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Huntersville manager presents $125 million recommended budget; tax rate proposed unchanged
Summary
Town Manager presented a roughly $125 million FY26 recommended budget that keeps the property tax rate unchanged, proposes staff additions for schools and public safety, funds capital projects including sidewalks, greenways and town hall operations, and plans outreach events ahead of a May public hearing.
Anthony Boyd, town manager, presented the Town of Huntersville's manager‑recommended budget to the board and public, describing a recommended total budget of about $125 million across funds and proposing no change to the property tax rate.
"We are proposing tax rate to stay the same," Boyd said during the presentation. He summarized the plan as roughly $125 million in total funds, with a general fund of about $90 million, an electric enterprise fund around $29 million and HFFA (Huntersville Family Fitness Aquatic Center) operations near $3.8 million. He told the board that the budget is balanced and said the town's estimated assessed value for fiscal year 2026 is about $16.8 billion.
Boyd highlighted operating and capital priorities: increased paving and sidewalk work (sidewalk and resurfacing line items up substantially), continuing funding for the Huntersville Family Fitness Aquatic Center (HFFA), and major capital projects such as Fire Station 4 and the town's new town hall (expected occupancy January 1). He said the capital improvement program will require multi‑year management and that some projects may be pushed or require future bonds.
On personnel, the recommended budget includes 14 new positions, with new or expanded services such as three elementary school resource officers (to rotate among six CMS elementary schools), three assistant fire chiefs, civilian traffic investigators and roles in parks and events. Boyd proposed a cost‑of‑living adjustment tied to the 2024 CPI‑U and up to a 3% merit increase (a combined potential adjustment described as up to 6% in the presentation).
Boyd said many fees will remain unchanged in the recommended budget: solid waste fee at $154, vehicle fee $20, stormwater fee and land development fees unchanged; electric rates also unchanged. He called attention to a proposed $20 vehicle fee that is expected to generate about $1 million to be used for roads.
Board members and staff discussed next steps and public outreach. The manager emphasized public engagement opportunities: two community events to preview the budget — "Brew on the Budget" on May 12 at Bridal Brewery and "Budget Bites" on May 19 at Town Hall — and a public hearing scheduled for May 20. Boyd said the board is slated to consider adoption on June 3.
The presentation included specific capital items: expanded sidewalk and greenway work, potential Greenway connections including a study of an underpass or tunnel at a Concord Road crossing near Vermillion, planned Fire Station Number 4 tied to an adjacent school project, and continued investment in transportation reserve and developer‑funded Commerce Station distributions (first distributions to partner towns are expected this year).
Board members did not take a final vote on the budget at the meeting; Boyd directed the public to upcoming workshops and hearings and encouraged residents to attend the May outreach events and the May 20 public hearing. The manager recommended the board focus on the manager's message in the 215‑page document and on the five‑year financial forecast for capital planning.
