Boonsboro holds public hearing on FY2026 budget; staff proposes no property tax increase, raises sanitation and utility fees

Boonsboro Mayor Howard Long on May 12 opened a public hearing on Ordinance 2025‑01, the town’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budgets and tax rate, which would keep the constant‑yield property tax rate at $0.3591 per $100 of assessed value while increasing several user fees and listing major capital projects.

The proposal, presented as budget highlights, maintains the personal property tax rate at $0.87 per $100 and projects General Fund revenues of $1,490,973 from property taxes and $60,000 from personal property taxes. Staff also estimated Highway User Revenues at $298,424 and set annual Fire and Rescue donations at $28,000 per agency.

Under the proposal, sanitation charges would rise from $30 to $35 per quarter per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU). The Water and Sewer Fund reflects a tiered rate structure (a fixed quarterly fee plus volumetric charges). Examples listed in the materials include a sewer fixed fee of $66.00 per EDU per quarter and a water fixed fee of $37.50 per EDU per quarter; water usage was shown at $6.20 per 1,000 gallons for the first 1–18,000 gallons and $9.30 per 1,000 gallons above that for residential customers.

The budgets list several large capital projects. The General Fund includes a $1,210,000 project for the Chase Six Boulevard–Maple Avenue intersection. The Water Fund lists a Drinking Water Reservoir Replacement estimated at $7,380,335 and a Crestview Water Pressure project at $1,335,910; the Water Fund budgeted total revenues and expenses at $1,415,448 and included a $10,000 contingency. The Sewer Fund projected revenue from sewer charges at $1,186,710, total revenues and expenses of $1,663,770, a $10,000 contingency, a $100,000 special funding project and a Waste Water Treatment Plant CDA Bond debt of $309,007.

Town Manager Rachel Souders said Section 6 is a new addition to the ordinance this year. The section incorporates connection fees set by Resolution No. 2024‑02 (effective March 3, 2024) and lists a Water Connection Fee of $10,550 and a Sewer Connection Fee of $15,500, payable at application and before any connection may be made. "Section 6 is a new addition to the Ordinance this year," Souders said.

The council opened the floor for public comment; none were received. Council Member Eric Kitchen moved, and Council Member Ricky Weaver seconded, a motion to close the public hearing at 6:42 p.m.; the motion carried.

The materials presented list projected revenues, proposed user fee changes, and capital projects; the public hearing provided an opportunity for comment but did not include a final council vote on the ordinance. The record of the hearing was submitted by Office Manager Kimberly Miller.