Burke County adopts $116.2 million FY2025-26 budget; approves school agreement and nonprofit funding

The Burke County Board of Commissioners on June 16 adopted the fiscal year 2025-26 budget ordinance (No. 2025-07), approving a $116,200,000 general-fund spending plan that trims the proposed property tax rate to 55.5 cents per $100 of assessed value and funds education, public safety and other priorities.

County Manager Brian Eppley told the board the budget is “balanced on 55 and a half cents” and described the plan as built around a multiyear strategic effort to “react, rebuild, rethink” county services. Eppley said the budget allocates about $20.5 million to Burke County Public Schools and proposes a 2.25% cost-of-living adjustment across county payroll.

Why it matters: the ordinance steadies the county’s capital and operating plans amid continuing inflationary pressures and revenue uncertainty. Eppley said the county manufactured about $8.5 million of budget flexibility over three years and is targeting economic development, service improvements and modest tax relief.

Key details: the adopted general fund totals $116.2 million; property tax is about 52.9% of total revenue; projected property value growth used in the budget is roughly 1.96%; the budget contemplates $32,289,000 in gross payroll and a 2.25% COLA recommendation; Burke County Public Schools allocation is $20,500,000; the county proposes a household solid-waste fee increase from $88 to $92 and a monthly sewer availability charge increase from $25 to $30.

The budget document also incorporates several policy and program priorities referenced by Eppley, including continued capital plan work, support for volunteer fire departments, a proposed citizens academy, and renewed emphasis on economic development projects such as a speculative industrial shell building and hangars at the Hickory airport. Eppley said solid-waste and water/sewer enterprise funds are being managed to improve self-sufficiency.

The board heard no speakers during the budget public hearing before taking votes on the budget and related items. Commissioners recorded a series of motions tied to the budget, including a memorandum of agreement with the Burke County Board of Education and approvals of nonprofit allocations included in the adopted budget.

Votes at a glance: - Adopt fiscal year 2025-26 Budget Ordinance No. 2025-07 (motion by Commissioner Stroud): adopted (tally reported 4–0). The motion text was recorded as a motion to adopt the fiscal year 25–26 budget ordinance number 2025-07 as presented. (Transcript: topicintro at 1864.99; topfinish at 3750.29.) - Approve memorandum of agreement between Burke County and the Burke County Board of Education for FY25-26 (motion by Commissioner Burns): approved (tally reported 4–0). (Transcript: topicintro at 3768.63; topfinish at 3778.79.) - Approve funding for nonprofits as set forth in the FY25-26 budget (BDI vote taken separately; VETIC deferred): the board approved funding for the nonprofits listed in the budget with the exception of Burke Development Inc. (BDI) and VETIC (motion to approve all other nonprofit funding by Commissioner Burns): adopted (tally reported 4–0). A separate motion to approve BDI funding was moved and the board handled recusals for that vote; the VETIC funding vote was held for a future meeting due to recusal/quorum concerns. (Transcript: topicintro at 3800.90; topfinish at 3966.145.)

Discussion and context: Eppley’s presentation stressed conservative revenue forecasting, diversified revenue sources and an emphasis on human-capital investments after the county’s multiyear prioritization process. He noted growth in investment income over recent years and said the budget does not rely on volatile investment returns. Eppley warned of inflationary pressures, rising contract and insurance costs, and a roughly $1.3 million estimated inflationary increase in operating costs in the coming year.

What the board directed: commissioners did not reopen the budget for additional public comment after the hearing and proceeded to vote. The county attorney advised, during a separate discussion about recusals and quorum rules, that items where two commissioners are recused may lack the necessary quorum and should be deferred; the board followed that guidance for VETIC funding.

Next steps: the budget ordinance and the associated memorandum of agreement with the Board of Education will be executed and implementation will begin under county management. The BDI funding item was handled with recusal recorded; VETIC funding will be scheduled when a sufficient number of commissioners can participate in the vote.

Ending: Commissioners closed the budget public hearing after no members of the public spoke and approved the package of motions tied to the FY25-26 budget during the June 16 meeting.