Pine Ridge council holds public hearing, approves first reading of 2025/2026 budget amendment

The Pine Ridge Town Council opened a public hearing on March 10 and approved on first reading Ordinance 2026-02, a 2025/2026 fiscal year budget amendment that raises the town’s business license revenue projection and adjusts multiple expense lines. Mayor Daniel D. Davis opened the hearing and summarized the principal changes.

The amendment increases the town’s projected business license revenue from $100,000 to $110,000 and reflects higher planning consultant costs and modestly increased utilities, while reducing several line items including dues, building maintenance, repairs and maintenance, and vehicle insurance. The Mayor said the town’s projected net income for the fiscal year had declined from about $17,999 to approximately $1,826 after the adjustments but that the increases were covered by the higher-than-anticipated revenues and required no new revenue sources.

Police Chief Neeley addressed one budget-related line item during the hearing, explaining the town’s records and court management software (LawTrak) had been sold by Nicholson Business Solutions to a company known as ARMS, which raised annual licensing fees from about $5,000 to close to $9,000. Chief Neeley said the department identified Patrol Logix (operating under the Gold Shield umbrella), a cloud-based records management system and court management system offered at a cost comparable to the town’s original LawTrak fees, and expects the transition to restore CJIS/SLED compliance within the next couple of months. He noted the town’s court administrator, Brittany, had assisted in developing the CMS for Patrol Logix.

With no members of the public speaking for or against the ordinance, Councilmember Simms moved to consider Ordinance 2026-02 on first reading, Councilmember Urbanek seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. The council did not take final action on adoption; this session recorded approval to move forward on first reading.

What it means: The amendment rebalances revenue and expense lines to address higher consulting costs and other operating changes while leaving overall town finances in a positive position, albeit with a much smaller projected net balance than previously expected. The police department’s planned switch of its records system is presented as a compliance and cost response to a vendor licensing increase.

Next steps: The ordinance was approved on first reading; the council may schedule a subsequent reading or adoption vote consistent with local procedural rules.