Gordon County keeps millage steady at 9.042 mills; board approves airport match and equipment purchases, and proclaims Recovery Month

GORDON COUNTY — The Gordon County Board of Commissioners voted to keep the county maintenance and operations (M&O) millage at 9.042 mills and approved a series of budget amendments and purchases during its regular meeting.

The board also issued a proclamation recognizing Recovery Month 2024 in Calhoun and Gordon County and heard testimony from local recovery leaders. "This is recovery, and I live these principles daily," said Maya White, a ministry leader with Celebrate Recovery Calhoun, recounting years of addiction and more than a decade in recovery.

Why it matters: Setting the millage rate determines the county’s property tax levy for operations; keeping it at the prior-year level means the county will not increase the M&O tax rate despite rising costs. The board also committed county funds to local infrastructure and public-safety purchases that will affect county operations and capital accounts.

The meeting opened with a proclamation for Recovery Month that referenced statewide efforts, including the Georgia Recovers bus tour and partnerships with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Georgia Council for Recovery. Representatives of Summit Recovery/City of Refuge described local programming that provides weekly meetings, small-group support and free meals; one presenter said the group serves about 175 people each week and feeds about 125.

On taxation and budget matters, an administrative presenter recommended retaining the county M&O at 9.042 mills, citing a gross county millage of 12.477 reduced by a 3.435 rollback tied to the local option sales tax. The board adopted a resolution reflecting those rates; county school operations were shown as 16.364 mills, giving a combined net rate cited in the packet as 25.406 mills.

Votes at a glance: - Adoption of 2024 millage resolution: motion carried by voice vote (no roll-call tally specified in the meeting packet). - Application Z-24-26 (portion of 1336 Highway 41 N): rezoning from general commercial to low-density residential; planning staff recommended approval and the planning commission voted 5–0; the board approved the application by roll call (members recorded “Yes”). - Application Z-24-27 (281 Plainville Road SW): rezoning from agricultural to residential-agricultural (RA1); planning staff recommended approval and the planning commission voted 5–0; the board approved by roll call (members recorded “Yes”). - Budget amendment: county share of Tom B. David Airport runway resurfacing — $100,917.22 (GL account 7560-572018); motion carried by voice vote. The City of Calhoun approved an equal match at its Sept. 9, 2024 meeting. - Surplus declaration: playground equipment from Salacoa Creek Park declared surplus; motion carried. - Procurement: award to purchase a brush truck for Fire & Rescue in the amount of $56,284.32 (GL account 328-5424513); motion carried. - Fiscal year 2024 and 2025 budget amendments: motions to approve carried. - Surplus items to be listed on GovDeals: approved. - Board of Assessors: motion to appeal the 2023 DOAA sales ratio study; motion carried.

The board also used the meeting to introduce county interns and to update the public on completed and ongoing projects, including renovations to the county 911 facility and ongoing permitting and code-enforcement work. A donated overdose reversal kit from the recovery group will be placed in a county government building at staff’s direction.

The meeting adjourned after the final motions.

Next steps: several items approved will require administrative follow-up (placement of the donated kit, procurement administration for the brush truck, and coordination with the City of Calhoun on the airport match).