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Winterville council adopts 2026–27 budget; no tax rate change but some council members dissent
Summary
After multiple budget sessions the council adopted the FY 2026–27 budget ordinance with no change to the tax rate. Council discussed end‑of‑year amendments, estimated fund‑balance additions, and capital items including a fire truck replacement, police evidence‑room expansion, Mil Street sidewalk match and various facility repairs. The adoption passed with recorded dissent and an abstention.
Winterville’s Town Council adopted the fiscal year 2026–27 budget ordinance at its June 8 meeting after a series of budget workshops. Staff said the property tax rate remains the same as the prior year (0.45 per $100 valuation) and summarized key revenue and expenditure adjustments explained during the meeting.
Finance staff (Miss Manning) reviewed the year‑end amendment for FY 2025–26 (amendment #7) and the proposed 2026–27 ordinance. The amendment reflects updated revenue estimates (selected increases in property, vehicle and sales tax lines) and final year‑end true‑ups. Staff estimated returning about $750,000 to the general fund balance before audit adjustments; the figure is an estimate pending year‑end audit entries. Miss Manning also outlined specific line changes tied to asset‑forfeiture receipts, grant proceeds, electric fund adjustments tied to power‑cost adjustments and planned capital reserve increases across enterprise funds.
Major capital highlights in the adopted ordinance: - A new fire apparatus purchase (discussed during the budget process). - A police evidence‑room expansion to meet risk‑assessment recommendations (cited as a $55,000 item to expand the evidence storage footprint and improve HVAC/ventilation). - Replacement or substantial repairs for town facilities (roof and HVAC work identified in staff notes). - Mil Street sidewalk local match funding.
Council discussion included questions about program equity (parks and recreation access for seniors, teens and residents with disabilities), the timing of multi‑purpose/community‑center investments and several requests for clearer, quarterly budget reviews. Councilwoman Hawkins asked staff to return by August with options on accessibility and recreation programming outreach; staff said an accessibility study for parks has been started and a QR‑code‑based outreach plan is planned for the fall.
Vote and council positions: The budget ordinance passed following a motion and second; Council records show a split outcome with at least one no vote (Councilwoman Smith) and an abstention (Councilwoman Hawkins). Several council members who supported the budget cited prior committee work and multiple review sessions. Council members who opposed or abstained cited concerns about long‑term affordability, fee structures, and prioritization of certain capital items.
Next steps: staff will continue implementation and bring back quarterly updates and any requested follow‑ups on recreation access and prioritized capital projects.
