Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
River Bend council reviews budget as sales-tax slump prompts fee options; ECC membership remains by default
Summary
At an April 30 budget workshop River Bend officials reviewed department budget requests and internal fund-balance projections, discussed lower-than-expected sales tax receipts and options for funding street paving, and—after no motion was made—left the town’s Eastern Carolina Council membership in place for FY26-27.
River Bend held a budget workshop April 30 where council members and staff reviewed department requests and revenue projections as the town prepares its FY26-27 budget.
Town Manager Delane Jackson told the council that several municipalities have withdrawn from the Eastern Carolina Council (ECC). He said the town’s FY26-27 ECC invoice remains unchanged and totals less than $1,200; he recommended remaining a member for one more year and reassessing membership during next year’s budget process. No council member offered a motion to adopt a resolution to withdraw; Mayor Mark Bledsoe stated that, without a motion, the matter died and River Bend will remain an ECC member for FY26-27.
Police Chief Sean Joll presented the police department’s budget request and reviewed department activities during 2025; the chief left the meeting after his presentation. Manager Jackson then led detailed discussions of recreation and special events, parks and the Community Activity Center (CAC), emergency services, wetlands and waterways, leaf-and-limb operations, planning and zoning, and general-fund revenues.
Jackson reported that local sales-tax receipts in the most recent quarter were lower than expected, and the council discussed how reduced Powell Bill receipts affect the town’s ability to fund street paving. Councilman Brian Leonard warned that if River Bend keeps its tax rate while neighboring towns raise theirs, the town could see a decline in local sales-tax revenues. Jackson noted New Bern has a proposed 4-cent tax increase while the county does not.
When Leonard asked about alternative revenue sources for paving, Jackson said the town could raise the vehicle license fee or adopt a stormwater impact fee similar to New Bern’s and then reallocate property-tax revenue currently used for stormwater to street projects. Jackson described that approach as a re-shuffling of revenues to pay for paving. He also presented internal fund-balance projections showing 56.2% for the FY2026 year-end and a projected 76.2% for FY2027, and stressed these are in-house figures rather than audited balances.
Councilman Buddy Sheffield moved to recess the workshop until May 11, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.; the motion passed unanimously and the meeting recessed at 5:06 p.m.
Next steps: the council will continue budget work at the May 11 session; staff will carry forward the manager’s recommendations in the absence of further council action and the council will revisit ECC membership during the next budget cycle.
