County Manager Renee Perry presented the 26-27 budget to commissioners on Monday. The proposed general fund budget is $72.47 million, which represents an 8.97 percent over last year’s budget.

The budget maintains the current property tax rate and there would be no change in the fire tax, Perry said. About $7.5 million would be appropriated from the fund balance to support operations and capital needs and maintain a balanced budget.

This budget is driven largely by the planned capital investment that the county is anticipating, including construction of a new jail and other critical projects, like a new EMS fire station and EMS substation.

(You can hear clips of the commissioners and manager in the embedded audio below.)

County employees would get a 3 percent cost of living increase, partial implementation of the compensation study and a one-time performance-based pay program.

Perry cited rising costs in insurance, detention operations, social services and retirement contributions as factors to consider when creating a budget for the county.

All county-funded agencies will be level-funded in the proposed budget, and Perry invited all stakeholders to the table to discuss their needs during the budget work sessions.

Perry’s budget includes creation of a $5 million capital reserve fund to address future debt obligations.

The county remains on the Local Government Commission’s Unit Assistance list, and Perry said while she acknowledges the audit findings that persist within the county’s financial accounting procedures, she said staff has made good progress in addressing those findings and clearing them up.

Earlier in the meeting, when Perry was reviewing the audit report, Commissioner Dan Brummitt took issue about the findings and said the board needed to keep an eye on what’s going on as the effort to reduce budget violations continues.

Chair Carolyn Faines, however, thanked Perry and said she and staff are doing a good job.

Perry said a paper copy of the budget would be available Tuesday at the county office for the public to review and a copy is available on the county’s webpage at vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-commissioners

Perry asked commissioners to take some time to compile a list of questions and comments they have and send them via email to Perry in advance of the scheduled work sessions so she and staff will have adequate time to provide answers.

Budget work sessions were scheduled for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12 and Monday, May 18.  Citizens will get a chance to weigh in on the budget at a public comment hearing on Monday, June 1 beginning at 6 p.m.

Thirteen people signed up for public hearing – Chair Carolyn Faines opened the public comment by reading a prepared statement calling for the audience and speakers to conduct themselves in a proper manner or they’d be escorted out of the meeting. Each person had 2 min and 20 seconds to speak.

• 6 spoke in opposition to the idea of a data center in the county.
• 4 spoke about funding for schools and school employees.
• Kelley Wade Perdue zeroed in on audit findings, citing a lack of internal controls, resulting in incorrect tax billing
• Angie Ryan asked for a public forum to give the community a chance to ask questions and gets answers. There’s a lot of discussion but few facts, she said, adding that clear communication prevents misinformation.

As part of the county manager’s report, Perry said the N.C. Association of County Commissioners N.C. Association of County Commissioners is recommending that all 100 counties adopt a resolution that opposes modifications to the county property tax authority being discussed in the General Assembly by the Property Tax and Reform Committee.

The resolution would support maintaining local authority over property tax decisions because of the critical role property tax plays to ensure fiscal stability and responsiveness to community needs.

There is discussion about placing a cap or creating structural changes to the property tax legislation.

This would significantly reduce local flexibility and negatively impact the county’s ability to meet service demands and long-term obligations, Perry stated. The resolution would support preservation of local control.

Commissioner Brummitt said he would not support the resolution. “I think at this point we need some oversight from the state to do that. I cannot support this resolution,” citing the steep rise in county budgets over the past four years.

As part of Perry’s response, she said the talk is focused on increasing budgets, but there is little talk about “kicking the can down the road” that the county has done for years. basically,

She said she didn’t want people to think that “this administration just spends money because we want to. That is not what we do.”

She said county salaries have been below standard for years. In the past 3 years, the county budget has provided a 7 percent COLA in her first year, and 3 percent increases last year and this year.

“It costs to run county government,” she said.

The commissioners voted 6-1 to approve the resolution. Brummitt cast the lone “no” vote.

CLICK PLAY for audio coverage!