[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-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",[32,74],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6202325,"mediaKeyId","3787446-aa3460cfcf39322a6178e0870957fdb0","parentId",3787446,"title","Board signals support for 4% COLA/2% merit split, debates communications hire and budget timing","audioSeconds",733,"startMs",4932000,"endMs",5665000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3787446-aa3460cfcf39322a6178e0870957fdb0&start=4932&end=5665","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3787446-aa3460cfcf39322a6178e0870957fdb0/thumbnail_4932000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202325/Matthews/Union-County/North-Carolina/Board-signals-support-for-4-COLA2-merit-split-debates-communications-hire-and-budget-timing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202325-b77c9602f5057d0f54be13c2dbc8baee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995069&Signature=HdUV~2hia~TZ7DlMBnV4L0uNn~wt2YferZXzhdl8G4Y7boL9o2TygXMwPsaSy85uV8jyF5s2Qmg9WiVJ2~wYu2ioFwlMFqPhKHW-xZLgHHUpuEpyOhidH9dyQY83j8uEZ2INO0uB8n-AH~h7Qf5fDDgfOmJ0yl~u4lv9HKnNik1iGyH4cN4Nh3Dq9hAWlXlYaP7px1joa1I6orZOMAIZlW8cmNW4IhOszmJSkF~k7XPVI5B298a7SWFo-1~wWL43SGcIG3wHinaeP6JkagaoFNaUNjtmwDxpn5hz9gZFr4ep1A8XRw3oHv45jnKdgTy5gXk9S0k5x0Sbe-ypm6lOPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-13T00:27:52.227Z","article","A budget work session produced a straw‑poll consensus in favor of allocating a 6% total salary pool as a 4% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) and a 2% merit pool rather than a 3%/3% split, though no final budget vote was taken.

Supporters said the 4/2 split increases base and starting salaries — helping recruitment — while retaining a smaller merit pool to reward high performers. “That extra percent ... increases base salaries and starting salaries so we are more competitive,” one commissioner said when explaining the change in split. Staff told the board that the total cost remains the same because the split is internal to the 6% pool; the town’s proposed 6% total was unchanged.

Staff and public‑safety leaders emphasized hiring pressures. The police department reported roughly 13 current vacancies across command and patrol ranks; the chief said the department maintains high hiring standards and that some recent openings reflect retirements or employees leaving for other jurisdictions. “I would put our number with what we hired in this week at roughly the vacancies at roughly 13,” the chief said.

Commissioners and staff discussed alternative or supplemental pay strategies. Some favored a one‑time performance bonus program — a midyear, non‑recurring payment targeted at high performers — noting it would not add to base pay or exacerbate pay compression. “It would be a one time hit so it doesn't affect salary, doesn't your compression,” one commissioner said when proposing the approach.

The board also debated a proposed part‑time communications position (24 hours per week, $50,000 annual cost) and a short‑term funding path. Staff proposed rolling $15,000 in remaining FY25 grant writer assistance funds into FY26 and reducing the FY26 grant‑writing line in half so $25,000 would be available for a part‑time communications hire beginning Jan. 1 (a $25,000 FY26 cost in the budget and $50,000 ongoing thereafter if continued). Staff said the reallocation could be structured as a budget rollover and would allow a January start without increasing the FY26 appropriation. “We could truly have a full time person, and there would still be other things that you could do,” Maureen said when describing the potential workload for a communications employee.

Several commissioners said the timing makes major policy or procedural changes impractical in the current budget window; one called for finishing the FY26 budget first and taking up structural changes afterward. Staff suggested possible midyear one‑time appropriations if vacancies produce salary savings that could be used for performance bonuses.

Next steps: board members signaled appetite for the 4% COLA / 2% merit split subject to final budget adoption. Staff will proceed with budget materials for the adoption hearing; commissioners asked for continued discussion of performance bonuses, recruitment strategies, and the communications hire prior to final adoption.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners Meeting (Budget Workshop) - June 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During a budget work session commissioners backed a straw‑poll preference to split a 6% total pay increase as a 4% cost‑of‑living increase and 2% merit pool; staff and commissioners also discussed a part‑time communications role, police vacancies (about 13), and midyear performance bonus options.","taxTitle","Matthews, Union County, North Carolina","taxId",56171,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6202330,"Commissioner proposes nonprofit take over town events, funnel tourism revenue back to general fund",1080,215000,1295000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3787446-aa3460cfcf39322a6178e0870957fdb0&start=215&end=1295","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3787446-aa3460cfcf39322a6178e0870957fdb0/thumbnail_215000.jpg","/articles/6202330/Matthews/Union-County/North-Carolina/Commissioner-proposes-nonprofit-take-over-town-events-funnel-tourism-revenue-back-to-general-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202330-d9216bab2c441624bb06b73c8d107acb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995069&Signature=B-VHBn7xd4rNDuE09CaZ4E4sU6zl25KwGhbmym7haIOawZV2yT9i6gn~LZg3W0mGTrPMhwPK-ktf7L8DziqXJA5boHeVsvCihLvk37V8dGO8Rfa0546MRq8wwf98bRc9-folIFqUtevIRTUeOYmVIwspIORuG-2XvHtvWiOdLuwxwCkUVUn1EuXdj19Pi0i3MovPGUE4sVYWjLYVLtHWoarL2TCB6WkcdWykxvyHVYelw8sG7-Uu9pojexUKC3h8tcF-dKZElZEQMxIfWK6g-UdFMBcJeMM3AAizjSlOx5lL7TAKdudZ0ZJN6yrhjJYzm-pf5wIutaEbORnx5YcYRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioner Tufano proposed that a nonprofit be made permanently responsible for staging Matthews’ public events — from food‑truck Fridays to Matthews Live — and that tourism revenue be paid to that nonprofit, which would in turn pay for police, clean‑up, park rentals and other costs and return proceeds to the town’s general fund.

The plan, Tufano said, “would be to have a party event organization take over everything completely, remove the town from any and everything that has to do with events and then turn around and receive the money back into the general fund for rental.” He estimated the arrangement could return “somewhere in the neighborhood of a 100 to a $150,000 a year” to the town, while leaving invoicing for services (police, park rental, utilities) to the town.

Town legal counsel said the idea is novel and carries risk. “It is neither explicitly legal nor illegal,” Daniel told the board, adding that the town could face litigation from taxpayers or other parties; he cited a recent lawsuit against Carteret County over tourism fund expenditures and warned of “moral hazard” if the town sets fees that effectively shift tourism dollars into the general fund.

Staff and several commissioners pressed specific operational questions. Tufano described mechanics: the nonprofit would be invoiced for town police, fire, park rental and utilities when town staff or property were used. He pointed to the current Stumptown Park rental rate — “it's $1,500 for a 24 hour period” — and noted some festivals use town property for multiple days, including setup and strike, which can extend to “up to 10‑12 days” for larger events. That multiplies rental and staffing charges under the proposed model.

Finance and events staff presented preliminary accounting for three of the town’s largest events. Staff reported “gross total expenses of $337,000 for all of those,” with those events generating roughly $84,000 in direct event revenue and producing a roughly $253,000 net impact on the town’s tourism fund under the current model. Under a scenario in which the town cut a check to a nonprofit to operate those events, staff estimated about $259,000 would be contracted out from the tourism fund for those three events, with similar public‑safety and utility offsets.

Several commissioners voiced governance and timing concerns. One member said that a nonprofit receiving payments “has to file a full tax return” and that gifts over certain thresholds trigger audits; staff noted the town already uses an audit threshold for expenditures above $50,000. Commissioners also raised the practical constraints: Matthews Live is an existing nonprofit with executive director Leanne Moore, and staff suggested beginning conversations with that group if the board wants to pursue a pilot. Commissioner McCool asked whether Matthews Live could be asked to take over only its signature festival as a test rather than all town events.

Board members generally agreed the idea merited further study but not immediate adoption: several suggested the change is too close to finalizing the FY26 budget to enact this year and recommended testing the concept on a single event and bringing Matthews Live in for a formal presentation. Tufano said he would invite Matthews Live to present; staff confirmed a presentation was being arranged for the board to hear the nonprofit’s position.

Next steps: staff and commissioners agreed to follow up with Matthews Live and to continue the discussion after the budget is finalized rather than implement any immediate change.

","Commissioner Tufano proposed shifting staging and payment for Matthews events to a nonprofit (possible use of Matthews Live) that would receive tourism funds and invoice the town for services; legal staff flagged legal and governance risks and commissioners asked for follow-up with Matthews Live and budget timing.","actionData","errors"]

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Board signals support for 4% COLA/2% merit split, debates communications hire and budget timing

Commissioner proposes nonprofit take over town events, funnel tourism revenue back to general fund