R.C., C.S. being conservative with budgets

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: May 27, 2009

Morganton --

Town councils in Burke County have received proposed budgets for fiscal year 2009-10. Those budgets include:

Rutherford College
The town is holding steady with its proposed budget because of the economy, said Gaynell Donnelly, town clerk.
The town's proposed budget is $1,327,588, with the tax rate remaining at 10 cents per $100 of property value.
The main change in the budget is the combination of water and sewer. The town previously offered just sewer service. But last year, members of Rutherford College Water Corporation voted to have the town take over the corporation and offer the service.
The town had $399,000 in its budget for 2008-09 for sewer. The upcoming budget has set aside $679,074 in its water and sewer fund.
The proposed budget also sets aside $53,114 to pay the debt on the new town hall.
The town will hold a public hearing on its proposed budget at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Connelly Springs
The town's proposed budget is $656,900.54, with the tax rate remaining at 5 cents per $100 of property value.
Given economic recession, town officials were pretty conservative with the upcoming budget, said Mayor Carl Greene.
He said they're not sure how much sales tax revenue they'll get this year but he expects it will be lower than in previous years.
The town is trying to save up to get a water tank in the next few years, Greene said, but there are no new projects slated for 2009-10.
The town has $84,951.51 in the proposed budget for police protection. The town contracts with Burke County to provide a deputy assigned to the town. That money includes the cost of salaries, fuel, vehicle and insurance, according to the budget.
The budget also has $59,152 set aside for sanitation and recycling and $15,298.25 for parks and recreation, with a little more than $10,000 going to pay for the fall festival.
The first reading on the budget will be Monday and a public hearing on it has been set for June 22.