Demorest The Hearl ofHabersham  Demorest City Council Public Hearing Tuesday, October 15, 2024 . 12:00 P.M.  Demorest Municipal Conference Center . 250, Alabama St Demorest, GA. 30535  ATTENDEES:  Shawn Allen, Councilman Donnie Bennett, Councilman Jerry Harkness, Mayor Jimmy Davis, Councilman  Andrew Ferguson, Councilman Megan Chastain, City Clerk Mark Musselwhite, City Manager  The October 15, 2024 Speçial Called Public Hearing was held ini the Demorest Municipal Conference  Center located at 250 Alabama Street.  1. INVOCATION 2. CALLTO ORDER  Mayor Harkness opened the meeting by leading in prayer. Mayor Harkness called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. 3. PUBLIC HEARING FOR 2024 MILLAGE RATE  Mayor Harkness announced the following: The Demorest City Council has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 30.21% percent. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this taxi increase to be held at Demorest Municipal Conference Center, 250. Alabama Street, Demorest, Georgia on October 22, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. Times and dates of additional public hearings are as follows: October 15, 2024 at 12:00 p.m., October 15 at 5:00 p.m. and October 22, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. also located in the Demorest Municipal Conference Center. This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 7.16 mills, an increase of 1.661 mill. Without this tentative increase, the millage rate will be no more than 5.499 mills. The proposed taxi increase for a homestead property' with a fair market value of $175,000 is approximately $102.92 and the proposed taxi increase for nonhomestead property with at fair market value of $175,000 is approximately $116.27. Harkness opened the public hearing. Mr. Musselwhite presented the three options council has with the millage rate (5.499, we should collect $361,979; 6.16, we should collect $405,490; 7.16, we: should collect $471,317). He is recommending a millage rate of 7.16. There were no public comments made regarding the public hearing for the 2024 Millage Rate. Mayor Harkness closed the  public hearing. 4. ADJOURN  Ar motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Bennett and was seconded by Councilman Davis. The  motion was unanimously: approved. The meeting adjourned at 12:32 p.m.  1/Page    DEMORE SEAL)  Mayor ofDemorest/  BE  Demoresroity Clerk  2Page