Black Mountain Town Manager Josh Harrold presented his recommended budget to Town Council at a special call meeting May 22.
The $22 million recommended budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year marks a 14% increase of the adopted budget from fiscal year 2023-24 and a 6.3% increase of the amended budget.
In his budget message, Harrold said the increase can be attributed to “increased needs.”
“This increase can be attributed to an overall addition in personnel and capital items to be purchased across all departments, increases in operating expenses, as well as proposed capital projects in the utility fund,” Harrold said in his message.
The general fund at $13 million represents 59% of the budget. Harrold said this is larger than in past years because the golf course fund is now included in the general fund.
In his recommended budget, Harrold does not propose a property tax increase in the town, leaving Black Mountain’s property tax rate at 32 cents per $100 valuation. According to the town manager’s budget message, this will yield $5.6 million in revenue, an increase of $217,000.
Last year’s budget marked the first time property tax had increased in Black Mountain since 2010, when the tax increased 1.5 cents.
The property tax rate dropped from 38 cents to 33 cents from 2017 to 2018 and from 33 cents to 31 cents from 2021 to 2022.
“More than likely these dropped because of revaluations,” Harrold said. “I will remind you again that next year is a reval year with the county.”
For town staff, Harrold recommended a 4% cost of living adjustment and adding six new positions.
The waste reduction fee will increase $3 per month for a total of $5 per month in Harrold’s recommended budget. He said this would yield an additional $125,000.
Harrold said the recommended water rates will go up “a pretty good amount,” due to the town purchasing water from the city of Asheville. Asheville raised the rate of water 31%, and Harrold said this increase will also occur for the next two years.
For Black Mountain residents in town limits, this means a 13% increase in water rates. For those outside town limits, the increase will be 15%. This will yield an additional $155,000.
“Given both the current and potential future projects involving this fund, I believe it to be in our best interest to raise rates that allow us to provide our current levels of service while planning for the future capital projects we have already identified,” Harrold said in his message.
The budget message said that a customer using an average of 5,000 gallons per month will see an increase of $5.50 per month for residents in town limits and a $12.35 increase per month for residents outside of town limits.
In order to balance the budget, nearly $1.7 million was appropriated from the fund balance. If the recommended budget is approved, the town will be left with a fund balance of more than $5 million, representing 54% of the general fund budget.
Harrold provided information at the May 22 meeting to let residents know “how their dollar is spent by the town.” The break down is as follows:
- Public safety: 38 cents
- Water resources: 17 cents
- Public works: 16 cents
- General government: 11 cents
- Cultural and recreation: 11 cents
- Community and economic development: 5 cents
- Stormwater: 2 cents
A public hearing will be held June 6 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall for residents to speak to Town Council about the recommended budget. Historically, Town Council votes to adopt the budget following the public hearing.
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Karrigan Monk is the reporter for Black Mountain News and Hendersonville Times-News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kmonk@blackmountainnews.com.
