MINUTES OF THE OXFORD MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
PUBLIC HEARING
MONDAY, July 29, 2019 – 9:00 AM
CITY HALL
PRESENT: Jerry D. Roseberry,
Mayor; Council members: George Holt; Jim Windham; Jeff Wearing, Sarah Davis.
Not present: Mike Ready and David Eady.
OTHERS PRESENT: Matt
Pepper, City Manager and Connie Middlebrooks, City Clerk.
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM by the Hon.
Jerry D. Roseberry, Mayor.
Mayor Roseberry announced the purpose of the Public Hearing is to review the
proposed change in property taxes. Council intends to adopt a millage rate
which will require an increase in property taxes by 9.36%. This tentative
increase will result in a millage rate of 6.622 mills, an increase of 0.607
mills. Citizens whose property experienced an increased in value will pay more
in taxes. Mayor Roseberry reminded
Council that the City of Oxford extends to it citizens an additional $10,000
homestead exemption and that only 7% of the general fund comes from property
tax revenue.
Councilmember Holt recommended that Council adopt the
rollback rate. He stated that the city could not operate on revenue collected
by increasing property taxes because the amount is so insignificant.
Mayor Roseberry informed Council that in 10 years the
city will see big changes in electric revenue. The revenue accounts for 30% of
the general fund. He suggested it would be better to gradually collect tax
revenue instead of impacting taxpayers in the future with a substantial
increase.
Councilmember Windham stated that electric distribution
will never go away completely, the source for electricity will change. He
suggested the city start looking into alternative ways to generate revenue that
may be lost as a result of decreased distribution. He recommended establishing
charging stations on vacant city owned lots such as the lot at Geiger Street
and Emory Street or offering a rebate to homeowners who install recharging
stations in their homes.
Councilmembers Wearing and Davis agreed the city should
be preparing for things to come in the future and that doing so in small
increments would appease citizens.
Mayor Roseberry commended the Council on being fiscally responsible when they voted to not participate in the purchase of Plant Vogtle units 3 & 4. In doing so, Council kept the city’s debt service low allowing for minimal property tax increases.
There being no further discussion, Mayor Roseberry adjourned
the Public Hearing at 9:14 am.
Respectfully Submitted;
Connie Middlebrooks
City Clerk