Surry County supervisors adopt FY 2025–26 budget, set remaining tax rates and planning fees

The Surry County Board of Supervisors approved the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and adopted resolutions to set remaining tax rates and planning-related fees at a meeting in May.

County staff told the board the revised budget transmittal — posted with the agenda and dated May 8 — reflects minor adjustments and shows a total budget for all funds, including the capital improvement fund, of $62,140,087. Staff also noted one new provision added to the resolution that would allow up to $25,000 in additional revenue to be added to the budget if the state later increases constitutional officers’ revenue.

Supervisor Pierce moved to adopt the agenda and later moved to adopt the budget as presented; Supervisor Hardy moved approval of resolution 2025-06 (described to the board as adopting tax rates for calendar year 2025). Both motions were seconded and approved by voice vote. Board members then adjourned to a special work session in May.

During discussion, county staff (identified in the meeting as Miss Rollins) summarized the revised transmittal and explained the numerical adjustments had been marked in red on the materials. Staff said the figures for estimated revenue and some expenses were updated and that the final adopted budget documents would be corrected and distributed before the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

County counsel or finance staff (identified in the meeting as Miss Perkins) told the board that resolution 2025-06 formalizes tax rates for categories that had been publicly advertised and heard but not previously captured in a single resolution. Perkins said the board had previously adopted real estate, personal property and business property rates on April 10; the resolution before the board covered the remaining categories, including passenger buses, personal property tax relief, machinery and tools, contract carriers, merchants’ capital and farm machinery and tools.

The board’s actions distinguished the formal votes from staff direction and discussion. Staff was directed to circulate the corrected transmittal (dated May 8) to supervisors; no additional study or referral was recorded. The votes recorded in the meeting were voice votes; the minutes did not include a roll-call tally by member name in the transcript.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 2025-06 (tax rates covering additional categories): moved and seconded; approved by voice vote. Budget adoption for FY 2025–26 (resolution 2025-07 as presented in the meeting materials): moved and seconded; approved by voice vote. Agenda adoption and adjournment were both approved by voice vote.