July 9, 2022: The City of Winterville today announces its intention to increase the property taxes it will levy this year by 20.53 percent. Each year, the board of tax assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the city. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the city indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax assessors is required by law to re-determine the value of such property and increase the assessment. This is called a reassessment.
When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia Law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s new digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.
The budget tentatively adopted by the City of Winterville requires a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate. Therefore, before the City of Winterville may finalize the tentative budget and set a final millage rate, Georgia Law requires that three public hearings be held to allow the public an opportunity to express their opinions on this increase. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at the following locations at the indicated times:
All public hearings will be held at the Winterville City Hall, 125 N. Church Street Winterville, Georgia.
Hearing #1 – Monday, July 18, 2022 at 11:00 am
Hearing #2 – Monday, July 25, 2022 at 11:00 am
Hearing #3 – Monday July 25, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Minutes for Public Hearing #1
Mayor Ferrelle called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m on July 18, 2022. Also in attendance was City Clerk, Wendy Bond.
Mayor Ferrelle read aloud the statement above as advertised in the Athens Banner Herald, Saturday, July 9, 2022.
Two (2) members of the public signed up to speak. They were allowed a three (3) minute time limit to
address the Mayor.
Mayor Ferrelle addressed all questions and comments.
Mayor Ferrelle closed the Public Hearing at 11:15 a.m.
Minutes for Public Hearing #2
Mayor Ferrelle called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m on July 25, 2022. Also in attendance was City Clerk, Wendy Bond.
Mayor Ferrelle read aloud the statement above as advertised in the Athens Banner Herald, Saturday, July 9, 2022.
There was no public in attendance or signed up to speak.
Mayor Ferrelle closed the Public Hearing at 11:05 a.m.
Minutes for Public Hearing #3
Mayor Ferrelle called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. on July 25, 2022. Also in attendance were; Amanda Mooney, Bruce Johnson, Melissa Metzger and City Clerk, Wendy Bond.
Mayor Ferrelle read aloud the statement above as advertised in the Athens Banner Herald, Saturday, July 9, 2022.
There was one (1) resident in attendance signed up to speak. Mayor Ferrelle addressed any questions and/or comments.
Mayor Ferrelle closed the Public Hearing at 6:09 p.m.