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County finance staff outlines millage options as board weighs COLA, reserves and health-plan savings
Summary
Finance staff presented millage-rate options and budget assumptions: Cherokee ranks among the region's lowest millage rates; staff proposed health-plan changes with estimated savings, no baseline COLA, and options ranging from a midway rate to the advertised maximum, with impacts on days of reserve and the fire fund accreditation threshold.
Chuck (county finance staff) presented a multi-slide briefing showing Cherokee County's millage position relative to neighboring counties and the drivers behind recent digest changes. He explained that although overall digest values have increased, the taxable portion has been constrained by a rising share of exemptions (floating homestead exemptions), which in recent years has outpaced reassessment growth. "In 5 of the last 9 years, the county has taken the rollback rate," he said, and noted the exempt portion of the digest rose to roughly 26% by 2025.
On budget choices, Chuck described baseline assumptions (no COLA included), the return of 10 sheriff deputies to the budget, and potential health-plan modifications with projected savings of roughly $5.2 million annually if fully implemented (about $3.9M effective for the first fiscal year, of which ~$2.8M would be available to the general fund and ~$990,000 to the fire fund). He presented millage scenarios (a 0.5-life option, a halfway split, and an advertised rate) and warned that the fire fund's days of reserve could approach accreditation minimums (~55 days) under some scenarios. Commissioners discussed restoring a 2.5% COLA (estimated ~$3M general fund cost) and possible additional savings (training, fleet, early-retirement incentives) to stay under a target total rate discussed by the Chair.
