Goldsboro council adopts annual budget, increases parks fees and doubles out‑of‑city recreation rates

The Goldsboro City Council adopted the annual budget ordinance with several staff‑proposed adjustments, including a modification to parks and recreation fees that raises resident youth sports rates slightly and applies a higher nonresident multiplier.

The budget ordinance as proposed included a 50 percent adjustment in parts of the recreation fee schedule (staff presented an example changing resident youth sports from $45 to $50). Several council members pressed for a larger nonresident fee differential to align with rates charged by surrounding recreation providers. Council voted to amend the fee schedule so that nonresident program and facility rates are set at double the resident rate for applicable line items — for youth sports that change sets the nonresident fee at $100 when resident rate is $50 — and the amendment passed unanimously.

Council members also asked for clarity on smaller budget line items. Staff provided duty descriptions for fire and police chaplains (noting they historically served as volunteers and are now provided stipends to offset mileage and related expenses) and confirmed that MLK event funding was retained in the budget with past expenditures reconciled. Staff said they will follow up with specific documentation and, where appropriate, recommended duty-rotation or policy options for volunteer stipends.

Council adopted the overall annual budget ordinance as modified (recorded on the floor as a 7–0 vote). Staff will implement fee changes in the manual of fees and bring any additional policy updates to council for review.