The city council was told Thursday morning that with the tax digest certified, the school board has reviewed finances and expects to vote Monday on a 7.69 millage rate, down from 7.71 mills.
"On Monday night of next week, the board will...lower their millage down from what we tentatively set in June," Gainesville Finance Director Melody Marlowe told the council Thursday.
Marlowe told Council she's prepared an ordinance to adopt the new school board tax rate.
"The City Council will have two readings of the ordinance on October 5th and October 19th and that will set in place the millage rate so that the City can send out the tax bills on October 20th," Marlowe said.
CITY'S NEW HOME NEARLY READY
Public Safety Complex project manager Barclay Fouts handed out fresh photos of the new building off Queen City Parkway, telling council members that work would start soon to get the police department, fire department, the city court, and city council located in the $19.2-million structure.
"Yesterday we passed the state inspection with the state inspection with the elevator and fire alarm system," Fouts said. "We have a final inspection scheduled for the Public Safety Building Friday and then next Monday and Tuesday McGarity's starts delivering the furniture going into the building, that should take about two weeks to set all of it up."
Once equipment and furniture is moved in and computers, telephones and electronics are installed and hooked up, Fouts expects occupancy by November 1st, with an open house also set for next month. City Manager Kip Padgett said City Council could hold its last work session of the year in December in the new building and its first meeting of the New Year next January in the court room, which will double at Council chambers.
OH,DEER!
Council members heard that it's going to be up to homeowners to take care of any yard invasion by deer. City Planning Director Rusty Ligon said the city has a list of local qualified bow hunters available to assist property owners if they want to contact them.
"I think the approach recommended by DNR (The Department of Natural Resources) and the approach we're taking is we're letting the private property owners take care of this if they want to."
The invasive deer problem was reported early this year in the Riverside Drive area, but Code Enforcement Manager Gary Kansky said half the residents did not want the hunters to come and many of them had been feeding the deer.
"From what we understand you can shoot them with a bow, it's your property" Kansky said. "But if you shoot the deer on your property and it runs onto someone else's property and dies and they say you can't get the deer then it's going to sit there."
Kansky said hunters said they were willing to come out and harvest the deer, shooting them with bows and arrows because it's illegal to discharge a fire arm in the city limits. He added this includes archery hunters with a group called 'Whitetail Solutions LLC'. The group provides venison to several charities that feed the hungry.
CAN'T SERVE IF YOU OWE
If you have outstanding debt with the City of Gainesville, forget about being appointed to a city board, agency or committee. It's a new ordinance City Council agreed to enact by the end of the month according to Mayor Ruth Bruner.
"We just don't think that reflects well on having board members who owe money and taxes," Mayor Bruner said. "If you have outstanding debt to the city, you could not serve on a major appointed board or committee of the city."
Outstanding debt would include license and permit fees and utility fees as well as propertey taxes.
Meloday Marlowe (file photo)
Code Enforcement Manager Gary Kansky said half the residents did not want the hunters to come and many of them had been feeding the dee
Mayor Ruth Bruner looks at court room photos from the new Public Safety Building
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/9/232658