Commissioners hold public hearings on millage rate, Sheriff gives presentation

WARNER ROBINS — The Houston County Commissioners had a busy day on Tuesday, Aug. 19, as they held two public hearings on the proposed millage rate and also had their regularly scheduled meeting. 

The millage rate for Houston County is slightly decreasing from last year, going from 8.501 to 8.45. 

At these hearings, Chairman Dan Perdue explained how property taxes are calculated. He said in the State of Georgia, the appraised value of a property is multiplied by 40% to get an assessed value of that property. After exemptions—like homestead, senior or veterans—are taken out, the value is then multiplied by the millage rate. 

Since the proposed millage is not a rollback rate, existing properties may see a property tax increase, but not homesteaded properties, Perdue said.

The proposed millage rate will fund the merit system by giving county employees yearly raises, six new Sheriff deputies, a new receptionist in the State Court Solicitor’s Office, and funding the FY26 budget, which the Board has already approved. 

The fire millage rate will be increasing a half a mil, increasing from 1.177 to 1.677. This rate only applies to the unincorporated areas of Houston County and will go directly to the Houston County Fire Department, according to Perdue. 

“Currently we have several fire stations in Houston County that do not have around-the-clock coverage,” he said. “What this will do will fund nine new firefighters which will allow us to take every single fire station to where there is at least one employee at the fire station 24/7/365. This is a new milestone for the fire service in Houston County.” 

One citizen wondered how much one firefighter could do if they were the only one at the fire station. 

“Especially in the north and south ends of the county, if there is a fire or medical call or car crash, the people have to respond to the station first to get the apparatus to then respond to the call,” Perdue replied. “One person being at the station can hop on the truck and begin to respond to the call. Additional stations, volunteers or off-duty firefighters can meet them at the location of the call, and the apparatus is already there.” 

With the fire millage rate increase only affecting unincorporated areas of the county, one citizen wondered if the county assesses millage rates differently for these areas. 

“The unincorporated area forms a special tax district where that fire millage is applicable,” he said. “Everywhere in Houston County, that 8.45 rate applies.” 

The citizen also wondered why the fire millage rate increase is just affecting the unincorporated areas. 

“The short answer is the cities have their own fire departments that they fund. We’re only responsible for fire services in the unincorporated parts of the county.” 

The Board of Commissioners will hold the third and final public hearing on the proposed millage rate and will adopt the rate on Tuesday, August 26, at 9 a.m. at the Houston County Courthouse. 

In the regularly scheduled meeting, Sheriff Matt Moulton gave a special presentation. He attended the Georgia Sheriff’s Association Summer Conference and mentioned the GSA runs the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Homes. 

“The youth homes take children that are good children, but from horrible family lives and they provide foster families, education and a safe place to live,” he said. 

The Sheriff’s Youth Homes are financed through donations, mainly by sheriff’s offices. 

“One thing Sheriff Talton did for so many years is to host the Sheriff’s Golf Tournament,” he said. 

This fundraiser raises money for the Sheriff’s Youth Homes. For the last 15 years, Moulton said the Houston County Sheriff’s Office has won first place in charitable events with the donations to the Sheriff’s Youth Homes. The tournament has raised over $1.4 million in the past 15 years. 

“The Houston County Sheriff’s Office under the leadership of Sheriff Talton raised over $126,000 [last year] for the Sheriff’s Youth Homes,” he said. 

Moulton accepted the award on Talton’s behalf, but said he didn’t deserve the award. He then presented the award to Commissioner Tal Talton, stating the award belongs to the family of Sheriff Cullen Talton.

“Thank you for sharing him with us. His leadership, servant’s heart and what he’s meant to this community and the youth homes is my guiding light and keeps me going in the direction I’m going,” he said. 

Moulton said they will continue the Sheriff’s Golf Tournament, but under a new name: The Sheriff Cullen Talton Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament will be held Sept. 29-30, at the Houston Lake Country Club.  

The next regularly scheduled Houston County Commissioners meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 9 a.m. at the Houston County Courthouse. The full agenda of the meeting can be found at www.houstoncountyga.gov/minutes/2025-08-19%205%20PM%20Department%20Head%20Copy.pdf