By Laura Boaggio
The proposed 2019-2020 budget has been presented to the Boone Town Council and will be discussed at a public hearing Tuesday, June 18 followed by a meeting on Thursday to adopt the new $28,749,600 budget.
The budget was put together by Finance Director Amy Davis and will be presented by Town Manager John Ward.
The budget will maintain the current tax rate of $0.41. The general fund totals $17,071,448 – a 2.3 percent increase above the current year budgets. With that comes many other increases, such as the Narcotics Department which will increase $5,600 (from $27,000 to $32,600). Water and Sewer will rise $920,730 (from $7,074,900 to $7,995,630). E-911 will also increase substantially with $169,170 (from $93,500 to $262,670 percent). Municipal Service District will see an increase of $19,356 (from $169,999 to $189,355). Rural Fire District will increase $29,820 (from $1,210,262 to $1,240,082).
The Special Programs and Projects will decrease from last year by 26.85% changing from $1,111,221 to $876,010. Among the funds affected are Daniel Boone Park, Solar Project and Retirees’ Health Insurance. The Grove Street Connector is a $100,000 addition to this sector. AppalCart will remain the same at $95,000.
The Town Hall building will receive a $27,000 cut.
Most town employee salaries will see a boost in the 2019-20 budget. Police salaries will remain almost the same, with less than a 1 percent increase. Communications salaries will increase slightly by 2.4 percent from $388,154 to $397,699. Fire Department salaries will rise by 3.25 percent from $1,299,788 to $1,343,455. Planning and Inspections will see a salary boost of 2.02 percent from $433,104 to $442,013. Public works will decrease by 3.39 percent from $220,121 to $212,903. Street Department will increase by 2.43 from $398,389 to $408,311. Fleet Maintenance will decrease by 4.37 percent from $173,282 to $166,022. Facilities Maintenance will rise by 1.59 percent from $495,672 to $503,655.
There will be a considerable increase of $78,143 in solid waste disposal fees.
The proposed budget is available for public inspection at Town Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and on the town’s website: www.townofboone.net. The public hearing for the discussion of the budget will be held Tuesday, June 18 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers located at 1500 Blowing Rock Road. Adoption of the proposed budget is scheduled for the following Thursday at the town council meeting.