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Bibb County board tentatively keeps 2025 millage rate as federal grant freeze looms
Summary
On July 17, 2025, the Bibb County Board of Education tentatively adopted a 14.674 mill rate for calendar year 2025 while board members and staff discussed the possible loss of roughly $6.9–7.0 million in federal grant funds and scheduled required public hearings.
The Bibb County Board of Education on July 17 tentatively adopted a 14.674 mill rate for calendar year 2025 and set public-hearing dates after district finance staff warned that a freeze of federal grant dollars could reduce district receipts by about $6.9–$7.0 million.
Finance director Eric Bush told the board the district’s tax digest grew 4.65% in 2025 and that maintaining the current millage would yield an additional $4 million in revenue.
“This represents a modest increase of 4.65% yielding $4,000,000 which will help decrease our current budget deficit as well as maintain a healthy fund balance for the near future,” Bush said.
The board considered three options presented by staff: maintain the current millage (the administration’s recommendation), raise the rate by 0.5 mills, or raise by a full mill; the administration recommended Option A (no rollback). The presentation included homeowner-impact estimates: maintaining the rate would add about $47.60 per year for a homeowner with a $200,000 assessed value and homestead exemption.
Board members repeatedly raised the federal funding uncertainty during and after the millage discussion. In the board’s financial review earlier in the meeting, Bush said staff had “detailed out the impacts” and that if withheld grants were not released the effect would be roughly $7,000,000 on 2025 receipts. Several trustees urged caution in spending and budget implementation because the release of those federal funds remained unresolved.
The board voted to tentatively adopt the 14.674 mills rate; the motion was made by Mr. Freeman and seconded by Mr. Hester and passed unanimously. Staff will advertise the intent as required: the district will publish notices July 23, hold two hearings July 31 (11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.), and run final advertising on Aug. 6 ahead of the August final adoption.
District officials said they will continue to monitor federal guidance and advocacy efforts and will return to the board with updates; staff also flagged that several title-based grants start in September or October and that timing will affect cash flow and program execution.
Next steps: the board’s tentative adoption triggers the statutorily required advertising and hearings ahead of final adoption in August.
