Santa Rosa County School Board sets tentative millage rates, schedules final budget hearing for Sept. 9

The Santa Rosa County School Board on July 29 unanimously approved tentative millage rates that total 5.414 mills and recommended a tentative operating budget of $313,170,980.48, the board chair said.

The board voted to set the required local effort millage at 3.166 mills, the basic discretionary operating millage at 0.748 mills, and the basic discretionary capital millage at 1.5 mills, producing a combined tentative rate of 5.414 mills.

The board also recommended a total budget of all budget parts of $535,153,585.72 and scheduled a final public hearing on the millage and budget for Sept. 9, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.

Why it matters: setting tentative millage and budget figures is the board’s step that preserves levy capacity and opens a statutorily required public-review period before the board adopts final rates and the budget later this fall.

Board procedure and vote details: each recommendation was read individually and put to a voice vote. For each motion the board chair called for those in favor to say “aye,” and each motion carried unanimously with no recorded opposing votes. The board did not record individual roll-call vote names on the record for these motions.

Board members present for the meeting included Mr. Harrell (sitting in for Dr. Barber), Mrs. Sanborn, Mr. Peden, Mr. Elliott and Mrs. Huey. The board chair announced the results after each voice vote with a statement that the motion carried unanimously.

Background: The board opened a public hearing on the tentative budget at the start of the recommendations but had no public speakers; the chair closed the hearing before the votes. The board also noted that minutes from the previous meeting were not yet completed and will be addressed at the Aug. 7 meeting.

What’s next: the board will hold the final public hearing on Sept. 9, at which time members may adopt final millage rates and the complete budget or make changes.