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Indian Trail council reviews FY27 budget kickoff, fund balance and capital priorities
Summary
Town staff presented a high-level FY27 budget and five-year forecast; councilors emphasized roads, a public works facility, parks and grants while staff warned that shrinking ARPA balances and lower interest will tighten revenue projections.
Town manager Adam Mclam opened a budget workshop by urging a collaborative discussion of the town’s priorities for fiscal year 2027, saying the presentation was intended to be a workshop rather than a one-way briefing. "At the end of the day, it is y'all's budget," he said, and asked council members to help shape what staff will later present as a formal recommendation.
Mclam reviewed a five-year forecast and explained that a spike in recent budget years was driven largely by one-time funds and high interest returns on large ARPA and state distributions. He said the town had $22.3 million in unassigned fund balance as of the last audit but cautioned that much of that is earmarked: "our town policy that we can't drop below 30% of that amount — that's that $7,100,000," he said, and noted that roughly $5.487 million had already been appropriated for capital projects.
Council members framed their priorities around an overlapping set of issues. Several called out roads and finishing long-stalled capital work as top items. One council member urged a public-works facility be pursued to improve snow and storm response and to consolidate crews and equipment; staff said the town has secured a wetlands delineation and a five-year permit for the proposed site and is exploring phased construction and financing options.
Members also raised public-safety staffing, parks and economic development as recurring themes. On revenues, finance staff told the council they used conservative assumptions — a 2% growth rate for sales tax following state guidance — and said projected investment income will likely be lower as ARPA funds are spent down and rates moderate.
Staff said personnel assumptions for FY27 include a proposed 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment with a $1,500 minimum and a placeholder of 20% for health-insurance premium growth, while noting equipment and vehicle purchases are lighter this year because of recent investments. Mclam closed by saying the council will continue the budget conversation at workshop sessions scheduled before council meetings through the spring.
Next steps: council and staff will hold shorter department-level workshops before regular council meetings, and the town expects to hold one formal public hearing on the budget as it moves toward adoption.
