ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Municipalities in Central Baldwin will host public hearings ahead of a property tax vote that would be used to fund education opportunities for local students.

The Robertsdale City Council voted at its meeting on Monday, Aug. 16 to set a public hearing for Thursday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. while the Silverhill Town Council agreed to hold a public hearing on the night of its next town council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

At their regular meetings on Monday, May 3, both the Robertsdale City Council and Silverhill Town Council passed resolutions allowing for a referendum vote on a special 3-mil ad valorem tax that will be earmarked for the Central Baldwin Feeder Pattern.

The tax is similar to those that were passed in 2019 by the cities of Fairhope and Spanish Fort. If passed it would generate 3 mills and run for the next eight years, which would coincide with the renewal schedule for the Spanish Fort tax. The Fairhope tax was approved for 30 years.

According to information provided by the group during the meeting, a 1 mil property tax is equal to .01 % (.0001) of appraised property value, or 6 % of the assessed value of farmland. Senior citizens would be exempt from the tax.

The tax is projected to generate from $700,000 to $750,000 per year to be spend toward making academic and capital improvements, personnel and extra-curriculars at Silverhill Elementary, Loxley Elementary, Elsanor Elementary, Rosinton Elementary, Robertsdale Elementary, Central Baldwin Middle and Robertsdale High schools.

Improvements would include providing additional education opportunities, programs and facilities for students in Central Baldwin.

Public hearings in Robertsdale and Silverhill, along with a public hearing in Loxley, the date of which has yet to be determined, will be held before members of the Central Baldwin Education Committee. The nine-member committee includes three members appointed by each of the three municipalities.

Voters in Central Baldwin will go to the polls on Sept. 21 to decide on the 3-mil tax. If approved, members of the Central Baldwin Education Committee will work with local school systems to decide how the money is spent.

Committee members are: Brenda Pierce, Stephanie Kroll and Jeff Copeland, appointed by Robertsdale; Carl Johnson, Paige Townley and Cindy Shulze, appointed by Silverhill; Chris Kerby, Jessica Thornton and Joe Driver, appointed by Loxley.

In other business Aug. 16, the Robertsdale City Council:

• Approved a resolution adopting the 2021 Baldwin County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Adopted an ordinance to rezone property on the northwest corner of Wisconsin and Racine streets from M-U to R-3.
• Denied a rezoning request from R-3 to B-2 for property located on East Silverhill Avenue.
• Approved annexation and approved an ordinance to rezone property from R-1 to B-2 for property located on Alabama 59, north of Central Baldwin Middle School. Council member Russell Johnson voted against the rezoning measure.

The Silverhill Town Council approved minutes from the July 19 meeting and financial expenditures, but took no further action during its meeting Aug. 16.