The Eatonton City Council approved changes Monday night to a long-standing personnel study agreement with the Middle Georgia Regional Commission and later took steps toward exploring a new property tax relief option for homeowners.
Council members unanimously approved an amendment to a memorandum of agreement with the regional commission, allowing work already completed on the city's personnel system to be formally separated from a future pay-scale study that has yet to begin.
Middle Georgia Regional Commission Executive Director Greg Boike explained that the original agreement included two phases: development of updated job descriptions and a comprehensive compensation study. The job description work has already been completed.
Under the amended agreement, approximately $1,800 would cover the completed work, with another $1,200 reserved for a future pay-scale analysis if the city decides to proceed.
Boike described the second phase as a detailed review of employee compensation compared with similar Georgia cities.
"We would do a full grading of each job description for its relative complexity and where that falls within the system, and then develop the whole grade-and-step scale upon which you would base future merit increases," he explained.
Boike cautioned, however, that implementing a new pay structure could carry significant budget implications.
"For some cities, it has been $100,000 or something like that in the budget," he said. "Depending on how long it's been since a previous review and analysis, it could be $200,000."
Ward 4 Councilwoman Teresa Doster moved to approve the amendment, which passed unanimously.
The council also unanimously authorized the publication of a legal notice allowing the city to consider participating in a county-proposed Local Homestead Option Sales Tax, or LHOST, a new tool created under Senate Bill 33 during the 2026 legislative session.
City Administrator Gary Sanders stressed that Monday's action does not commit the city to adopting the tax or placing it on the ballot. Instead, it preserves the city's ability to participate should the Putnam County Commission choose to move forward.
"This is only authorization to run the ad," Sanders said. "You're not locking anything in, but we do want to have the option to consider this."
The proposed LHOST would dedicate an additional penny sales tax to property tax relief for homesteaded residential properties. Sanders said Putnam County officials are already considering the option and hope to place the measure before voters in November.
Because the issue is expected to be considered during a special legislative session beginning this week, local governments must move quickly, Mayor John Reid said.
"If we don't do it, we can't make the deadline," he said.
Doster noted that the measure differs from the existing Floating Local Option Sales Tax because benefits would be directed specifically to homestead property owners rather than all property classes.
"For us, most of the business is in the city at this point," she said. "By choosing the LHOST over the FLOST, you're giving more relief to homesteaded properties versus businesses and other types of property."
During committee reports, officials highlighted several upcoming community events. Community Development Director and combined Wards 1 and 4 Councilmember Marie Rainey announced that the Juneteenth Festival and Parade will take place Saturday, beginning with a downtown parade at 10 a.m. and followed by a festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Butler-Baker School, 403 Alice Walker Drive.
Rainey also promoted Thursday night's opening reception for the 10th annual Lake Country Juried Art Show at Barrel 118, as well as the June 25 Evening in Eatonton downtown shopping event.
Councilman Michael Smith, who represents Wards 2 and 3, acknowledged that city officials have received extensive information regarding potential data center development and said committee discussions would continue after officials return from an upcoming conference in Savannah.
Before adjournment, Sanders reminded residents that City Hall will be closed on Friday in observance of Juneteenth.