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The Stanly County Board of Commissioners passed the budget resolution for the upcoming 2023-24 fiscal year at a special meeting Tuesday morning at Stanly Commons.

Stanly’s property tax rate will remain at $0.61 per $100 of valuation, but the county’s water and sewer rates will go up by 4%. The water rate will increase from $26.82 for under 2,000 gallons and $13.74 per 1,000 gallons after, to $27.88 and $13.74, respectively.

The sewer rate will increase from $9.54 per 1,000 gallons to $9.92.

Two fire tax rates will also increase next year. The West Stanly Fire District’s rate will increase from $0.11 to $0.12, for an estimated amount of $1.5 million based upon a valuation of $1.25 billion in property value.

Oakboro’s fire chief had recently requested a four-cent increase in the district’s tax rate. In the new budget, commissioners approved a two-cent increase from $0.06 to $0.08. Based on a valuation of $600 million, the estimated total taxes to be collected from the district will be approximately $480,000.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Brandon King said he had spoken with representatives from both fire districts.

“West Stanly was very appreciative,” King said. “I think they were really shocked they got anything.”

“Oakboro was not so happy. (The chief) was very disappointed,” King added.

The commissioner said Oakboro Chief Rodney Eury planned to speak to Charlotte Pipe and Foundry CEO Roddy McDowell about the situation. King said Eury noted the desire of Charlotte Pipe to have “24-hour fire department accessibility, and with the two-cent (increase), (Oakboro VFD) would not be able to do that.”

Of the $86,557,529 in revenues expected by the county, $24,809,746 has been budgeted for public safety, while education is the second-highest expenditure for the county at $22,095,357.

The county expects to collect $42,040,258 in ad valorem taxes and $18.35 million in sales tax as two of the county’s biggest general fund revenue sources.