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Wentworth council discusses conservative revenue forecasts, proposes school roof capital reserve
Summary
Finance staff presented FY2025-26 revenue and expenditure assumptions — including a conservative $925,000 sales/use tax estimate, $115,000 utility tax projection, and suggested 3% COLA/merit increases — and Mayor Paschal proposed a 10-year, $50,000-per-year capital reserve fund for the Wentworth Consolidated School roof.
Town finance staff presented a preliminary budget framework for fiscal year 2025–26 and council members discussed key revenue assumptions, spending priorities and proposed a new capital reserve for the Wentworth Consolidated School roof.
Finance Officer Yvonne Russell said sales and use tax distributions for FY2024–25 have trailed the prior year and recommended a conservative sales/use tax budget of $925,000 for FY2025–26. She noted only two quarterly utility sales tax distributions have been received for FY2024–25 and recommended budgeting $115,000 for utility sales tax because available data are limited. Russell also recommended budgeting $100,000 for interest on investments, expecting interest rates to decline.
Councilmembers Dennis Paschal III and Daryl Crowder suggested a 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA); the council agreed to use a 3% merit increase as well. Other line items noted by Russell included a Board of Elections quote of $6,450, Code Red at $786, and a set of proposed community allocations: $1,000 to the Fine Arts Festival Association, $10,000 to the Museum and Archives of Rockingham County, $1,000 to the Rockingham County Arts Council, $8,000 to the Wentworth PTA Ball Program, $5,000 to Rockingham United/LOT 2540, $1,000 to Rockingham County Food Coalition, $5,000 to Help Inc./Square One, $7,400 for RCMS Band & Choir, and $2,000 for RCHS Band Boosters. Ms. Russell said staff will provide procurement quotes and any needed budget amendment language at future meetings.
Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. proposed establishing a capital reserve fund specifically for the Wentworth Consolidated School roof. "They fixed the roof on the main school. It may have been ten, twelve, thirteen years ago, so ten years from now that may pop up…All the problems that arose for us came from the water runoff going down in there and began messing everything up. That needs to be the prime consideration for making sure at some point in time if somebody needs to put a new roof on the building, they can do it," Paschal said. He suggested setting aside $50,000 per year over ten years. Finance Officer Russell reported FY2023–24 actual revenues of $1,309,787.67 and total expenditures of $977,540.98, leaving $332,246.69 in unspent funds; she said she will draft the Capital Reserve Fund paperwork for presentation at the May meeting.
Council discussed leaving mayor and council stipends unchanged and restoring a previously budgeted $15,000 for the fire department line item. The council also considered technology upgrades for the council chambers and possible use of funds for Christmas in the Park, noting a suggested budget of $20,000 if the council chooses to hire an event company. No final appropriations were adopted at this session; staff will present formal budget language and amendments at future meetings.
