Hope Mills — During two special meetings on Monday, Hope Mills commissioners discussed the town’s fiscal year 2025–2026 budget and proposed establishing four-year staggered terms for town leaders.
According to Mayor Jessie Bellflowers, the operating budget of $22 million, compared to last year’s 18.4 million, is the largest in the town’s history. The budget includes a total ad valorem tax rate of 48 cents per $100 of assessed value, which represents a 4-cent decrease from the fiscal year 2025 rate, but is 2 cents higher than the rate proposed at the May 20 meeting.
The board was faced with new budget challenges, having to offset a $2,070,789 shortfall resulting from the changes to the sales tax distribution formula. Cumberland County made a change in how it distributes sales tax revenue, going from a per capita method based on population to an ad valorem formula based on property values in each municipality. The change takes place July 1, 2025.
Drew Holland, the town’s finance director, previously said a minimum of a 10-cent increase from the 31-cent revenue-neutral rate was necessary to offset the town’s $2,070,789 shortfall. “That 10 cents makes up that difference, so we have to start there,” Holland told Hope Mills commissioners at a June 9 budget workshop.
Also on June 9, Holland told the board that the county gave them two years to increase the town’s taxes at the revenue-neutral rate. Holland told the board the town would still receive sales tax revenue but they would be receiving $2 million less.
“So we knew this was coming,” Holland said. Mayor Jessie Bellflowers reiterated to the board that the new revenue-neutral rate for this year and next year is 41 cents per $100 of assessed value.
“I want everyone to have a thorough understanding of where we are with the baseline,” said Bellflowers. “Then the town would add ongoing expenses.”
Two significant items that presented a challenge to the budget was the continued support for school resource officers in Cumberland County Schools, with the town contributing $350,150 beyond the reimbursed salary expenses from the school district.
Also, the town had previously planned to rely on proposed funds from the sale of a town-owned cell tower estimated at $481,000, but the sale was not completed. Town staff did not state on Monday why the sale was not completed.
Following the budget workshops and further evaluation of the town’s needs, additional expenses were added for door buzzers, planning software, building maintenance and a Genie lift, Holland said. These additions increased the tax rate further from 45 to 48 cents.
To make up for the shortfall from the failed cell tower sale and to support the 48-cent tax rate, the town used $442,300 from the fund balance and combined it with $660,000 in ARPA funds.
“The budget is now balanced,” Holland said.
Consideration of four-year staggered terms
At the 6 p.m. meeting, the board considered amending the Town of Hope Mills Charter to establish four-year staggered terms. Because it was categorized as a special meeting, public comments were not included. However, Bellflowers invited those in attendance and watching online to share their thoughts during the regularly scheduled meeting later that day.
At the beginning of the discussion, Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin told the board that he and Town Attorney Dan Hartzog were present only to provide guidance regarding the consideration of changing term lengths. McLaughlin also read background information on the matter and acknowledged that the town has considered the concept of four-year terms in previous years.
He explained that, should the town decide to move forward with the intent to adopt the change, a public hearing must be scheduled within 45 days. Following the hearing, the board would then need to vote on amending the charter at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
McLaughlin also noted that if the board votes to adopt the ordinance, a referendum could be triggered if a petition signed by at least 10% of the town’s registered voters is submitted to the county board of elections within 30 days of adoption. “Should that occur, the ordinance would be placed on the ballot in November,” McLaughlin said.
Hartzog informed the board that there were several options to consider. They could allow the mayor to continue serving two-year terms while the board adopts staggered four-year terms for commissioners, or they could include the mayor in the four-year terms as well. If four-year terms for both the mayor and commissioners were adopted, Bellflowers and the two highest vote-getting commissioners in the upcoming election would serve three-year terms to establish the staggered cycle.
Commissioners Jerry Legge and Eylse Craver told the board they were not in favor of four-year terms as the town had previously voted against the issue.
“I can’t figure that many people changed their mind between then and now,” Legge said. “I don’t support this at this time.”
Commissioner Joanne Scarola supported amending the charter and four-year terms, citing her experiences and the challenges faced by a two-year commissioner to get things done within the time-limited term.
“You spend the first year learning the job, and the second year you have to start campaigning for the upcoming election,” Scarola said. “Trying to learn this job with very little leadership guidance was very difficult. Technically, without four-year staggered terms, an election could wipe out an entire board and it’s the blind leading the blind.”
Mayor Pro Tem Kenjuana McCray echoed Scarola’s comments and said she believes four-year staggered terms are best for the town as a longer-term commissioner helps with institutional memory. McCray said her opinion was unrelated to her position on the board and the upcoming election as she has decided not to run for another term.
It was the first time McCray publicly announced her intention not to seek reelection. When asked by CityView about her reasons, McCray cited ongoing health issues and a desire to spend more time with her daughter.
Commissioner Bryan Marley said he supported four-year terms because it allowed continuity within the local government. “The last two years we worked on the strategic plan. We are at the end of that now. Come November if this board rolls over, that particular planning we spent two years on goes out the window.”
The board moved forward with amending the town’s charter by a vote of 3-2, with Commissioners Legge and Craver opposed.
The board scheduled a public hearing regarding the charter amendment at 6 p.m. for June 30 to hear input from the public. Following that, the board voted to hold a regular meeting at 7 p.m. on July 7 at Town Hall to vote on the proposed change to the town’s charter.
