As the Town of Franklin waits to see if the Board of Commissioners approves a fire tax increase to help pay for new fire trucks, approval of the town budget will be delayed another week.
The Town Council held a public hearing on the budget during the monthly meeting on Monday night. No one signed up to speak about the budget, but long-time firefighter David Rusch spoke about the need for the trucks during the public session.
Rusch has been a member of the fire department for more than 40 years and has seen first-hand how the call volume as grown over the years. In his early years, the department had less than 100 calls, last year Franklin Fire & Rescue responded to 1,974 calls.
“We owe it to our town to provide the trucks,” he said. “We are here to serve y’all and you are our first responsibility. We do that and we take that seriously. To do a good job and do an efficient job, we do need those trucks.”
Last week, Town Manager Amie Owens and Fire Chief Ben Ormond asked the commissioners to consider a fire tax rate that would cover the $120,000 debt service on two new trucks. (See related story on Page 2 on the June 7 edition of The Franklin Press.) Owens said Monday night the county’s proposed revenue neutral rate of 5.24 cents for the fire tax would not cover the debt payment on the trucks.
The new trucks are estimated to cost $1.5 million and the town wants to make a down payment of $500,000, with $300,000 of that coming from the fire department’s fund balance. Even if the county approves the increased fire tax, the department will still need another $200,000 to make the down payment and get a good interest rate.
“Either way we’re going to be in a pickle,” said Council Member David Culpepper, adding that the town needs the fire trucks, but they need to find the $200,000 for the down payment and hope the county sets the tax rate to cover the debt service.
Owens recommended taking the $200,000 from the town’s remaining American Recovery Plan Act money rather than from the town’s fund balance.
2023-24 budget
Owens has presented a $4,896,750 million general fund budget that does not require an appropriation from the fund balance. “As I’ve said, that is unheard of,” she said.
The general fund budget is based on a tax rate of 33 cents per $100 value, a decrease from the current tax rate of 35 cents. The revenue neutral rate after revaluation is 29 cents.
The proposed budget for the water department is $4,892,506 and includes an $838,506 appropriation from the department’s fund balance. “We have that money available, so it’s not anything we’re worried about,” Owens said.
The fire department’s proposed budget is $1,183,250, based on the proposed 5.24 cents fire tax rate. That budget will be adjusted if the county approves a higher fire tax rate. The budget includes a full debt service payment of $46,000 on the new substation.
The council could not approve the budget Monday night since they are waiting to hear about the county’s decision on the fire tax. The Board of Commissioners will have another budget workshop on June 8 and their regular meeting on June 13.
The Town Council will hold a called meeting at 6 p.m. on June 15 to finalize the budget before the fiscal year begins on July 1. The next regular council meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 3. Town offices will be closed July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.
Substance abuse facility update
Council member Stacy Guffey gave an update from a meeting concerning the possibility of a 140-bed substance abuse treatment facility to serve Western North Carolina. Franklin would be considered as a site because of its central location. State funding might be available for construction of the facility, which would be privately operated by Pyramid Healthcare. The old Angel Medical Center building will likely not be a location option due to limitations owner HCA has put on what the building can be used for.
Guffey said it was also mentioned at the meeting that counties could use opioid settlement money to reserve beds for people who do not qualify for Medicaid.
Other business
• The council set July 3 as the date for a public hearing on the proposed rezoning of seven areas in town, totaling about 352 parcels and 509 acres.
• The council approved the Water Shortage Response Plan, which Public Works Director Bill Deal said must be updated every five years.
• Brent Martin, executive director of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, requested trail markers for the new route through downtown Franklin. The council members agreed markers would be beneficial for hikers and for town recognition and asked Martin to work with Town Manager Amie Owens on ideas for markers.
• The board heard from student Gracie Parker who organized the Youth Mental Health Help Rally held in April. Parker asked for the town’s support in making the event an annual event. Council members agreed it would be a good idea.