Whitfield County commissioners to consider property tax cut Monday

Aug. 28—Whitfield County property owners could receive a tax cut Monday.

The Board of Commissioners will hold a called meeting at 5 p.m. in the large conference room on the fifth floor of the Wells Fargo building at 201 S. Hamilton St.

Commissioners are scheduled to set the 2021 property tax rate. They have advertised a rate of 8.18 mills, down from 8.312 mills in 2020. This would mark the fifth straight year commissioners would have cut the tax rate. The proposed rate is expected to bring in $22.578 million in revenue. The county collected $22.7 million in property tax revenue in 2020.

A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in assessed value. The county taxes on 40% of assessed value.

Board Chairman Jevin Jensen said before commissioners vote there will be a PowerPoint presentation on how commissioners arrived at the proposed rate.

"I have added items related to our budget forecast and the millage rate of surrounding counties so we can see how we compare," he said.

Commissioner Barry Robbins said he believes a tax cut is "appropriate at this time."

"We will be responsible," he said. "We will be prudent. But I do think we will provide some relief to taxpayers."

Commissioners will hold another called meeting earlier at 4 p.m. when they will go into executive session closed to the public and media to interview candidates for county administrator.

This will be the second round of interviews. Commissioners interviewed 11 candidates earlier this month.

Former administrator Mark Gibson stepped down in July to become chief operations officer for Whitfield County Schools. Gibson had been county administrator since January 2011.

Commissioners named County Engineer Kent Benson interim administrator. Benson continues to serve as county engineer while serving as interim administrator. He is not a candidate for administrator.