TRINITY — A contentious discussion about setting a tax rate for the 2025-26 fiscal year led Trinity City Council members to delay the vote.
During discussion on the matter at the Thursday meeting, Mayor Billy Goodin told city residents attending the meeting the need for setting a tax rate and the amount of funds actually needed to accomplish certain goals.
While a motion had been made to leave the tax rate at an even 6 percent, residents questioned whether that revenue, which would raise an additional $42,478, would be enough to cover everything the city needed. Goodin said flatly that it would not.
While several council members and resident asked what was necessary, there wasn’t an actual budget prepared, to which Council Member Clegg Dewalt asked if the vote could be delayed until it could be determined what money the city actually needed.
Another consideration was that the city could only raise taxes another 9 cents per $100 valuation themselves, and anything else would need to be placed before the voters.
Council Member Bubba Smith, who also pointed out that a bond issue for a county jail would be on the November ballot, said that it was concerning to raise taxes even more. However, Smith and Mayor Pro Tem Phillip Morrison were the only yes votes to leaving the tax rate the same, while Dewalt and Council Members Bryan Buck and Scott Womack voted against the measure.
The council then approved tabling the vote until a special meeting this week to allow proposed tax rates to be used to create a preliminary budget.
In a separate matter, the council voted to replace all members of the Economic Development Board, with Smith dissenting.
New members will be Joy Neal, Billy Coleman, Bill Thomas, Tommy Hastings, Patrick Ross, Kent Copley and Tally Jo Stout.
Just before the vote, Dewalt, who was a member of the EDB, tendered his resignation while giving the audience a list of items that they have approved over the years, amounting to $3.05 million in projects, including the purchase of 31.79 acres for an industrial park. He also said that the board has $2.5 million accruing interest in certificates of deposit.
Goodin thanked the former board members for their service, and said the change is not about performance, it’s about moving in a new direction.
In other business, council members:
