Roseboro residents may be relieved to know that there is no tax increase in the picture for the 2010-11 fiscal year, and the town’s water rate will also remain the same.

The town will hold a public hearing on the budget Monday, June 28, at 5:30 p.m. The board is expected to adopt the budget after the hearing.

During Monday’s special planning session, town clerk Drenda Ammons provided the governing board with a draft budget statement that includes a raise for some of the town employees, however, Ammons and public works director Buck Ammons were not among those subject to get a pay hike.

With the tax rate remaining at 71 cents per $100 valuation, Ammons did stress that there may be a change in the tax base, since the construction of the dialysis clinic has begun and other new businesses have come to the area.

However while there is no tax increase, the town opted to implement new fees that were not part of the 2009-10 budget year, including an electronic gaming fee, which mandates $750 must be paid per machine used in town and a $50 fee if the town’s truck needs to be used.

In addition to the new fees, the town has opted to purchase some new maintenance equipment, but the list was smaller than originally requested. At a previous meeting, the town’s public works director had requested buying a new vacuum truck, a backhoe and gripper truck, but in order to prevent a tax increase, the board opted to put the purchase of these items on hold until January 2011. Yet, the board did opt to pay for a mud hog, a utility saw and a pickup truck this year.

A number of other purchases are also in the proposed budget, expenses staff said would improve the town office, including some hardware improvements, a security system and a dial-up system.

During Monday’s meeting, commissioner Cary Holland questioned the necessity of the dial-up system.

The town clerk explained, “It can be used to contact people in emergencies.” She also elaborated that it can be used when the water needs to be turned off.

Ammons also pointed out a number of projects that the town continues to support, including the purchase of a new well.

She stated that the town has unsecured obligation in the amount of $125,000 towards the new well, but she stressed that grants are continually applied for to pay for the system.

She also pointed out that since the town has received a $850,000 block grant for improvements on Douglas Avenue, the town is still obligated to pay 10 percent of that cost, which is $85,000.

The town budget also includes the last $25,000 installment towards the Western District Park, which has been up and running for a year now.

In regards to the salary increases for the town’s employees, Mayor Roland Hall stressed that this an attempt to make sure that everyone on the town’s payroll was “adequately compensated.”

Ammons also stated that it was at her request and that of the public works director that they receive no pay increase.

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@heartlandpublications.com.