Harlem City Council convened for a called meeting, Monday evening, to hold the first of three required property tax hearings.
City manager Debra Moore explained to the council that city staff is currently considering maintaining Harlem’s millage rate at 9.35 mills, as it has been since 2016. She noted that the city may have a budget increase of about 9%, which would be the amount gained from a possible rollback to 8.578 mills.
MORE: Columbia County to hold first millage rate hearing Tuesday
New spending by the city this year included a new parks department—instituted amid the city’s takeover of Harlem City Park, and its upcoming development of a multipurpose park at the former site of North Harlem Elementary School—a police officer and a new full-time public works employee, and the hiring of part-time summer employees, as well as a part-time worker at the Harlem Senior Citizens Center are included in the budget.
“I do think that we have to continue to treat our employees fairly,” said Mayor Roxanne Whitaker. “We’re in competition with those around us, so we may have an increase in some of their salaries as needed.”
No vote was taken, as two more public millage rate hearings are scheduled: Thursday evening, during the city council’s work study session, and Monday, July 22, during its regular meeting. Both hearings will be at 7:00 p.m., at the Harlem Public Safety Building at 110 W. Milledgeville Rd.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
