TLDR: Carrboro Town Council Receives Finance Report and Discusses Stormwater Assistance

The Carrboro Town Council discussed its annual comprehensive finance report, a draft of a new residential stormwater assistance program, and a proposal to extend the water and sewer service boundary during its meeting. The council received the report from the accounting and consulting firm FORVIS, which showed an increase in available funds of about 30 percent from the previous fiscal year. The Town’s largest revenue source is property tax, which increased by 1.6 percent. The council also discussed a proposed new design for the residential stormwater assistance program, which would require a 10 percent increase in the stormwater fee. Additionally, the council considered possible changes to the water and sewer service boundary in the Chapel Hill jurisdiction, with concerns raised about the availability of affordable housing in the new land parcels.

Key Points:

• Carrboro Town Council receives annual finance report, showing a 30 percent increase in available funds
• Property tax is the largest revenue source and increased by 1.6 percent
• Proposal for a new residential stormwater assistance program is discussed, requiring a 10 percent increase in the stormwater fee
• Possible changes to the water and sewer service boundary in the Chapel Hill jurisdiction are considered, with concerns about affordable housing

The Carrboro Town Council received its annual finance report from the accounting and consulting firm FORVIS during its recent meeting. According to the report, the Town saw a significant increase in available funds, with a 30 percent rise from the previous fiscal year. Property tax was identified as the largest revenue source, accounting for a 1.6 percent increase in revenue. The report indicated that there was no change in the property tax rate, suggesting that the increase in revenue was primarily due to higher property evaluations.

During the meeting, the council also discussed a proposed new design for the residential stormwater assistance program. The Stormwater Utility Manager presented the proposal, which outlined the work that had been done since 2020 to develop the program. The proposal included a 10 percent increase in the stormwater fee to cover cost-sharing initiatives and allocate funds for an additional staff member dedicated to the program.

Another topic of discussion was the potential extension of the water and sewer service boundary in the Chapel Hill jurisdiction. The Chapel Hill Town Council had previously agreed to this extension and forwarded the resolution to other local governmental entities, including Carrboro, for approval. However, council member Randee Haven-O’Donnell expressed concerns about whether the new land parcels created by the boundary expansion would be used for affordable housing. She questioned the assurance that affordable housing would be a priority in the development of these parcels.

In terms of decisions made during the meeting, the council unanimously voted to accept the draft of the new stormwater assistance design and schedule a public hearing for community input on the program design. Additionally, a motion was passed for town staff to bring back a resolution with information from key stakeholders and the Town of Chapel Hill regarding the water and sewer boundary expansion proposal.

The next meeting of the Carrboro Town Council will be a work session held on January 16.