After three public hearings and some contentious discussions, Flemington City Council members decided unanimously on a millage rate for the city.
They chose not to enact a millage rate at this time.
Council members met Tuesday afternoon to adopt a new millage rate, following the state-mandated three public hearings on a proposed millage rate increase.
But Tuesday, instead of adopting a proposed millage of 3.514, council members agreed to roll back the millage rate to its longstanding level of zero.
“Flemington is growing and we look forward to working with the citizens in how we want expand this fine city of ours,” said Council member and mayor pro tem David Edwards. “We’ve done a lot of work on this. I think we’ve had a lot of good input from the citizens. Looking into our future, I think we have a good plan to take care of the City of Flemington to expand.”
Council members told residents at the public hearings the city is growing and is going to continue to grow, leading to exploring putting in place a property tax.
“A lot of people don’t realize they live in Flemington because they have a Hinesville address,” Edwards said.
Flemington had its own post office until 1966, when it was shuttered by the U.S. Postal Service. It was then the USPS made zip codes mandatory, and Flemington’s mail was handled by Hinesville’s post office, hence a Hinesville address for Flemington residents.
Flemington has intergovernmental agreements with the City of Hinesville and Liberty County for fire and police protection. Hinesville provides fire protection, and Flemington contracts with the county for two sheriff ’s deputies dedicated to Flemington.
“Fire protection is huge, along with law enforcement,” Edwards said during the final public hearing on the millage rate.
Street lights, Edwards added, are both in demand and put in at a cost. The city also has to maintain its water and sewer infrastructure and continue its roads and drainage maintenance. The city has intergovernmental agreements with Hinesville for water and sewer infrastructure and with the county to conduct roads and drainage improvements.
“I think we’re at a point now where we start planning for our future rather than undo something from the past,” Edwards said. “If we’re not preparing for it, this is going to be a lot more than what it is going to be.”
As proposed, the millage rate would have generated $140.56 in property taxes on a home valued at $100,000. Edwards pointed out that the millage rate could go down.
“But after 84 years, we’re at a point right now where we need to start thinking seriously about a millage rate and more money flowing into the city so we can expand,” he said.
The city has an approved budget of almost $“Cities do better when they have a downtown district,” Edwards added. “That’s not to say it will happen in the next five to 10 years.”
In addition, the city hall — which has been home to Flemington’s administration and council meetings since 2005 — turns 100 years old next year. Flemington has just one fulltime employee and one part-time employee.
“We’re sort of needing to expand,” Edwards said. “We have to go somewhere.”
Flemington also has nine acres of land across from city hall, with plans for a potential park. Edwards said parks and recreation are “something near and dear to everybody.”
“We’ve heard from many, many citizens about a place to walk,” he said.
Mayor Paul Hawkins noted the city could reap more sales tax and hotel tax revenue in the future to keep the millage rate down.
“We are at the point where are our expenses are exceeding our revenues,” he said at the final public hearing. “You have to make a plan.”
Flemington City Council members also approved reconsidering the millage rate in 2025, which would be collected in 2026.1.19 million for fiscal year 2025, which runs from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
Flemington derives most of its general fund income from the hotel occupancy tax, about $600,000 a year. Without the property tax, though, council members warned that the city had to go into its reserves to make up $85,000.
“We’ve always been debt-free,” Edwards said.
Flemington collects impact fees but those use of those proceeds is limited by law. Impact fees are used to offset the cost of a fire engine Flemington purchased that the Hinesville Fire Department runs.
The city also is looking at creating a downtown development authority and its own historical district.