Huntingdon Council Adopts New Tax Rate, Approves Pumper Purchase

HUNTINGDON (July 22) — The Huntingdon Town Council approved the property tax rate for the next fiscal year at $0.7744 per $100 of assessed value during Tuesday's regular meeting. The purchase of a commercial pumper for the fire department was also approved.

The new rate is a reduction from the previous year's rate of $1.2478, based on the county-wide property reappraisal conducted this year, but represents no change in overall revenue to the town.

The council also approved a change in language to the ordinance that sets sewer rates for customers outside of corporate limits. Rather than billing based on a set usage (6,000 gallons), bills will indicate a flat rate of $74.57. The change is purely semantic and does not represent a change in the rate. Action on the matter was prompted by comments from several residents of Lake Halford during last month's regular meeting.

Council members unanimously approved a contract with Alexander Thompson Arnold (ATA) for audit services, but not before some discussion. The fee for this year is $34,150, plus an additional $4,250 if an additional audit is necessary. Councilmember Andrew Maddox voiced his interest in seeking bids for the services next year. Mayor Chad Edwards and City Attorney Robert Keeton explained that finding reputable firms willing to take on new clients is difficult and that changing firms can be a risk, but agreed, along with several council members, that it was worth looking at next year.

Councilmember Maddox was the lone dissenter in a 6-1 vote to enter into an agreement with J.R. Wauford & Company for engineering services for an Asset Management Plan. The plan is required by the state and is funded 80/20 by a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) grant with a match amount of $19,000.

The council authorized a PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) agreement between the Industrial Development Board and INTOCAST, a new industry coming to Huntingdon.

A resolution was approved to authorize the town to be a member of the HGACBuy Cooperative Purchase Program, which will give the fire department more options for equipment purchases. The membership was utilized immediately as the council approved the purchase of a commercial pumper from Fouts Fire for $499,500. The two pumpers currently in the department's fleet were manufactured in 1993 and 1999.

A request for use of Edwards Park on Saturday, August 2 for a community event was approved.

Mayor Edwards made two announcements regarding The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center. The bank note on the 2004 construction of the center will be paid off in full in October rather than by May 2026 in order to save on interest payments. Also, the money donated to The Dixie by the Hal Holbrook estate has been moved to a different account which will accrue more interest while retaining more access to the funds.

The meeting adjourned in 40 minutes.