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During last week’s work session, West Point City Manager Ed Moon gave a report on several projects throughout the city, including the plans for the old Coca-Cola building.

Moon reported phase one of the Coca Cola Site Development is ongoing. Demolition of the Coca Cola Building and facilities is complete.

The city is finalizing the conveyance agreement for the site with the parcel 4 development.

According to Moon, the project is on track to make a formal announcement in July. The project comes after the Coca-Cola company donated its building to the city in the aftermath of the 2023 storm damage.

Another ongoing project is at the roundabout construction at Exit 2. The Georgia Department of Transportation has said the striping and signage should be complete by mid-summer. The project has been ongoing for several years.

The intersection signals at 8th Street and 2nd Avenue have been a discussion at recent work sessions. Three options exist for adjusting the intersection which includes a railroad crossing.

The design engineer, Barge Engineers, will be evaluating the options.

According to Moon, if the city installs new signals at the intersection, the GDOT will fund the project.

Later in the meeting, Moon presented the House Bill 581 and House Bill 92 Estimated Rollback Millage Rate for 2025.

The estimated roll-back rate became law in 2025. It was introduced by HB 581 (2024) and revised by HB 92 (2025), according to the meeting notes. The notes explain:

“Under prior law, a property owner’s annual notice of assessment (NOA) automatically included the previous year’s millage rate for each authority and an estimated tax liability based on that rate.

HB 581 created the estimated roll-back rate, designed to provide local governments with more flexibility in accurately previewing that year’s millage rate to the property owner on their NOA.”

HB 92 added a deadline that the estimated roll-back rate must be provided by and a fallback provision. The fallback provision exists in case a jurisdiction fails to certify and provide an estimated roll-back rate.

Moon recommended West Point’s estimated roll-back millage rate to be 7.8.