Newton County officials adopt 15.25-mill rate for fiscal 2027 after 4–1 vote

At a special-called meeting on Aug. 4, Newton County officials voted 4–1 to set the fiscal year 2027 millage rate at 15.25 mills.

Dr. Barr, identified in the meeting as the superintendent, opened the item by recommending a 15.5-mill maintenance-and-operations rate and 0 mills for debt service, for a total rate of 15.5 mills. "The superintendent recommends the adoption of the fiscal year 2027 millage rates, including 15.5 mills for the maintenance and operations and 0 mills for debt service for a total millage rate of 15.5," Dr. Barr said during the presentation.

The board had held three hearings on the millage — one the prior week and two earlier the same day — and reviewed a presentation prepared by Miss Robinson, the chair noted before taking motions.

After the chair called for a motion on the recommended 15.5 mills, the initial motion failed with no recorded mover or roll-call tally in the transcript. A subsequent motion to set the rate at 15.499 mills was made by Trey Bailey and seconded by Mr. Baker; Baker said he had voted against a higher rate last year because he "wanted a full rollback rate for the taxpayers and the citizens." That motion also failed following a vote called by the chair.

A later motion to set the millage at 15.25 mills — recorded in the transcript as moved by Eddie Johnson and seconded by Anderson Bailey — passed by a 4–1 vote after a brief pause for review and minimal additional discussion. The chair announced, "motion passes 4 to 1." The transcript does not include a full roll-call of how each member voted.

With the millage set, the chair moved to adjourn, and members closed the special meeting.

What happens next: The transcript does not specify implementation steps, effective date, or whether the board set any follow-up reporting requirements; those items were not specified in the record provided.