by Janice Daniel
The Mayor and Council of the City of Temple met on Monday, August 25th, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the William Simmons City Administration Building, 240 Carrollton Street, Temple, for a Special Called Meeting. The Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Michael Johnson. There were no Public Comments or Councilmember announcements.
Item #1 of Business was the third and final Public Hearing regarding the millage rates for Temple Carrollton and Temple Haralson. Scott Akin said that Georgia law requires that, when a proposed millage rate exceeds the rollback rate of a Georgia municipality or county, three Public Hearings are required as well as an advertisement of the millage rate increase, and a Press Release to explain the reason for the increase. Akins advised that property taxes are levied to fund all the essential services to the citizens, and are based on the city’s budget and total taxable property (the net digest). Akin went into the process by which the millage rate and the rollback rate are calculated, then advised that the Temple Carroll 2025 millage rate would remain the same as 2024, that is 4.160.
However, Temple Haralson millage rate increased from 1.047 to 3.241, which is a 328.7% increase from 2024 to 2025, and that is the reason the City of Temple had to follow the requirement of three (3) Public Hearings, two (2) on August 18th at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and this one being the third on August 25th at 6:00 p.m. Akin did say the Temple Haralson was a noticeable increase, but the 3.241 is still a lower rate than most other Georgia cities. The Notice of Property Tax Increase appeared in the Times-Georgian Newspaper on August 9th and August 16th, and in the Gateway-Beacon on August 14th.
No one spoke in the Public Hearing.
Business Item #2 was the adoption of the Resolution for the 2025 Millage Rates of the City of Temple Carroll at 4.160 mills, and the City of Temple Haralson at 3.241 mills, approved unanimously by Council.
Business Item #3 was a Resolution for the City of Temple to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Carroll County for the SPLOST referendum, which was approved unanimously by Council.
Business Item #4 was Authorization for the Mayor of the City of Temple to sign the IGA, which was approved unanimously by Council.
Business Item #5 was Authorization for the Mayor of the City of Temple to sign easement documents from Atlanta Gaslight, accepting $3,673 for easement rights at 240 Carrollton Street to improve their natural gas pipeline systems, pending legal approval given to Atlanta Gaslight. The Council also approved this item unanimously.
The meeting was then adjourned.