Board of Education sets millage rate in special called meeting 

PERRY— The Houston County Board of Education set their millage rate in a special called meeting Monday morning. 

The Board received its tax digest on July 9, which revealed a positive reassessment of $711,558,223. According to the meeting agenda, the Board was required to either roll back the millage rate for the reassessment of 11.719 mills or declare a tax increase by the equivalent mills of reassessment, 1.464 mills. 

“With the rollback, we are requesting that the millage rate be set at 11.719 mills for Calendar Year 2024,” Chief Financial Officer of the Houston County School District Michelle Morris said. 

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Scott shared that their millage rate settings are different than their municipalities. 

“The State withholds five mills of tax from us each year when we get our QBE (Quality Basic Education) allotment, and as part of that process, next year our five mill share will increase the amount of the total digest increase, including the reassessment and other property values that increase that were not due to reassessment,” he said. “What happens is when a mill goes up, we are required by State law to levy five mills of tax to replace those funds in QBE.” 

Scott said this is a complicated process and wanted to share the significance of the Board issuing a rollback of the millage rate in terms of funding. 

“I think this is the right direction for us, given the reassessment that we’ve had over the last several years. But just know that it comes with some long-lasting effect on our total budget and revenue sources,” he said. 

The Board then approved, with a vote of 6-0, the requested millage rate of 11.719 mills for the 2024 Calendar Year. Vice Chair Dr. Rick Unruh was not in attendance at the special called meeting. 

There was one additional item of new business regarding Board member stipends in Houston County compared to other counties. According to govsalaries.com, the average Board member salary for Houston County is $7,386. Board Member Mark Ivory pointed out that Board Members’ average salaries for both Hancock and Putnam County, each having four schools in their districts, make an average of $8,275 and $8,260 respectively. 

“Thank you Mr. Ivory for going into research and sharing that with us today,” Board Chair Helen Hughes said. 

Hughes said it would be best to include this item on their Board retreat agenda, which will take place on Sept. 30. 

The next regularly scheduled Houston County Board of Education meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1 p.m., at 1100 Main St. in Perry. The special called meeting agenda can be found at simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=4089&MID=119467&Tab=Agenda&enIID=cMSNOganFntNqLfrKZP3lQ%3D%3D