Newberry increases property tax rates by 1.69% to fund road assessment study, annexes 44 acres

BY DAVID LIGHTMAN

NEWBERRY, Fla. – At their July 22 Regular Meeting, the Newberry City Commission adopted a proposed maximum property tax rate of 6.000 mills, 11.69% higher than the rolled-back rate and 1.69% higher than the current rate. They also annexed three properties totaling 44.61 acres.

Mayor Jordan Marlowe was absent, and Commissioner Tim Marden chaired the meeting in his absence. The meeting began with City Manager Mike New introducing Newberry’s new Director of Community Development, Stacey Hectus, who was formerly employed by Levy County.

Maximum millage rate for FY2025

Assistant City Manager Dallas Lee introduced a resolution to set the maximum millage rate for the 2025 fiscal year. He said his presentation was a follow-up to the budget workshop a week earlier and reminded everyone that they were adopting the maximum possible rate and the rate could be reduced at the final budget hearings in September.

Lee presented three millage rate options for the Commissioners to choose from:

• 5.9000 mills would be the same as the current rate and 9.83% higher than the rolled-back rate of 5.3721 mills.
• 6.0000 mills would add funds for a road assessment study. It would be 1.69% higher than the current rate and 11.69% higher than the rolled-back rate.
• 6.5000 mills would provide funding to repave SW 46 ^th Avenue or for a different road project. It would be 10.17% higher than the current rate and 21% higher than the rolled-back rate.

Due to audio problems with the video of the meeting, Alachua Chronicle contacted the City of Newberry. We were provided with a corrected version of the rolled-back rate, 5.3721, which is significantly different from the higher rolled-back rate of 5.7182 presented at the meeting.

Commissioner Monty Farnsworth made a motion to set the maximum millage rate at 5.9000, and Commissioner Mark Clark seconded his motion.

Commissioner Tony Mazon asked, “So we’re going to disregard 46 ^th Avenue?”

Commissioners Clark and Rick Coleman said they thought they should put that question on the ballot. Lee said if that’s what they wanted to do, they should select the 6.0000 mills option, which would provide funding to hire attorneys for a ballot measure; otherwise they wouldn’t have enough funds.

During public comment, Brandy Oldman wanted to clarify that her tax bill would only go up $20 per year or less for her smaller property with the 6.0000 mills option, and she was told that was correct.

Farnsworth amended his motion to adopt the 6.0000 maximum millage rate, and Clark seconded the amended motion.

Mazon asked Lee if they could adopt a rate less than 6.5000 and still have enough money to repave 46 ^th Avenue. Lee said they would need to modify the plan for 46 ^th Avenue if they dropped below 6.5000 mills.

Acting Mayor Marden said a referendum question would allow voters to choose to fund multiple road projects at once, instead of just 46 ^th Avenue.

City Manager New pointed out that next year’s budget already funds $4 million worth of road projects, and people shouldn’t get too fixated on one road.

Farnsworth’s motion to set the maximum millage rate at 6.000 mills passed 3-1, with Mazon in dissent.

Annexation

Operating in quasi-judicial mode, City Attorney Scott Walker introduced the second readings of three ordinances to annex three parcels of land totaling 44.61 acres into the City of Newberry.

Principal Planner Jean-Paul Perez said staff recommended approving the three annexations. Perez showed the following slide with a map of the three property locations.

Responding to a question from Brandy Oldman, Marden clarified that the three property owners had applied for the annexation process, and it was being done on a voluntary basis.

The three annexation ordinances were unanimously approved.

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