FENWICK ISLAND – Town leaders have adopted a $2.3 million operating budget and a $110,389 capital budget for the coming fiscal year.
Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to approve the fiscal year 2021 operating and capital improvement budgets.
The spending plan includes an operating budget of $2,369,802. Property taxes, rental tax, transfers from other funds account for more than 60% of proposed revenues. Expenditures include $838,384 for the Fenwick Island Police Department, $430,717 for general government, $387,982 for administration and $349,228 for lifeguards.
Town Manager Terry Tieman told the council last week the budget did not include fee increases. A new town position was also deferred.
“We tried to control our costs as much as possible because of the pandemic,” she said.
The coming year’s budget also includes $110,389 for capital projects, a bulk of which would be funded using realty transfer tax revenues. Projects include a town code rewrite for $45,000, town hall cedar shake replacement for $20,000 and pipe and valve replacement for $17,000.
Councilwoman Vicki Carmean said she would not support the budget brought before council. She highlighted the economic uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and noted her opposition to the use of realty transfer tax revenues in covering operating and capital expenses, among other things.
“I cannot vote for this proposed budget because I think it is overly ambitious and optimistic,” she said.
Councilman Richard Mais, however, disagreed.
“So far, it doesn’t look like we are going to be taking a big hit,” he said. “Many of our income sources have not been affected by the virus. We don’t have sales tax, we don’t have taxes on our businesses other than a small amount for licenses and things like that. I think this is a good budget. I think the town did a good job taking into consideration where we might see some shortfalls in income and that’s included in this budget.”
The council voted 6-1, with Carmean opposed, to approve the fiscal year 2021 operating and capital improvement budgets.
The council last week also approved its fee schedule for the new year.
“You may see a difference between this year and last year, and I believe that’s $100 for the bonfire [permit],” Tieman said. “That was raised in the current year’s budget and didn’t go into effect until Jan. 1.”
