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The Decatur County Board of Education met for a specially-called meeting at noon on Wednesday, to hold a public hearing on a millage tax increase.

Following the invocation and approval of the agenda, Superintendent Boyd English spoke to the crowd about the nature of the millage rate.

“I want to be clear from the onset, that even though your agenda, and by law, when we don’t roll back, it says that it’s an increase,” English said. “We have no intention to raise the millage rate.”

English went on to show a presentation to the audience, discussing the rate and school financials, with the current rate of 14.565, which has been the same since 2021.

“If we maintain millage,” English explained, “and do not go back to that rollback rate, we have to have these meetings that advertise the millage as a tax increase, even though we’re not raising the millage rate, and it will stay the same.”

The Board of Education is required to hold three meetings about the millage rate, with the second scheduled for August 14, at 12:00 PM., and the third and final, where the board will take action, is scheduled for the regular August board meeting, on August 22 at 6:00 PM.

English further discussed the new school construction projects, stating that the projects have not had an impact on the millage rate. The impact of rising inflation on the school system and its budget was also mentioned.

Following Superintendant English’s presentation, the meeting was opened up to public comments, though nobody stepped forward to comment.

Following this, the meeting was adjourned.