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Wadesboro council approves 3% COLA after budget hearing; sanitation fee and tax-rate debate to continue
Summary
After a public hearing on the proposed FY 2627 budget, council members voted to provide a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for town employees and directed additional public notice and a vote on the tax rate on June 22; councilors and residents also debated a proposed rise in the sanitation fee tied to a new private-hauler contract.
At a public hearing on the proposed FY 2627 budget, Wadesboro councilors voted to approve a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for town employees and scheduled a further vote and public notice on the town d property tax rate for June 22.
The budget presenter said updated figures from Anson County d revaluation increased the town ds projected ad valorem revenue by about $621,783, giving the council room to consider raises. "The increase in tax revenue is $621,783," the presenter said during the hearing, and she asked councilors to consider an amendment to include a 5% cost-of-living adjustment in the proposed budget before the council. Council members instead moved to adopt a 3% COLA after extended discussion.
Why it matters: The council ds decision affects employees d pay, the town ds use of fund balance and what residents ultimately pay in municipal fees and taxes. The finance presentation also flagged rising water and sewer costs the town must pass through, and a planned sanitation fee increase tied to a new hauler that drew sustained public comment.
Residents and councilors disputed the size and fairness of the sanitation increase. One commenter urged the council to reconsider a proposed move from the current residential sanitation charge (cited in the presentation as $20.75) to a proposed $25 and said the town previously allowed two cans per household. The presentation and subsequent discussion made clear the contractor ds quoted charge to the town is $18.50 per residential customer; council members discussed whether the town should absorb part of that cost or pass it to residents. "We're looking at roughly around 5,000" households to fund services, a councilor said in the debate about balancing revenue and service.
Councilors emphasized trade-offs: keep the current tax rate and use some additional revenue and remaining fund balance to pay for personnel and capital plans, or roll back to a revenue-neutral rate (presented in the hearing as 40.3 cents per $100 valuation) and reduce planned hires and purchases. After debate, a motion for a 3% COLA passed by voice vote. The council instructed staff to publish updated budget figures and to hold the required public notice so the community can review the tax-rate options before the June 22 vote.
Council action: The meeting record shows the council opened a public hearing on the budget, considered multiple amendments and approved the 3% COLA by motion and voice vote. Additional related budget amendments (general fund and water/sewer) were approved during the same meeting to reflect updated revenue and fund-balance changes.
What ds next: The council will publish the revised budget documents and hold the statutorily required public notice period before taking a final vote on the tax rate on June 22. Staff said they will provide a comparative estimate showing the fiscal effect of a revenue-neutral rollback and alternative COLA scenarios at councilors' requests.
