Town clerk Diane Autry stressed that with the 2010-11 fiscal year around the corner, she doesn’t think a tax increase will be needed, and she does not have any requests for major capital projects this year.
With a property tax rate currently sitting at $.50, Autry stated that the board has mentioned a possible pay increase for employees, but she did not state how much of a raise is being considered.
Also, Autry noted that the town commissioners and mayor will continue to be unpaid elected positions.
The only major capital that may be weighed by the board, Autry expressed, would be increasing the security at the town hall.
“They will be putting this in the budget,” said Autry.
Autry added that the town also has no plans of increasing the water rate in 2010, which currently sits at $19 for 1,000 gallons used.
The only place that Autry thinks the town board may consider an increase would be with trash rates, which are current sitting at $5 a month. However, she doesn’t know how much would be included in the increase.
Little Miss
Autryville Pageant
One of the ways that Autryville leaders have decided to fund some of the town’s major capital projects is by having a Little Miss Autryville pageant each year.
“This is not just a beauty pageant,” said Autry of the event.
The event, which will take place on May 28, at 7 p.m. at the town hall’s outdoor amphitheater has been a municipal fund-raising since 1984.
In years past, the town has been able to raise at least $1,000 a year with each contestant seeking sponsors for their participation.
“The girls raise money for sponsorships, and we put their names in the program,” Autry commented.
Currently, the pageant consists of three sponsorship levels, the Little Miss Autryville, with participants age 6-9; Junior Miss, with ages 10-12; and Teen Miss with participants ages 13-16. Right now, Autry stated that she has 21 young women competing for the pageant titles.
With the money raised from the pageant, Autry stressed that the plan is to add and repair the town’s park, which is located on the same property of the town hall.
“We need to repair bleachers at the outdoor theater,” said Autry.
In addition, she stated the town also uses funds raised to pay for electricity at the park, which could be as much as $768 a year.
“It really helps keep the park up,” Autry commented.
In addition to raising funds for the park, the town clerk pointed out that it is a “night of fun and entertainment.”
Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@heartlandpublications.com.
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