NATCHEZ — Copiah-Lincoln Community College will now have a dedicated tax millage for maintenance rather than an annual appropriation from Adams County.

Co-Lin President Ronnie Nettles appeared before the county board of supervisors Monday to request that they consider dedicating a millage to the college during their budget discussions for the coming year.

A dedicated millage for local community colleges is the normal practice for most counties throughout the state, Nettles said.

Adams County has given Co-Lin an annual maintenance appropriation since 1982. Starting in 1993, the county also gave the college funds for improvements and buildings.

For fiscal year 2012-2013, the county gave the school a total of $793,395. Of that, $420,000 was for maintenance, and $373,395 was for improvements and buildings.

Supervisor Mike Lazarus supported the idea of dedicating a millage for the college.

“We can start assigning a millage equal to last year’s appropriation,” Lazarus said. “If we just change it from an appropriation to a millage and put in the numbers now, it is not going to increase or affect the budget for this year, but as the assessments grow their money will grow.”

Supervisor’s President Darryl Grennell said he supported giving the college a millage, but that a millage is a gamble because its value can go down if the county’s valuation goes down.

County Administrator Joe Murray said the county could dedicate 1.92 mills for maintenance and 1.7 mills for buildings.

Nettles said Co-Lin has a direct impact of $3 million on Adams County annually.

Co-Lin Vice President Teresa Busby said the college’s graduates from its career and technical training programs stay in the area after completing school.

“Those graduates may work offshore, but they live here and they spend their money here,” Busby said.

The Natchez campus saw 80 students graduate in the spring and an additional 20 over the summer, she said.