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JASPER — The Hamilton County School Board unanimously approved its final budget and final millage rate for the 2019-20 school year at a hearing last week.

At the Sept. 10 hearing, prior to the board’s regular meeting, the board approved the millage rate of 6.236 mills.

That rate is 1.86 percent higher than the rollback rate, or the tax rate that will provide the same amount of tax revenue as the previous year’s rate.

But is is down from the current rate of 6.434 mills due to a decrease in the required local effort as set by the state. That rate is 3.738 mills and included a late adjustment.

The capital outlay (1.5 mills), discretionary operating (0.748) and additional voted millage for operations (0.25 mills) were not changed from the current rate.

The board also unanimously approved a final budget of $24.35 million, which is an increase of nearly a million from this past year’s $23.39 million.

The board was also informed that the district had completed its final payment for the construction of the new elementary school.

During the board’s regular meeting, it approved bids for three of the four vacant school properties it was looking to sell.

The lone property that didn’t have a bid accepted was for North Hamilton Elementary in Jennings, due to a continued conflict of agreement between Corinth Christian Academy and the Town of Jennings, which currently uses part of the old school for town hall and the Jennings Police Department.

Corinth Christian bid $50,000 for the property with plans to remodel the school and use it for education once again.

The Town of Jennings and Rev. Charles Barrett were among the other bidders for the property, but did not include a monetary value on their bids.

The school board decided to have Barrett, the town and CCA all have representatives meet with the board’s attorney on Tuesday to discuss a plan of action and come to an agreement for the property.

A special meeting has been set for Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m. to discuss and possibly take action on the North Hamilton Elementary property.

J.R.E. Lee was unanimously approved by the board to go to the First Central Baptist Cultural and Training Center and Rev. JT (Billy) Simon, which has been utilizing the building already. There was no monetary value in First Central’s bid.

The board also unanimously approved Deerwood Property Group LLC obtaining South Hamilton Elementary in White Springs with an agreement in place between Deerwood and Rhett Bullard for a one-acre parcel of the property. Deerwood bid $150,000 for the school. Its plans included two phases of development, the first being an assisted living facility with the second being an RV park.

The Greenwood School property was approved to go to James R. Daniels, who has agreements in place with the Suwannee Valley 4 C’s and Bright Pond Baptist Church for use of the school. All three had placed bids and the board had instructed them previously to devise a mutual benefit agreement. Daniels’ bid was for $26,500.

Also during the regular board meeting, Business Director Michael Vinson went over the district’s state audit with the board. Vinson told the board that the district ended the 2018-19 school year with $1.68 million in the unrestricted general fund balance, an increase of $835,000 over there pervious year.

The board unanimously approved accepting the audit.