A tax increase approved by the Eupora Board of Aldermen is the city's first in nine years.
The 9.6 percent increase from 21.53 to 23.5 mills was approved during the board's regular monthly meeting on Sept. 5. A motion by Dan Burchfield (Ward 2) to adopt the resolution setting the tax rate was seconded and approved unanimously. The millage will support the budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2007.
Burchfield pointed out before the vote that most of the increase will be used to cover the loan part of a combination grant-loan for street paving. On a house valued at $90,000, the increase will amount to about $18 extra a year in taxes, or a jump of about 0.02 percent.
The board met 30 minutes before the meeting began to conduct a public hearing on the proposed 1.98-mill increase; no one present voiced any opposition. The tax rate is one-tenth of a mill less than what was originally proposed.
At the conclusion of an Aug. 28 budget hearing, the mayor and City Clerk Lesa Hardin said they planned to meet with department heads to make further cuts in the budget as proposed then. Hardin said last week that this was done and resulted in lowering it by $32,500, which includes $25,000 cut from the Police Department budget.
Aldermen are tentatively scheduled to adopt the actual budget at a special called meeting this afternoon. Friday is the deadline for municipalities to adopt their budgets for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
In another tax-related matter, Mayor Tommy Lott said Barbara Gore, county tax assessor-collector, had offered to collect the city's taxes for a minimum fee of 5 percent of gross property tax collections. Lott and board members voiced opposition to accepting the offer.
The cost to the city for this service would be about $15,000 based on projected tax collections for next year, according to the discussion. No motion was made and Lott said he would inform Gore that the city was not interested.
Non-Smoking
Ordinance Proposal
Also last week, aldermen expressed support for a proposal by fellow board member Jack Haney (at-large) to adopt an ordinance to ban smoking in all public buildings, especially restaurants. Haney did not have a proposal drawn up but said he would research the matter further.
Lott said in surveying local restaurants that all are already non-smoking facilities except Murphy's Diner, which has a designated smoking area. However, the mayor said owner Wesley Murphy told him he would comply with a smoking ban if the city implements one.
Stating that many people in Eupora suffer from breathing ailments, Haney said, "I see very little opposition to going ahead and putting in on record. ... It's good public policy to cover all of our citizens."
Starkville, Tupelo and Mantachie are among cities that have adopted smoking bans this year.
Other Business
During department head reports, Water/Wastewater Director Benny Neal said a number of water leaks and sewer problems had occurred the previous weekend. He also said a well on Highway 182 West was about to go out.
In a related comment, Hardin said a note placed at the bottom of water bills advising customers how much water they used in July had caused some confusion and was not a late notice as some thought.
Attorney Jan Butler appeared before the board to request that the city officially abandon the undeveloped "Union Street" in Pine Hill Subdivision. The city approved a plat that included the proposed street in December 1980. It was never built, however, and a house now sits where the street would be, which is off Hill Street.
Aldermen voted to have board attorney Hugh Gibson, upon receipt and approval of a quitclaim deed from Butler, officially abandon the street on behalf of the city and deed it over to the homeowners.
The board voted to accept budget amendments resulting from capital expenses to realign fiscal year line items.
Aldermen took no action after spending at least an hour in executive session to discuss police personnel. Haney had placed this matter on the agenda.
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