The Carrboro Town Council met on Tuesday to discuss challenges in the transgender community and the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
What’s New?
- Town Manager Patrice Toney announced that the Drakeford Library Complex will be holding an official grand opening this Friday, after the original grand opening was canceled because of inclement weather.
- Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaimed March 22 as World Water Day in Carrboro.
- “I encourage all residents to work together to learn more about the water cycle and to raise awareness and inspire action to preserve glaciers and adapt to a changing climate,” she said.
- Council Member Catherine Fray proclaimed March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility in Carrboro.
- Fray asked all Carrboro residents to educate themselves about the contributions of transgender people and support the transgender community's efforts to achieve equity and inclusion.
- “The Town of Carrboro stands with, celebrates and defends its transgender residents and employees and supports the mission of the International Transgender Day of Visibility,” Fray said.
- Chief Financial Officer Chaz Offenberg gave an update on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year FY 2025-26.
- Offenberg provided an overview of the expenditure and revenue budgets and a breakdown of financials and preliminary data for the current fiscal year in order to provide projections for FY 2026.
- The general fund revenue budget has seen a stable increase across fiscal years, Offenberg said.
- He said spending has slowed, meaning sales tax revenue will be lower.
- Offenberg said that the Town's debt service is relatively low compared to their peers.
- Orange County Tax Administration Director Nancy Freeman shared information on the revaluation that is taking place this year.
- Freeman said revaluation is the process of updating real property tax assessment to market value as of a single appraisal date, which is Jan. 1, 2025.
- “The primary goal of revaluation is to equalize the tax base and the reason for that is to reestablish the fairness of the tax burden between properties because properties change in value at different rates depending on location and property type,” Freeman said.
- She said that revaluation notices will be going out Thursday or Friday of this week.
- Freeman said that Orange County expects a 52 percent increase in property values countywide since the last revaluation.
- She shared information on how to receive help from the tax office in handling appeals and general tax assistance, including exemptions for disabled veterans and elderly community members.
- Freeman said revaluation is the process of updating real property tax assessment to market value as of a single appraisal date, which is Jan. 1, 2025.
- Town Clerk Lamar Joyner gave an update on the advisory boards and commissions membership process.
- He said that vacancies will be advertised through the communication department, community engagement events and word-of-mouth.
- Board appointment lists that include addresses and other personal information will no longer be publicly shared on the agenda, which should encourage more applicants to participate in boards, Joyner said.
What decisions were made?
- The council passed the consent agenda.
What’s Next?
- The Council will meet again on April 1 at 6 p.m. at the Carrboro Town Hall.
