The Grady County Board of Education and Grady County Commission both met last Thursday in called meetings to set their individual ad valorem tax rates for 2020.
The school board led things off with a 7:30 a.m. meeting, which took less than 10 minutes to complete. A school tax rate of 13.60 mills was approved unanimously.
Board member Jeff Worsham, who participated via conference call, joined Chairwoman Teresa Gee Hardy, Vice Chairman Derrick Majors and board member John White in adopting the recommended tax rate. Board member Gerald Goosby was not present.
County commissioners met that afternoon at 1:30 p.m. and the board voted unanimously with all commissioners present to set the 2020 tax rate at 17.390, as previously advertised.
This week, the Cairo City Council met and voted unanimously to adopt a 2020 tax rate of 7.720 mills. Councilman Lannis Thornton and Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Cox were absent.
Next up will be the Whigham City Council, which will meet at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 to set the millage rate. Whigham officials are advertising a tentative rate of 5.792 mills, unchanged from 2019.
Once all four governing bodies have set the 2020 tax rate, Grady County Tax Commissioner Barbara Darus will be clear to begin processing and distributing tax bills. The plan is for bills to be mailed to taxpayers by Oct. 20 and taxes will be due on Dec. 20, if all goes according to plan.
