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Belmont proposes $25.8 million general fund, holds tax rate and recommends 10.5% water and sewer hikes
Summary
City Manager Miles Braswell presented a proposed FY2025'26 balanced budget that holds the tax rate at 0.455 per $100 and calls for a $25,796,545 general fund, with proposed 10.5% increases for both water and sewer user fees to fund capital work and cover revenue shortfalls.
City Manager Miles Braswell presented Belmont's proposed FY2025'26 budget on May 5, telling the council the recommended general fund budget is $25,796,545 and the administration proposes to keep the tax rate at 0.455 per $100 of assessed value. "The proposed balanced budget is $25,796,545," Braswell said during his presentation.
The proposal would increase the water and sewer user fees by 10.5% each, after an earlier 8.5% increase that staff said did not produce expected revenue to fund expenses and the capital-improvement program. Braswell said the enterprise funds are supported by user fees and the additional revenue is intended to preserve funds for CIP projects and to address infiltration and inflow (I&I) issues in the sewer system.
The draft budget includes a water-sewer fund budget of $10,424,042 and a stormwater fund proposal of $1,096,642. Staff told the council the general-fund CIP over the next five years is roughly $67.5 million, with $1.18 million budgeted for capital projects in FY2025'26.
On personnel, Braswell said the packet reflects a net increase in full-time positions to 196 from 186, driven in part by grant-funded positions. The draft removes one requested police officer and one code-enforcement position; the council also spent time clarifying a $7,000 across-the-board adjustment that staff said applies to sworn officers only, not administrative personnel.
Braswell told council the League of Municipalities will no longer provide municipal health benefits as of June 30; a new broker, Health International, provided an 8.7% overall insurance quote for the city. The packet includes funds for architectural services for police and parks facility projects and a McLean Park conceptual design allocation.
Council moved to set a public hearing for adoption of the FY2025'26 budget at the June 2 council meeting. A public hearing and final adoption will be the next formal steps before budget approval.
What happens next: The council will hold a public hearing on June 2 and then consider adoption. Staff said detailed fee schedules and plan-based estimates will be finalized in permitting and plan-review stages.
