The Webster Parish Police Jury will levy millage rates for several taxes they receive in September, and they began the process Tuesday.
Secretary Treasurer Ronda Carnahan explained the issue was brought before the jury now so they could meet publishing requirements of more than 30 days before the Board of Review (when taxpayers can bring forth any complaints about their property taxes), and less than 60 days.
The millage rates to be collected will be for the general alimony inside ad valorem tax (inside Springhill and Minden) at 2.13, general alimony outside ad valorem tax (outside Springhill and Minden) at 4.26, courthouse maintenance fund at 2.78, Road District A at 2.70 and the library at 12.43 mills.
A mill is one tenth of 1 cent, so each mill represents $1 of taxes for each $1,000 of assessed value. For instance, if a home is valued at $100,000, it is assessed at 10 percent of its value, which is $10,000. The maximum homestead exemption allowed is the first $75,000, which means 10 percent of that would be $7,500. Subtract $7,500 from $10,000, and that leaves $2,500. If the millage rate for Road District A is 2.70, then multiply $2,500 by 2.70, which equals $67.50.
These property taxes are collected annually by the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The general alimony taxes are used for general operations of the parish, while the courthouse maintenance fund is used for courthouse and courthouse annex maintenance. The Road District A tax funds road work in the south end of the parish.
“You’ll notice Road District B is not on there,” Carnahan told jurors Tuesday. “We will have the election for Road District B in October, and we’ll have to do the same thing again if that’s approved.”
Road District B tax is for road repairs in the north end of the parish.
In other police jury news, they approved:
A change order for the courthouse annex renovation for about $5,000. Workers had to tear out the entire ceiling and redo it, bringing the total sum of the project to about $538,000, just under budget.
Budget amendments for the third quarter
A resolution for the Department of Transportation and Development bridge program. The resolution is for participation in the off-system bridges in the parish, which allows for state funding of bridges on the approved priority list.
During comments from the different agencies, Office of Community Services Executive Director Mary Whitaker said their next board meeting will be Sept. 5, at which time their annual audit will be presented.
“There was one area of noncompliance,” she said, “and our audit report has not been issued, but we are expecting it this month. So it will be presented to our board members in September.”
Wanda Finley, with Head Start, gave an end of year report, saying 367 children received dental services at the end of May. She went on to say 362 children received medical screenings; 379 children are up to date on immunizations; 349 children received hearing screenings; and 358 children received vision screenings.
She said they served 61 children with special needs in the school district. Meals served included 3,370 breakfasts, 3,359 lunches and 3,154 snacks for the month of May.
In library news, Executive Director Beverly Hammett said the Springhill branch renovation is coming along and should be open in December.
The next police jury meeting will be Aug. 1.