Roxboro council hears budget pitch, proposes 5% water rate increase and schedules ratification

Roxboro — City staff on Tuesday walked the Roxboro City Council through a proposed fiscal year 2024–25 budget that would keep the property tax rate at 80 cents per $100 of assessed value while raising water and sewer rates by 5% to shore up Enterprise fund finances.

City manager Mr Lockart opened the public hearing, telling council the total proposed budget spreads across the general, enterprise and other funds and that projected water and sewer sales — which staff said average roughly 34 million gallons per month — informed the revenue estimate. “We are proposing ... a 5% increase” in the consumption/capital rates, Lockart said during the presentation.

Why it matters: staff said rising capital needs and debt-service obligations — notably wastewater treatment plant upgrades and the Western sewer project — require increased dedicated revenue. Lockart told council the proposed 11-cent per 1,000 increase in the capital rate would raise about $1.2 million between water and sewer and fund near-term debt and projects.

Council asked about employee pay and retention. Finance Director Janelle Moore confirmed the draft includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment with a 1–2% merit component, which she said is intended to reduce compression and help retain staff.

On stormwater and compliance, staff noted new state stormwater rules are increasing costs and liabilities, prompting a $100,000 consulting line in the budget for industrial-stormwater permit compliance.

Budget amendment approved: before the hearing, Council approved Budget Amendment No. 7, which reclassified departmental expenditures and corrected two line-item figures (25,000, not 250,000), a correction Moore credited to staff review.

Next steps: the council closed the public hearing and set formal adoption/ratification for noon on Tuesday, June 25. Staff indicated they will be available to make any last-minute ministerial changes before that ratification date.