Saltville council advances 2026–27 budget draft, schedules public hearing and adoption vote

The Saltville Town Council continued review of the proposed 2026–27 budget at a June 2 work session, clarifying several line items and voting unanimously to advertise the draft for a public hearing on June 16 and to set a budget adoption meeting for June 23.

Town Manager Cecile Rosenbaum began the session by summarizing recent changes to the draft, saying she had added generator costs, a 4% employee pay increase, the full requested amount for the Smyth County Chamber and a seasonal pool budget. She provided a printout that itemized every line in the 'miscellaneous' category after council members raised questions about those entries. Rosenbaum said the revenue figures in the draft are projections: "The numbers showing are just a projection, nothing will be finalized until August and catch up with the fiscal year end."

Council members pressed for clarity on several specific items. Councilman R.B. Henderson confirmed the snow-removal amount applied to Lundy's; Public Works Director Brandon Frye added that his crew also performed limited winter work on lighter snow days. Councilwoman Suzanne Abramson asked whether there remain cemetery plots to sell; Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Tammy Woodward said the older section sold out in the 1980s but the newer section has "a little over 200" vacant plots according to the map book.

On public safety spending, Rosenbaum said the police-vehicle line covers financing for two new vehicles over multiple years and that the town will not resume the previous lease plan. Councilman Ryan Comer argued for retaining a $40,000 overtime line for the police to cover unexpected shift coverage and incidents. Rosenbaum also said she has asked the town auditor for guidance on showing FICA costs and integrating those entries into the town's financial management system (FMS); some accounting details remain to be reconciled before the budget is finalized.

Councilman Cary Sauls described pool operations and a new revenue-tracking system used last season that he said accurately recorded concession sales, pool passes, parties and daily admissions — a system the council relied on to justify the seasonal pool budget. Rosenbaum reported she corrected previously miscoded electric charges that had been attributed to the pool, so electricity costs now reflect only pool-related use. On wastewater costs, Frye said sludge pickups are lighter in winter and currently run about once a week during busier months, which affects seasonal costs.

After the discussion Rosenbaum asked the council to authorize advertising the draft for a public hearing on June 16 at 7:00 p.m. Councilman John Carter moved to advertise; Councilman Cary Sauls seconded. The roll call vote was unanimous in favor. Rosenbaum then asked the council to set the adoption meeting for June 23 at 7:00 p.m.; Councilwoman Suzanne Abramson moved, Sauls seconded, and the motion passed by unanimous roll call vote. The council adjourned following those votes.

What happens next: the town will publish the required advertisement for the June 16 public hearing and staff will continue reconciling accounting items and preparing final figures for the August fiscal-year close and the June 23 adoption meeting. Any figures listed as estimates in the draft will remain projections until final reconciliations are complete.