The Covington City Council approved levying the city's 2007 millage rate at the rollback rate of 8.208 at their council meeting Monday night.

This year's rollback rate is a small decrease from the city's previous millage rate in 2006 of 8.51. According to City Clerk John Groether, the city has not raised its millage rate since 2003.

According to the public notice released on the matter, the city's net tax digest rose from $595 million in 2006 to $651 million in 2007. The city is expected to receive a net tax increase of 5.22 percent this year.

In other city council news:

· The city council approved $3,790 invoice from Atlanta Pyrotechnics International Inc. for its share of the Fourth of July fireworks display to be held at The Church at Covington. The City of Covington equally shares the cost of the display with the Newton County Board of Commissioners.

· The council approved a new $37,500 contract with the Georgia Department of Corrections for the services of eight to 12 inmates who will perform litter pickup and other maintenance work for the city while guarded by a correctional officer. The detainee work detail will be provided five days a week for a year.

In other local government news:

· The Newton County BOC approved two contracts with the Georgia Department of Transportation at their Tuesday night meeting, one for road improvements at the intersection of Ga. Highway 20 and Ga. Highway 212 and the other for Smith Store Road.

· The board also approved a grant application to the Georgia Heritage Program on behalf of the Historic Jail and History Center.

If the History Center receives the maximum $40,000 available for the grant, the county would be required to match the grant by 40 percent or by $26,666. The grant money would go to renovating the meeting room of the historic jail.