The Waycross City Commission approved a millage rate of 8.748 mils for 2024 during a called meeting Wednesday, November 6 in City Hall.
The city’s rate is a millage rollback realizing the city $254,477 in revenue despite not being a tax increase, Finance Director Greg Smith said when he presented the proposal to city commissioners last month. The additional revenue from the lower rate is the result of home sales and new business in the city, Tax Commissioner Roger Collins said at the meeting.
The three commissioners present — Shenita Bennett, Katrena Felder, Diane Hopkins and Alvin Nelson were uanimous in approving the ordinance for the rate. It received an emergency second reading and approval in order for it to be expedited to the state.
Mayor Michael-Angelo James said Commissioner Hopkins was not in attendance because of illness.
The 2024 rate marks the first time since 2020’s rate of 11.876 realized the city six figures in revenue. That year the net tax was $215,224.
The rate is a significant drop over the 2023 figure of 11.013 that brought the city $85,048 in revenue over 2022. Revenue from the 2024 proposal would be a 6.53 percent increase over the 2023 earnings.
Gross digest for 2024 shows a valuation of $528,502,378 with a net value of $474,556,447 after exemptions of $53,945,931. Real and personal property account for all but about $3.8 million of the gross digest.
By comparison, the 2023 gross digest was $383,621,085. Its net was $353,849,316 after $29,771,769 in exemptions.
The Ware County Commission approved a rate of 11.736 mils for the county during a called meeting November 1. The commission also accepted a rate of 14.0 mils for the Ware County Board of Education at Friday’s session. The school board approved its millage rate during a called meeting Thursday, October 31.
The city’s vote on the millage rate came a day after the commission’s first bi-monthly meeting of November. That session saw the four commissioners approve three resolutions, make an appointment to the Waycross-Ware County Development Authority and honor firefighter Scott Raulerson as the city’s November Employee of the Month.
Resolutions
Only one of the three resolutions involved an expenditure, which was $217,995 for the purchase of a tractor with a 25-foot boom mower arm.
Dixon Tractor of Blackshear was the lowest and best of the five bids received for the equipment which will aid in the Pubic Works Department’s mowing tasks particularly in the canals, Director James Smart said. It will be paid for from the city’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The second resolution moved to surplus status 20 cell phones, two hot spot devices and a 1985 Nissan forklift for sale on govdeals.com.
The final resolution approved 13 holidays in the city’s 2025 work calendar. Columbus Day and Veterans Day are on to the calendar with other traditional holidays.
Four of the days are Thanksgiving and the following day as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Appointment
Brian Jackson was approved for the WWDA seat at the recommendation of Jason Rubenbauer, president and chief executive officer.
Rubenbauer said Jackson was one of five applicants for the post, and emerged from the vetting process as the nominee.
He replaces Chris Kovachs, who moved to Jacksonville for a job in the health care industry. Jackson will finish Kovach’s term which ends December 31, 2025.
He is eligible to continue in the post if he so desires, Rubenbauer said.
Employee of Month
Raulerson has been with the department a little more than five years, Waycross Fire Chief David Eddins said in introducing the driver-engineer at the meeting.
Eddins said the honoree, who he called, “an old soul” began his employment at age 18 and has distinguished himself in the years that have followed.
“There’s something special about Scott,” he said. “If you’re around him, he draws you to him. We love to pick at each other, and in the fire service that’s a welcoming sign of approval. He’s not afraid to pick on others who are around him, even me.”
Eddins said Raulerson is fastidious with the work he performs in readying his truck for a shift, and his thoroughness is noticed and appreciated by all.
“He’s an asset to our community and an individual we need to make sure we keep in our fire department,” the chief said. “He would probably tell you he’s not a leader, but he’s going to be something great as he progresses (in his career).”
