Wallace proposes 8.5% water-sewer rate hike, $15 tag fee for vehicles

Wallace Town Manager Rob Taylor gave town council members a first look at the proposed 2024-25 fiscal year budget, which includes an 8.5% increase in water and sewer rates, plus a $15 fee for vehicles registered within the town limits that would be added onto customers’ annual DMV tag fees.

Taylor presented the proposed budget to the council during the regular monthly meeting last Thursday, May 9. The public will have a chance to give feedback on the proposed budget at the next regular town council meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 13.

“Overall, it is a $10.72 million budget, which is a 4.98% increase over last year,” Taylor told the council Thursday night. “A couple of revenue changes that I’m recommending… a municipal tag fee; every vehicle registered in the town would be charged a $15 flat fee that would be added to their DMV tax bill. I’m also looking at a water/sewer rate increase of 8.5%. That does sound pretty tough, but it’s needed.”

Taylor said that the increase in water/sewer rates was needed because the town has “just not been able to meet the numbers that we were anticipating.” Added to that, the town is taking on new debt to cover much-needed expansion. The increase would average about $5 or $6 a month on a customer’s utility bill, he said.

Taylor shared that he’d done a comparison of rates in neighboring towns and found that Wallace was somewhere in the middle. “Certainly, we’re not the lowest, but we’re far from being the highest as well,” he said.

In addition, Taylor suggested an increase in the storm water rates, from $4.85 per equivalent residential unit, to $5. He pointed out that the rate hasn’t increased since 2016, and the town has depleted its stormwater fund balance, so a rate increase is needed.

The town’s property tax rate will remain unchanged, pending a county reassessment that should be taking place within the next year or so, Taylor said.

The proposed budget also includes the following:

• A 3.25% adjustment for town employees, which would include a 2% performance raise and 1.25% cost of living adjustment.
• A new floating holiday, possibly Juneteenth.
• The addition of a school resource officer (SRO), which will be paid for by a grant from Duplin County Schools.
• Roof repairs at Thelma Dingus Bryant Library.
• $130,000 for fire department requested air packs.
• New vehicle and tasers for the police department.
• An increase in some parks and recreation fees.
• A new pickup truck for Airport Director Ben Jones.

In other business at the May 9 meeting, the town council:

• Approved a resolution and agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division regarding airport safety improvements.
• Approved a budget amendment to purchase new water meters for a new development in River Landing.
• Approved the tentative award for the 830 Project to Burnette Enterprises of Wilmington Inc., which placed a bid of $3,475,828.24. “That’s upgrading the lift station at Maple Creek force main all the way to the corner of Highway 11 and River Road,” Taylor explained.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Pender County on water/sewer services at a newly annexed property, which will be home to a proposed residential/commercial development.
• Awarded a contract for the 2023-24 audit to RH CPAs for $25,300.
• Approved a contract with State Tree Services Inc. for debris removal, with a price of $44.75 per ton for vegetative debris and $67.75 per ton for construction and demolition removal.
• Approved financing three new police cars for $120,000 with United Bank, with a 6.35% rate for five years.
• Learned about proposed new system development fees, which Taylor explained would be due for any new development that’s not connected to the water and sewer system right now. The newly calculated base rate for water would be $553 and sewer would be $2,069. A 45-day review and public comment period is required, with copies available online and at Town Hall.
• Approved the Fire Protection Contract between Wallace and Pender County.
• Learned that there will be a rededication ceremony for the memorial fountain in front of Town Hall on Friday, May 24, at 10 a.m.

At last month’s town council meeting, there was a lengthy discussion on a possible downtown apartment ordinance, but Taylor said with the Strawberry Festival and other events, he and Planning Director Rod Fritz had not had time to investigate further by the May meeting. It will be on the agenda for the June meeting, he said.