Guyton City Council is expected to approve a millage rate of 2.24 at its next meeting.

 

Council members discussed the proposed millage rate at their meeting Tuesday and are set to OK the millage rate at their July 27 session.

 

City council has projected receiving $97,500 in ad valorem taxes. It is the fourth-largest revenue stream in the city’s fiscal year 2011 budget. Nearly a quarter — $268,000 — of the city’s anticipated $1.12 million in revenue is projected to come from the local option sales tax.

 

The city also anticipates receiving $193,600 in special purpose local option sales taxes and $110,800 in garbage fees in its FY11 budget. Guyton also expects to collect $28,680 in fire and rescue fees for the coming fiscal year.

 

Council members also will put a mechanism in place to oversee business licenses. Council members went over having new business license applications come before the council.

 

“I like it,” said Alderman Ulysses Eaton.

 

“And I hate it,” replied Mayor Michael Garvin.

 

Garvin said the city council has gone through this before and didn’t like it.

 

“All it does is bog down the process, in my opinion,” he said. “I’m not for all that coming in here and being dumped on the table.”

 

Interim City Manager Randy Alexander said several business licenses came in over the past year and no one knew much about them. The ordinance will be revised to include oversight from the city manager for business licenses.

 

The city council also approved an updated schedule of fines and fees for violations of state law and city ordinances inside the city limits. The

changes were recommended by city court judge Grady Reddick, according to Alexander.

 

“We’re behind the curve on our fines and fees,” Alexander said. 

 

Alexander, also the city police chief, said the local governments work to keep their fines and fees comparably close.

 

“Some are equal, some are below and some are more” than the average, Alexander said.

 

Alexander also said that by state law, the highest a fine for a city ordinance can be is $1,000. 

 

He also said the city won’t get more money from the new schedule of fines and fees.