PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING NO CHANGE IN BOARD OF EDUCATION MILLAGE RATE
July 31, 2024
The Decatur County Board of Education today announces its intention to continue with a millage rate of 14.565 mills which is 0.34% above the calculated rollback millage rate.
Please note that the actual millage rate for the Board of Education will not change and will remain at 14.565 mills which is the same as last year. School/Library taxes will only increase if the assessed value of your property has increased from last year.
Each year, the board of tax assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax assessors is required by law to re-determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called reassessment.
When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.
The budget adopted by the Decatur County Board of Education requires the millage rate to remain at last year’s rate of 14.565 and not at the rollback rate. This action would increase the local revenue of the Board of Education due to the increase in property values of Decatur County. Even with the increase in the local tax revenue, the Board of Education will still experience a budget deficit for FY2025 due to reductions in state funding, and the decrease in revenue received from the forest land protection act. The Board must also be able to balance the inflationary increases of the current market as it relates to labor, fuel, energy, and supply costs. Before the Decatur County Board of Education may set a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to allow the public to express their opinions on the tax issue.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings related to this tax matter to be held at the Decatur County Board of Education Board Room, 1417 Dothan Rd, Bainbridge, Georgia at the following dates and times: August 7, 2024 at 12:00 p.m., August 14, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. and August 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING DECATUR COUNTY SCHOOLS BOE APPROVE NEW BHS PRINCIPAL
March 29, 2024
The Decatur County Schools met on Friday, March 29, 2024, at 11:00 AM and approved the hiring of Mr. Christopher Bryant as Bainbridge High School principal for the 2024-2025 school term. “We are excited to announce Mr. Christopher Bryant as the next principal of BHS,” said Boyd K. English, Superintendent. “He has vast experience in our school system over the past 15 years. These experiences have sharpened his ability to lead the students, faculty, and staff at BHS. We are confident that he will continue leading BHS to levels of excellence in the future.”
Mr. Bryant, a 2007 graduate of BHS, is a life-long native of Bainbridge, GA. He began his work with Decatur County Schools in 2008. Mr. Bryant worked with students at West Bainbridge Elementary School, John Johnson Elementary School, and Hutto Middle School from 2008-2012. From 2012-2022, Mr. Bryant served the students in the Decatur County Schools as a special education teacher. In 2022, he became an assistant principal at BHS where he continues to serve.
“I am honored and humbled to be named principal of my alma mater, Bainbridge High School. From birth, I was taught the Bainbridge motto Once a Bearcat - Always a Bearcat. I can think of no greater opportunity than to lead our Bearcat family in the next chapter of our story,” Bryant said. “Since 2007, I have served as a substitute, paraprofessional, classroom teacher, assistant coach, head coach, athletic director, and assistant principal. Each of these positions were an opportunity to grow and learn as a person and educator. Along the way, I have encountered the right people, at the right place, and at the right time who have helped develop my leadership skills. They mentored, motivated, encouraged, instructed, redirected, and shared their experiences/expertise and helped to mold me into who I am today.”
“My tenure with Decatur County Schools began as a high school student working with the maintenance department during the summer. Since 2007, I have served as a substitute, paraprofessional, classroom teacher, assistant coach, head coach, athletic director, and assistant principal. Each of these positions were an opportunity to grow and learn as a person and educator. It is with great excitement that I step into this role leading our students, faculty, and staff in The Bearcat Way!”
PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT BAINBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
March 8, 2024
Decatur County Schools welcomes Coach Jay Walls as our new Head Football Coach for the Bearcats. Coach Walls was approved at a called Board of Education meeting on Friday afternoon. With an impressive coaching career spanning twenty-seven seasons, Coach Walls brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and a proven track record of excellence to the program. Coach Walls spoke about his dedication to growing men of character and integrity, success through hard work, and honoring the traditions of Bearcat Football. Please join us in welcoming Coach Jay Walls to the Bearcat Family!
PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING NO CHANGE IN BOARD OF EDUCATION MILLAGE RATE
July 26, 2023
The Decatur County Board of Education today announces its intention to continue with a millage rate of 14.565 mills which is 2.51% above the calculated rollback millage rate.
Please note that the actual millage rate for the Board of Education will not change and will remain at 14.565 mills which is the same as last year. School/Library taxes will only increase if the assessed value of your property has increased from last year.
Each year, the board of tax assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been an increase in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax assessors is required by law to re-determine the value of such property and adjust the assessment. This is called reassessment.
When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate must be computed that will produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.
The budget adopted by the Decatur County Board of Education requires the millage rate to remain at last year’s rate of 14.565 and not at the rollback rate. This action would increase the local revenue of the Board of Education due to the increase in property values of Decatur County. Even with the increase in the local tax revenue, the Board of Education will still experience a budget deficit for FY2024 due to reductions in state funding, and the decrease in revenue received from the forest land protection act. The Board must also be able to balance the inflationary increases of the current market as it relates to labor, fuel, energy, and supply costs. Before the Decatur County Board of Education may set a final millage rate, Georgia law requires three public hearings to allow the public to express their opinions on the tax issue.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings related to this tax matter to be held at the Decatur County Board of Education Board Room, 1417 Dothan Rd, Bainbridge, Georgia at the following dates and times: August 3, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., August 10, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. and August 17, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.