[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6563949,"mediaKeyId","3310902-9ae904ec0f5274d410a5aa53c1bfdad6","parentId",3310902,"title","Indian Trail council sets FY26 tax rate at 17 cents; approves two rezonings, annexations and multiple capital budget amendments","audioSeconds",5732,"startMs",8307000,"endMs",14039000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310902-9ae904ec0f5274d410a5aa53c1bfdad6&start=8307&end=14039","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310902-9ae904ec0f5274d410a5aa53c1bfdad6/thumbnail_8307000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6563949/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Indian-Trail-council-sets-FY26-tax-rate-at-17-cents-approves-two-rezonings-annexations-and-multiple-capital-budget-amendments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563949-bec7e93874ffb9bf07c8980305e0fd41/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147711&Signature=nJ5KUjTg1tcxjw7yQ2tXlI5KmqmzTOWlTtVrdX8hcQcnFcFmS5kYTLDR2kHzw7Yy66rqVYR~Jag1J7uWjf1msDwTMSFSCYcef2yXfPoo2I4JMx0-Gdcl2MnOa32HXF7ITzFSUXxsWGpdGb6Jt07zjmnAFB15Surzn7KLTKNEc0-69b0wgHRwZjNqdMGvA-9iZpkUnBRcY38B1uv3rvPQpE104OWbkIlDhHogq0x6lz-A3no9MlIbJ04XyItKIM2mEl7nn9-UTKuso-5ynFsLW3dgPv2pL4Z5p71JkY7lBBtr1AN6IJBAk6iamub83BYHOTGf37VUhLc5334C5Fu7OA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Indian Trail","date","2025-05-15T00:49:28.637Z","article","The Indian Trail Town Council voted May 13 to set the FY2026 property tax rate at 17 cents per $100 of assessed value and approved a series of land-use and capital funding measures, including a conditional rezoning for a new business park and multiple grant-funded path and park projects.

Tax vote and budget context
Town Manager Brian (presented the manager's recommended FY26 budget and recommended keeping the tax rate at 18.5 cents). He told council the recommendation avoids using fund balance to balance operations and preserves flexibility for large anticipated contract costs such as solid waste and law enforcement.

Council debated several tax-rate scenarios before voting. The final motion to set the tax rate at 17 cents passed 3-2. The transcript records the affirmative votes by councilmembers Crystal, Clarence and Dennis and recorded Tom and Todd Barber as opposing.

The manager had presented the budget's key points: a recommended general fund of $27,996,638; proposed use of a 5-cent dedicated capital/debt reserve; a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for staff with a merit pool of 0'2%; and planned debt service and stormwater funding. The manager noted uncertainty about upcoming solid-waste contract bids and recommended building flexibility into the rate choice.

Land-use approvals and annexations
Planning staff presented a conditional rezoning, CZ-20240127 (Indian Trail Corporate Park), for roughly 31.5 acres on Indian Trail-Fairview Road. The proposal calls for six light-industrial, multi-tenant buildings totaling about 270,000 square feet; staff and the developer included conditions limiting uses immediately adjacent to First Baptist Church (for example prohibiting breweries in the building next to the church) and framing where a childcare use could be located if a tenant sought that use. Planning and Zoning recommended approval on April 15, 2025. Council voted to approve the conditional rezoning and associated consistency findings unanimously.

Council also approved annexation ordinance No. 172 and a zoning map amendment for town-owned parcels off Indian Trail-Fairview Road (ZM2025-0024), both unanimously. Staff said the town-owned parcels are adjacent to existing light-industrial uses and future development there would fit the comprehensive plan's regional employment center designation.

Capital projects and amendments
Council approved a budget amendment and ordinance adjustment for the U.S. 74 multi-use path and the South Fork / Crooked Creek greenway; those changes clarified a previous mathematical error in an ordinance and realigned grant receipts and the town share for matching funds. Staff said most of the project is funded by a CRTPO grant and that the amendment corrects an earlier arithmetic error in the ordinance language. The motion passed unanimously.

Separately council approved an ordinance and budget amendment for the Chestnut Square Park access road, moving previously allocated design funds to the correct project account so that design work can proceed and grant dollars can be used. That motion also passed unanimously.

Policy and other business
Council adopted a new policy allowing property owners to petition the council to reduce or void civil penalties once zoning violations have been corrected. Planning staff said the policy is intended to provide a predictable, transparent process for large outstanding penalties while maintaining that enforcement is aimed at compliance rather than revenue.

Why this matters: The tax-rate decision sets the town's revenue baseline for FY26 and influences how much of the manager's recommended capital program can be funded without drawing fund balance. The land-use votes advance two industrial/light-industrial projects and several active, grant-funded transportation and park projects that the council has prioritized.

Votes at a glance
- FY26 property tax rate (motion to adopt rate at 17.00 cents per $100): outcome approved, vote: 3-2; yes: Crystal, Clarence, Dennis; no: Tom Amberg, Todd Barber. (No fund-balance appropriation required at adopted rate.)
- CZ-20240127, Indian Trail Corporate Park (conditional rezoning, approx. 31.5 acres): approved unanimously; consistency finding adopted.
- Annexation Ordinance No. 172 (associated with corporate park): approved unanimously.
- ZM2025-0024 (rezoning of town parcels to Light Industrial near Monroe Expressway): approved unanimously.
- US 74 Multi-Use Path & South Fork Crooked Creek Greenway (budget amendment / ordinance correction): approved unanimously; CRTPO grant covers majority of cost; town share corrected to match ordinance.
- Chestnut Square Park access road (ordinance and budget amendment): approved unanimously; design funds reallocated to proceed with grant-funded design.
- Policy on voiding/reducing civil penalties (formal policy for post-compliance petitions): adopted unanimously.

Ending: Council scheduled a public hearing on the budget and will return for final adoption of the FY26 budget at a future meeting after the legally required advertisement; the tax rate adopted May 13 sets the public-notice baseline for that hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 13, 2025, Town Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Indian Trail Town Council voted May 13 to set the FY26 property tax rate at 17 cents per $100 of assessed value and approved a series of land-use and capital funding measures, including a conditional rezoning for a new business park.","taxTitle","Indian Trail, Union County, North Carolina","taxId",53176,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563954,"Indian Trail council holds censure hearing for Councilmember Todd Barber; no final vote recorded",5126,146000,5272000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310902-9ae904ec0f5274d410a5aa53c1bfdad6&start=146&end=5272","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310902-9ae904ec0f5274d410a5aa53c1bfdad6/thumbnail_146000.jpg","/articles/6563954/Indian-Trail/Union-County/North-Carolina/Indian-Trail-council-holds-censure-hearing-for-Councilmember-Todd-Barber-no-final-vote-recorded","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563954-680d0bd39c2e90ef9554984bf11b7e27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771147711&Signature=REZ826924BaLsZX-5aR~Yb4qwy33x~z3vCyZZ2BH9JmWDuXbCRq5pR9ZOZt~o8nT9A9P~wUA0ORjrfX3M9e6V-ipOQkGVNj~roGOMAnMiNWnpq1jW-hqp0f1uzf8eCQabTcxthsYCvKnMZaD9JAMjdAuQyeOwhjI~g~JmBXeMx41BpQrxn75~0c2sl2DtvXFVZQqSbzpSpoMlB~mLq-U3a1UQWs07hqmIoD9nsgoHMq9c141ry6yPLPIfacNIKFeUa7L1W1iaKvfxHksxkaCeqxDqI6VM-gcDGtIWoCzLCol8~Lgvl-zlV5JM99UvFkMuNFTAc5acoYWbYwqGouEvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Indian Trail Town Council heard more than two hours of testimony, legal argument and public comment Tuesday during a censure hearing for Councilmember Todd Barber, who challenged an outside attorney's investigation connecting him to a local Facebook page.

The proceeding opened with an explanation from Town Attorney Melanie Cox that the council had hired an outside lawyer and received a report on March 30. Cox said the hearing was Barber's opportunity to respond to that report. \"Tonight is the actual censure hearing, so Mr. Barber can present any evidence and you all can ask any questions,\" she said.

The hearing alternated between procedural disputes over whether new material could be admitted, Barber's lengthy rebuttal and extensive public comment. Barber repeatedly disputed the investigator's conclusions and presented an affidavit from his wife, Lisa Barber, saying she was the page administrator and that he had no editorial or administrative control. \"I have no administrative, no editorial, and no authorship control of the page,\" Barber said, summarizing the affidavit he submitted. He also said he has filed a grievance with the North Carolina State Bar concerning the investigator's statements about alleged conflict-of-interest findings.

Cox told the council that evidence directly related to the investigator's report could be referred to in a resolution of censure, but that new allegations or evidence not reviewed by the investigator could require reopening the investigation. \"If they're directly related, and you want to ask questions about that, then I think after he presents it, before Mr. Barber answers any questions, you all vote on whether or not you want to consider it or not,\" Cox said.

Mayor Pro Tem Tim Gay moved that the council adopt a resolution of censure based on the outside investigation. Council discussion then focused on procedure: several council members said they had just received additional documents the same day and had not had time to review them, while others urged the council to press forward. Members debated whether third-party rebuttals or slide presentations should be allowed as part of the hearing. \"The official with the violations have the right to present evidence,\" one council speaker said during argument about procedure.

Public commenters were overwhelmingly critical of Barber. Speakers urged the council to act because they said the Facebook page had spread misinformation and damaged the town's reputation. \"This is hurting the town,\" said one resident, calling for resolution so the council could return to other business. Several residents asked Barber to close the page or resign. Others said the council should attempt to mediate disagreements.

Council members also voiced concern about the effect of the dispute on town staff morale. The town attorney earlier had advised the council that staff had complained of a hostile work environment related to Barber's conduct; the attorney told the council that several staff members had considered leaving and that morale was low.

At multiple points the council considered whether to accept the new information that had been delivered that day. Barber argued additional material should not be admitted because it was not part of the independent investigation, and he said that allowing new allegations would require a new investigation. \"If you want to bring in new stuff, then I think we're not following the process,\" Barber said. Other council members said they would treat questions arising from the newly delivered material as questions for Barber.

The hearing record shows a formal motion to adopt a censure resolution was made; however, the transcript of the meeting does not record a completed vote to adopt the censure resolution or a final adoption of the resolution on May 13, 2025. After debate and rounds of public comment the council moved on to other agenda items; no final adoption of a censure resolution appears in the transcript provided.

Why this matters: a formal censure is a public reprimand and part of the town's ethics and conduct enforcement process. The hearing covered procedural limits on what evidence the council may consider and highlighted tensions between council members, staff concerns about morale and wide public interest in how elected officials use and associate with social media.

The council's next steps were not recorded in the transcript. The town attorney outlined options during the hearing, including admitting directly related material from the recently presented documents or postponing consideration to allow a fresh investigation, but no follow-up motion or schedule for further fact-finding is recorded in the transcript.

Ending: The council left the censure matter on the agenda and proceeded to other business and public comment; the transcript does not show the council adopting a formal censure resolution during the May 13 meeting.","Council held a lengthy censure hearing and public comment on allegations tying Councilmember Todd Barber to a local Facebook page, heard Barber's rebuttal and public criticism, and debated whether additional evidence could be admitted. The transcript does not show a completed vote on adoption of a censure resolution.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Indian Trail council sets FY26 tax rate at 17 cents; approves two rezonings, annexations and multiple capital budget amendments

Indian Trail council holds censure hearing for Councilmember Todd Barber; no final vote recorded