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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JUNE 25. 2009 — PAGE 3A
County gov’t focuses on shaving expenses
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
County governments across the
state face revenue shortages and
Madison County is not immune
to the hurt.
So, Madison County BOC chair
man Anthony Dove has asked each
department head in the county
government to shave five percent
off their budget next year, a move
to offset anticipated revenue short
falls in 2010.
“We're in a different time than
we were two or three years ago,”
said Dove. ‘This is painful but
necessary. And in the process, we
may see some positive effects on
the government. It gives them a
chance to look at tilings in a dif
ferent light."
Dove also notes that the county
government may have to address
revenue shortfalls in 2009, too.
“There could be some adjust
ments for this year,” he said.
The chairman said the county
property tax collection rate is at 89
percent right now and that the bud
get is set on a projected 97 percent
collection rate.
Dove and finance director Kathy
Clark are meeting with county
department heads to discuss
expenditures. They will soon pres
ent county commissioners with a
six-month breakdown on where
each department stands fiscally.
So, are county departments liv
ing within their means?
“Some are, some aren't," said
Dove. “There are some I'm con
cerned with. During good times
it’s not as much of a problem if one
goes over a little, but during harsh
economic times, it’s imperative
that everyone stays on budget.”
Dove said he doesn't anticipate
the commissioners raising the mill
rate in 2009, despite revenue short
ages. He noted that county prop
erty taxpayers are already going to
feel the pinch of the state's decision
to eliminate the Homeowners’ Tax
Relief Grant, which will tack on
another $233 to homeowners’ bills,
according to tax commissioner
Louise Watson. And commission
ers don't want to place any more
burden on taxpayers.
Last year, the commission
ers avoided a tax rate increase.
However, they had to pull $221,000
from their fund balance to cover
expenses. Dove said the county
now has a fund balance of just over
$3.8 million, which is close to the
amount recommended for county
government reserves. County gov
ernments try to keep a fund bal
ance equal to at least three months
of operating expenses. Madison
County’s budget this year is $14.2
million, meaning it would take
$3.55 million to operate the gov
ernment for three months. Dove
said the commissioners, who will
soon begin discussions on the 2010
budget, will try to avoid dipping
into the fund balance again this
year, but there’s not guarantee it
can be avoided.
While times are tough. Dove
said the Madison County govern
ment is in better shape than some
other counties that are saddled
with significant construction debt.
Madison County planned to double
the size of its jail, but officials held
off on the project as the economy
took a turn for the worse.
McGhee .cont’dfrom 1A
the opportunity to serve the students of Madison County and the
community of Madison County,” McGhee said.
The school board approved his extension at its called meeting
Monday.
McGhee, Madison County's superintendent since 2007, has
been with school system since 2001, when he was hired as an
assistant superintendent.
McGhee also earned “satisfactory” ratings from the board in all
assessment categories and a “satisfactory” approval rating overall.
Only two designations are available — “satisfactory or “needs
improvement."
"I was pleased that the board is happy with the job I’m doing so
far,” he said. "I look forward to continuing with that and continu
ing the improvements we’ve been working on. I hope it will be a
long and mutually profitable relationship.”
In other personnel matters, the board of education made the fol
lowing moves:
•Colbert Elementary — hired Judy Bond and Bennie Freeman
as halftime custodians.
•Danielsville Elementary - accepted the resignation of para-
professional Sarah Reynolds.
•Hull-Sanford Elementary — approved the transfer of Stacey
Gordon from paraprofessional to secretary.
Notices .cont’dfrom 1A
The group was split 2-2 on
the matter. Larry Stewart and
Samantha Garland favored
sending notices only to those
whose values had changed in
2009, while Escoe and chairman
David Ragland agreed that all
property owners should receive
notices. Ragland also said that
the group could not take back its
earlier decision with anything
less than a unanimous vote. He
then voted to knot the vote at
2-2.
While the BOA weighed its
options, new chief appraiser
Robin Baker passed out a “2009
assessment notice summary”
to the group Thursday, which
showed real property increas
ing in value by $20 million and
personal property decreasing
by $10 million. Baker said that
most of the decrease in personal
property was due to the closing
of the Weyerhaeuser wood plant
off Hwy. 72.
Baker also noted two prob
lems with the BOA's decision
to send notices to all property
owners: the cost and the effect
on the appeals schedule.
The chief appraiser said mail
ing out thousands of extra notic
es will cost roughly $8,000. But
he told the BOA that he felt he
could pull money from other
line items in his departmental
budget to cover the cost.
However, Baker said the coun
ty cannot submit a digest to the
state with more than three per
cent — or 480 property owners
— in the appeals process. The
allowable appeal limit rises to
five percent when a total revalu
ation of all property is being
conducted, but that is not the
case this year.
Baker said that mailing out
assessment notices only to those
whose values changed this year
would mean that approximate
ly 10 to 11 percent of those
who actually received a notice
could appeal their values and the
county could still pass the three
percent limit. But mailing out
notices to all property owners
opens the door for more appeals,
even after the state legislature
banned all counties from apply
ing any inflationary increases to
values this year.
“A lot of people will appeal
just to see if they can get a
reduction,” he noted.
Appraiser Stacey Rubio also
pointed out that property owners
have already had an opportu
nity this year to challenge their
values.
Taxpayers had until April
1 to file a property tax return
with the county government.
Under Georgia law, residents
can file a return stating what
they feel the value is of their
property. Assessors then must
either approve that value or send
a notice of denial, which can be
appealed.
BOA members noted that a
lot of people are unaware that
they have the option of filing a
property tax return with then-
own value assessment.
The approval of the tax digest
has been a major source of ten
sion in county politics in recent
years. And county commission
ers recently voted to remove the
four members of the BOA, with
one of the major charges against
the assessors being their inabil
ity to complete a digest on time.
A hearing will be held next
month before a Superior Court
judge regarding those dismiss
als. But BOC chairman Anthony
Dove noted Monday that he
believes the BOC, despite the
ongoing termination issue, will
do what needs to be done to
help get the notices out and the
digest completed. Though the
mailing of assessment notices
to everyone could prolong the
appeals process, Dove said he
could also see the benefit of
everyone receiving a notice.
“If that’s what they (the BOA)
want to do, we'll go along with
it,” he said. “We’ll do what
ever we need to do ... We as a
county just need to get this thing
fixed.”
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Hearing
...cont’dfrom 1A
“With all due respect, I feel
that the action of the board
of commissioners in seek
ing to remove me and other
members of the board of tax
assessors is another step in
the repeated and improper
attempts of the board of com
missioners to control and
interfere with the indepen
dence of the board of tax
assessors,” wrote Ragland in
the BOA members’ response
to their dismissal. “My
removal and the removal of
my colleagues on the board
of tax assessors would set a
precedent that would further
the commissioners’ attempts
to dominate and control the
board of tax assessors. In
my opinion, contesting the
removal would further inde
pendence of the board of tax
assessors and would thus
serve the best interests of the
people of Madison County.”
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Accident .cont’dfrom 1A
arms and remains in intensive care at Grady Healthcare,
with hopes to be transferred soon to Shepard Spinal
Center in Atlanta for further treatment.
“The doctors are hopeful that with proper rehabilitation,
Travis can regain function to his arms,” friend Lucinda
Wiseman said. “This is why the benefit funds are so criti
cal for him.”
In order to assist in his recovery, two funds have been
established for him and his wife, Alisha Davis Adams.
Merchant’s and Farmer’s Bank is accepting donations
to the Travis Adams Benefit Fund, while the Travis L.
Adams Fund has been set up at local BB&T branches.
“Your contribution to either fund will be greatly appre
ciated as well as your thoughts and prayers,” fund orga
nizers said.
In addition, a “fishless” benefit bass tournament for
Adams has been set for July 25, with weigh-in beginning
at 4 p.m. at the Madison County Recreation Department.
For details, contact Bond’s Marine at 706-795-0951 or
Dan at 706-716-0284.
A raffle will also be held during this event, organizers
said.
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