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Burke County adopts $120.7 million budget, OKs fire district rate changes and opioid funding plan
Summary
The Burke County Board of Commissioners adopted the FY 2026‑27 budget and related measures June 15, approving a $120.7 million general fund, increased education funding, fire district rate adjustments and an opioid settlement resolution; the board also voted to withdraw consent to join Tris Pharma in opioid litigation.
The Burke County Board of Commissioners adopted its FY 2026‑27 budget on June 15, approving a $120.7 million general fund and keeping the county tax rate at 55½ cents per $100 assessed value. The board recorded the vote 5‑0. County Manager presented the plan as a continuation of the board’s strategic priorities, noting the budget absorbs a roughly $3.9 million shortfall without increasing the tax rate.
The budget package includes a phased employee pay increase that totals about 2.25 percent if conditions are met, and a $650,000 increase in outside education funding — $500,000 to Burke County Public Schools and $150,000 to Western Piedmont Community College. The manager told commissioners those increases were structured to fit within existing debt‑service and fund‑balance policies.
The board separately considered fire‑district requests. West End Volunteer Fire Department’s proposed tax rate was set at 11 cents per $100 of assessed value; Triple Community Volunteer Fire Department’s requested increase was approved as presented. Chiefs who spoke asked for added revenue to support station repairs, apparatus replacement and retention of part‑time staffing; both requests were approved by recorded hand vote 5‑0.
Commissioners also adopted the fiscal year opioid settlement funds resolution (Resolution No. 2026‑15), which continues locally run programs funded by national/state settlement receipts and allocates $465,000 for phase‑two request for applications to expand services. In a separate decision added to the agenda, the board voted unanimously to withdraw Burke County’s prior consent to join Tris Pharma as a named defendant in a proposed amended complaint related to the opioid litigation, after counsel advised the county the anticipated recoveries likely would not cover expected litigation costs.
Other budget‑related items approved at the meeting included year‑end budget amendment No. 33 and several capital project closeouts. The board recorded all formal votes as unanimous (5‑0).
What’s next: The county manager said departments will implement the adopted budget July 1; commissioners noted they will monitor outcomes and review program performance as the year progresses.
