Coffee County approves 2021 millage rates after clean audit

The Coffee County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 7 received a clean opinion on the FY2020 audit and approved the county's FY2021 millage rate, while also ratifying the Coffee County Board of Education's adopted rate.

Parker Borland of Hurst and Hurst presented the FY2020 audit and said the county 'received a clean opinion on financial statements' and is in sound financial condition. County Administrator Wesley Vickers told the board the tax digest had been properly advertised and recommended a total levy of 8.247 mills, noting that 0.500 mills of that total is remitted to the Douglas-Coffee County Industrial Authority, leaving the county portion at 7.747 mills. Commissioner Jimmy Kitchens moved to set the county millage at 8.247 mills; Commissioner Johnny Wayne Jowers seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Tracy Youghn, director of finance for the Coffee County Board of Education, told commissioners the school board had adopted a FY2021 millage rate of 16.019 mills, a rollback from 16.032. Commissioner Jowers moved to approve the Board of Education rate at 16.019 mills; Commissioner Kitchens seconded and the vote was unanimous.

The approvals formalize the tax rates for the 2021 tax year following the auditor's presentation and the required public advertising of the digest. No dissent or abstentions were recorded; the board adjourned at 10:07 a.m.