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This year’s overall budget is $919,601 less that the previous year’s budget of over $28 million, but the general fund was increased by $285,307.00 with the addition of fiber lease payments in the general fund’s revenue.
The town of Highlands approved a $27,392,428.00 budget on Thursday during a regularly scheduled meeting, for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
The overall budget was approved 4-1, with commissioner Marc Hehn opposing.
This year’s overall budget is $919,601 less that the previous year’s budget of over $28 million, but the general fund was increased by $285,307.00 with the addition of fiber lease payments in the general fund’s revenue.
“The Moorewood Road Waterline Improvement Projects was completed removing $550,000 from the Capital Projects Fund expenditures,” Town Manager Josh Ward said. “Also, the majority of the walkway access to the clearwell at the water treatment plant has been completed reducing the expenditure within the Water Treatment plant has been completed reducing the expenditure within the Water Treatment Plant capital $135,000. Fiber lease payments were added as revenue within the general fund totaling $212,500 for the last two quarters of FY 2022-23.”
The budget comes with no Ad Valorem property tax rate increase from the previous year, expenditures in the Cemetery Fund are expected to be $2,000 less and the Electric Fund is expected to have $391,178 less in expenditures than in 21-22.
Additionally, projected expenditures in the Fire Department fund will have $19,351 more than last year, the Sewer Fund will have $1,112,850 more and the Water Fund will have $1,977,935 more than the previous year.
Overall, the budget for the Street Department has a total of $1,327,000 with $369,000 allocated to street paving and $463,000 allocated towards repairs and maintenance. The Sanitation Department’s total budget for the upcoming fiscal year will be $165,000 and the Electric Department will have a total of $310,000.
The Water and Sewer Department will be allocated a total budget of $1,760,500, the Water treatment plant will receive $479,600 and the Wastewater Treatment Plant will receive $1,025,000. The Police Department’s total budget will be $164,500, with $84,000 of the funds allocated towards replacing two patrol vehicles, and the Parks and Recreation Department will receive $25,000. Finally, the MIS/GIS Department will have a total budget of $65,000.
- By Kaylee Cook