School millage rate still undetermined

Holly Roberts, left, Finance Officer, and Staci Newsome, right, Chief Financial Officer for Habersham County Schools, discuss the millage rate determination process after a meeting with the Board of Education Tuesday morning.

Holly Roberts, left, Finance Officer, and Staci Newsome, right, Chief Financial Officer for Habersham County Schools, discuss the millage rate determination process after a meeting with the Board of Education Tuesday morning. 

Habersham’s Board of Education is waiting on more paperwork from the county tax office before submitting a recommended millage rate to the County Commission. The board met in called session Tuesday. The BOE’s Chief Financial Officer Staci Newsome and Finance Officer Holly Roberts told the board they could not make a recommendation until they receive a complete report compiled by the Tax Assessor’s and Tax Commissioner’s offices.

Tax Commissioner June Black says the two offices want to insure “that information is presented correctly.” That information includes a complete and accurate listing of all parcels of land in Habersham County and the exemptions that apply to each parcel. Once confirmed by Black, the Board of Education can then rely on the information in the report to recommend a millage rate to commissioners.

School Superintendent Matthew Cooper says all legal requirements for the school board can still be met, including official posting of the recommended millage rate and the Georgia law requiring a 14-day waiting period between the posting and adoption of the advertised rate.