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County manager presents FY 2025-26 recommended budget with no tax increase
Summary
County Manager Lance Metzler presented a FY 2025-26 recommended budget with no tax increase (rate remaining at 58.01¢), a $129.2 million general fund and $175.2 million total budget, recommending about $4.5 million from fund balance and personnel adjustments including a 3% COLA.
County Manager Lance Metzler presented the Rockingham County recommended fiscal year 2025-26 budget to the Board of Commissioners on May 19.
Metzler said the recommended budget carries no property-tax increase and recommends keeping the rate at 58.01¢. The proposed general fund totals $129,235,240 (a 2.73% increase from the prior year) and the countywide total budget is $175,238,368. Metzler said the county projects ad valorem collections to yield approximately $72,900,000 and that he was recommending appropriation of roughly $4,500,000 from fund balance to balance priorities and one-time needs.
Key details Metzler highlighted include a proposed 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, funding for reclassifications and a small number of new positions across departments (animal shelter coordinator, social services positions, engineering/public utilities planning, HR and a conversion of a contracted pharmacist to a county employee), and roughly $2 million for capital improvements. Specific one-time uses from fund balance listed included vehicle purchases, a smoke-exhaust monitoring system at the jail and limited canteen funds for veterans treatment court and insurance needs.
Metzler reported projected revenues: sales tax just under $16,000,000 (a slight decrease from prior projections) and modest increases in property and public-utility assessments. He recommended a 3% increase for the schools’ operating request (approximately $600,000) and noted forthcoming, more detailed school and RCC budget items this summer. Metzler said department leaders are being encouraged to engage in staff training and leadership development and that three employee assistance program sessions would be supported in the coming year.
Next steps: a budget work session scheduled for May 23 at 8:30 a.m. and a public hearing on June 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Chambers, with printed materials available for citizens.
Commissioners thanked staff for the budget document and urged residents to attend upcoming meetings for further deliberations and public comment.
