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Liberty County adopts 2025 millage rates, approves budget amendment and other county actions
Summary
After a public hearing, the Board of Commissioners set county millage rates for unincorporated and incorporated areas, approved a FY2026 budget amendment that returns $636,748 to fund balance, and adopted several related measures including a floodplain freeboard increase.
The Liberty County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday adopted the county's 2025 millage rates after a public hearing that focused on digest growth, exemptions and the county's heavy public-safety burden.
At the public hearing Samantha Richardson, the county's finance director, told residents the net digest rose 8.17% for 2026 (an increase of about $213 million), while countywide exemptions grew roughly 13% to about $734 million. Richardson said those exemptions (Freeport, disabled veterans, and a local freeze program) account for about 80% of the exemption total and significantly reduce the local taxable base. She also pointed to Fort Stewart's tax-exempt federal land and Liberty County's coastal and marshland geography as structural reasons the county's millage can be higher than many other Georgia counties.
After public comment — including a detailed question from longtime resident Glenn Birch about tax burden, median income and the effect of large exemptions — the board voted to adopt the county portion of the millage at 20.9 mills for the unincorporated area. The board also approved the county portions of the millage for incorporated areas, including Hinesville at 18.314 mills and newly incorporated Fleming and Waterville at 20.353 mills (each combined with school, hospital and industrial authority levies to produce the total tax bills reported to residents).
Separately, the board approved a budget amendment for fiscal 2026 driven by the finalized digest. Finance staff said the amendment increases anticipated revenues by $2,916,150 and increases appropriations by $2,279,402, leaving an expected positive change to fund balance of $636,748. Richardson said the amendment makes room to fund some of the previously deferred personnel items (new positions, longevity bonuses, merit increases) that were held pending the digest.
The board also adopted an ordinance increasing the freeboard for base flood elevation from one foot to two feet, effective Jan. 1, intended to give additional protection to low-lying properties; staff said the change includes a caveat for applicants already in preliminary review. County officials said they will notify builders and affected permit applicants about the change.
The board ended the meeting with several procedural items and staff updates and scheduled a personnel appeal hearing for early December.
Votes at a glance - Unincorporated county portion: 20.9 mills — adopted by vote. - Incorporated (combined other areas): county portion 20.9 mills — adopted by vote. - Hinesville (county portion): 18.314 mills — adopted by vote. - Flemington (county portion): 20.353 mills — adopted by vote. - Waterville (county portion): 20.353 mills — adopted by vote. - FY2026 budget amendment: Revenues +$2,916,150; Expenditures +$2,279,402; Net +$636,748 to fund balance — ordinance approved. - Floodplain freeboard ordinance: increase freeboard from 1 to 2 feet — ordinance adopted, effective Jan. 1.
What to watch next: staff will post detailed millage paperwork and the adopted budget amendment exhibits on the county website; Flemington is expected to finalize its separate millage adoption on Dec. 5 but the county said collections will not be delayed while the county's documents are processed by the state.
