West Point council meets

Published 10:15 am Thursday, August 15, 2024

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West Point council meeting was short but sweet, lasting only 4 minutes. During the meeting three items were passed, including the city’s new millage rate. 

Mayor Steve Trammell started the meeting by introducing West Point’s newly elected Troup County commissioner, Rex Scott, who was in attendance. Scott beat current commissioner, Lewis Davis, in the Republican primary. He will be running unopposed in the general election in November. 

The major item was approving the 2024 millage rate for the city of West Point. Council approved a millage rate of 7.852 mills. This comes after Troup County Commission voted to keep the county millage rate the same at 9.923 mills. 

“I​​f we kept our millage rate the same, the estimate and the assessments go up, it’s viewed as a tax increase. So we try to keep our taxes as low as we possibly can for our citizens, but collect enough money so that we can provide the services today that they expect,” Tramell said. 

Because the millage will remain the same, many Troup County residents will see higher tax bills due to increased tax assessments due to the value of their homes and other real property going up. Because of this West Point has rolled back the city rate.

“Based on the state form, PT32.1, millage rate calculation,” Tramell explained. “This year is recommended for the millage rate to be rolled back from last year’s tax rate of 8.104 mills to avoid an increase due to reassessment of properties. So that’s the reason we do that.”

Council also approved two donations to the city. The first was a road donated by Love’s Truck Stop. It is a 100 foot parcel located next to the truck stop and on Georgia Highway 18. The new Street will be named Love’s Way. 

The second donation came from the West Point Development Authority. It is a 0.64 acres parcel of land located at 825 Avenue H, and adjoins another city-owned property.