Area News

Grady County Fire Chief Richard Phillips outlined for the Grady County Commission on Tuesday an aggressive three year plan for the Volunteer Fire Department designed to lower the cost of fire insurance for county homeowners. In order to reduce the Insurance Service Office fire class for the county Phillips says a minimum of four VFD…

The Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts recently released the 2014 sales ratio study and Grady County’s ratio is among the three lowest in the state. Grady County commissioners this week met with Grady County Chief Appraiser Susan Bennett and members of the Grady County Board of Tax Assessors to discuss the state’s findings. With…

Grady County commissioners are looking to hold the line on the ad valorem tax rate this year by setting a tentative millage rate of 13.265 mills last Thursday night. Commissioners will set the final millage and formally adopt the 2016 operating budget at a called meeting on Thursday, July 29 at 9 a.m. The tentative…

The removal of ad valorem taxes on new vehicle purchases is not only having an impact on the overall tax digest for the county, but it is also impacting the collection of Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Taxes, according to Grady County Board of Education Finance Officer Dan Broome. Broome told board members Tuesday…

The estimated cost for construction of a new administrative building and classrooms at Southside Elementary School came in higher than school system officials had projected and now options to lower the overall cost are being evaluated, according to Grady County School Superintendent Dr. Kermit Gilliard. Finance Officer Dan Broome said Tuesday that the school system…

A class action suit filed in April against the City of Cairo, Red Hills Community Probation LLC, and Margaret Crutchfield has been settled, according to attorney K. Todd Butler, who was representing the plaintiff in the case. Butler said a court order was issued late last week to dismiss the suit and the city’s insurance…

Grady County Commissioner Elwyn Childs says he wants to see the county do more to keep dumpsites clean. “We’ve got a good county, a beautiful county…at times. At times we have an ugly county. We’ve got the trashiest people in the world, I guess,” Commissioner Childs said Tuesday. The veteran county commissioner urged County Administrator…

When the Grady County Board of Education gives final approval to its 2015-2016 spending plan later this month there will be additional money in the budget not only for teachers, but also for athletic coaches. Grady County School Superintendent Dr. Kermit Gilliard and Finance Officer Dan Broome outlined proposals Tuesday night to increase local teacher…

Grady County’s tax digest decreased by over $10 million from 2014, which means a mill of tax will bring less tax revenue than in the past. However, Grady County Board of Education members expressed a consensus to maintain the current school tax rate at 14.20 mills and dip into the school system’s cash reserves to…

The cost to renovate and restore the historic auditorium on the Southside Elementary School campus has been reduced and on Tuesday night the Grady County Board of Education authorized the board chairman and superintendent to execute a construction contract. Board members met this week during a called meeting with Thomasville architect Raymond Finger to discuss…