NEWTON GROVE — It’s budget time and town clerk Sheila Barefoot is busy putting Newton Grove’s fiscal plan together, a task that has become tougher and tougher for municipal officials.

For the most part, Barefoot said, it is about staying the course and holding the line on spending. There are many expenses that are vital to the town’s everyday operations and new programs, specifically regarding water and sewer testing, that are state-mandated and have to find room in the 2009-10 fiscal year budget.

Barefoot said that, while pennies are pinched in the budget process, with expenditures for unforeseen requirements coming from the state level, everything seems to ultimately balance out.

“It’s almost going to be a wash,” the town clerk remarked. “I kind of foresee (the budget) staying pretty level. We are trying to cut everywhere we can. I’m really thinking it’s going to be about the same.”

“The same” in 2009-10 may include a slight rise in water and sewer fees, as it did for the current year’s budget. Notably, the 2008-09 budget included a $1 total increase in water and sewer fees and a 4 percent pay hike for all town employees, following the absence of such a pay increase for several years.

Water and sewer rates remained the same for the current budget, as did garbage collection fees. The water rates are currently at $2.50 per 1,000 gallons of water used for most residential customers.

The property tax rate is currently $0.36 per $100 valuation.

“I really don’t think that they will (increase the tax rate),” Barefoot noted. “We may see a small increase in water and sewer fees, very small. That’s another one of those things though. You have to try and break even.”

A slight increase in the water and sewer fees means the expense is spread around a little more, rather than with just property taxes.

“Instead of going up on taxes,” said Barefoot, “(board members) kind of see that as you have to go up on something and that is something you pay whether you are a renter or a homeowner.”

Barefoot is currently looking over individual budgets for each town department with the goal of presenting the Newton Grove Board of Commissioners with a proposed budget at its May 12 meeting. The overall town budget for 2008-09 budget was $744,490. Barefoot estimated this year’s would be about the same, possibly slightly more or less.

Following the May meeting and discussion among the town board, Barefoot will tweak the budget as needed for a final vote in June. The budget must be approved by June 30.

Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 121, or by email at sicrime@myclintonnc.com.