New County Manager, New Budget BY HARRY JOHNSTON
scenario under initial consideration would leave the county We are pleased to welcome our new county manager, Geoff maintenance and operations (M&O) and fire tax rates flat, Morton. Geoff replaced longtime County Manager Jerry while reducing the park bond tax rate. The school tax is Cooper on June 1. Geoff is a 19-year veteran of Cherokee separately set by the Board of Education, but we may have an County government. Prior to this appointment, he served as opportunity for a small reduction in the fire tax chief county engineer, community development rate. We also are on track to meet, or exceed, director and deputy county manager. our targets for reducing and eliminating the Geoff is inheriting management of a use of reserves over the next two years. We’re county that is in great shape, but which still fortunate to have adequate financial reserves, has ongoing challenges. We have been able and we have some unexpected opportunities to to manage and keep up with our exceptional add to them, but we only want to draw on them growth better than most fast-growing counties. for short periods. Infrastructure and services are mostly excellent, Unlike most counties, Cherokee offers and the tax burden is among the lowest in homeowners a floating homestead exemption Georgia. Growth can be a good thing; however, that automatically increases with property it takes great care to manage it in a way that value, for as long as you own your home. If the doesn’t overwhelm us, drive taxes up to pay Board of Commissioners doesn’t increase the for it, or destroy the quality of life that makes tax rate, your county M&O tax bill won’t go people want to live here. up. However, the homestead exemption only Geoff is thoughtful, universally liked and applies to the county M&O tax. If the other tax respected. He’s up to the task, but he’ll need the rates stay flat and your assessed value increases, New county manager, Geoff Morton. full support of the Board of Commissioners, you’ll see an increase in those parts of the tax county employees and all citizens, so that our bill. That’s why we try to reduce rates a little each year. county continues to prosper. I’m always interested in your thoughts. Email me at In the current budget, we committed to increase the hjohnston@cherokeega.com. number of public safety employees, and raise their pay to match surrounding jurisdictions, in order to meet the needs and demands of county growth. It made that budget a tough one. To avoid an increase in tax rates, we postponed some of those initiatives into the upcoming budget year, so we knew Harry Johnston is chairman of the Cherokee County this one also would be tough. Board of Commissioners. He's a retired CPA and The good news is, the initial numbers indicate we’re accounting manager, and a former district commissioner. on track to meet our challenging goals. The budget
AROUND CANTON | July 2021
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