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Mooresville adopts FY2026 budget with new employee pay, higher waste and utility fees
Summary
The Mooresville Board of Commissioners approved the town's fiscal 2026 budget June 2, keeping property tax rate unchanged while adding employee pay and benefit changes, increasing solid-waste and utility fees and funding 24 new benefited positions.
The Mooresville Board of Commissioners approved the town's fiscal 2026 budget on June 2, adopting changes that include additional staff, new pay and benefit adjustments, an increase in solid-waste fees and an increase to water and sewer rates effective January 1, 2026.
Town Manager Tracy Jerome said the final property valuations produced a positive change in revenues but that the town would not change this year's property-tax rate; she told the board the rate will remain at the current level (not specified in the presentation). "There is no change to this year's property tax," Jerome said.
The budget matter matters because it funds the town's operations for the coming year and includes several measures meant to respond to staff recruitment and retention pressures. Jerome said the budget adds 24 benefited positions, funds a comprehensive pay-and-classification study, and includes merit pay that will range from 0% to 5% based on performance. She said the town will begin both short-term and long-term disability benefits for employees and will improve vacation accruals.
Jerome outlined several revenue and fee changes included in the plan. The town will increase the annual solid-waste fee from $144 to $204 per household to cover rising collection and recycling costs. The budget also includes an average increase of about $3.95 per month per household for water and sewer service, with those changes to appear on bills beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Jerome said.
Jerome told the board that health-insurance costs rose about 15% this year but that the board agreed to absorb those additional costs so employees would see the full benefit of pay increases. She also said the budget includes a step plan for police and fire positions, a separation benefit for fire personnel to begin in January, and changes to longevity-pay timing to get payments ahead of the holidays.
On library funding, Jerome said county support came in lower than expected by about $385,000; Commissioner Qualls sought and received Jerome's assurance that the town would not cut library services and would use other town funds to cover the shortfall.
The board approved the ordinance after closing the public hearing. Commissioner Qualls moved to adopt the FY2026 budget ordinance; Commissioner West seconded. The motion carried.
The budget also calls for a new annual capital program with an ADA action plan and continued attention to utility, stormwater and self-insurance fund management. Jerome said the town will communicate details about pay adjustments and timing to employees after the board's approval.
A full, itemized budget ordinance and supporting fund summaries were included in the meeting materials; the ordinance was adopted at the June 2 meeting and will guide the town's fiscal 2026 spending and policy implementation.
