The Whitney City Council met in a special session Saturday morning, September 28, and approved the city budget and tax rate ahead of the city’s fiscal year that began October 1. The council also accepted the resignation of Library Director Denise Carter and named former fire chief Wayland Price interim fire chief.
The council adopted the proposed tax rate of $0.6505 per $100 valuation.
The rate is higher than the no-new-revenue rate of $0.5455, which would have raised the same tax revenue as last year based on the same properties being taxed. Last year’s approved tax rate was $0.6004 per $100 valuation.
While the proposed rate is also above the voter approval rate of $0.5846, it is well below the De minimis rate of $0.8169, so it does not trigger an automatic election. The De minimis rate is a third calculation for a taxing unit with a population of 30,000 or less that is not a school district, water district or special taxing unit.
The city’s 2023 tax levy on all properties was $1,004,718. The adopted 2024 rate will result in an expected total tax levy of $1,207,911.
Of the approximately $203,193 in additional total property tax revenue in this year’s budget, $14,305 is revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.
The average taxable value of a homestead in the city rose just under 11%, from $128,879 in 2023 to $142,824 in 2024.
Operations Director Billy Pribble reported to the council that he had received notice that Library Director Denise Carter intends to retire, with October 12 set as her last day with the city.
“She assured me that she has people who can run this until we can get somebody hired,” Pribble added.
Council members and Pribble expressed appreciation for Carter’s service to the city and the citizens of Whitney.
Council member Cheryl Taylor-West said the library was the first place she visited when she moved to Whitney. “I was welcomed very warmly by her and the staff,” she said. “I felt right at home here, and she’s going to be hard to replace.”
The council also voted to appoint Wayland Price, the city’s former fire chief, to serve as interim fire chief until the director of emergency services position is filled. Chief David Gilmore recently resigned from his position ahead of a move out of state.
The council’s next regular meeting date is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, October 17, at the Lake Whitney Public Library.
The Lakelander 