Monday, Oct. 13, the Tallapoosa City Council approved a measure to roll back the millage rate at their regularly scheduled city council meeting.

The council had already approved to leave the city’s millage rate at 7.3 mills at their September meeting; however, according to Tallapoosa City Planner Patrick Clarey, this month the county reassessed property taxes for Haralson County and the value of property in Tallapoosa has gone up.

“The city had initially voted to keep the millage the same, but now that property taxes have gone up the city needed to reduce the amount of mills paid by city residents to keep the overall amount they pay in taxes the same,” Clarey said.

The city approved a millage rate of 7.27 mills.

In other business, the council approved the allocation of $4,000 for the planting of maple, dogwood and cherry trees in the Pollard addition of the city cemetery. Clarey says the trees will most likely be planted after Nov. 1 to reduce the stress placed on them by the current drought.

The city also approved a measure to rezone the property of Jan Singleton, located on West Lipham Street, from a CN zone to a CH zone. A CN zone is designated for commercial buildings located near a residential neighborhood and restricts operation hours and a business’s ability to sell beer and wine. Under the new zone of CH for commercial historic, Singleton and any renters of her building would be allowed to serve beer and wine provided they obtain a license to do so.

In the City Manager’s Report, Philip Eidson announced that the city had received a grant from the Appalachain Regional Commission for $248,500, which the city will then match with a Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority grant. The total amount, $497,000, will be used to upgrade three sewer lift stations and replace 4-inch sewer pipes with 6-inch sewer pipes along Highway 100 south and between Lipham Street and Payne Milling Road.

Eidson also reported that because natural gas prices were so high this summer, the city was unable to purchase it a low rate throughout the season and store it in preparation for the winter months.

“Right now, we are having to buy as we go,” Eidson says.

The city manager said this may mean a fluctuation in the price of natural gas throughout the winter for Tallapoosa residents.

“They are predicting a mild winter. [...] Unless we have a severe winter, the prices should stay about the same and only go up a little bit,” Eidson said.

City Hall is also preparing for the Mayor’s Christmas Motorcade, which is sponsored by the Georgia Municipal Association, Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital, and local mayors from municipalities all over Georgia. The sponsors ask residents to donate items such as new clothes, toiletries, nightgowns, slippers, walkmans, tapes and CDs, crossword puzzles, stationary, pens and pencils, cards, board games, hats, sweatpants and sweatshirts to the motorcade.

On Dec. 16, Mayor William “Pete” Bridges and other GMA and Hospital officials will deliver these goods to hospital and nursing home residents who do not have families to visit them during the holidays.

“We are currently taking donations at City Hall,” Eidson said.

For a complete list of items, visit Tallapoosa City Hall or the GMA Web site at www.gmanet.com.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 10 at City Hall.