Local towns consider budgets for next year

State regulations require all counties and municipalities to have a balanced budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year approved by the end of June. The town boards of Madison, Mayodan and Stoneville will each hold public hearings on their proposed budget plans during the next few weeks.

Madison’s board of aldermen meets Thursday evening at 7 p.m., with consideration of next year’s budget as the first order of business.

Madison Town Manager Bob Scott indicated the proposed budget plan for 2010-2011 was difficult to balance.

“We reviewed and renegotiated contracts, utilized less staff, and explored every opportunity to reduce our costs,” said Scott. “We have limited our expenditures to the minimum.”

While the new budget did not require the town to increase the property tax rate to maintain services, Scott said there was a small increase in the residential garbage collection fee and rates for water and sewer.

Water and sewer rates will increase by five percent for the next fiscal year.

“Water and sewer revenues suffered this past year due to the effects of the local economy on our largest commercial water customers,” Scott said.

Water and sewer expenses are expected to be $1,745,277, with revenues projected to be more than $100,000 less. Transfers from both general and water and sewer fund balances will make up the anticipated revenue shortage.

The increase in garbage collection rates were made to bring the cost of the service closer to being self sufficient, according to Scott.

For the second consecutive year, Madison’s town employees will not receive a pay increase. The town will also change health insurance carriers, saving approximately $98,000. Three vacant positions on the town staff will be frozen for the coming year.

The total general fund budget amount for next year is $3,100,228. Revenues for the next fiscal year are projected to be nearly $100,000 above last year’s projections. That will allow the town to appropriate less from the general fund balance than previous years.

Mayodan Town Manager Debra Cardwell said the town’s 2010-2011 budget did not require any increases in property tax rates or water and sewer rates. Like Scott, she said it was another difficult budget year, but the town was able to keep costs down.

“Once again, it was a cooperative effort from the town staff that made it possible,” Cardwell said.

Mayodan employees also will not receive pay raises for the second consecutive year.

The town council holds a public hearing next Monday evening at 7 p.m. on the proposed $5,891,242 budget for next year.

Cardwell said the budget is about $1 million more than the 2009-2010 budget, but it also includes approximately $1.1 million in grant funds.

“We have several grants included in the revenues for next year to cover expenditures for the police and fire departments, water and sewer improvements and work at the water plant,” she said.

Stoneville officials are still refining their budget proposal for next year. The town council will hold a special public hearing at 8 a.m. on June 23 to present the proposed budget.