City hears first reading of millage tax ordinance, won't change millage rate

It was a rather mundane gathering tonight of the Douglas City Commission, with the commission running through a brief agenda in a relatively short period of time. In maybe the most important piece of business the commission covered, the city fathers heard the first reading of new millage ordinance. According to Assistant City Manager Charlie Davis, the millage rate will remain at 8.51 mills – the same as last year. The commission will vote on the millage rage at the Aug. 25 meeting.

In other business, the commission approved extending a natural gas line to Shann Peanut, the probation services agreement with PCC Services, the football and soccer equipment bids to various vendors (including All Star Athletics in Douglas) for $18,685.12, and a request from Georgia Henderson to use two inoperable vehicles for a monster truck show at next weekend’s Outdoor Expo.

Prior to the meeting, the commission also recognized two Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics interns from Coffee High School. The two students – Haley Engram and Jacob Kirkland – interned with the city as a part of the school system’s STEM internship program. Engram worked with the Public Works department while Kirkland worked with the Wastewater facility.

Rhonda Smith, the mother of Joshua Peavy, also addressed the commission at the beginning of the meeting. She recapped what Peavy has accomplished on ABC’s Rising Star program and mentioned that a fund has been set up at Douglas National Bank to raise money for Peavy while he is in Los Angeles. According to Smith, while the performers are on the show, they receive little compensation at all. Peavy has been in L.A. for 12 weeks and the show has two weeks left. Peavy is currently in the top five.