SCIIELE CHARTER  HERICORD: Co CAROLITT  SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA MINUTES THE TOWN OF HERTFORD TOWN COUNCIL  April 29, 2024, 6:00 PM Horace Reid Community Center 305 W. Grubb Street  COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT Ashley Hodges, Mayor Connie Brothers Rhonda Waters STAFF PRESENT  Sandra Anderson, Mayor Pro Tem  Keith Rouse  Janice McKenzie Cole, Town Manager Doris Walton, Assistant Town Manager Ashley Eure, Finance Director Gina Durante, Town Clerk A quorum was present. CALL TO ORDER  Mayor Hodges called the meeting to order. INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  The invocation was given by Councilwoman Brothers, followed by the Pledge of  Allegiance.  CONTINUED BUSINESS Annual Budget for the Town. April 29, 2024 Special Call Meeting  Mayor Hodges invited Manager Cole to present information regarding the FY24-25  1    Manager Cole began by presenting the proposed updated Fee Schedule. Some changes are due to rising costs the Town is incurring and others are fees and overtime that are incurred by the Town repairing or conducting tasks the fall under resident responsibility. Manager Cole stated that all this will be included when the budget is presented, but just wanted to present it to Council prior. Mayor Hodges asked for Mayor Hodges then turned the budget discussion to the Hertford Fire Department. Mayor Hodges explained that there are gaps in the budget between revenue and expenditures. Council felt that it would be beneficial to have Chief Woodard come back toe explain and answer questions regarding the Fire Department budget requests. Topics included grant match from Town, outfitting the new fire truck purchased by the Town, volunteer bonuses, fundraising, rising cost of equipmentlsupples. Mayor Hodges thanked Chief Woodard and the other volunteers for coming to the meeting and noted that it is important for them to hear Council discussion of budget and gaps. He said that the Town has shown their commitment to the Fire Department and emphasized that in Base Fee Increase - Manager Cole advised Council that last year's rate study suggested that the base fee of electricity be increased to $18. The Town did not want to impose the recommended base rate increase all at once. The base rate of $11 in FY22- 23 was increased to $15 in FY23-24. For FY24-25 they are proposing an increase in the base rate to $18. There is also a proposed increase in Small General Service usage. These proposed measures will help to close the $89K gap in the Electric fund. Manager Cole addressed the General Fund. Based on this year's property tax revaluation, Manager Cole discussed the revenue neutral rate of $0.48 cents and proposed an increase to close the budget gap. Council discussed a $0.05 cent increase  comments or questions from Council, and there were none.  five years, the Fire Department budget has been protected.  over the revenue neutral rate.  Mayor Hodges thanked Manager Cole, Assistant Manager Walton, and Director Eure for all their continued work on the budget. Manager Cole said the budget will be presented at the May 13th Regular Session Meeting and the Public Hearing for the budget will be Councilwoman Waters motioned to adjourn the Special Call Meeting and Counciwoman  held May 28th at the Work Session Meeting.  Brothers seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:48 PM.  April 29, 2024 Special Call Meeting  2