Clayton County Board of Commissioners Special Business Meeting – June 17, 2026

The Clayton County Board of Commissioners met in special business session at 1:00 p.m. on June 17, 2026, to present and adopt the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. CFO Terry Jackson presented the proposed budget and two amendments; after discussion, the board adopted Resolution 2026-143 with Amendment No. 2, which included a millage-rate increase and additional public-safety and county employee pay investments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tim Sweat spoke in support of additional ambulances and pay adjustments for public safety, saying he would continue to advocate for the 453 men and women of the fire department and for adequate pay to retain highly trained employees.
• Jim Helly, identified as being from unincorporated Jonesboro, urged the board to fund Parks and Recreation maintenance and programs, noting that the department is revenue-generating and that deferred maintenance would become more expensive over time.

Budget Presentation

• CFO Terry Jackson presented the proposed FY2027 general fund budget of $347.6 million, approximately 4% above the FY2026 adopted budget. (The later amendment breakdown lists the proposed general fund total as $347,611,937.)
• The proposed general fund M&O millage rate was 14.522, unchanged from FY2026; the proposed fire fund millage was 4.50, a change from 4.146. If adopted, the fire-fund change was projected to raise $5.2 million, allocated to $3.3 million in personnel costs and $1.8 million in capital expenditures.
• Major general fund revenues: property tax $219.6 million; other taxes and assessments $80.9 million; charges for services $26.3 million.
• Major general fund expenditures: general government $107.8 million; courts and law enforcement $128.7 million; public safety $69.3 million.
• Strategic investments described included a 2% COLA for county sworn and non-sworn employees effective July 4, 2026 ($4.1 million), a technology refresh initiative ($830,000), and one-year capital projects for land, buildings, improvements, and equipment ($2.4 million).

Budget Amendments and Discussion

• Amendment No. 1, offered by Chairwoman Anderson Henry, did not increase the millage rate. It included items such as a 5% COLA for sworn personnel plus the 2% COLA ($1,756,617), six paramedic sergeants and six firefighter EMTs ($1,212,423), EMS medical supplies ($100,000), EMS machinery and equipment ($85,000), two deputy court clerks for the Clerk of Superior Court, probate court reclassifications, library, senior services, magistrate court, parks and recreation increases, a purchasing specialist, and Frank Bailey building repairs. The total general fund budget under this amendment equaled the proposed $347,611,937.
• Amendment No. 2, offered by Commissioner Davis, included a half-mill increase, with a gross millage rate of 18.473 and a net millage rate of 15.052, projected to raise $7,874,950. It included a 10% COLA for sworn personnel effective January 2, 2027 plus the 2% COLA ($3,513,234), a 10% COLA for Animal Control ($54,042), a 10% COLA for correctional officers ($346,849), and incentive pay for staff excluding elected officials, including animal control, correctional officers, dispatchers, and EMS: $3,900,967 for full-time and $625,000 for part-time employees.
• Amendment No. 2 also reduced sheriff’s office salaries and wages by $1,621,572, overtime by $876,098, and group insurance benefits by $600,000, while adding or increasing funding for elections, the clerk of superior court, probate court, library, senior services, magistrate court, EMS, parks and recreation, central services, Frank Bailey building maintenance, and other operations. It removed certain board office increases, including food and dietary funding for commissioners ($7,600), and increased the chairwoman’s travel allocation by $2,000.
• With Amendment No. 2, the adopted general fund budget was $355,486,887; the fire fund adopted total was $49,866,847; the E911 fund adopted total was $6,942,604; and the hotel/motel tax fund adopted total was $971,217.
• Commissioner Allen asked whether the sheriff’s office funding in the amendments represented new positions; CFO Jackson said the adjustments were for new positions and did not affect existing positions. Allen asked for a count of new positions before the vote, but no count was provided.
• Commissioners discussed whether the amendments increased taxes. The proposed budget and Amendment No. 1 did not include a tax or millage increase; Amendment No. 2 did through the half-mill increase.
• One commissioner questioned the need for a millage increase in the amendment and urged the board to find creative revenue solutions rather than placing tax burdens on residents. Another commissioner said the amendment was intended to address pay and retention and to reduce over-reliance on property taxes.
• Commissioner Reeves thanked staff for budget briefings and for the Saturday community budget meeting at New Testament Gospel, and called for greater transparency and more opportunities for residents and department heads to engage in the budget process, with public comment reserved for residents.

Key Outcomes

• The board adopted Resolution 2026-143 with Amendment No. 2 by motion and second; the motion passed by voice vote, with at least one audible "nay."
• The FY2027 budget was thereby adopted with a gross millage rate of 18.473 and net millage rate of 15.052, a change that will require the county to advertise and hold public hearings; CFO Jackson confirmed the fire-fund millage increase would be handled likely at the same time as the M&O millage increase.
• After the vote, the board moved and seconded a motion to adjourn, and the meeting adjourned.