Meeting announces relief for taxpayers
Gilmer County School (GCS) board voted to advertise lowering the millage rates.
“We were pretty happy with the rollback rate,” Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley said in a Thursday, July 24 meeting where the vote was taken.
Lower millage rates mean a lower tax burden on the county’s population, Ridley said.
This year, the millage rate dropped from 9.415 mills to 9.121 mills.
For Gilmer property owners, this drop means they will pay $.284 less in tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
The board also amended its 2025 budget. According to Chief Financial Officer Page Reynolds, local taxes, state grants and educational funding added $6.52 million to the budget.
GCS also added $1.9 million to the budget from a $1.4 million property sale, as well as additional interest income on bank balances.
The system had an additional $2.44 million in expenditures on construction projects and utilities.
The board voted in favor of this amended 2025 budget, as well as the tentative 2026 budget.
The board also voted to apply for Georgia State Capital Outlay Project grant funds for the building of Ellijay Elementary School in 2027.
Chief Operations Officer Thomas Griffin said the school would likely cost $32.5 million, and that the state could pay for up to $7.5 million.
If the system spends less than planned, the reimbursement will be adjusted. If the system spends more than planned, it won’t, Ridley said.
The board also voted to purchase a livestock trailer for $52,900. The trailer will help the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education program.