Appling County board approves millage rates after discussion of rollback and school levy

Appling County commissioners on Tuesday approved the county’s proposed millage measures after discussing several rollback calculations and the school board’s separate submission.

The board considered figures the school board submitted for its maintenance-and-operations levy and discussed the county’s own proposed rate. Staff referenced a school M&O figure presented earlier in the meeting and later moved the board to approve the county’s proposed levies. Commissioners then made and seconded a motion to adopt the millage rates as presented; the motion carried with all in favor.

County staff noted differing figures during the meeting: an earlier reference to the school board’s proposed M&O at 11.273 mills and subsequent county discussion that presented a county rate of 10.943 mills (described by staff as the rate to be levied by Appling County). Commissioners also discussed rollback amounts and compared the county and school rollback changes (staff said the school rollback was “very similar,” about 0.947, and characterized county changes as roughly a two-mill decrease in some cases for county residents outside Baxley and about 2.5 mills when city taxes are included).

Commissioners emphasized that the county’s current levy structure and budget considerations informed the decision. The board recorded motions and seconds on the floor and approved the measures at the meeting; no roll-call vote tally with individual member votes was read into the record in the transcript.

The county chair said the full set of levies and supporting documents would be finalized and brought back to the board in December for confirmation and publication where required by law. The decision means the county will proceed under the approved levy framework pending required notices and any final technical changes.