SCBC approve budget amendments to prevent property tax increase

The Stephens County Board of Commissioners met on Thursday in a special called meeting to consider budget amendments to the Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

Each Commissioner provided their ideas for how to reduce the budget in order to accept a rollback millage rate rather than the proposed property tax increase.

Commissioner Dean Scarborough recommended they reduce every department by ¾ of a percent.

Commissioner Debbie Whitlock and Vice Chair Dennis Bell recommended they adjust two of the capital improvement projects: the Investigator Building and E911 Upgrades.

Ultimately, they decided they will take $250,000 from each of those projects to satisfy the amount the property tax increase would have brought in for the county.

A motion was made by Scarborough with Commissioner Michelle Ivester seconding the motion.

The motion was approved unanimously.