Jackson County Commissioners set a tentative ad valorem tax rate at 7.289 percent on Thursday, the same millage as last year.

Jackson County residents who live within five miles of Marianna could wonder who will help protect them in an emergency after next October.
Jackson County administration and the City of Marianna are currently negotiating their interlocal fire coverage contract, in which the county pays the city to provide fire and emergency medical services to Jackson County residents living within five miles of the Marianna city limits.

Library shelves in Jackson County may not be quite as alluring to those looking to crack the covers of a brand new book hot off the press next year.

Marianna City Commissioners voted Wednesday to increase the city’s tentative tax millage rate by 2 mills, bringing the current millage rate of 1.952 to a tentative 3.952.

Marianna City Commissioners were asked to consider an increase in the city’s millage rate to cover the city’s expected deficit in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

The School Board of Jackson County has set a tentative millage rate and confirmed it’s proposed budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. The budget figure comes to $96,144,082 and includes much more than local tax money.

In a split vote Tuesday, Jackson County Commissioners decided to increase the per-mile charge for ambulance service from $8 to $10 a mile.

Jackson County Commissioners on Tuesday approved the Compass Lake in the Hills Municipal Special Taxing Unit assessment of $135 per parcel in the 6,344-lot subdivision, the same amount as last year.

Commissioners continue budget talks, try to trim more than $3 million from proposed budget.

The Board of County Commissioners and Marianna City Commission are negotiating its interlocal agreement for fire and EMS services.
On Thursday,  BOCC rejected the city’s request for the county to pay a $40,000 increase in the contract.

Jackson County’s information technology guru is preparing to bring the local government’s computer and communication systems up to speed with massive upgrades.

The Chipola College District Board of Trustees wrapped up the academic year Monday with it’s last meeting until September.

Jackson County Commissioners are taking a more aggressive approach this year as they consider the budgets submitted by two constitutional officers, Property Appraiser Sharon Cox and Tax Collector Sherry Brown.

It took Jackson County Commissioners more than nine hours to work through the thick three-ring binders that held all their budget information Wednesday. In a session that began at 8 a.m., and ended after 4:30 p.m., the board took its first swing at the budget-setting process for fiscal year 2008-09.

Fuel costs for Jackson County Road and Bridge are expected to exceed $1.8 million in 2009. Last year the department worked on a fuel budget of $575,000. To soften the blow, county commissioners consider one innovative idea.