[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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",[32,76],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6210859,"mediaKeyId","3712026-7858f441c5087b8f7a8e8bd0daa6d294","parentId",3712026,"title","Rockingham County holds property tax rate at 58.01¢; boosts school, college and sheriff funding and adds 401(k) match","audioSeconds",99,"startMs",81215,"endMs",180790,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3712026-7858f441c5087b8f7a8e8bd0daa6d294&start=81&end=180","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3712026-7858f441c5087b8f7a8e8bd0daa6d294/thumbnail_81215.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6210859/North-Carolina/Rockingham-County-holds-property-tax-rate-at-5801-boosts-school-college-and-sheriff-funding-and-adds-401k-match","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210859-f43dc3e17a5b4957d799838367c1569c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776138767&Signature=TAk3AzEhcHvsO2RnxUsuQPiNBWhq0xYBsLm82UK~yNh~u2CUhr-PNw3R03pDaXU~O94KtRPARllgvCVMQbThuvrlEJqs5kW8kxlaqtLo3sA4IrI1H43niZIMsrNEGOfx2znfkklJg5G3Ivl6-I-9bzRJdYRhxqa-6WU1RwpXc-Sv9V1CwChMSghzn51OKBBWWVQMqBr-ThDpFUzKALIW2fn~AqtBB5~eFRXS9bYi8p0qYfGZuIb0-tw6dAqLftGukD6O5YxXlcl6wcnuKOPFyNEnrK84ztRB5-uHqptgjfE6DZBcnRj1gZiGi3-G-83Vapc6H6r70UsquuFwALLYnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rockingham County, NC","date","2025-06-06T19:31:18Z","article","The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners on June 2 approved the county budget for the coming fiscal year, maintaining the property tax rate at 58.01¢ and increasing allotments to local schools and the community college by 3%.

\"The biggest and most important item that the commissioners deal with every year is the budget,\" Kevin Berger, chairman of the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners, said during a summary of the meeting. Berger said the board kept the tax rate at 58.01¢ and increased contributions to the schools and Rockingham Community College by 3% each.

Commissioners said the sheriff's department will receive about $2,800,000 in additional funds this year; Berger added that funding for the sheriff's department has increased about $4,000,000 over the last two fiscal years. County officials described roughly one-third of the county budget as discretionary and provided a breakdown of how each dollar is allocated: 29¢ to public safety, 25¢ to health and human services, 19¢ to education and 21¢ to general government, as described at the meeting.

County leaders also emphasized employee retention as a priority. Berger said vacancies have been reduced in recent years and attributed the improvement to the commission's focus on pay and benefits. \"This year, we're adding a 401(k) match for our employees,\" Berger said, noting the change was intended to help employees save for retirement.

The board did not present vote tallies or the full budget document in the public remarks summarized at the meeting; officials directed members of the public to county management for detailed budget materials and contact information.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners Meeting Recap | June 2, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its June 2 meeting the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners kept the tax rate at 58.01¢, increased funding to schools and the community college by 3%, allocated roughly $2.8 million additional funds to the sheriff's department this year, and approved a 401(k) match to improve staff retention.","taxTitle","Rockingham County Board of Commissioners Meetings, Rockingham County, North Carolina","taxId",73553,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6210862,"Rockingham County finalizes merger of Jacobs Creek and Huntsville fire districts; $700,000 grant named for Sen. Phil Berger",80,0,80915,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3712026-7858f441c5087b8f7a8e8bd0daa6d294&start=0&end=80","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3712026-7858f441c5087b8f7a8e8bd0daa6d294/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6210862/North-Carolina/Rockingham-County-finalizes-merger-of-Jacobs-Creek-and-Huntsville-fire-districts-700000-grant-named-for-Sen-Phil-Berger","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210862-fbc5e40f661d45bfacd203dbfa3691f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776138767&Signature=j159mRCnHxFIgZu9vOsZLS0fuJkFtbXOj3Z8VnwLHfaxhDNcOZ73OTNS-KMdIIAmvUKsizS6QvKejtoKo6Nm5TqOTXBx1qi2mKWzuj0kFCRcqo2lxRXpbcSuZYDmHG-sqMKnWmN-0WKiBVGg6uAPIumSYVOKQCelLIs6EW4MeNdEUDXFEEC1J6xNWoQBn7oEnzUvx-cq-7ha-kdS6sZSByCdHXmc~rcFL2N5Xsd-j2dUSGgqXMctciMdeyUdXZb976JLWogt7QOpY9IzwuoX-vAhWpI57cnnDnau3Od2YPyUolQiauCaMgQL0EQFoPKvwWw15YZ6sQTSH3qTN9DRpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners on June 2 took final steps to merge the Jacobs Creek and Huntsville volunteer fire districts and announced a $700,000 state-funded grant to support volunteer fire departments.

Chairman Kevin Berger said Jacobs Creek had trouble responding to a couple of calls and that the two departments have been operating under a joint agreement for several months. \"We are confident the two departments will merge and work together and serve the residents of both the Jacobs Creek and Huntsville district in a single district,\" Kevin Berger, chairman of the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners, said at the meeting.

The board said the merger follows several months of joint operations and that the final administrative steps were completed at the June 2 meeting. Commissioners described the merger as a response to longstanding volunteer recruitment and retention challenges in county volunteer fire departments.

Commissioners also said state funding secured by Sen. Phil Berger will provide $700,000 to assist volunteer fire departments around Rockingham County with equipment purchases. The county announced the funding will be distributed via a competitive application process administered by the county; applications must be submitted by departments in July and awards will be distributed later in the year.

At the meeting the board decided to name the program the Phil Berger Volunteer Fire Department grant. The county did not provide vote tallies or the specific award criteria at the June 2 meeting; commissioners directed interested departments to county management for application details.

The merger and the grant were presented as separate but related county responses to volunteer shortages: the merger addresses immediate operational gaps in Jacobs Creek and Huntsville, while the grant is intended to help other volunteer departments purchase needed equipment.","The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners said June 2 it took final steps to merge the Jacobs Creek and Huntsville volunteer fire districts after joint operations; state funding of $700,000 secured by Sen. Phil Berger will be available to volunteer departments through a county-administered application open in July.","actionData","errors"]

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Rockingham County holds property tax rate at 58.01¢; boosts school, college and sheriff funding and adds 401(k) match

Rockingham County finalizes merger of Jacobs Creek and Huntsville fire districts; $700,000 grant named for Sen. Phil Berger