Porterdale, Ga. – The Porterdale City Council discussed a property tax millage rate rollback at its Thursday night work session and then had the first and second readings of the resolution establishing the rollback rate during a called meeting afterward.

If approved by the council at its August 7 meeting, the city’s 2017 millage rate will be 17.314. The 2016 rate was 17.910. City Clerk Megan Reid he council will hold a public hearing on the millage before the vote. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Members also heard from City Manager Bob Thomson about proposed plans for Porterdale’s share of the County’s recently approved SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax).

Thomson said excluding $1.4 million for the city’s new municipal building, voter approved projects will receive $1,036,714 in SPLOST spending. The projects will include $363,600 for public works rolling stock and equipment along with streetscapes and gateways. Improvements to the Historic Porter Gymnasium including stage covering, sound equipment, lighting and trusses will receive $98,800. Park expansion and improvements and whitewater access at the Yellow River are slated to receive 320,314.

Thomson said the remaining $254,000 is unspecified because of the possibility of other expenditures needed during improvements.

“The $254,000 is unspecified because we don’t know what we may find in the parks. We may have some other expenditures related to the whitewater access and the gymnasium improvements can always get higher than you want,” he said.

Reid told members that city hall will be closed for business Aug. 24-25 while the move into the new city hall is completed. She said the plan is to be moved in, with the new city hall up and running on Aug. 28.