Zachary School Board rolls millage forward

ZACHARY — After a sparsely attended public hearing, the Zachary Community School Board voted 6-1 Thursday to roll forward the district’s millage rate.

The move is expected to result in a $145,000 increase in revenue for the coming year, Finance Director Gordon Robertson said.

Board members Donnie Dykes, Boyce Smith Jr., Jannie Rogers, Hubie Owen, Sharon Samuel and Scott Swilley voted in favor of the proposal.

Daniel Dayton cast the dissenting vote.

Gaynell Young and Kenneth Mackie were absent.

The decision will not affect the 36-mill tax for school construction, which is based on the amount needed to repay the bond.

By state law, the millage rate must be rolled back after a reassessment so that taxing agencies receive the same revenue as the previous year.

However, by a two-thirds vote of the governing board, the agencies can restore the millage to the rate from the previous year, increasing their tax revenue.

Zachary homeowners whose property was reassessed at a higher rate will see their taxes rise, depending on how much the value of their property increased.

Those whose home values didn’t increase will pay the same rate as the previous year.

Rolling the millage back from 38.2 to 37.48 mills would have saved the owner of a $200,000 house $9 per year.

Much of the expected $145,000 tax revenue increase is probably caused by new construction rather than higher property values, Owen said.

“Our employee health insurance has increased $840,000 and our casualty $190,000.

“We also had to pay our teachers $200,000 to come in over the summer to rewrite their curriculum” in response to new state standards, Swilley said.

The 38.2-mill tax will be on the ballot in December for a 10-year renewal.

Other items before the board included:

DISTRICT 7 ELECTION: The board unanimously agreed to call a special election March 6 to fill the vacant District 7 School Board seat.

A runoff, if necessary, will take place on May 4.

On July 6, the board named Smith as an interim member to replace Carl Kelley, who resigned to take a job out of state.

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH: Owen reported that advertising for the superintendent vacancy will begin Aug. 12.

Robertson will step in as interim superintendent when Superintendent Warren Drake leaves to join the state Department of Education.

Drake’s last day with Zachary schools is scheduled to be Sept. 4.