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VOL. 117 NO. 2 Millen, Ga. 30442
LEGAL ORGAN OF JENKINS COUNTY SINCE 1903
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 * 750
City to increase fees for coming year
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
City of Millen residents will pay a
little more for sanitation and water in
the future.
During its regular meeting Tuesday,
July 6, city council adopted a new fee
schedule. Included in the schedule are
the following increases: polycarts,
$2 more a month and dumpsters $10
more a month. Utility rate increases
are $1 more a month on the water
base rate and $1 more a month of the
sewer base rate.
The last time the city increased rates
for sanitation poly carts was in 2010,
and the last increase in the water/
sewer rates occurred in 2017.
Jeff Brantley, city manager, ex
plained that the increases are neces
sary to cover increased expenses.
“Sanitation costs have really hurt
us,” he said.
The increases in sanitation costs are
due in part to the city’s transition to a
private sanitation company.
Brantley reported that the city
will end the 2022-2023 year with a
negative balance of approximately
$110,000. However, he predicts that
the city will recover that balance
quickly in the months to come.
Outstanding property taxes were
reported to be approximately $47,000
of which $37,000 is outstanding for
2022, and $8,000 is outstanding for
2021. Some delinquent taxes are
expected to be collected prior to a
delinquent property tax sale scheduled
for Aug. 1.
Brantley updated council on the
city’s 2020 Community Develop
ment Block Grant (CDBG) project
in the area of Lincoln, Warren, and
Tarver streets, noting that
all phases should be com- SEE
pleted within the week, FEES
The 2021 CDBG project g
on Palmer Row is pro-
JCHS student Emmalea Ellison
earns bronze medal at FCCLA
national convention
Emmalea Ellison represented
Jenkins County High School
(JCHS) at the Family, Career
and Community Leaders of
America (FCCLA) National
Conference in Denver,
Colorado last week.
FCCLA is a national Career and
Technical Student Organization
for students in the Family and
Consumer Sciences pathway in
public and private schools
through grade 12. The organiza
tion offers curricular resources
and opportunities for students
to pursue careers that support
families.
Ellison scored well enough in
the FCCLA Students Taking
Action with Recognition
(STAR) online event held in
February to advance to the
national competition. She
designed a chapter website as
her STAR event project and was
one of the top 10 finalists in the
national competition, earning a
bronze medal.
Ellison attended youth work
shops, Red Talks, and net
worked with members from
across the country, in addition
to competing in the STAR
Event.
Advisor for the JCHS chapter,
Sylvia Culp, attended the
national convention with
Ellison along with her mother,
Matasha Ellison.
Emmalea Ellison is shown during the FCCLA National
Conference in Denver, Colorado. She came home with a
bronze medal in the STAR chapter website competition.
Cost of first class stamps now 66 cents
The U. S. Postal Service (USPS)
raised the price of its first-class stamps
to 66 cents, an increase of 4.8% from
the previous 63 cents. The price in
crease went into effect July 9th and
results in the cost of a first class stamp
rising nearly one-third since 2019.
Patrons who have previously pur
chased Forever stamps may still use
them to mail a first-class letter.
“Just be sure it has ‘Forever’ written
on it,” local postal officials advise.
The July 2023 price hike represents
the fifth increase since early 2019,
when a Forever stamp cost 50 cents.
The USPS said in an April state
ment, “The latest price hike is needed
to offset higher operating expenses
and will provide the Postal Service
with much needed revenue to achieve
the financial stability sought by its
Delivering for America 10-year plan.
Other postage fees also rose in July.
Postcards sent within the U.S. will rise
to 51 cents, from 48 cents currently,
while international letters will rise by
5 cents to $ 1.50. Together, the various
price hikes represent a boost of 5.4%,
the agency said.
The Postal Regulatory Commis
sion, the federal regulator that over
sees the postal agency, reviewed the
rate increases and approved them in
May. The increases had already been
approved by the governors of the U.S.
Postal Service.
Sheriff’s office charges
two in traffic stop arrests
A traffic stop for speeding on June
29th by a Jenkins County Sheriff’s
Office deputy resulted in the arrest
of Dquan Cutliff, driver, and Brini-
yha Roberts, passenger, on drug and
other charges. Cutliff is a Hephzibah
resident, and Roberts is from Augusta.
The vehicle, a Kia Forte, was ini
tially stopped for speeding 75 mph in
a 55 mph zone.
While speaking with the occupants
of the vehicle, the deputy sensed a
strong odor of marijuana coming
from the vehicle. The occupants were
asked to exit the vehicle and a prob
able cause search was initiated. Found
during the search was a small bag
containing a green leafy substance, a
partially smoked marijuana cigarette,
a book bag containing a black Glock
handgun, and a fanny pack containing
several clear bags containing approx.
8.23 ounces of Methamphetamine.
Cutliff and Roberts were transport
ed to the Jenkins County Jail without
incident.
Cutliff is charged with Felony Traf
ficking Methamphetamine, Felony
Possession of Firearm in Commis
sion of a Felony, Misdemeanor Drug
Related Object, Misdemeanor Posses
sion of Marijuana, Speeding, Child
Restraint and Defective Equipment.
Roberts is charged with Felony
Trafficking Methamphetamine, Felo
ny Possession of Firearm in Commis
sion of a Felony, Misdemeanor Drug
Related Object and Misdemeanor
Possession of Marijuana.
Briniyha Roberts
?
you ML. t
we get the answer!
DEBORAH BENNETT
Millen News Editor
The Millen News has received
several inquiries from local citizens
inquiring as to how their property
taxes are calculated and the relation
ship of the tax digest to the millage
rate. The Georgia Department of
Revenue’s website explains the pro
cess as follows.
All properties in the State of
Georgia are assessed for property
taxes at 40% of the fair market
value. So, a home with a fair market
value $100,000 would be assessed
at $40,000. If the millage rate is 25
mills that means that the property
taxes would be $25 for every $1,000
of assessed value. In other words, 25
x 40 = $1,000 in property taxes.
Residential property in the county
was recently reassessed to reflect the
rise in fair market values of homes,
and property owners received an
“estimate” of the taxes on their prop
erties based on the 2022-2023 millage
rate for the county. So, the estimates
received by property owners may be
different from what they will eventu
ally be billed.
The millage rate for Jenkins County
is set by its governing bodies - Jen
kins County Board of County Com
missioners, Millen City Council and
Jenkins County Board of Education.
The millage rate for Fiscal Year 2023-
2024 is yet to be determined.