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Dodge County adopts 2020 budget and raises millage by 1.00 mill
Summary
Facing a projected shortfall driven by sharply higher employee health insurance costs, the Dodge County Board set the 2019 millage at 12.536 (a 1.00‑mill increase) and approved the 2020 county budget in a Dec. 30 called meeting.
Dodge County commissioners voted this year to raise the county millage rate by one full mill and approved the county’s 2020 budget after public hearings and internal deliberations.
On Aug. 30 the Board set the millage at 12.536 mills — an increase of 1.00 mill after staff projected a budget shortfall driven primarily by a roughly 28% increase in employee health‑insurance premiums. County Manager Spencer Barron told commissioners the rise in personnel‑related costs left a gap that could not be absorbed by existing reserves without cutting services.
After public hearings in mid‑December and follow‑up meetings, commissioners met in a special called session on Dec. 30 and adopted the 2020 budget. The adopted plan used TSPLOST and other available funds to limit service impacts while setting the millage to restore structural balance for the coming year.
County officials emphasized the increase was designed to preserve core services and noted some departmental economies and one‑time uses of SPLOST/TSPLOST funds to smooth the transition. The Board also approved the regular list of county holidays and confirmed employees would receive Jan. 1 as a holiday.
What happens next: The tax rate and budget now guide county expenditures for 2020. Officials told the public they will continue to monitor health‑insurance costs and explore options to limit future rate pressure.
