Cusseta-Chattahoochee adopts 2024 tax levy, appoints regional representative and gives hiring consent

The Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County Board of Commissioners adopted its 2024 tax levy on Sept. 3, approving an 8.512‑mill county maintenance rate and a 16.99‑mill school rate for a combined ad valorem levy of 25.50 mills.

Chairman Charles Coffey presided over the meeting, which opened at 9 a.m. and included unanimous approval of routine minutes from August meetings before the tax levy resolution was read and adopted. The resolution directs the clerk to certify the levy to the county tax commissioner.

The tax-levy action followed presentation of the resolution text to the commission. The adopted resolution lists the millage components and rollback calculations used to arrive at the county’s portion of 8.512 mills and the total levy of 25.50 mills for 2024.

The board also unanimously approved a resolution appointing Rob Marion to represent Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County on the River Valley Regional Commission, replacing Dr. Edward Lee; the appointment term was set to run from Sept. 3, 2024, to Sept. 3, 2025.

During the meeting County Manager Thomas Weaver told commissioners the county has replied to IRS questions about a penalty letter and that staff are auditing garbage accounts; he said an initial review flagged 76 accounts that appear to have an extra trash can but are not being billed for it. Weaver said staff will contact residents to resolve potential errors or recover unreturned cans.

At the Sept. 23 work session resident Christine Richards raised a separate concern about a $260 court fine she said resulted from a 911‑address mismatch. Richards said she had been billed $260 and believed the notice was sent to the wrong address. County Manager Weaver told the meeting that judges set fines and the commission cannot change judicial penalties, but staff would investigate the 911 signage and any water‑billing issues Richards raised. “It would not do her any good to come to a meeting,” Weaver said in clarifying the limits of the commission’s authority.

The commission said it entered executive session at 9:34 a.m. on Sept. 3 to discuss personnel and legal matters and reconvened at 10:11 a.m.; Chairman Coffey stated the closed-session topics were within the legal exceptions to the open‑meetings law and that no votes were taken in executive session. While in executive session the board gave advice and consent to the county manager to hire a director; the manager will announce the appointee publicly at a future meeting.

Votes at a glance: - Adoption of 2024 Tax Levy (Resolution): approved unanimously (commission present at vote). Total levy adopted: 25.50 mills (county 8.512; schools 16.99). - Appointment of Rob Marion to River Valley Regional Commission: approved unanimously; term Sept. 3, 2024–Sept. 3, 2025. - Routine minute approvals (Aug. 6 regular and executive, Aug. 19 called public hearing, Aug. 26 called public hearing & work session, and related executive minutes): all approved unanimously. - VA tax refund for S5 Anthony Leach: approved unanimously. - Board actions to table: Board of Education use of Old City Hall (tabled to next work session), cardboard compactor purchase at the recycling center (tabled to next work session).

The commission also set several items for the Oct. 1 regular meeting agenda, including possible Board of Education use of Old City Hall (if an agreement is ready), cardboard compactor procurement, reappointments to the Tax Assessors board, the second reading of Board of Elections policy changes, vehicle purchases and trades, naming an engineer of record, cemetery bylaws, and rescheduling the November meeting (proposed Nov. 12).