Moore County manager unveils $237.2 million recommended budget, sets June 3 public hearing

The Moore County Board of Commissioners heard a presentation Tuesday of the county manager's recommended fiscal year 2026 budget, a $237,227,662 plan that the manager said is balanced and prioritizes education, public safety and health and human services.

County Manager Wayne Best told the board the recommendation reduces the general-fund tax rate to 29.5 per $100 of assessed value from 31 per $100, proposes a 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment for county employees and a 0.5 percentage-point reduction in the 401(k) contribution for non-law-enforcement staff to help fund that increase. The recommended budget also includes a net increase of 1.5 full-time equivalent positions, including one water maintenance technician and a half-time EMS-funded position.

Why it matters: Best said the budget preserves funding for Moore County Schools and Sandhills Community College, maintains debt-service obligations and sets aside funds for capital projects across multiple funds. The recommendation restores Sandhills Community College's funding formula share to 6% (up from 5.33%), yielding an estimated $519,000 increase for the college under this proposal.

Key details: Property and sales tax account for roughly two-thirds of general-fund revenue, staff noted. Enterprise funds for utilities and the water-pollution-control plant remain fee-supported; the proposed budget includes a 3.5% increase in base and usage water/sewer rates and a 4.2% increase in flow charges to municipalities at the treatment plant.

Next steps: The board voted to call a public hearing on the FY2026 budget for June 3, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at its regularly scheduled meeting. The hearing is intended to allow public comment before the board considers final adoption.