The Alexander County Board of Commissioners adopted the 2025-2026 budget by a unanimous vote at the June 2nd meeting.
Finance Director Jennifer Herman presented the 2025-2026 budget ordinance. The general fund budget totals $60,586,611. The property tax rate remains at 65 cents per $100 valuation. Herman said the new budget includes a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all county employees, a continued focus on public safety, capital projects, additional school funding, and more.
Chairman Marty Pennell said the new budget is fiscally conservative while providing funding for many important items.
“This budget reflects a conservative approach to spending while still prioritizing the needs of our community,” said Chairman Pennell. “We’ve worked hard to ensure that essential services are funded responsibly, without placing an unnecessary burden on our taxpayers.”
In the newly adopted budget, general fund revenues are comprised of property taxes at 44 percent, sales tax at 23 percent, sales and services at 9 percent, fund balance appropriated at 8 percent, state grants at 7 percent, other revenues at 4 percent, intergovernmental revenue at 3 percent, and federal grants at 2 percent. General fund expenditures are comprised of public safety at 34 percent, human services at 22 percent, general government at 15 percent, education at 14 percent, interfund transfers at 6 percent, culture/recreation at 3 percent, environmental protection at 2 percent, other expenditures at 2 percent, debt service at 1 percent, and economic and physical development at 1 percent.
The major capital expenditures include $324,000 for a new ambulance with a power load stretcher; $339,000 for four vehicles for the sheriff’s office; $358,000 for buildings and grounds improvements; $142,325 for 911 communications equipment; $120,000 for three DSS vehicles; $250,000 for a rubber tire loader at the landfill; and $680,000 to replace two water lines.
The new budget includes several fee increases. EMS will increase billing fees by $50, will begin a $50 public assist fee, and will increase the mileage fee from $11 to $13 per mile. In the solid waste fund, convenience site fees will be $2 per 30-gallon bag, which marks the first increase since 2015. Landfill fees will increase by $5 per ton for both construction and demolition debris and household, commercial, and industrial waste. The last landfill fee increase occurred in 2021.
Most fire departments requested additional general fund appropriations or fire tax rate increases to support equipment and staffing. The new budget establishes fire tax rates that will pay for the fire departments’ requests. The fire tax rates are: Bethlehem – 6 cents per $100 valuation, Central Alexander/Taylorsville – 8 cents, East Alexander/Stony Point – 8 cents, Ellendale – 7.8 cents, Hiddenite – 7.7 cents, Sugar Loaf – 11.4 cents, Vashti – 12.2 cents, and Wittenburg – 7.5 cents.
Alexander County Schools will receive an appropriation of $8,078,040, which is a 7.8 percent increase compared to the 2024-2025 budget.
The budget includes numerous county projects that are underway or will begin in the new budget year. Current projects include: ARPA waterline extension project, Bowman Court sewer pump station project, Bethlehem water tank project, Alexander Industrial Park sewer extension project, Three Forks Church Road waterline extension project, Sterling Road neighborhood revitalization project, 16 West Main Avenue downtown revitalization project, and EMS Station #1 project. Upcoming projects include the planning and design for East Alexander Park and renovations to EMS Station #2 in Bethlehem.
Herman said the general fund debt service appropriation for 2025-2026 is $659,000, with the final debt payment on the law enforcement and detention center to be made in January 2026. The budget also includes a debt service appropriation of $945,000 in the county water and sewer fund to make payments on four projects.
The new budget becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
In other business:
• Commissioners approved four budget amendments. Interim County Manager Debra Bechtel reviewed the amendments. The first and second amendments adjust the general fund budget and solid waste fund budget for personnel costs in 2024-2025, which differ from the original budget estimates. The third amendment increases the detention center budget for estimated medical supplies and inmate medical bills, increases the budget for social services representative payee client expenses and revenues, reduces the special appropriations budget for WPCOG annual dues related to water resources because they were paid from the water and sewer fund, and decreases estimates for sales tax revenue based on year-to-date collections that are lower than expected and increases the estimate for interest revenue. The fourth amendment adjusts the county water and sewer fund budget based on year-to-date data from the City of Hickory and uses separate expense line items for water and sewer operations.
• Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which included: tax abatements, adjustments, and refunds; meeting minutes; board and committee appointments; renewal of an agreement with the Town of Taylorsville for planning and zoning services; extension of the lease agreement for the license plate agency; an updated Alexander County fee schedule; a resolution to direct the expenditure of opioid settlement funds; a resolution to commit $500,000 in fund balance dollars for future capital projects; and a request from Sheriff Chad Pennell to surplus a variety of weapons.
Consolidated Human Services Board meeting
Following the regular meeting, commissioners convened a meeting of the Consolidated Human Services Board.
• Health Director Billie Walker provided an update for the Alexander County Health Department. There are two vacancies on the Health Advisory Board for an ophthalmologist and an engineer. The department is seeking candidates for a licensed clinical social worker in behavioral health.
The board approved an updated fee schedule, mainly for environmental health and laboratory testing, which will go into effect on July 1.
Dori Maltba, Director of Nursing, presented the 2024 Annual Child Fatality Activity Report. There were no deaths to report or review for 2023.
Walker encouraged the public to complete the 2025 Alexander County Community Health Assessment. Since the survey began, there have been 904 valid survey responses. The survey deadline is July 31. Residents may access the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/9V735CL.
The department continues preparations for reaccreditation, with monthly team meetings beginning this July. The site visit is scheduled for September or October 2026.
Walker said they are planning a measles tabletop exercise for all clinic staff to evaluate their readiness in case of an outbreak.
• DSS Director Keri Jerrell provided an update for the Alexander County Department of Social Services. She said the staff is monitoring NC House Bill 612, known as the “Fostering Care in NC Act,” which passed the House and is now in the Senate. They are also monitoring federal legislation, which could affect Medicaid, SNAP, and more.
Jerrell said Alexander County DSS will begin utilizing the Partnership and Technology Hub for North Carolina (PATH NC) beginning on August 11. PATH NC is document management software for child welfare staff across the state.
The DSS staff vacancy rate is 8 percent for the past month.
In the foster care program, there are 45 children in DSS custody, with nine children in Links, three children in the 18-21 program, two finalized adoptions, four adoptions in progress, and nine parents in the foster care training classes. There are 12 wards in the adult protective services program.
Jerrell said the department has some remaining Hurricane Helene disaster relief funding in economic services, adult protective services, and child welfare services. To inquire, call (828) 632-1080.
DSS staff have participated in various community events, including a community baby shower, spring fling, career day, and “Real Money, Real World.” Staff also observed Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.
Jerrell said she is excited about the recent renovations at the department’s front desk area.
• Senior Center Director Kristy Hunt provided an update for the Alexander Senior Center. She was particularly excited and grateful for the creation of “Kristy’s Garden” while she was out on medical leave. Seniors converted the center’s flagpole area into a garden with flowers, a concrete pathway, signage, refinished benches, a patio, and memory stones.
She said senior center activities continue to grow, including the birthday and bingo lunches, evidence-based classes, computer classes, gardening classes, and more. The center recently hosted its annual senior celebration with 134 seniors in attendance. They also hosted a Unifour Senior Games event for the first time. They continue to partner with AARP, Lee Masonic Lodge and Red Cross, Vaya Health, and Alexander Hospice. Residents are encouraged to register for a Diamond Tours trip, with a trip to Vermont scheduled in September. They also do a series of day trips every year. The center received an identity theft and fraud prevention grant to host a shred-truck event on March 21, with 184 people and 4,800 pounds of documents.
Upcoming events include Operation Heat Relief to provide free fans for those ages 60 and older with disabilities. Musician’s Jam events are scheduled for July 22 and August 26 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The center’s annual craft fair is set for July 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The ice cream social event will be held on August 21 at the Bethlehem site and on August 22 at the Taylorsville site.
Medicare drug coverage savings for 2024 totaled $1,537,840, which is believed to be the third-highest savings by county in the state.
Hunt said the average daily attendance for January through April 2024 was 75.27 people per day, while the attendance for January through April 2025 was 97.99, which is a 30 percent increase.
The next meeting of the Alexander County Board of Commissioners is set for Monday, July 14 at 6:00 p.m. at the CVCC Alexander Center for Education (room #103). Regular meetings are recorded and can be viewed on the county’s Government Channel on Spectrum channel 192 or the county’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/alexandercountync. Meeting agendas, minutes, videos, and more are available on the county’s website at https://alexandercountync.gov/commissioners.