Spending plan done for Wayne
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on June 29, 2006 1:50 PM
The Wayne County Board of Commissioners approved a budget for 2006-07 during a special session today.
The budget was approved unanimously with little discussion and only a few last-minute changes.
The budget keeps the same tax rate as this year, 73.5 cents for every $100 worth of property.
The only tax rate change is a half-cent increase in Rosewood Fire District's rate from 4.5 cents to 5 cents.
The budget contains $17.8 million for the county public school system, with $17.2 of that to pay for the schools' current expenses. Also, $105,000 has been included in the school board's budget for the Wayne Initiative for School Health program, which oversees the county's school-based health centers.
WISH funding will be allocated on a monthly basis after county officials receive end-of-the-month financial reports and statements from the program, County Manager Lee Smith said.
The commissioners and the county school board plan to create a committee to study the school system's construction needs, with an eye toward selling bonds to pay for the projects. A public vote on the sale of bonds would be required and county officials have said they hope to have a measure ready for the ballot by next May.
The budget contains $750,000 for a new animal shelter. Commissioners have said that they will look to private donors for $250,000 for the project.
Although the commissioners said they hope a facility can be built for $750,000, they added that public donations could add improvements to the facility.
The budget contains $700,000 for the construction of a new hangar at the Goldsboro-Wayne Airport. County officials are also expecting a loan from the Eastern Region organization of counties to help complete the project. All of the necessary documents have been sent to the contractors and construction should begin in the next year, Smith said.
The commissioners also approved a new fine to be implemented at the county's landfill and recycling centers. Since a cardboard ban will go into effect in September at those locations, the board approved a recyclable ban compliance fee of $200 for the first violation, $400 for the second and $600 for the third and any other subsequent violations.
Commissioners increased the tax rate last year by 7.5 cents per $100 worth of property.