County meetings to consider the fiscal year 2016 budget and changes at the Rowan County Animal Shelter are scheduled for Thursday.

For the first time since the budget’s presentation, commissioners will meet Thursday at 9 a.m. for a budget work session in the county’s administration building. At 5 p.m on Thursday, the Animal Shelter Task Force will have its final meeting to finalize recommendations for policy changes.

The budget recommendation from County Manager Aaron Church projects $138.26 million in expenses. Likewise, Church’s recommendation projects $138.26 in revenue.

Church proposed a tax rate increase of 1.25 cents per $100. The tax rate in the proposed budget is revenue neutral, meaning that the total amount of tax revenue generated is identical to the prior year.

For a $100,000 house that remained identical in value during this year’s revaluation process, however, would increase by $12.50 per year.

The department with the largest single budget increase is Animal Control, which includes the Rowan County Animal Shelter.

Among the budgeted increases are four, part-time animal shelter attendants and two office assistants for the new cat wing, which is under construction. The total amount recommended by Church for salaries of the new employees is $122,856.

The additional money for animal shelter staff makes up a significant portion of the overall increase in Animal Control’s budget, but not the majority.

Other budgeted increases are for veterinarian fees at $65,000 more than budgeted for the current year; uniforms at $2,000 more than the current year; supplies at $18,300 more than the current year; electricity at $9,300 more than the current year and animal food at $3,000 more than the current year.

The budget does not yet include the task force’s recommendations, which could require funding.

Among the recommendations that have been discussed are a volunteer program, which now has support from the animal shelter’s staff; a $5 increase in the adoption fee to help pay for vaccines; a new software program for the shelter and a potential change in the county’s law on feral cats.

Presently, having a feral cat colony is not allowed in Rowan, according to the county’s ordinances.

Thursday’s meeting of the shelter task force is scheduled to be the third of three total meetings. In the third meeting, the task force is expected to finalize its list of recommendations for presentation to the county commissioners.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.