Winston holds required URA and city budget hearings; staff outlines FY 2026–27 totals

City staff presented the Winston Urban Renewal Agency (URA) and the city’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026–27 during the June 1 council meeting and accepted public testimony during required hearings.

At the URA hearing staff said the agency has no outstanding debt and reviewed the URA figures for last year and the coming year. The URA presentation was brief and the public hearing was opened and closed with no public opposition.

In the city budget presentation, staff reported actual resources for FY 2024–25 were $13,131,069; the adopted budget for the year ending June 30, 2026, is $16,820,238; and the proposed total resources for FY 2026–27 are $17,851,336. Staff walked through major fund figures, reporting general-fund, street-fund and sewer-fund totals, the reserve level and the city’s outstanding indebtedness as of July 1. The staff presentation also noted the city’s permanent tax rate remaining at 4.2718 per $1,000.

Administration also warned councilors of a possible increase in the county-run 911 dispatch contract beyond the typical 3% annual adjustment. “That’s a $134,000 contract that we pay to allow our citizens to call 911,” the administrator said, and noted the county had opened the possibility of indexing increases to demonstrated cost changes rather than a flat 3%.

No members of the public spoke in opposition to the budgets during the hearings. Following the close of public comment, council proceeded with regular business. The city will follow its standard adoption timeline and any changes will be reflected in the next formal action on the budget.

The hearing record and the fund-level tables presented at the meeting will be available in city records; staff said they will notify council and the public of any subsequent adjustments tied to intergovernmental contract changes.