By Chris Basinger, Staff Writer
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Council unanimously approved a resolution during Thursday’s meeting that paves the way for a potential millage rate increase, with voter approval, to fund school projects.
Trussville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Patrick Martin proposed the 12.9 millage rate increase during his State of the Schools address last month, saying that 100% of the new funds generated by the increase would go toward three projects.
Those include a new elementary school at Glendale Farms, expansions and a new 15,000-square-foot cafeteria at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, and the addition of a C-Wing at Hewitt-Trussville High School.
The projects look to accommodate growing enrollment in TCS as existing buildings hit student capacity and fall in line with the city’s 2040 plan.
This resolution also follows the TCS Board of Education’s approval of a resolution for the city council to request a city-wide ad valorem vote for the proposed funding.
At the council meeting, Martin said, “We feel that these are three critical projects. Our school system continues to grow. When Magnolia and Cahaba elementary schools were opened in 2015, 2016 we had just over 4,500 students, today we have 5,008. That’s a net gain of 500 students since those two buildings were opened and we think that we’ll continue to see growth.”
“We have the largest elementary school in the state of Alabama with 1,350 kids. The closest is 350 less,” Mayor Buddy Choat added.
Currently, the millage rate in Trussville is 62.1, so this proposed increase would bring the rate up to 75.
If approved by voters, annual property taxes would increase by about $129 for a home valued at $100,000 and by $645 for a home valued at $500,000.
Choat went on to say, “This is not a done deal. I don’t think there’s a more fair way to do it than to let the citizens tell us what they want,” Choat said.
“The five of us are not voting on a yes or no on a tax. We are deciding to give the citizens the ability to vote on the future of the city,” Council Member Ben Short later added.
The referendum for the millage rate increase must first be approved by the Alabama State Legislature before it can be placed on the local ballot later this year.
In other council business:
- The council voted unanimously to appoint Jeremy Culwell to the Parks & Recreation Board, replacing Dave Blount, with his term ending Feb. 28, 2028.
- The council agreed to table an ordinance that would deannex the undeveloped 431 Pineview Road Property until the council could get more information on the process.
- The council unanimously approved a resolution to endorse an Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) resurfacing project on Gadsden Highway.
- The council voted unanimously to approve a resolution declaring civic center chairs as surplus.
