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Byron council sets 9.00 millage rate, adopts fee schedule and approves body-camera mount purchase
Summary
At a special Oct. 30 session, the City of Byron Mayor and Council set the FY2024 millage rate at 9.00, adopted an updated Building, Planning & Zoning fee schedule, approved a discounted vehicle-mounting purchase for police body cameras, heard the FY2025 budget presentation, and entered closed session to discuss land acquisition.
The City of Byron Mayor and Council met in special session Oct. 30 and approved several routine but consequential items affecting the city budget and department operations. Mayor Michael Chidester called the meeting to order at 6:09 p.m.; Council Members James Richardson, Rusty Adams, Michael Chumbley and Chris Hodges attended; Alan Dorsey was absent.
Council Member Michael Chumbley moved and Council Member Chris Hodges seconded a motion to set the FY2024 millage rate at 9.00; the minutes record the motion as approved unanimously. Setting the millage rate establishes the property tax rate that will be used to calculate property tax bills for the fiscal year.
City Administrator Tiffany Sandefur presented the proposed FY2025 budget and told the council she would add part-time officers associated with the National Fraternal Order of Police to the proposed spending plan. The presentation did not include a formal vote on the full budget during the special session; the minutes record only the presentation and the administrator’s stated adjustment.
Police Chief Cannon and Captain Hunter advised the council of an oversight in the original vendor quote for vehicle-mounting brackets and bases for department body cameras; the vendor provided an extra discount to correct the error. Council approved the related procurement motion (moved by James Richardson, seconded by Rusty Adams) and the minutes record that motion as unanimous.
Council Member Chris Hodges moved and Council Member Rusty Adams seconded a motion to approve a resolution adopting an updated Schedule of Fees for the Building, Planning & Zoning Department, effective Oct. 31, 2024. The minutes include the text of the resolution as "Exhibit A" and state it is adopted; the record does not provide a roll-call tally for that motion.
At 6:24 p.m. the council entered closed session under O.C.G.A. 50-14-2 to discuss land acquisition. The minutes list those voting in favor of closure as Council Members Michael Chumbley, James Richardson, Rusty Adams and Chris Hodges; none voted against. Attendees in the closed session included Mayor Michael Chidester, the listed council members, Administrative Assistant II Elissa Lee, City Administrator Tiffany Sandefur and Assistant to the City Administrator Melanie Bickford.
The council returned to open session at 6:36 p.m. and a motion to adjourn (moved by Michael Chumbley, seconded by Chris Hodges) was recorded as unanimous; the meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m.
Votes at a glance: - Set FY2024 millage rate at 9.00 — motion by Michael Chumbley; seconded by Chris Hodges; recorded as unanimous (minutes). - Vehicle-mounting accessories for police body cameras — motion by James Richardson; seconded by Rusty Adams; recorded as unanimous (minutes). - Resolution adopting Building, Planning & Zoning Schedule of Fees ("Exhibit A", effective Oct. 31, 2024) — motion by Chris Hodges; seconded by Rusty Adams; resolution text included in minutes; vote tally not specified in the minutes.
Next steps: The minutes do not record additional follow-up actions beyond the items above; the FY2025 budget presentation noted the administrator’s planned inclusion of part-time officers in the draft budget.
