Spencer Board of Aldermen passes budget

Published 12:01 am Friday, June 8, 2018

SPENCER — The Spencer Board of Aldermen unanimously passed its budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year after a brief public hearing last week.

No town residents spoke in favor of or against the budget during the hearing.

The $3.2 million budget includes no tax increases and will see the continuation of several projects — including the purchase and renovation of Park Plaza for new town offices and a redesign of stormwater drains on Fourth Street.

During the 2017-18 fiscal year, Spencer was awarded $390,000 from the North Carolina General Assembly and the N.C. Department of Transportation for stormwater repairs. Parts of this project will carry over into the upcoming fiscal year.

Town employees are getting a break this budget season with a 10.8 percent potential increase for health insurance, a 2 percent base salary increase for all departments and an updated longevity pay scale.

The budget also includes $50,000 in contingency funds for the Fourth Street project, and a $400,000 contingency fund for the Park Plaza project. A $1,000 budget for town events also was added.

The Spencer Police Department’s budget will see a decrease in the upcoming year — from $955,805 to $925,807, a difference of $29,998.

The Spencer Fire Department will also see a decrease, this one by $43,054, leaving the total budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year at $217,766. Part of the decrease reflects last year’s allotment to purchase a new firetruck — a roughly $45,000 expenditure.

The town’s land management budget will increase from $153,614 to $175,932, reflecting the purchase of new software.

Spencer’s budget hearing was held May 29.