Montgomery Resolution Provides For Staggered Terms on Tax Board

The Montgomery County Commission, in its April 11 session, approved a resolution to provide for staggering the terms of the Montgomery County Board of Tax Assessors. The measure also assigns numbers for the at-large posts.

In adopting the resolution, Commissioners are standardizing the future terms of the Board’s five members and providing for one Board member rotation on January 1 of each year, said County Manager Brandon Braddy. Because none of the Board members has an assigned district, identifying the Board seats by numbers rather than by the name of the individual holding the seat, will provide clarity in staggering terms of office, Braddy said.

The resolution also complies with state statutes governing terms and appointments to the Board.

The Board consists of 5 members whose terms are not less than 3 years and not more than 6. The resolution will not shorten or extend the terms of office for Board members whose terms have not yet expired and will not prevent a voting majority of the Board.

Current Board members include: Seat 1, Macon Beard, whose term expires on August 8, 2022; Seat 2, Julie Adams, whose term expires on September 27, 2022; Seat 3, Lendle Hamilton, whose term expires on December 31, 2022; Seat 4, Linda Page, whose term expires on January 1, 2023; and Seat 5, Jesse Fountain, whose term expires on September 4, 2023.

After the expiration of current terms, Board seats will be assigned as follows: • Seat 1, term start date, 8-8-22, term expiration, 1-1-26, (length of term, 3 years, 4 months and 25 days) • Seat 2, term start date, 9-27-22, term expiration, 1-1-27, (length of term 4 years, 3 months, 6 days) • Seat 3, term start date, 12-31-22, term expiration, 1-1-28, (length of term, 5 years, 1 day) • Seat 4, term start date, 1-1-23, term expiration, 1-1-29, (length of term, 6 years) • Seat 5, term start date, 1-1-24, expiration of term, 1-1-30, (length of term 6 years).

The resolution also specifies that Board Seat 5, currently held by Jesse Fountain, will remain inactive from September 3, 2023 to January 1, 2024, in order to achieve the desired schedule of staggered terms, and that all future appointments will be for 5-year terms.

“We are also considering standardizing other county board rotations,” Braddy said.

Other Action

During the meeting, the Commission authorized the transfer of $22,631.25 from the SPLOST Fund to Capital Project Fund to finance drainage improvements for the ball fields located at the Recreation Department.

The Commission also approved a contract with the University of Georgia Extension Service for the salary, retirement, and payroll expenses of the Montgomery County Extension Service staff (county agent, program assistant and agent assistant), for a total of $47,742 with $10,000 of that amount to be provided by the Montgomery County Board of Education and the remainder of the salaries to be provided by UGA.