Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Jim Buice

For the Clemmons Courier

LEWISVILLE — Just before taking over as the town manager of Lewisville about this time last year, Stacy Tolbert disclosed a proposed tax increase for fiscal year 2024-25, but she had good news when she delivered this coming year’s budget message.

“The proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget includes a 2-cent decrease in property tax from 21.7 cents to 19.7,” she said in the April council meeting in comparison to last year’s 4-cent increase from 17.7 cents to 21.7 cents per $100 of valuation.

Later, Tolbert provided an explanation for why.

“Last year’s increase was due to large increases in the solid waste contract and the community policing contract,” she said. “This year, Forsyth County has completed the revaluation of property values, which has led to an increase in revenues for the town. We were able to propose a balanced budget with a decrease in the property tax because of the increases from the revaluation.”

Tolbert confirmed previously that the last change in the tax rate prior to last year was in 2006 when it was lowered to 17.7 cents per $100 of valuation after being at 19.5 cents per $100 of valuation in 2005.

Mayor Mike Horn commented on the challenges facing many towns regarding growth and tax rates after last year’s hike.

“Another big concern we have is one that is shared by all communities across North Carolina,” he said. “That’s how to continue to provide high-quality dependable services in an environment of increasing costs. Lewisville had not raised its tax rate in years because of the growth we’ve experienced and how well our council and staff have managed our finances.”

Tolbert added that the proposed General Fund budget is $8,260,761 for the upcoming fiscal year with $0 in fund balance and represents an increase of 14 percent over the previous year’s budget.

“The budget as proposed will allow us to maintain current service levels,” Tolbert said,  “plus allow us to continue working on projects currently authorized by the council.”

The first budget workshop was held Monday night at town hall in the council chambers. Other scheduled workshops are scheduled for April 21, April 24 and May 15 (if needed after the scheduled May 8 budget public hearing).

In business items from the meeting, the town approved a resolution for a paving contract to be awarded to Yadkin Valley Paving in the amount of $488,000.

The funding will go toward paving the following streets: Lewisville Trails Road, Lewisville Trails Court, Grindstone Drive, Roller Mill Drive, Pepper Mill Court, Roller Mill Court, Goldfinch Road and Fair Bluff Drive. Tolbert said that the need for paving these streets is supported by the 2020 pavement condition study.

Also, a budget amendment in the amount of $78,760 was approved to increase appropriations for street paving and resurfacing out of Powell Bill funds.

In other new business, the town approved a resolution to accept a new revised comprehensive personnel policy and adopted a resolution in opposition to Senate and House bills — SB495, SB497, SB499, SB688 and HB765 — proposed in the General Assembly regarding local government planning and zoning.

Coming up next month, the town will be holding a public engagement session for the proposed Unified Development Ordinance. This will take place on May 14 at town hall in the council chambers from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm.