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Hardee County sets proposed millage at 8.395 mills, adopts tentative assessments and updated fee schedule
Summary
On July 17 the Hardee County Board approved a proposed millage rate of 8.395 mills (9.83% above the rollback rate), an updated county fee schedule with new facility rental and landfill fees, and tentative fire and solid waste assessments. Public budget hearings are scheduled for Sept. 9 (tentative) and Sept. 23 (final).
Bowling Green, Fla. — At its July 17 session the Hardee County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a package of budget‑related resolutions: a proposed millage rate, updates to the county fee schedule, and tentative special assessments for fire services and solid‑waste collection and disposal.
Proposed millage: Diane Moore, Hardee County budget manager, presented Resolution 2025‑57 proposing a millage rate of 8.395 mills for fiscal year 2025‑26. Moore said the computed rollback rate is 7.6433 mills; 8.395 is 9.83% higher than the rollback. The board set public hearings for the tentative and final budgets on Sept. 9 at 5:05 p.m. and Sept. 23 at 5:05 p.m., respectively. Commissioner Flores moved to approve; Commissioner Wells seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Fee schedule updates: The board approved Resolution 2025‑60 updating the Hardee County fee schedule. Significant changes presented by Moore include: • Agricultural Training Center rental: $250 plus tax; refundable deposit $150. • Vendor fee (food trucks/craft booths): $25. • Grange Building rental: $300; Grange + cook shed: $375 (the cook shed will not be rented separately). • Floodplain development permit: $150. • Landfill/concrete: new charge $20 per ton (county staff said the fee will apply regardless of whether loads contain rebar or metal). • Tire and recyclables fees: increases across several categories (example: some tire fees and special handling for recyclables proposed to increase to $250/ton). Moore said utility fees remain unchanged from the previous year. Commissioner Miller moved to approve the fee schedule; Commissioner Flores seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Tentative assessments: • Fire services (Resolution 2025‑61): Moore presented a tentative residential assessment of $234.31 and per‑unit rates for nonresidential uses (commercial 10¢, industrial 16¢, institutional 57¢, vacant land $1.04). The assessment roll will be certified to the tax collector by Oct. 1. The board voted to set the public hearing on Sept. 9; Commissioner Wells moved to approve and Commissioner Miller seconded. The motion passed unanimously. • Solid waste (Resolution 2025‑62): The tentative assessment roll is projected to generate $1,500,000. Moore said the tentative total rate is 268.61, composed of a disposal rate of 115.02 and a collection rate of 153.59. The assessment roll will be certified by Oct. 1 and the public hearing will be Sept. 9; Commissioner Flores moved and Commissioner Miller seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
During discussion a commissioner asked whether the landfill would accept concrete that includes metal or rebar; Moore and staff said the county will accept such loads and charge the proposed $20/ton fee.
Ending
All budget‑related items passed by unanimous votes; the board set the tentative and final budget hearings for Sept. 9 and Sept. 23. The fee schedule and assessment rolls will move forward for final adoption at the scheduled hearings.
