Taxpayers in the McComb School District will not see an increase in property taxes for the 2012-13 fiscal year, city officials said during Tuesday’s board meeting.
The school district adopted a $28 million budget in June, which was up slightly from the $27.2 million budget it had in place for the 2011-12 fiscal year, which for the school ended on June 30.
City officials said Tuesday the difference wasn’t enough to cause a tax millage increase.
While the school district requests a dollar amount for local funding, it’s up to the city to set the tax levy to fund that amount.
Selectmen also:
• Heard from Pike County Tax Collector Gwen Nunnery and Tax Assessor Jim Duckworth, who spoke about the county’s request to increase the amount municipalities pay the tax office over a four-year period. The tax collector’s office has charged $4.60 per parcel since 1996. The city paid $46,735 last year for the services. That number is expected to rise to $51,537 this year.
• Noted a request for $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to repair sewer lines.
• Noted that the water tank at Ninth and 21st streets needs to be repaired. The job will cost $214,000 and will need some special work because the exterior the tank has lead paint. Public Works director Philip Russell said another tank will need to be repaired after that work is complete.
• Noted redistricting plans are still being reviewed and will be discussed at the Sept. 4 work session. Bobby Smith of Gin Branch Consulting in Gloster urged the board to bring any changes to him as soon as possible so that he can work out a solution.
The city is reviewing three redistricting plans, each of which proposes four majority-black wards instead of the current three but maintaining a white voting-age majority population in two wards.
• Heard a proposal from Selectman Tommy McKenzie suggesting a resolution to regulate the construction of cellular towers in McComb.
McKenzie suggested that the towers should have to blend in with the natural environment.
