County fire districts to move to millage system

PICKENS COUNTY — County Council met in a special called meeting on June 13 for a third reading on consolidating the County’s fire districts to a millage system.

“This third reading of this ordinance is purely to move all the fire districts in the county under one district and to make them all millage across the board,” said County Council Chair Chris Bowers. “It’s not what the millage is going to be, it’s not how the money’s going to be spent, it’s not anything budgetary other than moving all the districts to the millage system.”

Councilman Trey Whitehurst, who said he’s struggled with the ordinance, expressed concerns with how “everything was going to pan out” with the millage.

“I just think there’s going to be some repercussions to this that are going to have to be readdressed later,” he said. “Hopefully I’m wrong, I’m just not there yet.”

Councilman Roy Costner said he didn’t like the idea of fees because they can be raised. But with a millage-based system, certain exemptions apply (such as 65-plus or if someone is on disability.)

The ordinance includes a homestead exemption for residents 65-plus, which only assesses tax value after the first $50,000 — i.e., if you live in a home worth $200K, it would be assessed at $150K.

The ordinance passed with Councilmen Costner, Bowers and Henry Wilson voting in favor, Whitehurst and Alex Saitta opposed. Councilman Ensley Feemster was absent.