Finance committee recommends FY2027 budget and tax rates to full Board

The Halifax County Board of Supervisors’ Finance Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend the proposed FY2027 county budget and the county’s tax rates to the full Board of Supervisors.

Committee Chair D. Witt and two fellow supervisors met May 26 in the county administration building’s finance conference room and, after reviewing public‑hearing comments, agreed no changes to the draft budget were necessary. Vice Chairman R. Smart moved to recommend the budget; Supervisor J. Oakes seconded the motion, which passed 3–0.

The recommendation covers Resolution 2026‑21, described in committee documents as the Adoption and Appropriation of the FY2027 County Budget. Committee members discussed whether public‑hearing remarks required edits to the proposal; Chair D. Witt said the school board was satisfied with the proposed budget and that requested school items were included. County Administrator Ron Brade told the committee he had not received concerns from the superintendent or other school officials.

Committee members and staff also confirmed that previously appropriated school carryover funds and planned athletic project funding are included in the FY2027 proposal. Interim Finance Director John Montoro recommended that part of the Parks and Recreation maintenance allocation be identified specifically for upkeep of the Botanical Garden at Edmunds Park; Mr. Montoro described that as a possible earmark rather than a new line item. Mr. Brade said funding for grass cutting had already been included in the proposal.

Other items raised during the review included potential future restroom improvements, the possibility of a new well to be funded through an unspecified grant, insurance coverage considerations, and long‑term maintenance and precedent concerns for county‑supported community projects. The committee agreed not to add new budget line items now and left consideration of capital or facility improvements to future budget cycles.

The Finance Committee also moved, on a 3–0 vote, to recommend Resolution 2026‑20, which sets the county’s tax rates for the coming year. Both committee motions were framed as recommendations to the full Board of Supervisors; the transcript records the committee’s votes but does not record a subsequent full‑Board action.

The committee adjourned at 10:31 a.m. The Board of Supervisors will consider the committee’s recommendations at a future meeting schedule set by the Board (not specified in the committee transcript).