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Darien proposes 3.100 mills property tax; residents press city on healthcare bids and sheriff contract
Summary
At an Oct. 7 public hearing, City Manager Holden Osburn presented a proposed millage rate of 3.100 mills (0.143 mills above the rollback); residents asked whether the increase would fund salary raises, rising healthcare costs and the citys contract with the county sheriff, which the minutes record at $390,000 per year.
The City of Darien held a public hearing Oct. 7, 2025, at City Hall during which City Manager Holden Osburn presented a proposed property tax increase that would set the millage rate at 3.100 mills, an increase of 0.143 mills over the rollback rate. Osburn said the percentage tax increase the city is required, under 48-5-32.1, to advertise is "4.84" (as recorded in the minutes).
The presentation prompted public questions about how the additional revenue would be used. When asked whether salary increases were included in the millage proposal, Osburn said there have not been any salary increases tied to this millage-rate increase. On rising healthcare costs, Osburn said the city "does bid this cost out" and that the procurement reopens at the end of the month; he added that the city did not have hard dollar increases to report at the hearing.
Commenters also raised the citys arrangement for police services. One attendee asked whether the Police Department had been moved to the county; the minutes record the answer as "Correct." Osburn told the meeting that, under the current contract with the sheriffs office, the city pays $390,000 per year for those services. When asked whether the county shares revenue from tickets written in the city, the minutes record the answer as "Yes."
The minutes record procedural business at the start of the meeting: Mayor Hugh "Bubba" Hodge called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m., and Councilmember Jeff Ragsdale moved to approve the agenda; Councilmember Russ Quarterman seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The document shows the meeting was adjourned by Mayor Hodge and signed by City Clerk Priscilla Taylor; the minutes record adjournment at 9:30 p.m.
The minutes do not record a formal vote to adopt the proposed millage rate at this meeting. The hearing provided an opportunity for public questions and for staff to clarify procurement timing and the existing sheriffs contract; the record contains no final adoption or rejection of the millage in these minutes.
