The Highlands Board of Commissioners gathered at the community building last week to go over budgeting and financial plans for the upcoming year. The objective of the meeting was to discuss budget items, capital project requests and employee compensation.
Starting off the agenda, the board looked at the budget for the fire department, which is set to receive $1.9 million in funding, decreasing from last year by $900,000. The budget, which aims to meet the department’s operational needs, will cover salaries, uniforms, insurance, training and equipment maintenance.
The fire department plans to order new equipment, such as a new fire truck, but this will not take place under the current budget year. The cost of the truck will be around $1 million, with considerations towards a brush truck, which would ideally provide easier accessibility to tighter spots in town.
“I think the fire department has decided to go different route with the type of truck that we’ll be building,” said Town Manager Josh Ward, “So, we’re probably looking at, I would say next fiscal year for that second truck.”
The board concluded that to finance these purchases, there may need to be a need to increase the fire tax to ensure sufficient capital for the new truck, with assistant chief Robbie Forester noting that the new truck will differ from previous vehicles.
“We are looking at, instead of doing a mini bumper, which is basically a just a shrunken drum version of the big engine that we drive, we’re looking at doing a brush truck of some type,” he said. “It will have an auxiliary pump. It won’t have a PTO pump.”
The town is planning to invest more than $19 million in capital projects, which will include upgrades to water treatment facilities, street improvement and other infrastructure enhancements in town.
The board also discussed a potential cost of living adjustment for town employees. The discussion ensured competitive and fair compensation in the midst of the rising costs of living.
Wrapping up the meeting, Finance Director Rebecca Shuler presented a review of water and sewer rates, breaking down potential adjustments needed to sustain the utility funds. Water expenses currently exceed revenues, with sewer rates remaining balanced.
Overall, the proposed 2025-26 town budget, which includes the revenues and expenditures across the aforementioned departments, totals approximately $43.6 million. The meeting wrapped up with a shared consensus of the board committing to responsible spending.