Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wingate adopts $2.1 million FY 2026-27 budget, holds property tax rate and raises sanitation and utility fees
Summary
The Wingate Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the FY 2026-2027 budget on June 16, 2026, preserving the property tax rate at $0.25 while approving fee increases: in-town sanitation to $26.67/month, out-of-town sanitation to $53.34, a 2% water rate increase and a 3% wastewater increase. The budget funds park capital work and preserves a large fund balance target.
The Wingate Board of Commissioners on June 16 unanimously adopted the town—Y 2026-2027 Budget Ordinance, setting the General Fund at $2,125,500 and the Water and Wastewater Fund at $2,636,300 while keeping the property tax rate at $0.25 per $100 of assessed value.
Assistant Town Manager and CFO Karen Wingo presented the management-recommended budget and told commissioners the plan was prepared under the North Carolina Budget and Fiscal Control Act and balanced as required by state law. She said the budget "reflects the Town's commitment to balancing today's needs with tomorrow's opportunities, maintaining our current tax rate, protecting our strong financial position, and investing in employees and infrastructure, positioning Wingate for future growth." (Karen Wingo)
Why it matters: the ordinance maintains service levels without a tax increase, but includes multiple user-fee adjustments and capital priorities. The General Fund supports administration, public safety, parks and recreation, planning and other municipal services. The town retains a conservative fund-balance policy (a 40% target noted in the budget message) and did not appropriate fund balance for ongoing operations in the adopted plan.
Key budget details approved by the board: - General Fund total: $2,125,500; Water & Wastewater Fund total: $2,636,300. - Property tax rate: maintained at $0.25 per $100 valuation; no tax increase. - Sanitation fees: in-town monthly sanitation will rise to $26.67; out-of-town to $53.34 (annual CPI adjustment under the Waste Connections contract). - Utility rates: water rates include a 2% increase and wastewater rates a 3% increase, consistent with the NC Rural Water rate analysis cited in the presentation. - System Development Fees (SDF): budgeted SDF revenue of $220,000 for FY 2026-27; the SDF Capital Reserve Fund balance was projected at about $1,415,100 for planned transmission main replacement. - Powell Bill and Transportation funds: Powell Bill revenues were budgeted at approximately $127,000 with a planned use of fund balance for street maintenance; the town's municipal vehicle license fee (transportation fund) was budgeted at $45,000. - Personnel and compensation: the town budgeted for roughly 10 full-time and 1 part-time positions, added a new position for community programs and code enforcement, and included a 3% cost-of-living adjustment plus up to a 2% merit pool. - Parks capital: the budget lists prioritized capital work at town park facilities, including roof and building system replacements and upgrades to the community center, concession stand and shelter.
Public safety: FY 2026-27 is billed as the first full year of contracted law-enforcement services with the Union County Sheriff's Office; the presentation described projected cost savings and expanded resources under that partnership.
The budget ordinance and supporting exhibits were entered into the record as Exhibit F and Exhibit A respectively. The motion to adopt the ordinance was made by Commissioner Martin Graves, seconded by Commissioner Thomas LeGrand and approved unanimously.
