Wendell board adopts $58.6 million budget, keeps property tax rate at 42¢

The Wendell Town Board of Commissioners on Tuesday adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and accompanying ordinances, keeping the property tax rate at 42¢ per $100 of assessed valuation.

Town Manager (staff speaker) presented the budget, saying the total budget is $58,557,193 and that the tax rate "stays at 42¢ per hundred dollar valuation." The board voted to approve the budget document, the statutory budget ordinance, a general fund capital project ordinance, a utility capital project ordinance, the fee schedule (with a correction to a scrivener's error), and the fiscal year 2025–26 pay plan.

The board and staff described the adoption as the culmination of more than six months of work that included departmental baseline budgets, a budget workshop and a public hearing. The manager said the recommended net budget after transfers is $54,576,062 and that the general fund totals $24,561,474. Staff noted one copy‑editing error in the fee schedule: a trade permit processing fee shown as $95 actually reflects a combined town and Wake County charge; the town portion is $30 and the fee schedule was corrected before adoption.

Board members praised the staff and the volunteer time spent preparing the document. Staff explained that a small $29,300 adjustment from the version presented two weeks earlier reflected final estimates — including an $8,900 adjustment for ClearGov budgeting software and finalized elected‑official compensation figures — and that debt service reserves were adjusted to keep the overall package balanced.

The capital plan in the budget includes multi‑year projects and bond‑funded items; staff highlighted the Main Street Greenway segment (roughly 3,200 feet of 12‑foot paved trail) as an example of projects that will advance connectivity across town. The manager said capital projects that meet multi‑year or debt funding criteria were placed in the capital project ordinance to provide transparency for multi‑year spending.

The pay plan adopted implements the compensation study the board reviewed, including reclassifications and seven position changes previously discussed with the board. Staff said benefits remain above average for the market and that premium increases are covered without passing costs to employees.

With that adoption, staff will proceed to implement the budget and follow the reporting and project scheduling steps identified in the ordinance and the capital project documents.

The board gave unanimous approval to the package.