The Fayetteville City Council on Monday approved a $249.17 million budget for fiscal year 2022-23 by a unanimous vote during its monthly meeting at City Hall.
“This spending fund represents a 3.3% increase across all funds,” City Manager Doug Hewett said. “In the general fund, (there’s) generally no change.
“The increased investment, though, is in personnel of some $8.2 million in pay and benefits. … In the solid waste fund, we (are) also showing an additional increase of $1 million … ," he said.
As recommended by Hewett, the property tax rate will remain at 49.95 cents per $100 valuation.
The Central Business Tax District tax rate will remain at 10 cents per $100 of property valuation.
The residential solid waste fee will remain at $225 for a single-family residential unit.
There will be no changes to the stormwater fee of $6 per month, according to the budget.
“This is always an exciting time for city staff,” Hewett told council members during his presentation on the slightly revised budget.
He then recognized Kelly Olivera, his budget director, and her assistant director, Briget Sexton.
“I can’t thank them enough as well as the members of the City Manager’s Office and all the department directors and staff getting us to where we are tonight with the hopeful adoption of the fiscal 2023 budget,” Hewett said.
Councilwoman Yvonne Kinston made the motion to adopt the budget, and Councilman Johnny Dawkins seconded the motion. The vote was 10-0 to approve the financial plan.
No one spoke during a required public hearing on the budget.
The budget plan was formally presented to the council at its May 23 meeting.
After that, the council deliberated the budget at three work sessions.
The document has been available for public review in the office of the city clerk and on the city’s website.
On June 9, the council agreed by consensus to add several items to the budget.
Those changes included a minimum pay rate of $15 per hour for all city employees, including seasonal part-time staff. That added $500,000. Other changes were $200,000 for at-risk youth programs; $100,000 for next-generation job initiatives; $30,000 for a community beautification program; and $35,000 for walking trail improvements at Lake Rim.
A proposed change to the Central Business Tax District Fund is a pilot concierge program for $50,000. That plan will be redefined and expanded to provide increased service in the downtown district, budget materials say.
Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin praised the city staff’s work on the budget.
“I would like again to commend city staff and the manager’s office for a prudent budget that doesn’t come with any (additional) fees or taxes, which is very important in light of the fact that the community and the citizens are trying to recover from 2½, 3 years of pandemic,” Colvin said.
Michael Futch covers Fayetteville and education for CityView TODAY. He can be reached at mfutch@cityviewnc.com. Have a news tip? Email news@CityViewTODAY.com.
