, your office? [0:28:51, 0:29:11]: In February of twenty twenty eight, pertaining to any feasibility study or anything germane to any study about a tax being implemented because of the twin of the of the increase in what we was gonna be doing, uh as far as Mr. Wall was anything presented to the county, uh to the tax commission, what w like we've [0:29:11, 0:29:31]: Done in the in the past here recently pertaining to what a millish rate would be on the uh wage analysis, uh the uh um general fund analysis that I had done that was from 2019 to 2024, that showed our budget that would increase double or more by 2024. Was anything given [0:29:31, 0:29:32]: [1774.0, 1777.0]: I I'm not aware of anything else provided to my office, no. [0:29:38, 0:29:47]: Then mister th then then this falls in line with what I'm trying to say that you're here, you got nothing as a tax commission. [0:29:48, 0:29:51]: And this council has has put us in a position [0:29:52, 0:29:58]: Without the citizens being recognized and this is why they're trying to acquire me. They can do whatever they want to do. [0:29:58, 0:30:01]: But to sit I'm said when I said this prior to the vote. [0:30:02, 0:30:06]: For these increases, when I said this when I got the analysis. [0:30:07, 0:30:08]: I'm gonna say it now. [0:30:08, 0:30:14]: I'm not sitting here playing politics. If the citizens put me back in office, so be it. If they don't, so be it. [0:30:15, 0:30:16]: But I'm a citizen first. [0:30:17, 0:30:23]: And the decisions been made by this council, financial decisions with a clear path of how we're gonna pay for it. We just [0:30:24, 0:30:30]: We just balanced our budget with four point five million dollars last year of our savings. We can't take that kind of hit again. [0:30:31, 0:30:33]: So what's being presented here today? [0:30:33, 0:30:36]: It's for me to make decisions now. [0:30:37, 0:30:38]: To save our city. [0:30:38, 0:30:39]: financially. [0:30:40, 0:30:43]: When we could have prevented some things prior to this happening. [0:30:44, 0:30:44]: All right. [0:30:45, 0:30:50]: All right, so any other qu qu questions, specific questions here for Mr. Harris from the council? [0:30:52, 0:30:53]: Yeah, go right here, please. [0:30:54, 0:30:54]: I do. [0:30:55, 0:31:14]: Go right in, please. Um Mr. Harris, the deadlines that you mentioned for the tax commissioner office, can you tell me what those deadlines are as far as the city making a decision on or if we impose a tax? When does that information have to be shared with the tax commissioner's office? [0:31:14, 0:31:34]: Yeah, so again, going back, what we do is we kind of work backwards from the state mandated um decree that have the bills have to be out with minimum of sixty days prior to their due date. Um so again, our due date is November 16th, so it has to be out by the 16th of September. Um we always keep a a window just for NL [0:31:34, 0:31:54]: Inevitabilities that may come up. So for us right now, we are looking at an adoption, final adoption by the end of July. I think the final one that we hear is from the Board of Commissioners on August 1st. So we would need all of our cities, municipalities, and Board of Education to be completed with a determination made by the [0:31:54, 0:32:14]: Then so we know because once once we have the final determination in the millage set from the county, that information, we compile that information along with again us in conjunction with the assessor's office, and we submit that digest package to the state for their review and analysis. Um, usually they're about anywhere from one [0:32:14, 0:32:34]: Of three or four days for them to review. So typically we get that review, we get that information back within within about that first week of August. And from there we have to submit everything back to our printers. So they have to go back through print the bills. We have to take the information, determination that was made on the city is going. [0:32:34, 0:32:48]: to have a millage run those calculations and that has to be reflected on every every tax bill. So have to make sure every tax bill is run. Miss Cardi and her team, what they do is they go through the the the the painstaking process of going through and having to check all of the [0:32:48, 0:32:58]: Um the draft tax bills to make sure that they're printed out accurately, the calculations are done properly. So again, that takes a couple of weeks and then that runs right up until about that September first deadline. [0:32:59, 0:33:19]: Thank you, sir. Yeah. And and I did want to add, and I see Mr. Wall is here now. I had an opportunity to work with Mr. Wall last year as the City of Hampton was doing their inaugural, their initial their new um millage rate. And again, it's it's the fact that you have him on board, it really speaks to the the wisdom of of the of the city because he he knows this process backwards and forth. [0:33:19, 0:33:27]: Forward, so glad to see he's involved in the process. It's always good to work with Mr. Wall. Thanks, sir. Appreciate it. Once again, you know. Last question. Okay, go ahead, please. [0:33:27, 0:33:40]: The uh one point I think it's one point nine four that was paying to the county. Yes. The one point nine four millage rate, and I wanna make that clear that that millage rate that was coming from the city [0:33:41, 0:33:53]: was not the totality of the millage rate that was needed for the county to operate. It was a culmination of the county and the city. It was this hours portion. That's correct. I just wanna make that clear. So that one point nine for a millage rate [0:33:53, 0:34:00]: is not something that would sustain us individually for our police apartment. It was a portion paid to the county. [0:34:01, 0:34:19]: In co i in conjunction with the millage rate that was already put in place. Right. That's what I need to make to make sure that we understand that in here. That one point nine four millage rate on what is being proposed what what is being said is not a sustainability millage rate for the city of Stockbridge with its own police part. [0:34:19, 0:34:36]: Right. Well again that I uh defer to the the city manager on what those expenses need to be and what Mills are. Sure. All right. Once again, last last call. Any other questions from Mr. Harris? Thank you, sir. Appreciate appreciate you being here. We'll be here for the entirety of the meeting, so thank you, sir. Appreciate that. Mr. Gardner, it's on you, sir. [0:34:37, 0:34:40]: Thank you, Mr. Harris. All right. [0:34:41, 0:34:42]: Get started, man, council. [0:34:43, 0:34:52]: So as we talked about the proposal for millis rate, um there's some things that are impacting the decision around this and that part of that is the growth of the city over. [0:34:53, 0:35:05]: Over the years and with that growth has come an impact on um our public service as well as our police services that we just started. So to give you an idea, when we talk about growth and the growth in the city of Stockbridge. [0:35:06, 0:35:14]: Um and and Councilmember Thomas is very aware with these numbers because he's been here. So to give you an idea, nineteen ninety. [0:35:15, 0:35:17]: The city of Stalkbridge was just under four thousand people. [0:35:18, 0:35:20]: by two thousand eleven thousand people [0:35:22, 0:35:25]: By twenty ten twenty ten, twenty five thousand six hundred people. [0:35:26, 0:35:29]: By twenty twenty, twenty nine thousand people. [0:35:30, 0:35:33]: Right, we're estimated right now because in [0:35:33, 0:35:38]: January one of this year we brought in just under seven thousand new residents. [0:35:38, 0:35:41]: To bring our population over thirty six thousand people. [0:35:42, 0:35:42]: Right. [0:35:43, 0:35:58]: And that comes obviously with some challenges. And those challenges are around the police and public works, as we know. Uh and I'll get into a little bit more detail and the impacts of that on our fiscal year budget and the reasoning for uh the proposed military. [0:35:59, 0:36:01]: So we talked about that annexation. [0:36:02, 0:36:08]: What what's unseen to us at this time and will be hit coming to us is the nineteen hundred plus units that we [0:36:08, 0:36:22]: have already approved in the development process. And just two nights ago we approved another thirteen hundred homes to come into the city. Those homes gonna be required services around public works. The streets parts of those will take a while. [0:36:23, 0:36:25]: But the part that really impacts is the ones that are annexing. [0:36:26, 0:36:31]: Right, we annexed in areas of the city that weren't brand new subdivisions, they were subdivisions that have been built. [0:36:32, 0:36:36]: And we're in the c in Henry County and we're not on Henry County's list. [0:36:36, 0:36:52]: um for improvements and whereby when they came into the city we've now having the calls around the roads. Part of this is also the SDS agreement of twenty twenty, when we took on additional roads as part of the intergovernmental agreement with Henry County. [0:36:52, 0:36:54]: And those are impacting your public works. [0:36:55, 0:36:56]: So we annex in [0:36:57, 0:37:08]: Roughly around ninety one miles of roads and about forty three miles of new sidewalks, right aways, culverts, pipes, streams, all of this l and r um litter. [0:37:10, 0:37:30]: Part of the services required is we have to start resurfacing some of these roads. And as you know, we'll be discussing next week two of those main roads, which is Walt Stevens and Mount Zion Parkway, which we think the estimate cost to fix those are around two two point something million dollars for both of those to repave. All right, but those roads are in bad conditions. [0:37:30, 0:37:45]: Ten years ago those roads weren't counted on by the city, they were in the county. Question. Yes, sir. Okay, as you just said, Mayor. Go right, please. Those roads were previously in the county, and they were turned over to us in horrendous shape. [0:37:45, 0:38:05]: They need to be fixed. So for the past before this year, those roads are in the county. These taxpayers have been paying money to the county for those roads, yet those roads have been allowed to deteriorate and be in that condition. Now we find ourselves in the position where we got to take over Walt Stevens. [0:38:05, 0:38:20]: In full of po full of potholes and in need of paving basically months and it'll cost millions of dollars in order to do that. Is that correct? That is correct. Thank you. Um but it's also the subdivision roads that are in bad condition because um [0:38:20, 0:38:34]: As a fifteen year resident of the city, um, you know, when we moved here, the roads were all brand new. They were paved, but you fast forward twenty plus years and Walt Stevens doesn't look like it looked in twenty in two thousand or two thousand one. [0:38:35, 0:38:55]: Um same thing with some of the other roads around the city that have come into the city. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Go ahead. You mentioned Walt Stevens, but there are other roads. Oh yeah, yes, and that's what I said. There are there are other roads. Why isn't Flippin Road included on this? Say again. Why isn't Flippin' Road included? [0:38:54, 0:39:02]: Why isn't Valley Hill Road included? I just gave an example of some. I didn't put the roads. The roads are not listed, enumerated. I was just giving an example of some. [0:39:02, 0:39:08]: You mentioned that that would be an item that's gonna come before the council. So my question is [0:39:09, 0:39:23]: Why aren't those roads coming to the council soon as well? While Stevens is coming to us, Flippin' Road. Yes. When is that coming to us? I I will have to defer and check with our public workshop. When is Valley Hill Road coming to us? [0:39:24, 0:39:30]: I will have to check, ma'am, to see when those are coming. Okay, when are all of the new rows that were newly annexed? [0:39:30, 0:39:33]: Into our city as of January first of twenty twenty three. Yes, ma'am. [0:39:34, 0:39:37]: When are all those roads going to be assessed? [0:39:37, 0:39:53]: They need to be on this list too. They are priority roads as well. Yes, yes, ma'am. All all the um all the roads are priority roads, ma'am. The key is, yes, you have some roads that are in worse shape than others. Ball Hill Road is in poor shape as well, sir. [0:39:53, 0:39:54]: Yes, ma'am. [0:39:56, 0:39:57]: Thank you. You're welcome. [0:39:58, 0:40:18]: I will say this, Mary. I do concur with that, and at some point they all, because again, let's we cannot glace over this point. All of these roads were given to the city in bad condition, not just Walt Stevens and Spear. In these subdivisions that we took over, like Eagle Ridge and [0:40:18, 0:40:33]: in those areas. It is incumbent that we work together with the commissioners to recoup some of that money because they've been collecting your tax money in order to provide services to these roads. So we're not letting them off the hook. [0:40:34, 0:40:38]: Even though we will be executing the repairs [0:40:38, 0:40:58]: Again, you pay m zero you have paid zero tax to the city up until this point. You all of your tax money has been going to the county. The question is, why aren't those roads being maintained? And I said it at the time we brought this up previously. We cannot let them off the hook. Those roads need to be fixed and they need to fix. [0:40:58, 0:41:03]: need to contribute those tax dollars that have been coming for those roads that they haven't been maintained. [0:41:04, 0:41:05]: All right, thank you. [0:41:05, 0:41:16]: You m go ahead, Mr. Thomas. Um thank you, Mayor. Um Mayor, I I concur with with the current conversation, but if Council Wood [0:41:16, 0:41:23]: If you would, uh the city manager indicated that this will be a discussion next week. [0:41:23, 0:41:24]: Let's just do that. [0:41:25, 0:41:40]: Let's wait until next week to discuss that. Uh looking at the agenda, uh it says public hearing, proposed millers rate, property tax increase. So my request is for us to to to stay on point. [0:41:42, 0:41:44]: There's a proper time for us to discuss [0:41:45, 0:41:48]: other issues. But let's not [0:41:50, 0:41:57]: confuse and mix one subject with the other subject. Yes, of course, when when it's time to have those discussions, [0:41:58, 0:42:02]: I have roads that I probably want to mention that need repairs as well. [0:42:03, 0:42:04]: Ба тодей. [0:42:05, 0:42:07]: Is not the time. [0:42:07, 0:42:17]: to dwell about street repairs. Thank you, Mayor. You're welcome, sir. Continue on, Ms. Gardener. Oh, you have a question now too Ms. Well? Go ahead, sir. [0:42:18, 0:42:38]: This, Mr. Gardner's so this is basically just what you're doing is is just the overall view. I just want the sister realize it's just an overall view. It's not in specifics. So I yeah. So I just find it interesting that that wasn't a point of order when they got off track. They just talked to each other and say, let's let's keep it on track. It wasn't a boat to get, you know, just [0:42:37, 0:42:40]: To shut anybody up. You carry on, sir. [0:42:41, 0:42:42]: Go ahead, Ms. Garner, please. [0:42:43, 0:42:43]: Yes, sir. [0:42:44, 0:42:45]: Yeah, so [0:42:45, 0:42:51]: And so when we talk about uh our police department, which was, you know, just formed a year ago, um [0:42:51, 0:42:59]: And going over our calls of services and our size of our police department, we recognize that yes, we have some some challenges around obviously [0:43:00, 0:43:14]: taking in some of the new areas that we've taken in and expanding the police department. Um to compensate for that, to make sure that we stay on task with some of the goals around the police department, which are around community policing and making sure that our police are present in our community. [0:43:14, 0:43:19]: And as you know, they've been successful with crime being down almost twenty four percent over the last year. [0:43:20, 0:43:37]: Um they've been very successful, but the growth in the city is also putting a challenge on the police department. And so last last month when I presented to you guys and the chief presented, part of what we presented was looking at a comparison of our police department in reference to our growth and and our surrounding cities around us. Um [0:43:37, 0:43:53]: As you can tell, you know, from the chart here, you have City of Griffin that we looked at, City of Duluth, City of Dalton, City of Douglasville, um City of Chamberly, which are all around the same size as us, um, recognizing that our growth potential over the next four or five years is gonna be far exceeding theirs. [0:43:54, 0:43:56]: uh their growth and development over the same period of time. [0:43:57, 0:44:17]: Um you see the reference there to the number of officers and reference to their population size and as well as call for services. And our calls of services are projected to to increase to about thirty-eight thousand by the end of this year. You look at the citizen to police ratio, we're a little higher than everybody else. Um obviously those communities. [0:44:17, 0:44:35]: Of of implementing or has had a millage rate in place to offset the cost of their police department. And as you can tell from each of those cities, their police department are running them over ten million dollars to operate on an annualized basis. Um our proposed budget for our police department this year is about 8.2 million. [0:44:35, 0:44:55]: And if you would, Mr. City Manager, highlight the millage rates of those various cities. Yes. And as you as you look at the city of Griffin is at six point two, but that's offset by electric utility. Having worked in Griffin for eight years, their their general fund, their property tax does not cover, so they actually pull money from the electric utility on an annual. [0:44:55, 0:45:12]: basis to cover the cost of their general fund for police and fire. Um Duluth is six point five mils. Um Dalton is at about eight m eight mils, just under eight point one mils. Um Douglasville seven point two mils. City of Stockworth zero. Chambri at six point two. [0:45:16, 0:45:20]: Mr Gardner, yes sir. Go go ahead, sir. [0:45:21, 0:45:30]: So the closest um comparison we would have would you say that would be in reference to Shamley or would it be in reference to Douglasville? [0:45:33, 0:45:44]: Yeah, the uh the other cities are about around the same size. You know, give or take one or two percent, yes. So Well I'm just looking at reading I'm asking, I'm looking at the amount of officers. Yes, sir. Um [0:45:45, 0:45:52]: So yeah, so City of Chamblay, even though they're roughly around the same size, they got twenty more offices than us. Douglasville is about the same size as us. [0:45:52, 0:46:12]: I've got about 98 offices compared to our 62. And remember, ten of those sixty-two are grant funded, right? We were able to acquire uh a grant from the federal government that would pay for those, but that payment comes due in three years that we gotta cover the full cost of those those ten offices. So with the the annexation piece and the uh agreed [0:46:12, 0:46:14]: Uh portions of um [0:46:15, 0:46:16]: Um [0:46:17, 0:46:37]: Citizens that are coming in through development, you you're looking at a total increase of about uh uh what about 8,000 uh people, a little over eight? Yeah. Part of what you see is, you know, if you take into account the 1900 that we already approved through the system, terms set by your average house. [0:46:37, 0:46:39]: Also a size two point three. [0:46:40, 0:46:48]: And added on to our existing population, you're looking at about forty-two, forty-two thousand residents, probably before twenty, twenty thirty, maybe higher. [0:46:49, 0:46:52]: So our growth rate is gonna mirror what it did between [0:46:53, 0:46:55]: twenty two thousand and two thousand ten. [0:46:56, 0:47:08]: our growth rate between now and then is gonna mirror almost that that's that percentage increase. If these developments start building as in you can tell they're already starting to build on some of'em. So that's gonna actually drive up the population cost, yes, sir. [0:47:09, 0:47:29]: Okay. So Mr. Wall, so this is in line with was discussed with you and actually on point and I thank you for that. That what you said in twenty twenty one, that by twenty twenty four our budget would double with decisions that was being made. And I thank you for that information. So with this chart and with what you're saying and what what [0:47:29, 0:47:33]: What you gave us. Everything is in line, so I appreciate that information. [0:47:33, 0:47:34]: Yes. [0:47:35, 0:47:40]: Ms. Alexander, go ahead please. I think Ms. Barber had a question there's Okay, Ms. Barber, go ahead please. Um [0:47:40, 0:47:47]: So either one, Mr. Wall or Mr. Gardner, Griffin, Deluxe, Dalton, Douglasville. [0:47:48, 0:47:53]: Or Chambly. Does any of those cities have utilities or fire? [0:47:54, 0:48:01]: Uh this is their police costs. This is not their fire costs, but yes, Griffin has a police. The question was does any of these cities [0:48:01, 0:48:04]: Have utilities. Yes, they do. Yes. Okay. [0:48:04, 0:48:06]: Does this millage rate? [0:48:06, 0:48:08]: That you're showing on this display. [0:48:09, 0:48:11]: Is that their total military? [0:48:11, 0:48:12]: Yes, ma'am. [0:48:12, 0:48:32]: That includes their fire and utilities. Yes ma'am so that's why not utilities. No, no, no, no, we don't have utilities. No, not all of them have utilities. Only the city of Griffin is a and is a well the millage rate doesn't utilities. Right. Griffin is the only one that that actually offset their general fund expense. [0:48:32, 0:48:36]: through the electric and water utilities. The other ones do not have electric. [0:48:37, 0:48:38]: Okay. [0:48:39, 0:48:45]: Griffin is the only one that has you killed you didn't have a lot of people. If you allow me to ask the question and then you answer. [0:48:45, 0:48:46]: Yes, ma'am. [0:48:46, 0:48:48]: Okay, so that I'm clear. [0:48:48, 0:48:49]: Yes, ma'am. [0:48:50, 0:48:53]: So Griffin is the only one that has utilities. [0:48:53, 0:48:56]: That that has the electric utility, yes ma'am. Gotcha. [0:48:57, 0:48:58]: Which of these cities have fire? [0:48:59, 0:48:59]: Say again. [0:49:00, 0:49:04]: Which of these cities have a fire department? [0:49:05, 0:49:15]: Uh yes everybody but Shamley has. And and we don't. Douglasville, Dalton, Duluth, Griffin has fire. [0:49:16, 0:49:17]: Thank you, sir. Yes, ma'am. [0:49:17, 0:49:37]: Mr. Alexander Quay, please. Let me just say this before everybody in here has a target tax. Nobody up here is voting for a six mil tax. I know I'm not. So that's no, don't even think about that. This is just for comparison uh and analysis. Once he gets finished, you will see that it won't be any it it potentially won't be anywhere near that. So continue. [0:49:37, 0:49:38]: You sir. [0:49:44, 0:49:52]: So we went through our budget process a little earlier than we typically did in starting our budget in reference to recognizing that, you know, we're going to [0:49:53, 0:50:05]: have some areas of challenge. Uh and so what you see before you is uh budget in option one and those numbers carry forth through the different options, but option one reflects uh twenty six point point seven [0:50:06, 0:50:07]: uh million dollar budget. [0:50:07, 0:50:08]: Um [0:50:09, 0:50:12]: In terms of our expenses to revenue, which is nineteen point nine. [0:50:13, 0:50:33]: Uh and so what we did was we looked at okay if we if we did absolutely nothing and as you can tell at the bottom of that chart there's no mills. So you're looking at a six point six point eight percent um point eight million difference. Which would come from which which would come from your your your fund balance, right? Um option two. [0:50:33, 0:50:43]: obviously imposes looks at a millage rate of the one point oh four, which is being paid by every resident. And for those residents, I think m um [0:50:43, 0:50:49]: Tax mission, admission, but for residents who were annexed into the city, they were actually paying a little bit more. [0:50:49, 0:50:54]: Their their military was just over two because they were paying for code enforcement, which is point [0:50:54, 0:50:59]: Michael, I think it's point oh point oh three, point three something. [0:50:59, 0:51:00]: Percent. [0:51:00, 0:51:02]: Code for code enforcement. [0:51:03, 0:51:08]: There's an additional additional millage in there that that that annex annex residents paid. [0:51:08, 0:51:12]: Above the two point three one. F from the for phot those who are on it. Point [0:51:13, 0:51:24]: Yeah, point three one eight is what they pay what they're paying. So in essence, they're paying a little bit they're, you know, their millage was a little higher than the actual city residents. Um so what you see in option number three. [0:51:25, 0:51:39]: Uh if a millage rate of three point seven seven is imposed, it brings you right about a deficit of around four pifty-four thousand. Uh excuse me. Fifty-four thousand. At option four, millage rate of four mills. [0:51:39, 0:51:59]: with roughly right around uh 7.2 million that offset the seven the six point eight with a with a remaining positive of just under five hundred. Option six f five excuse me would bring in seven point six million, then offset would bring right under eight hundred just over eight hundred power. [0:51:59, 0:52:19]: thousand and obviously the advertised mill's rate which we m advertise would give you right around ten point eight, um, which would offset you by just over four million dollars at six mills. And that's not what's being recommended. Um Ed could talk a little bit about about um where we are with uh with our fund reserve and the impacts of [0:52:19, 0:52:23]: absolutely doing nothing and what that would eventually do to us over time. [0:52:24, 0:52:30]: Thank you, Mr. City Manager. So in twenty nineteen you can see we had reserves of eighteen million. [0:52:30, 0:52:34]: And uh we ended in twenty nineteen with nineteen million. [0:52:34, 0:52:42]: We had twenty-six months of fund balance. You all as a city made a decision to spend some of that on municipal projects. [0:52:42, 0:53:02]: And so in 2020, we can see that the fund balance fell on third line from the bottom. Ending fund balance was 17 million, so that was 22 months of reserves. In 21, it was 16 million, 18 months of reserves. And in 22, which the big difference [0:53:02, 0:53:17]: There is n municipal projects plus you had started a b um the police force, the fund balance has fallen from sixteen million to twelve million or eight months. You all had a policy of having a fund balance of um [0:53:18, 0:53:31]: one year's of expenses. We have talked about that, about what's best practices. Some places have 30 to 60 percent fund balance. Some places have two months, some places have four months. [0:53:31, 0:53:34]: Um you all um [0:53:34, 0:53:39]: my advice you is your financial advisor because so much of your revenue was sales tax. [0:53:39, 0:53:45]: And sales tax is the most elastic type of revenue for government, the recession um [0:53:46, 0:53:57]: would would lower it. If you have a mix of revenues and where sales tax is a much smaller percentage, you can have a lower fund balance. To give you an example, DeCab County has a two-month fund balance. [0:53:58, 0:54:04]: And um you know, they they're ha have a twenty two billion dollar tax digest and um [0:54:04, 0:54:11]: Even with a two months fund balance, they have to do a tax anticipation note of one hundred and fifty million dollars each year on a billion dollar budget. [0:54:12, 0:54:25]: So you all have always tried to have a high enough fund balance. You don't have to borrow money for cash flow purposes. And so um I would like not like to see you go below six months as a reserve. [0:54:25, 0:54:29]: Sir. Thank you, sir. Appreciate that uh comment. Go ahead, Mr. Alzheimer's. [0:54:30, 0:54:50]: Let's just go here. I certainly don't remember us setting a policy of one year. I don't recall that. I do recall attending multiple uh gener um Georgia Nissle Law Association classes that the recommendation was a 25% uh fund balance for cities across Georgia. [0:54:50, 0:55:10]: Georgia. Georgia Municipal Association is the educational forum that every elected official would attend to gain the knowledge to perform this job. And I would just say, beginning to understand, if you know what the city looked like in 2013 and 2014, we weren't spending [0:55:09, 0:55:29]: Spending enough money to maintain the city. That's why North Henry Boulevard fell into the disrepair that it appears to be now, and it's actually been improving over the past couple of years. When this council was elected, myself, Mr. Blount, and other several of us, we endeavored to improve the overall appearance of the city. [0:55:29, 0:55:49]: City and that required us to spend money in order to do so. And if you have noticed, the overall appearance of the city has improved tremendously. And the reason that you know when we first took office, we had maybe a 300% fund balance. Those monies were sitting on the [0:55:49, 0:56:09]: Sitting in the bank, but at the same time, we had grass that was two foot tall on our right-of-ways. We had litter everywhere. We had uh the city was not being maintained at a high level at all. And I can say today proudly that the city is being maintained at a much better level. One of the things that we did was [0:56:09, 0:56:29]: Was we implemented a right-of-way maintenance cut. Like for Rock Quarry Road, the crew shows up every Wednesday to cut that right-of-way. So when you're walking down Rock Quarry Road, it's maintained. Hudson Bridge Road has the same thing. Campground Road has the same thing. Highway 138 has the same thing. If you're [0:56:29, 0:56:49]: Remember what highway 138 used to look like? It was totally maintained. When you would pull off at the exit, at exit 228, the grass was being uncut. Now, someone who was a high official who I would not name told me that the exit was in Clayton County. But we did some further research. [0:56:49, 0:57:09]: And we determined that the to exit 228 was actually in Henry County, unincorporated. It wasn't in the city. So we garnered to work with the county to implement a to implement to get them to fix it. But they were like, you know, we're not gonna spend any money on it to the point that they send the city a letter saying they were no longer performing. [0:57:09, 0:57:29]: Any maintenance on Highway 138. So we started to do so, and you see now when you pull off at that exit, it's not litter clogged, the grass is always maintained, and the area has started to improve. Some of the other things that we did was we passed and we raised standards throughout the entire community. [0:57:29, 0:57:49]: community because we rewrote the unified development code for the city because we didn't want pawn shops, tire shops, and thrift stores all over the city. So we regulated all of these industries, all of them. So we endeavored to move forward with improving overall processes [0:57:49, 0:58:09]: For the city. And we have been able to do that to make sure that uh we were proud of what we offer. And let me say this again before I close my comments. Okay, nobody up here was trying to hide anything from you about uh whether or not the city would implement a tax. It was always said at the every meeting. [0:58:09, 0:58:13]: meeting that we had said had. mister Blount himself said [0:58:13, 0:58:26]: We're gonna be there may be a city tax. Everybody up here said I did an interview with channel two myself that was on television, no less, that said there may be a city tax, the potential it would be minimal. [0:58:26, 0:58:46]: Tom Jones did that report. You can Google it and see it for yourself several times. So, in essence, it's like I'm not trying to revisit where we've been in 2021, but to let you know I was stand on that sit, that decision until my until I am six feet under that we made the right decision. [0:58:46, 0:59:06]: Decision to start the Startbridge Police Department because I see what you see on your television screen every night when there's a shooting in Atlanta or Gwinnett or Cobb County or even the tragedy that we just saw over in Hampton. We needed added police protection for the city. I [0:59:06, 0:59:12]: I s rest assured when I see the point of order. Police department car. What's your point of order, sir? [0:59:12, 0:59:14]: I'm sitting here listening to [0:59:16, 0:59:25]: what right of ways we've just cla w what we're doing. I'm sitting here listening to everything that's not germane to this, but yet it's okay. [0:59:27, 0:59:36]: It's okay to listen to all of this that's not germane to what we're dealing with right here. And this is the kind of thing that the citizens don't wanna see. [0:59:37, 0:59:50]: When you get a group of council members that are biased uh uh biased to another council member's comment. Th the citizens does not care right now about what we're talking about, what right of ways we're doing. [0:59:51, 0:59:57]: We're not talking about what crimes been committed. We're not talking we're going into all of this other stuff. [0:59:58, 1:00:02]: But yet I get a point of order when I'm trying to inform the citizens. [1:00:02, 1:00:22]: On what the process and what we're doing in this city. We have if we're gonna stay on track for one person, let's just stay on track for everybody. Response. All right. Response. But my response is simply this. I had no problem with you asking your question, Mr. Blount, but you were targeting it toward the wrong official. Mr. Harris has [1:00:22, 1:00:38]: no knowledge of the information. Now is the appropriate time. So if you want to ask that question again to the city manager and to the ECA financial advisor, it is the appropriate time. Mr. Alexander, Mr. Alexander, your question is appropriate for public works director. [1:00:39, 1:00:46]: All right, I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what we do here. Mr. Wall, finish your briefing, please. Let's just continue on. Let's finish your briefing. Yes. Okay. Let's go f let's go forward. [1:00:46, 1:01:00]: So um you have a twelve million dollar ending fund balance unaudited for two thousand and twenty two. That's eight months. And so um to to put a fine point on what you said, Councilman Alexander [1:01:00, 1:01:12]: So it was my recommendation to you that you keep a year's fund balance. I don't think y'all adopted a policy. Correct. And when we made a decision to spend it down from when it was two years, mm-hmm. [1:01:12, 1:01:16]: I I'd ask you to keep a year, but you didn't make a policy. Right. Um [1:01:17, 1:01:35]: If you had a mix of revenues, fifty percent sales tax and fifty percent um property tax and the uh court fines'cause now you got a police department, you've got the ability to withstand a recession, you could get by with twenty five percent or three months. [1:01:35, 1:01:42]: Because so much of your revenue is sales tax, I I would recommend you not go below six months. Correct. [1:01:42, 1:02:01]: Great. Thank you, sir. Now to clarify on it, if I may, Mayor, is that again, the Georgia Municipal Association recommendation is thirty percent. You're required you're recommending six percent a six month, and we are still we're in guidelines with that six months that you recommended. Is that correct? Yes, sir. Thank you. [1:02:01, 1:02:13]: question, Mr. Wall. Yes, sir. Mr. Wall, because I I think you're making a a a good point that you did present to us because local auction sale taxes is what's been holding this city up. [1:02:14, 1:02:16]: Um and [1:02:16, 1:02:33]: when you don't have those other uh f uh uh revenue streams coming in, then local option sale tax dictates where we're gonna go and how we're gonna do it. One of the things and and I and I agree with Ms. Alexander, is that [1:02:34, 1:02:37]: about the police department. We all talked about the police department. [1:02:38, 1:02:40]: I'm s I'm glad that we have one. [1:02:40, 1:02:43]: The biggest problem I have is that we didn't communicate. [1:02:45, 1:02:54]: We didn't communicate to to the citizens well enough about implementing the police department, what this cost is gonna be. We put the cart before the horse. [1:02:54, 1:02:57]: This information should have been given to the citizen prior. [1:02:58, 1:02:59]: to the start up of a police partner. [1:03:00, 1:03:05]: of what is gonna be required for the citizens when we implement a police department. [1:03:05, 1:03:17]: You asked us about a year uh you said something mentioned about a year f fund balance. It's because we don't have those other financial uh uh funding streams that are coming to the city. [1:03:18, 1:03:23]: So when we put these plans in place, one of the greatest things I think we should have done. [1:03:23, 1:03:25]: was listened to you. [1:03:25, 1:03:28]: Our financial advisor that we're paying. [1:03:29, 1:03:38]: That would tell us how we can move, how we can make things happen, how it could be a less of a burden on the citizens, and what the citizen need to know once these decisions are being made. [1:03:40, 1:03:44]: You make the decisions and then now we come to say how can I fund it? [1:03:45, 1:03:48]: This is not coming out. It's the pa it's it's the taxpayers. [1:03:49, 1:03:54]: So if you're gonna spend my money, tell me how I'm gonna be spending it before you buy what you're buying. [1:03:55, 1:03:58]: It's not that I'm I I don't like what you bought. [1:03:58, 1:04:00]: Just tell me what I'm paying for. [1:04:00, 1:04:02]: And that's that's my problem. [1:04:04, 1:04:08]: Most of the citizens have no idea that this is gonna happen today. [1:04:08, 1:04:12]: Because the decision that was made. It's th that's all we're talking about. [1:04:13, 1:04:20]: Ms. Wall, continue on please. Thank you, sir. So uh if you could, I'm at the next page. Um [1:04:22, 1:04:27]: The stock bridge property tax analysis. Can you help me do that, Chief? [1:04:30, 1:04:50]: And so you want to do this part? So i here was um uh Miss City Manager asked us to do various homes, and you could see the appraised value a hundred thousand down to three hundred and seventy five thousand. You could pick among that the value of your home for members of the public. Under Georgia law, properties assessed at forty. [1:04:50, 1:04:57]: Percent of fair market value to calculate taxes. Some states have a hundred percent, some states like Alabama has one and a half percent. [1:04:58, 1:05:07]: and that makes their millage rates a lot higher. You can see here the assessed value of each one of those homes, and then you can see the options that um Mr. Gardiner went over [1:05:08, 1:05:15]: From one point nine oh four mils to six mils, what that would mean is a extra property tax for each resident. Sir. [1:05:15, 1:05:16]: Yes, sir. [1:05:16, 1:05:36]: For clarification, let's indicate again that the 1.094 is already being paid by the citizens now. So for instance, on that diagram that you gave, the 3.77 meals, that would not be a total increase as is indicated by this chart. [1:05:36, 1:05:56]: Because the one point oh nine four is already being paid. Absolutely. That's a very good point. Yes, sir. Right. So citizens are looking at a two hundred and seventy-five uh thousand dollar house. You're not looking at a four hundred and fourteen dollar increase. You would take the two hundred and nine, I guess, uh which there's already been well, or whatever that what amount is being [1:05:56, 1:06:11]: being uh being paid off of that four fourteen. One point eight six. Right. So the one point eight six would be taken away from that four fourteen, which basically would cut it on probably uh in half, if not more. Yes sir. [1:06:11, 1:06:17]: So instead of four fourteen for the two hundred and seventy five thousand dollar house, you're looking at about two hundred and seven. [1:06:18, 1:06:19]: Yes, sir. Thank you. [1:06:21, 1:06:22]: Next page. [1:06:24, 1:06:24]: Um [1:06:26, 1:06:46]: Just giving you some examples of the different house types and what the property taxes would be per year and per month. Next page, please, sir. I I just again want to emphasize that these numbers, I think well, I wish we had done them the other way, which is the difference versus uh putting it up there this way, but understanding that those numbers are include the [1:06:46, 1:06:51]: one point nine four or one point eight six they're already paying. Thank you. [1:06:51, 1:07:07]: Yes. And then the next page, the prop proposed tax distribution by government entity. So uh when you as a citizen in Henry County pay your property taxes, you uh pay um the first one two mils to the water authority. [1:07:08, 1:07:17]: And then if we had four point two mils for the city of Stockbridge, it would just be eleven and a half percent of your overall tax payment. [1:07:18, 1:07:23]: Um you all have not picked four point two mils, that is just staff recommendation. [1:07:24, 1:07:34]: Henry County levies ten point five one one mils, that'd be twenty six percent of what you pay in taxes. And of course the school board has the biggest lick, twenty three point six two eight mils. [1:07:35, 1:07:40]: So that would be fifty nine percent of your overall tax. Next page, please sir. [1:07:42, 1:07:58]: For the city itself, uh how our general fund is broken down, thirty two percent is public safety, thirty one percent is general government, twenty one percent is public works, and sixteen percent is debt service for the bonds that we issued back in uh twenty one. [1:08:00, 1:08:01]: That's it, Mayor. [1:08:01, 1:08:20]: All right, so what kind of questions, Council you have from Mr. Wall here? Anything on this side? I did. Sir. Yep. Stand by. Stand by please. Go ahead, Mr. Block. On that last chart, you said how much what percentage is pub uh public safety? Thirty two percent. And public works is twenty one percent? Thirty Yes, sir. [1:08:20, 1:08:40]: And that's the shift that we've had because the the budget we had under the revenue that didn't have any other funding, the highest percentage we had was public works. Yes. And this is in line again with what you said, bringing on this police department, that it would become our largest budget, which is now thirty-two percent. [1:08:40, 1:08:50]: about uh i e i and so this is what puts us in the increments that we're going If I could put it uh in a different way, exactly like you say, [1:08:51, 1:08:56]: So you all knew when you started a police force that eventually you would levy a property tax. [1:08:56, 1:09:01]: Henry County itself levies one point nine oh four mils on your citizens for police. [1:09:02, 1:09:17]: For the entire time that you have had a police force, you have saved your citizens at one point nine oh four mils. However, you've taken it out of your savings. You've taken it out of fund balance. Thank you. And one one of the things that I and I and I understand where where the conversation was going about [1:09:18, 1:09:24]: One point nine four was already being paid. I I get that. One point nine oh four. One point nine oh four. [1:09:25, 1:09:28]: But if you add anything to it, it still becomes the total bill. [1:09:29, 1:09:30]: If I'm paying you a dollar, [1:09:31, 1:09:32]: And now you gotta add two dollars. [1:09:33, 1:09:52]: The picture gonna show I'm paying three dollars, whether I was paying a dollar before anyway. So I get the chart that you presented us, but also say that, you know, I don't want it to look like it's this astronomical increase when a certain amount was being paid already, but the chart is simply showing the totality of what is being paid. [1:09:53, 1:10:01]: And so if I could actually put another fine point on it, y for all of y'all, I'm your financial advisor. Y'all count on me for advice. [1:10:02, 1:10:06]: Sometime y'all don't follow it and the citizens benefit. So I ain't always right. [1:10:08, 1:10:08]: But [1:10:09, 1:10:13]: You have been spending your savings and I want y'all to stop that. [1:10:13, 1:10:33]: And so it's time to levy a property tax. Y'all have s y'all have squeezed a nickel till the Buffalo Holland. And so I really would like to ask you all as your financial advisor to this year do levy a property tax. I don't know what millage rate you're gonna do, but it has come time for you to do that. [1:10:33, 1:10:37]: Thanks for having me. Ms. Barber, go ahead, please. [1:10:37, 1:10:42]: Yes. So I think this is a question for Mr. Gardner. [1:10:42, 1:10:42]: Um [1:10:43, 1:10:47]: With this handout on the page with a preliminary general phone. [1:10:48, 1:10:49]: FY twenty four budget. [1:10:52, 1:10:56]: When you say general fund, is that our operating account? [1:10:57, 1:11:05]: So is that the savings account? So your j your general fund is your non-enterprise, non-fiduciary. So your non-water sewer sanitation [1:11:05, 1:11:10]: Stormwater. Those are the general ones that are usually funded through sales and property tax under government law in Georgia. [1:11:10, 1:11:11]: Okay. [1:11:12, 1:11:14]: Um you have the budget. [1:11:15, 1:11:17]: analysis that are listed here. [1:11:19, 1:11:26]: Why not have the reserve funds? We we have the reserve listed right here, but I'm in the next chart. [1:11:26, 1:11:31]: But real realize you're always a year behind, so your twenty twenty two was the last fiscal year. [1:11:31, 1:11:33]: It was unaudited so that's being audited right now now. [1:11:34, 1:11:36]: Okay. So then my next question is [1:11:36, 1:11:40]: Looking at that page with the four year stock rich fund balance review. [1:11:41, 1:11:49]: Starting in twenty nineteen, by the way, I wasn't here on the council. I wasn't sworn in. Let me make that for the record. [1:11:50, 1:11:54]: I was sworn in January first of twenty twenty. [1:11:54, 1:12:00]: I wanna make that clear because there were decisions that were made prior to me. [1:12:01, 1:12:02]: I will continue. [1:12:02, 1:12:03]: Um [1:12:03, 1:12:07]: So looking at this four year stock bridge fund balance review. [1:12:07, 1:12:11]: Twenty nineteen we started with the ending fund balance of [1:12:11, 1:12:12]: Nineteen million. [1:12:14, 1:12:16]: Yes, we're going to do it. [1:12:17, 1:12:18]: At twelve million. [1:12:19, 1:12:21]: So there seems to be a seven milyen dollar. [1:12:22, 1:12:23]: Spin. [1:12:24, 1:12:25]: Over that course of time. [1:12:25, 1:12:28]: We know all of that could not been. [1:12:28, 1:12:29]: Attributed. [1:12:29, 1:12:33]: to the police department. No. No. All the start up cost [1:12:33, 1:12:41]: I'd say more than 75% of the startup costs of the police department in 2022 was paid through ARPA. [1:12:42, 1:12:50]: Your your opera funds covered your materials. It did not cover your salaries and benefits of your offices, but it did cover your police cars and equipment. [1:12:50, 1:12:52]: And the facility, yes ma'am. Okay. [1:12:53, 1:12:57]: So the three million dollars that was bonded. [1:12:58, 1:13:00]: We have not begun paying that back. [1:13:01, 1:13:03]: Correct. We have not. [1:13:03, 1:13:11]: Mr. Wiles should be able to do it. We are paying it back right now. You just haven't spent all the money. [1:13:12, 1:13:16]: The three million that we borrowed in the bond issue for police. [1:13:16, 1:13:23]: we it's still in the bank. You were able to use ARPA money and so that we're paying payments on it [1:13:23, 1:13:30]: But you have not yet spent the three million. It could be repurposed to something else. Okay. So it's my understanding. [1:13:31, 1:13:32]: My understanding [1:13:33, 1:13:35]: А саме та три мільян воз'юд. [1:13:36, 1:13:39]: For the renovation of the police precinct. [1:13:39, 1:13:49]: I possibly know exactly how much was spent. He was trying to tell me. I did not know that. Okay. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. For confirming that. [1:13:49, 1:14:09]: My point is I wanted to make sure that we weren't attributing this seven million dollars um that some of the going through for our fund balance was not uh not all attributed. So it's even more of the police department. The the amount of fund balance you spent is even greater than what this number shows. It looks like it's seven million. [1:14:09, 1:14:10]: Yeah. [1:14:10, 1:14:16]: But you'll recall, Councilman Alexander, we were generating about a million eight in extra revenue. [1:14:17, 1:14:22]: In some of those years that would have increased fund balance, but we spent that so give you an example. [1:14:22, 1:14:27]: I think in the amphitheater we took six million dollars of general fund reserves to go with the borrowed money. [1:14:28, 1:14:30]: So we've spent [1:14:30, 1:14:33]: Y'all made decisions, which is great, it saved the taxpayers money. [1:14:34, 1:14:37]: You have spent some of your fund balance, your savings. [1:14:37, 1:14:43]: The better the quality of life for your citizens. And so it's seven million that reflected on this chart, but the number's actually higher. [1:14:44, 1:15:01]: 'Cause you were generating excess money over and above your budget some years. Thank you, Mr. Walls, for confirming that. Yes, so all of the cost overruns, those work orders and change orders, those are being paid and maybe Mr. Wiggins. Well he should be able to answer. Mr. Wiggins, this is a question for you. [1:15:01, 1:15:13]: The change orders and work orders um that were coming from the uh construction costs of the amphitheater, were those being paid through the fund balance? [1:15:15, 1:15:25]: Nick, you're doing this on hold. You being paid through front balance? Uh-huh. Was it paid through our savings account or was it being paid through our operating account? [1:15:26, 1:15:31]: of both. It was a little bit of both. A little bit of both. Yeah. Okay. Um I for me [1:15:32, 1:15:33]: I want to be transparent. [1:15:33, 1:15:34]: About [1:15:34, 1:15:35]: How we've spent money. [1:15:36, 1:15:41]: We don't get the financial analysis in its totality. [1:15:41, 1:15:44]: We just get bits and pieces here and there. [1:15:44, 1:15:46]: And it's difficult for me. [1:15:46, 1:15:47]: To really be able to [1:15:48, 1:15:48]: Um [1:15:49, 1:15:51]: Make sense of it all. [1:15:51, 1:15:56]: I know we bonded seven milyen dollars to complete the construction. [1:15:56, 1:15:57]: Of the amphitheater. [1:15:58, 1:16:00]: So the seven milyen that we bonded. [1:16:01, 1:16:02]: was not actually used. [1:16:04, 1:16:07]: to pay for those work orders and change orders. [1:16:07, 1:16:20]: It was already being that it we use that to pay for it. We also in our initial um payment for everything, we used about five, six million of uh reserve also. [1:16:21, 1:16:23]: to finish out paying out the um the amphitheater. [1:16:25, 1:16:26]: Thank you, sir. [1:16:27, 1:16:35]: I appreciate it. I just want um full disclosure of our financials. Um, not just of the police department, but of the amphitheater as well. [1:16:36, 1:16:47]: I'm just trying to determine where this seven million dollars um the difference is. That's all. Thank you. Mr. Thomas Squay, please. [1:16:47, 1:17:07]: Thank you, Mayor. Mr. Walls, uh, it's great to see you again today, sir. Thank you. Good to see you, Council. And and you know, we we do appreciate your uh due diligence and and your advice here at the city. Uh you you mentioned the word, this is not my original question, but you mentioned the word quality of life. And for [1:17:07, 1:17:15]: For me, and I think everyone needs to understand that you don't get quality of life for free. [1:17:16, 1:17:32]: You have to pay for quality of life. And I think, you know, most municipalities they try to provide that quality of life, but it does cost. But my question though is, uh, to your knowledge, is public safety [1:17:32, 1:17:34]: The largest budget. [1:17:35, 1:17:41]: Is is that the largest municipal budget, uh, to to your knowledge about public safety? [1:17:41, 1:17:53]: Y nearly always, yes, sir. Okay. It's like it's like schools with teachers. Right. You know schools pay teachers eighty percent of their budget. Public safety is the largest line item in a municipal budget. [1:17:53, 1:17:56]: And and I just want to make that very clear because [1:17:57, 1:18:11]: You know, you have public safety or you don't have public safety. We chose public safety as a part of quality of life. I yield back, Mayor. Thank you. Yeah, Chief Tramer, will you come to the podium? [1:18:21, 1:18:23]: He's gonna come to the podium. [1:18:27, 1:18:47]: Let me explain what I've attempted to do here, ladies and gentlemen, today is to we're talking about your money. Every cent of it. Whether we use it to cut the grass, whether we use it to uh invest in ten thousand dollars for our businesses to help them sustain through COVID. That's why I'm talking about everything. [1:18:47, 1:19:04]: I'm not just talking about one item or this millage because everything that we do is spending your money. I I I I cringe at the fact when we say, well, we took money out of fund balance. We took your money out of fund balance and gave it back to you. [1:19:05, 1:19:25]: You had that we had your money, tax money, in fund balance. We took three million dollars of the money you paid in sales tax and gave it back to you so we wouldn't have a city tax last year. It was your money that you already paid. It wasn't our money. So I cringe when [1:19:25, 1:19:41]: when people say, well you took that money, your money out of No, it wasn't our money. It was your money. So so you wouldn't have a property tax last year. We took three million dollars out of the out of the fund balance, the extra money that we had, so we wouldn't have a property tax last year. [1:19:42, 1:19:54]: I brought the chief to the podium so that he could explain to you. Say, I'ma tell you, look at God. We stepped out on faith when we took out a three million dollar bond to pay for the police department. [1:19:54, 1:20:06]: But Washington sent us a windfall of nine million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Funds. Our revenue did not go down during the time we had um [1:20:06, 1:20:26]: COVID. It actually maintained and went up a little bit. But that nine million dollars allowed us to start our own police department because there was additional funding out there. Chief, talk about s what you did with that nine million dollars that came from Washington so the taxpayers didn't have to buy it. Part of that was [1:20:26, 1:20:40]: totally refurbishing the police department, which was in disrepair in some instances when you took over, and it's now one of the finest um pol um law enforcement facilities in the state. [1:20:41, 1:21:01]: Certainly. And I believe if I'm not mistaken that the number was actually closer, it was over eleven million dollars that we received from ARPA funds. And um half of those funds were designated towards public safety. And with that, we were able to defer the costs um and to purchase outright the police vehicles and all the equipment associated with the startup of the police department. [1:21:01, 1:21:13]: I believe um last estimate we looked at that, Mr. Wiggins, correct me if I'm wrong, we spent just a little over six million dollars um in uh equipment, uh vehicles and all the associated um uh [1:21:13, 1:21:33]: supplies necessary to equip our police department. And again, had it not been for that, I think considering the timing of things, uh obviously would have been a more uh costly endeavor for the citizens of this community. And unfortunately, uh it was not. With the money that you'd mentioned it was bonded, we were able to defer that and as indicated the Henry [1:21:33, 1:21:53]: County uh police precinct, which was formerly uh City Hall as well, uh, was was obviously not something that um um it was someplace we could have operated, but not someplace that would have been inviting and would have accommodated our needs and also our future growth. In our open house, I think that you all were able to see that we have space in there that's still uh [1:21:53, 1:22:02]: Allows us room to uh grow our police department into the future. And it's also been a wonderful place to be able to bring members of the community together. [1:22:02, 1:22:22]: Uh those that have followed us and I'm sure this council has seen, we've been very involved with the community, bring community into that space and um utilizing that last week we just had uh a youth program that we hosted for an entire week. We brought them into our police department to do that. And um this space is not just for the police department, uh it's our community room and that space is open to all members. [1:22:22, 1:22:29]: uh of our community to connect and um to be partners with us in enhancing the quality of life and public safety in this community. [1:22:30, 1:22:50]: Well, certainly I appreciate that analysis to make sure that uh we were doing what was necessary with the people's money. As you said, we purchased uh all of the squat cars. And let me say when I say look at God, what I'm saying is at that time, I know Mr. Wall, you was you was a little cautious about us bonding the money, but guess what? Interest rate. [1:22:50, 1:23:10]: Rates were much lower at that time. Thank God we did what we did and bonded that money for the amphitheater and the police department at that time because the rates were much lower than you know now if you have an adjustable rate mortgage what the bre what the uh industry looks like now. So taking advantage of it at that time when the [1:23:10, 1:23:18]: Mortgage rates when the interest rates were low was ideal and key to us saving you millions of dollars over the course of the payback. [1:23:18, 1:23:25]: Please understand that right now we owe more money on the city hall than we do on the amphitheater. [1:23:26, 1:23:46]: And we built the amphithe city hall in 2009, right? So the city hall building here uh it was bonded as well. So that's been paid for over the course of time as we started to redevelop the entire downtown area. But to say to you, as was indicated on that graphic, if you [1:23:46, 1:23:53]: You own a relative, put the graphic back up with the dollar amounts uh on uh what the tax would be. [1:24:04, 1:24:24]: Okay, let's say you owned a three hundred, uh let's say you own a two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollar house and the millage was three point seven seven. That would be an overall tax bill of four fourteen. But half of that you're already paying it. So instead of paying four fourteen. [1:24:24, 1:24:44]: Additional tax, you'll be paying about$200 and additional tax on a$375,000 house. Why is that very important to you? Because, and why was I talking about the school board and the county commission earlier? Because my school board tax every year is$2,800. [1:24:44, 1:25:04]: That's how much it is this year. My county taxes are, you know, it absorbed an amount or make up as you saw on the graphic, a a higher percentage of that too. So compared to the school board charging you$2,800 in my case and the county. [1:25:04, 1:25:24]: Commission charging me about$1,000 in my case and other stuff to go with that. A city tax of us on a$300,000 house being$200,000 is relatively small. And this is why I say last night I was at the school board millage rate hearing, and there was less [1:25:24, 1:25:44]: People in the room than now. And you're paying them$3,000 a year. But because of how we advertised it, which I objected to, that the city would be issuing a six-mil tax. There was no way that we were ever gonna issue a six-mil tax. But since we advertised it that way, we got the community up and on. [1:25:44, 1:26:04]: Because everybody coming up in here thinking we're gonna charge you thousands of dollars. But most people in Starkbridge don't own, you know, three or four hundred thousand dollar houses. So ever most of the people will be paying less than two hundred dollars a year. It's more, I understand. I will be paying more. But as I said, I will rest on that decision forever and a day. [1:26:04, 1:26:13]: day that we made the right decision to build the amphitheater when I saw thirty five hundred people out there on Saturday and Sunday and we have [1:26:14, 1:26:34]: I can't tell you eight new businesses in downtown, frozen smoke right across the street if you haven't been to it, to understand that it is investment in the city. We invested in us, and now we got restaurants and shops downtown that we never had before. We invested that money in us to make sure that we improved the city and the overall cost. [1:26:34, 1:26:36]: quality of life with Councilman Thomas said. Thank you. [1:26:37, 1:26:57]: Mayor. Yes, sir. Go ahead, sir. Just a point of clarity, Councilman Alexander. The bonds that we did for the amphitheater, the nine million, they were paid by Sploss. So the amphitheater would be completely paid off on August one, twenty-five. Absolutely. Outstanding. Outstanding. [1:26:57, 1:27:17]: Say that again because in essence we will still be paying on City Hall. We'll still be paying on City Hall. But because of the decisions that we made, we'll be paying off this the amphitheater by when again? August one of twenty-five. August one of twenty-five. Yes, sir. You got to stand by. Go ahead, Mr. Blount. When we started the amphitheater, this council. [1:27:17, 1:27:20]: [5241.3, 5244.3]: We had a clear path on how we would pay for that amphitheater. [1:27:24, 1:27:30]: This is why this amphitheater is going to be paid for, because this council sat down. [1:27:31, 1:27:33]: And we decided how we was gonna do it. [1:27:33, 1:27:36]: And the role we was gonna take to do it as a as a whole. [1:27:37, 1:27:39]: When we started a police department. [1:27:40, 1:27:45]: The first time Councilwoman Gantt and myself found out we were starting a police department was at a council meeting. [1:27:45, 1:27:51]: when the other three council members voted to start it at that time. It was not a collaborative effort. [1:27:53, 1:28:00]: And so we didn't work together. Chief, you said that you spent the and and and I you done ex doing done and doing an excellent job. [1:28:01, 1:28:05]: What percentage of our opera money is spent toward salaries? [1:28:08, 1:28:26]: There there was none. We weren't eligible based on the way that ARPA was structured because we weren't a pre-existing police department, so we could not use that for salaries. Exactly. And so all the funding that came in through ARPA was through structural and equipment and all of these things. So it was federal funding. [1:28:27, 1:28:28]: That did that. [1:28:28, 1:28:30]: It's the city's funding. [1:28:31, 1:28:32]: The city [1:28:32, 1:28:38]: the city that pays the salaries. Let's make let's let's m make things crystal clear here. [1:28:39, 1:28:41]: And when we talk about bunding [1:28:42, 1:28:47]: It's interesting we s talk about the police department and we talk about the amphitheater. [1:28:48, 1:28:51]: But there was another entity in there that was [1:28:52, 1:28:53]: Two years ago approved. [1:28:54, 1:28:57]: Fourteen million dollars for a cultural arts center. [1:28:57, 1:29:05]: We can say where the interest rate back then, but we've been sitting on that$14 million in bond paying interest on it now for two years. [1:29:06, 1:29:09]: What is the interest rate we're paying on that fourteen million? [1:29:10, 1:29:11]: We're making money, right? [1:29:11, 1:29:12]: Two percent on it. [1:29:14, 1:29:18]: Wha what what is that what can you give me an amount on that two percent? [1:29:20, 1:29:21]: Two percent. [1:29:25, 1:29:27]: Two point five three percent. [1:29:28, 1:29:32]: What does that calculate in dollars? Three hundred and seventy six I. [1:29:32, 1:29:35]: How much? Three hundred and seventy six thousand dollars. [1:29:35, 1:29:39]: So we're paid over seven hundred thousand dollars in two years. [1:29:40, 1:29:43]: [5383.2, 5386.7]: Culture art I'm sorry, Cultural Art Center because we bonded it. [1:29:47, 1:29:52]: Bunded it. We're paying over seven hundred thousand dollars right now in interest. [1:29:53, 1:29:55]: Because once again [1:29:55, 1:29:57]: It was not a collaborative effort. [1:29:58, 1:30:09]: to do that right then and right there. We can say we say interest money. How much you're saving when you're paying almost but before we even start on this, it's gonna be over a million dollars interest paid. [1:30:10, 1:30:13]: There's nothing in the works to even start this culture art center right now. [1:30:15, 1:30:22]: It's not even on the radar, but we paid over seven hundred thousand dollars of the taxpayers' money for it to sit in bonds. [1:30:23, 1:30:26]: To sit in bonds that we haven't started on it. [1:30:26, 1:30:30]: We have to be careful and cautious that we're open with everything we do. [1:30:31, 1:30:32]: Every single thing we do. [1:30:33, 1:30:38]: When we talk about the the police apartment, that was an increase in our budget for salaries. [1:30:39, 1:30:40]: ARPA didn't pay that. [1:30:41, 1:30:45]: When we talk about our police department and chief, you're doing a great job and I thank you for it. [1:30:45, 1:30:50]: But we're gonna need more officers, we're gonna need more boots on the ground, we're gonna need more equipment. [1:30:50, 1:30:52]: We're gonna need all of this stuff. [1:30:53, 1:31:13]: And this is why this council should always try its best to work together and listen to our financial advisors and have a clear-cut path on how we get to where we're going, or we're gonna find bonds sitting down that this this because the bonding was 7,000 for the amphitheater, 14,000 coordinates. [1:31:13, 1:31:26]: cultural arts, uh and uh uh a thousand portrayal and three thousand three I'm sorry millions, I'm talking millions, seven million amphitheater, fourteen million culture arts, three million police department, one million trails. [1:31:27, 1:31:31]: And some of that interest rate gonna be brought down because we're paying the amphitheater off. [1:31:32, 1:31:40]: But the 25 million bond dollar bond, my million twenty-five million dollar bond is gonna have to be paid, and that's amount is an annual amount. [1:31:43, 1:31:46]: when four at least fourteen million of it didn't even have to be on there. [1:31:48, 1:31:49]: Because we're pa [1:31:49, 1:31:56]: We have to be careful and constant decision we make. We can talk about the pie in the sky for the city and I'm glad and I'm proud of it. [1:31:57, 1:32:00]: But we gotta talk about the mud also on the ground. [1:32:01, 1:32:04]: We're making decisions that dis didn't make sense to me. [1:32:05, 1:32:10]: Why are we sitting on all this money and bonds paying this interest when we wasn't ready to use it? [1:32:11, 1:32:20]: And you can say we save money on the interest rate, but if you're gonna pay over a million dollars of interest down the road, hey, I'd rather wait on it. [1:32:21, 1:32:23]: Those are decisions that we have to be open with. [1:32:25, 1:32:42]: Mayor, I have to be in Hampton at eleven o'clock, do this same kind of millage rate meeting in Hampton. Is it okay if I go? Okay, sir. I tell you what, just do this. Stand by one second. Mr. Cant, you joined us. Well you must have a quick question, I would imagine. Well thank you. And I apologize. I've been in court all morning, so I'm sorry I'm late, but [1:32:43, 1:32:43]: Um [1:32:44, 1:32:59]: I just wanted to remind my colleagues that this is a tax, a first hearing on whether or not we're going to implement a tax and what that mills rate is gonna be. And on my way here, it sounded like we were having a budget hearing. [1:33:00, 1:33:20]: This is not a budget hearing. This is about our tax. And we went around around and pointing the blame. The m it is what it is at this point. Um in nineteen seventy seven we had a police department. That was the last time we had one. That was forty six years ago, I know, because I was born in nineteen seventy seven, right? [1:33:19, 1:33:31]: So in 1977, we had a police. In 1972, that tax implementation for the police was eight millage. A millage of eight percent. [1:33:33, 1:33:44]: We have to do this. We've talked about it. I'm sorry if the people didn't hear it, if they we tried to tell them. Um, but also our constituents. [1:33:45, 1:33:53]: You know, some of us did warn them, some of us didn't, maybe. I don't know if they did or didn't. All I know is right now we should be hearing from the public. [1:33:53, 1:33:56]: This is our first meeting. We got another one to go. [1:33:56, 1:34:07]: This is not the time to try to justify why we're trying to do it at this point. We not necessarily justify but point blame about whether it's an amphitheater or art center or whatever. Who cares? [1:34:08, 1:34:13]: The amount what what the this is not a budget hearing, this is about our taxes. [1:34:14, 1:34:18]: And right now, constituents, we've said it over and over again. [1:34:19, 1:34:26]: You wanted public safety, the county wanted public safety, the chair of the county commissioner was very adamant that [1:34:27, 1:34:31]: came to me period point blank and said we need to get our own [1:34:31, 1:34:35]: And this has been going on since I've been here since twenty thirteen. [1:34:35, 1:34:46]: When they sounded off and sent a letter and saying we no longer le need police services down in the county. From there on and we've had this debate's been going on, the police department is here. [1:34:47, 1:34:49]: The amphitheater was paid through Splast. [1:34:50, 1:34:58]: Everyone knows that. That should not be an issue. I say let's hear from the public and let's move on to our second hearing, which is at six o'clock today. [1:34:59, 1:35:03]: Ms. Wall, thank you for being here. I would imagine you'd be with us this evening as well. [1:35:04, 1:35:06]: Okay. All right. Mr. uh Barber, please. [1:35:10, 1:35:20]: She had another you had your hand up. Never mind. Never mind. Thank you. All right. So on that note, uh it is a public hearing. So let's hear from the citizens if they need time to speak. [1:35:21, 1:35:40]: All let's let's start on my my very left side. All right, we should be over here. For anybody that's in uh p positive comments they they may want to say in reference to a potential millage uh increase or rate here. My left side. It don't work that way. And an anybody in the middle? [1:35:41, 1:35:41]: Ten minutes. [1:35:42, 1:35:44]: On my right side. [1:35:44, 1:35:55]: See none. Okay, any t any comments maybe say negative in the sense that they m may not want a millage rate. Uh any public comments on my left side. Anybody on my left? [1:35:56, 1:35:57]: Anybody in the middle? [1:35:59, 1:36:00]: Okay, anybody else in the middle? [1:36:01, 1:36:05]: Line up on this side you can look that'd be fine. Line up on that side, that'd be fine. Anybody else in the middle? [1:36:05, 1:36:07]: Anybody on my far right? [1:36:09, 1:36:14]: that that do not or have any type of negative comments or do not wanna don't understand don't wanna have a Miller's rate. [1:36:15, 1:36:15]: Do not [1:36:16, 1:36:16]: Excuse me. [1:36:18, 1:36:18]: Do not. [1:36:21, 1:36:31]: All right. So t okay. So n and no so you two only, it seems like. All right. So on that note then, uh, once you come to podium g your name and address and uh [1:36:33, 1:36:53]: No, do one at a time. One at a time, please. Give your name and address and go ahead and make your comments, please. No questions. My name is um Mindy Mayers, um 1008 Peaks Point in McDonough, Georgia. Um my concern is similar to um, yes, I was at the tax meeting yesterday with the school board, and I was concerned then with my count my taxes with Henry County as well. Um [1:36:53, 1:37:13]: It just feels like it's being forced down my throat. Um, and again, we're getting taxes on this end from Henry County, which is a lot, and then we're being asked here to take on taxes as well, whether it's a hundred dollars, two hundred dollars, or twenty dollars, again, that's coming out of my budget. My income is not going up like that. And no one else in this county's income is going up like that. I just really think the [1:37:12, 1:37:32]: The financial advisor made some really good points about let's look at some other places where we can get money from. He said you cannot just keep getting it from the sales tax. Let's be creative, let's go back to the budget. Everybody else has to tighten their belt at every other company, as well as where I work. And so let's look at other places where we can get this money from. We're talking about growth in Henry County. [1:37:32, 1:37:52]: I understand that. I know we're gonna continue to grow, but we need another path besides putting the ta putting it on the taxpayers back each time because you're gonna come for$20 here,$40 next year,$60 the next year, and Henry County's on the other end going up to$5,000. Like that's too much. Gas is up, you know, bacon is up. [1:37:52, 1:38:12]: Everything is up. Insurance is up. So we're going everybody else is saying, I'm just gonna go up$20. I'm just going up$20. But$20 is a lot when you add up everybody's$20. So I'm saying, can't we get creative with how we get money in this county? Because we're still gonna need next year the police department. You're gonna say you you need more. You're gonna need more for the roads next year. [1:38:12, 1:38:32]: So we need another plan for long term growth. So, you know, and I always look at the amphitheater. I love going there as well. But you know, what are we doing with that all year? Can we use that to make some money? Like what else can we do to make money? It's just very frustrating that we keep being asked to take on these expenses as the taxpayer. And I know for me, I just [1:38:32, 1:38:34]: just I I just don't support it. [1:38:34, 1:38:40]: I thank you. Appreciate your comments. Ma'am, uh name and address please. [1:38:40, 1:38:45]: Um Darlene Jackson and four two eight Tina Healy Court, Stockbridge. [1:38:45, 1:38:47]: Uh I've been here since two thousand five. [1:38:48, 1:39:08]: And uh I'm not liking what's going on now. Yes, I love the amphitheater. Where's the money going from the amphitheater? Why aren't we putting it back to where it can lower our taxes? I get alerts about new businesses that's being built more than one uh a week. You could say three, four days out of week. [1:39:08, 1:39:28]: Two and three businesses. Why aren't we letting them pay some of these taxes and stuff? I'm glad I came because COVID prevented us from coming to some of the meetings. And I agree that we need to be transparent on everything, where the money is going, how it's spent. [1:39:27, 1:39:47]: And now I'm at the point of thinking that maybe we should vote on be able to vote on some of these causes that's coming up too. Because I do that with my own budget. I know what I'm spending, I know what I'm saving, and I know uh I have a uh a savings account for each aspect of my life: vacation, uh, you know, for work on the house. [1:39:47, 1:39:50]: my house and for my future retirement. [1:39:51, 1:40:04]: So I agree we need to be a little bit more transparent because things have changed. Like I said, I've been here since two thousand five and it seemed like now everything is going downhill and I'm thinking about moving out this county. [1:40:05, 1:40:12]: Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Ma'am, do you want you w you wanted to make a comment that's uh against I guess for this? Sure, go ahead. Your name and address, please. [1:40:16, 1:40:33]: My name is Mondra Roberts. I live in Stockbridge uh for about close to five years now, so I'm new here. This meeting has been very confusing. There's transparency with some things and then others there is not. [1:40:34, 1:40:38]: And no one can make an informed decision as to whether they want something. [1:40:38, 1:40:47]: Or do not want something unless they have complete transparency at all of the information. [1:40:48, 1:40:57]: And i that's s I know that when you get new things like the amphitheater and other things that I've seen uh happen [1:40:57, 1:41:00]: І stockridge costs money. [1:41:01, 1:41:03]: The money has to come from someplace. [1:41:04, 1:41:05]: Амі, нас комонсен. [1:41:06, 1:41:09]: But without having the complete picture of what's going on. [1:41:10, 1:41:30]: No one can make an informed decision as to whether they want it or not. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Okay. Um all right. So that with that uh I will close the public hearing for now. And uh obviously uh we will do this a couple more times, and once again with this will be happening uh this evening at six. [1:41:30, 1:41:50]: o'clock and on that note um council we actually have um an executive session uh for uh legal real estate and personnel that we need to discuss so i for here yes sir yes we'll make a motion to go in executive session for real estate personnel and litigation thank you sir second [1:41:51, 1:41:51]: Is there a second? [1:41:53, 1:41:56]: So it's very important. It is, but is there a second [1:41:57, 1:42:01]: Okay. I second. Okay, Ms. Gantt second. All in favor, please indicate. [1:42:02, 1:42:20]: All in favor please indicate. I'm going to second session. I've got three three votes. Three four four votes. Four votes and uh okay, four votes and one abstention. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll go in the second session. We'll be back soon. Thank you. [1:42:20, 1:42:21]: We get to know. [1:43:12, 1:43:13]: [6198.7, 6202.2]: You know through the top day and so [1:51:20, 1:51:23]: Yes, I okay, Mr. Alexander, second that all in favor please indicate. [1:51:24, 1:51:44]: All right, on that note, uh and we have a uh we have actually have a announcement to make in reference to our executive session. And uh uh Mr. Uh Gardner, please. Yes. Um may I counsel, thank you um for confirming uh or voting to confirm uh nominee for IT director, Mr. Demon. [1:51:43, 1:51:51]: Demetrius Ivey. Mr. Ivey came to us with over 20 years' experience to include the United States Army, state of North Carolina. [1:51:51, 1:51:58]: Um into there where he's worked with us before here and um with Clayton County Health as their IT manager. So [1:51:58, 1:52:12]: All right, sir, so move. So move. Mr. Alzheimer's and Mr. Gantt, second that uh all favor, please indicate. All right, this passed unanimously uh welcome, uh Demetrius, appreciate it. Did you wanna come forward and say something quickly before we uh close out this meeting, sir? [1:52:16, 1:52:23]: Uh I just wanna say thank you guys for uh taking the opportunity, giving me this opportunity. Uh and I uh [1:52:25, 1:52:38]: Welcome to the team. Yeah. Thank you. All right. All right. On that note, uh Council need a motion to end this special call meeting. So moved. Mr. Gantt is there a second. Mr. second. All favor, please indicate. Uh God bless you. We'll see you this evening six. Thank you.