SALISBURY — The Salisbury City Council will consider adoption of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year during the upcoming meeting on Tuesday.

As it stands, City Manager Jim Greene Jr.’s recommended budget includes no property tax increase for the city or downtown service district.

The budget does include fee increases. 

Stormwater would see a 10-percent increase in the stormwater fees. The current rate is $5.29 per ERU (equivalent residential unit), which represents 2,500 square feet of impervious surface area. The increase to $5.82 would represent a $0.53 increase for all single-family homes, as they are billed at one ERU. 

The SRU budget has a four-percent increase in all water and sewer rates, which would represent a $2.61 increase per month for the average residential customer.

There is also a three percent fee on all credit card purchases over $1,000 throughout all the city departments.

Much of the budget hearing, held during the prior City Council meeting, focused on the budgeted staffing for the fire department, especially the six added firefighters. The budget includes the new positions, but only funds them through a FEMA Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, which the city has applied for. Several members of the local firefighters’ union and the public asked the city to consider fully funding the fire department, even if it takes a tax increase.

The budget can be found on the city’s website at salisburync.gov/Government/Finance/Budget. Prior Salisbury Post stories can be read at salisburypost.com/2025/05/15/salisbury-budget-decreases-from-prior-year-due-to-economic-uncertainty-tax-rate-holds-steady/ and salisburypost.com/2025/06/07/salisbury-budget-hearing-focuses-on-fire-department-funding/.

The Salisbury City Council meets on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in town hall, located at 217 S. Main St., Salisbury. The other agenda items that will be discussed include:

• The council will consider an amendment to the city’s ordinances to allow for non-illuminated signs to be placed facing residential properties and to change the restriction so that illuminated signs are not allowed on walls facing properties actively being used for residences instead of simply residential districts.
• The council will consider a rezoning request for a property located at 1050 Freeland Drive from Highway Business to Highway Business with a Conditional District to allow for a five-story, 101-suite hotel. The conditional district is required because the property would be above the legally-allowed three stories and would share parking with the adjacent Cracker Barrel.
• The council will conduct a public hearing and consider closing an alley located between the 100 block of West Fourteenth Street and the 1400 block of North Church Street.
• The council will hear an update from Livingstone College on the plans for the Monroe Street School. For more information, visit salisburypost.com/2025/06/06/city-sets-deadline-to-hear-monroe-street-school-plans-daily-fines-threatened-for-noncompliance/.
• The council will consider permanently closing West Franklin Street in between North Church Street and North Fulton Street.
• The council will hear the annual update on the Main Street Program.