Demorest The Hear! ofHabersham Demorest City Council Special Called Meeting Demorest Municipal Conference Center . 250. Alabama St Demorest, GA 30535 Thursday, February 20, 2025 . 12:00 P.M. ATTENDEES: Andrew Ferguson, Councilman Donnie Bennett, Councilman Megan Chastain, City Clerk Jerry Harkness, Mayor Jimmy Davis, Councilman Mark Musselwhite, City Manager The February 20, 2025, Special Called Meeting was held in the Demorest Municipal Conference Center located at 250 Alabama Street. 1. INVOCATION Mayor Harkness opened the meeting by leading in prayer. 2. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Harkness called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Harkness called for a motion to accept the agenda as presented. The motion was made by Councilman Bennett and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson. ACTION: The motion to approve the agenda as presented was unanimously approved (3-0). 4. PUBLIC HEARING: The Demorest City Council intends to opt-out of the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemptions for the City of Demorest. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this matter to be held at the Demorest Municipal Conference Center, 250 Alabama St. Demorest, GA 30535 on February 20, 2025 at 12:00PM. Mayor Harkness announced the public hearing and called for any public comment. Marie Evens spoke for opting-in to the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemptions. 5. CONSIDERATION OF VOTE TO OPT IN OR OUT OF STATEWIDE ADJUSTED BASE YEAR AD VALOREM HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION Mayor Harkness called for a motion. Councilman Bennett made a motion to opt-in to the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemptions and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson. 1/Page ACTION: The motion to opt-in to the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemptions was unanimously approved (3-0). 6. ADJOURN A motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Davis and was seconded by Councilman Ferguson. The motion wasunan imously approved. The mgeting adjourned at 12:08 p.m. Mayor of De emores SEAL RSHA M - Demorest City Clerk 2]Page