Drexel adopts FY 2025–26 budget, raises off-duty officer pay; extends mayoral term and denies an extra alderman seat

The Drexel Board of Aldermen on June 3 adopted the town's FY 2025–26 budget and amended the fee schedule to raise pay for off-duty police work from $35 to $40 an hour.

The action, taken after a public hearing and a presentation by RJ Moseley of McGill and Associates, also included unanimous approval of an ordinance to increase the mayoral term from two to four years, subject to a referendum conducted under North Carolina General Statutes 160A-103. The board voted to deny a separate ordinance that would have added an alderman seat to the town charter.

Why it matters: The adopted budget sets the town's fiscal priorities for the coming year and includes the higher off-duty pay rate the mayor and police chief discussed during the hearing. McGill and Associates presented a water and sewer revenue analysis that recommended raising rates 12% annually for three years to fund planned capital improvements; the board held that analysis as part of the budget hearing. The mayoral-term ordinance will take effect June 3, 2025, but implementation is contingent on the outcome of a referendum process spelled out in NCGS 160A-103.

The budget hearing opened at 6:40 p.m. Mayor Dennis Anthony asked Police Chief Ritchie about off-duty pay for county and neighboring officers; Chief Ritchie said the county pays —around $40 an hour for off duty work.— The mayor noted Drexel currently pays $35 and said he would like to raise it to $40. After the McGill presentation on water and sewer capital projects and revenue needs, the public hearing closed at 7:45 p.m.

Alderman Scott Coe moved to adopt the FY 2025'26 proposed budget with an amendment adjusting the off-duty officer fee from $35 to $40 per hour; Alderman Jennifer Yount seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

On charter changes, the board denied a proposed amendment to add an alderman seat. Later the board approved an ordinance increasing the mayoral term from two to four years; the motion was made by Alderman Timothy Franklin and seconded by Alderman Scott Coe. The ordinance was described in the minutes as effective from and after June 3, 2025, and subject to the referendum process under NCGS 160A-103.

The board entered closed session at 7:53 p.m. pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(1) and (6) to protect privileged attorney-client communications and to consider the performance of a public officer. After returning to open session at 8:59 p.m., the board approved a contract amendment to the town manager's employment agreement (motion Franklin; second Yount). The meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of May 13, 2025 minutes: motion Coe; second Yount; outcome: approved, unanimous (5-0). - Deny ordinance to amend charter to add an alderman seat: motion Coe; second Franklin; outcome: denied, unanimous (5-0). - Adopt ordinance to amend charter to increase mayoral term to four years (subject to referendum under NCGS 160A-103): motion Franklin; second Coe; outcome: adopted, unanimous (5-0). - Open public hearing on FY 2025'26 budget: motion Yount; second Coe; opened 6:40 p.m. - Close public hearing on FY 2025'26 budget: motion Coe; second Yount; closed 7:45 p.m. - Adopt FY 2025'26 budget with amendment (raise off-duty officer pay from $35 to $40/hour): motion Coe; second Yount; outcome: adopted, unanimous (5-0). - Enter closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(1) and (6): motion Yount; second Franklin; entered 7:53 p.m. - Approve contract amendment to town manager's employment agreement (original dated Oct. 3, 2023): motion Franklin; second Yount; outcome: approved, unanimous (5-0). - Adjourn: motion Coe; second Yount; outcome: approved, unanimous (5-0).

Speakers referenced in this article: [{"name":"Dennis Anthony","role_title":"Mayor","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Scott Coe","role_title":"Alderman","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Timothy Franklin","role_title":"Alderman","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Jennifer Yount","role_title":"Alderman","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Allen Reed","role_title":"Alderman (by phone)","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Bill Carroll","role_title":"Town Manager","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Kristen Powell","role_title":"Town Clerk","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Rod Willcox","role_title":"Town Attorney","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Town of Drexel"},{"name":"Police Chief Ritchie","role_title":"Police Chief","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Drexel Police Department"},{"name":"RJ Moseley","role_title":"Consultant","affiliation_type":"business","affiliation_name":"McGill and Associates"}]

Authorities: [{"type":"statute","name":"NCGS 160A-103","citation":"NCGS 160A-103","referenced_by":["motion_approve_mayoral_term"]},{"type":"statute","name":"NCGS 143-318.11(a)(1) and (6)","citation":"NCGS 143-318.11(a)(1),(6)","referenced_by":["motion_enter_closed_session"]}]

Clarifying details: [{"category":"off-duty_pay","detail":"Off-duty officer pay increased from $35 to $40 per hour in the adopted fee schedule","value":"40","units":"USD/hour","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Mayor Dennis Anthony / Police Chief Ritchie"},{"category":"water_sewer_rate_recommendation","detail":"McGill and Associates recommended raising water/sewer rates by 12% each year over the next three years","value":"12","units":"percent per year","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"RJ Moseley"},{"category":"public_hearing_times","detail":"Budget public hearing opened at 6:40 p.m. and closed at 7:45 p.m.","source_speaker":"Town minutes"},{"category":"closed_session_times","detail":"Entered closed session at 7:53 p.m.; returned to open session at 8:59 p.m.","source_speaker":"Town minutes"}]

Proper_names: [{"name":"Town of Drexel","type":"location"},{"name":"Drexel Police Department","type":"agency"},{"name":"McGill and Associates","type":"business"},{"name":"Burke County","type":"location"},{"name":"Valdese","type":"location"}]

Provenance: {"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"p2","local_start":0,"local_end":800,"evidence_excerpt":"After the public hearing during the last regular meeting, the board has decided not to amend the charter to add an alderman seat. A motion was made by Alderman Coe, seconded by Alderman Franklin to deny the ordinance to amend the charter to add an alderman seat. The motion passed unanimously.","tc_start":"18:15:00","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"p3","local_start":0,"local_end":800,"evidence_excerpt":"Adoption of the FY 25-26 proposed budget while amending the fee schedule from $35 to $40 an hour for an off-duty officer, seconded by Alderman Yount. The motion was unanimous.","tc_start":"19:46:00","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

Salience: {"overall":0.78,"overall_justification":"Budget adoption and charter amendments affect town governance and finances; unanimous votes reduce immediate controversy but the mayoral-term change triggers a statutory referendum.","impact_scope":"local","impact_scope_justification":"Changes apply to the Town of Drexel and its municipal operations.","attention_level":"medium","attention_level_justification":"Local government finance and governance decisions are relevant to residents; referendum requirement increases public interest.","novelty":0.3,"novelty_justification":"Routine municipal budget and charter items, though mayoral term change is a notable governance alteration.","timeliness_urgency":0.5,"timeliness_urgency_justification":"Budget adoption is timely for fiscal year implementation; referendum timing depends on statutorily set processes.","legal_significance":0.5,"legal_significance_justification":"Charter amendment and closed-session statutory citations indicate legal/process requirements.","budgetary_significance":0.6,"budgetary_significance_justification":"Adopted budget and rate-recommendation affect municipal revenue and resident utility bills.","public_safety_risk":0.1,"public_safety_risk_justification":"No immediate public-safety risk reported; off-duty pay affects staffing/operations.","environmental_impact":0.1,"environmental_impact_justification":"Water/sewer capital projects referenced but specifics not included.","affected_population_estimate":3000,"affected_population_estimate_justification":"Town-level governance and utility rates affect local population; precise population not specified.","affected_population_confidence":0.4,"affected_population_confidence_justification":"Town population estimate not provided in transcript.","budget_total_usd":0.0,"budget_total_usd_justification":"Full budget figure not specified in minutes.","decision_deadline":"not specified","decision_deadline_justification":"No statutory timeline for referendum or implementation given in transcript.","policy_stage":"passed","policy_stage_justification":"Budget adopted and mayoral-term ordinance adopted by the board; mayoral change subject to referendum."}

Searchable_tags:["budget","mayoral_term","charter","public_hearing","water_sewer","police_pay","closed_session"],

topics:[{"name":"municipal_budget","justification":"Primary subject: adoption of FY 2025-26 budget and fee schedule amendment.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":0.95,"depth_score":0.85,"opinionatedness":0.05,"controversy":0.25,"civic_salience":0.85,"impactfulness":0.7,"geo_relevance":1.0}},{"name":"charter_amendment_mayor_term","justification":"Board adopted ordinance to increase mayoral term length subject to referendum under NCGS 160A-103.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":0.9,"depth_score":0.7,"opinionatedness":0.02,"controversy":0.3,"civic_salience":0.8,"impactfulness":0.6,"geo_relevance":1.0}}]