Coahoma County Supervisors will probably raise taxes this year as inflation and cost of services have gone up and revenues have not kept up.
As of this week the county is looking at revenue of approximately $24.96 million with approximately $8.6 million raised by ad valorum.
Interim County Administrator Daniel Vassel said expenses are projected at about $9.2 million and estimated the county will need to raise taxes 2.92 mills.
One mill raises approximately $110,000.
Vassel said that, with draconian cuts in the county budget, should allow the county balance its budget for 2024-25. State law requires a balanced budget and Supervisors are charged with raising taxes accordingly.
Dist. 3 Supervisor Derrell Washington pointed out the county also required by law to provide certain services such as roads, bridges, law enforcement and fund county departments.
“I think we need to look at some of the local and private bills that have been passed in recent years that allow us to fund additional agencies,” said Washington. “I don’t think we need to pay folks we are not required to and let those things we are required to do suffer.”
Vassel said he has been meeting with county department heads to see what their anticipated budget needs are for 2024-25. He said he has most of those numbers, will present them to the board and they will have to tell him where to cut.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jon Levingston came before the board before supervisors had a chance to look at Vassel proposed budget and asked for an additional .44 mills be put on taxpayers due to inflation and the need to keep the county’s economic development efforts strong and successful.
The county first levied 1.56 mills for the chamber in August 2020, at a time when they had a budget of $9.3 million. Levingston was back before the board last year seeking a millage increase and Supervisors agreed to give the Chamber ARPA funds instead and did not raise taxes.
Last year was an election year and Coahoma County did not raise taxes.
In Other Business
• The board once again tabled a request from the Carnegie Library Librarian Tracy Caradine and Library Board Chairman Jacqueline Tyler seeking $80,000 or half of an estimated $160,000 needed to fix the historic building. Caradine said the city is seeking a rare historic grant to obtain it’s half of the funding for a roof for the original library.
The library is owned by the city and the board told Caradine to let them know when the city had found its half and the board would consider her request.
• The board will advertise for the Lula/Rich Water Extension Project
• Jimmy Walker, of SafTCart, came before the board asking them to maintain the industrial park and local building that might be of interest to a business or industry.
Walker said he has talked to both city and county officials and is having difficulty determining who is responsible for security, mowing property and general maintence of industrial property across the community.
“The Industrial Foundation used to tell the city and county what needed to be done to keep these properties looking nice and ready to show to a potential client,” said Walker. “The way some of them look now you will not get the state or Delta Strong to come up here and show a client one of our buildings.”
On a motion by Dist. 4 Supervisor Jesse Harris and a second by Dist. 5 Supervisor Will Young the county charged Road Manager Otis Griffin with maintaining county property.
• Scott Litwiller, of UpLink, came before the board seeking reimbursement for a portion of their grant with the Federal Government. ARPA Consultant Andrew Smith said Litwiller is not owed the amount he requested. The board did agree to pay UpLink $21,547.96 for work done.
Litwiller said UpLink is 98-percent complete with its broadband work in the county. Litwiller said UpLink will seek another round of funding when it becomes available.
• County Engineer Marcus Hooker said he has found a grant to build sidewalks, bicycle and pedestrian lanes and turning abandoned railroads into trails. He said supervisors need to look at projects in their districts to see if they want to apply for this grant.
Hooker also said it was time for the county to update its solid waste plan with MDEQ. Hooker said the plan would cost about $70,000 but he has found a grant that could pay for 90-percent of that cost.
• The board approved tax exemptions for Image Industries and People Shores.
• Supervisors approved a request from Sheriff Mario Magsby to reallocate approximately $100,000 in ARPA funds to help him buy vehicles for deputies.
ARPA Consultant Smith had allocated that money for the HOME Assistance grant but he never found anyone to apply for it.
• The board approved the purchase of a broom to be installed on a county skidder to sweep county roads and parking lots.
• The board approved a $26,565 bill to repair the county’s tar-spray truck.
• The board approved the cleanup and billing to taxes of 10 properties on Perry and Meadowbrook Drive.
• Supervisors voted to participate in the state Beaver Control Program County (BCAP) Enrollment which will designate $7,500 in bounty money for trapping beaver in Coahoma County.
• The county voted to move its Recycling Department to the Road Department.
• The board entered executive session to discuss personnel issues at the request of County Administrator Vassel.
