Milton council sets fiscal 2026 millage at 4.193 mills and approves 0.31 green-space bond rate

Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill presented the city’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and the millage-rate options to the Milton City Council on Aug. 11, and the council voted to set the maintenance and operating millage at 4.193 mills and the green-space bond millage at 0.31.

Why it matters: setting the millage at the advertised rate allows the city to proceed with the budget plan staff outlined for Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026, without returning for additional advertisement and hearings. Harvill told the council that the advertised rate and the staff budget reflect revenue and expenditure forecasts used throughout the proposed budget documents.

Harvill said the proposed fiscal 2026 general-fund revenues are about 3% higher than fiscal 2025 — an increase of $1,466,431 — while overall expenditures decreased by 0.7% ($341,340) compared with the amended 2025 budget. With new initiatives and contingency included, the net budget increase is 3.5% ($1,299,179). The city’s projected unrestricted general fund balance is $12,832,945, which Harvill said aligns with the policy requiring a 25% reserve of subsequent year revenues.

Staff described revenue assumptions used in the forecast: collections of property tax digest data typically run about 97% for real property, 65% for personal property and 70% for motor vehicles in year one; the presentation used Fulton County digest numbers subject to appeals. Harvill noted adjustments in the revenue forecast, including a $100,000 increase to title ad valorem tax for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 based on collection trends and a projected $530,000 decline in investment income tied to construction activity that will reduce idle invested funds.

The presentation also reviewed department-level changes, compensation adjustments and new initiatives. Staff is including a 4.1% market salary adjustment in the proposed budget and forecasted a 3% increase in medical insurance premiums. Department-level changes noted in the presentation include one-time reductions in codification and scanner costs, shifts of communications and printing expenditures to Information Services, reclassifications between finance and HR, and timing changes tied to delayed capital projects such as Fire Station 45.

New operating initiatives and capital requests described in the budget presentation included hiring two in-house information-services positions (engineer I and systems engineer II) to replace third-party hours, two full-time school-liaison police officers plus related vehicle requests, $50,000 annually to address ADA compliance items identified in the Safe Streets for All project, and $160,000 for demolitions and debris cleanup across properties. Harvill told council the two information-services positions showed an estimated first-year net savings to maintenance contracts of roughly $10,481; the school-liaison officers would expand the department’s SLO program and support community relations and the cadet program.

Council member Carol Kerkle made the motion to approve a 4.193 mill maintenance and operating rate and a 0.31 green-space bond rate; the motion was seconded by Council member Jan Jacobas and passed unanimously with all present voting yes. The council recorded the motion as agenda item 25-198.

Harvill reminded the council of remaining budget calendar dates: a public hearing on Sept. 3, an optional additional workshop on Sept. 8 if needed, and a final public hearing and vote to set the budget on Sept. 15. Staff also noted the county digest data are subject to appeals and that collections assumptions will be refined during the amendment process.

No public comments were offered on the millage vote during the special-called meeting. The council completed the vote without further amendment, and staff will proceed with the budget process using the adopted millage rates.