Talking Rock council approves proposed 2026 budget after public hearing

The Talking Rock mayor and council voted to approve the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at their final meeting of 2025, following a public hearing and council discussion.

The mayor said the town held a public hearing on the budget and plans to review comments before finalizing details for several line items. "I truly believe that we're in a better position today than we were this time last year," the mayor said, citing the town's financial posture as a reason for confidence going into 2026.

Council members noted that several items are listed in a "special projects" category but are not yet defined; the mayor said the town will review the accounts and remain prepared for unforeseen emergencies. The mayor also said the council will "work with the Talking Rock fire department and to meet their needs, as best as they seek to," identifying that coordination with the local fire department is part of the coming work.

A council member moved to approve the FY2026 budget and a second was recorded. The chair called for a vote and the motion was accepted on the record; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally.

The council discussed meeting scheduling for January; the next council meeting was set for the second week of January so the council could return to its regular monthly cadence in February.

The approval puts the town on track to implement the budget in the new fiscal year while staff and council members work to define the specifics of the special projects line items.