The Stuart Town Council approved its fiscal year 2023-2024 budget at its May 17 meeting.
Mayor Ray Weiland said the budget will be $1,994,900.
“I was looking at some of our numbers for this year, as the money comes in and it looks like we are in excellent condition. Really on track to collect 100 percent of our money,” he said.
Despite the revenues being more than last year’s, Town Manager Bryce Simmons said the town did not increase utility fees or real estate taxes.
“The increase is associated with more people eating, so our meals tax has been highly sufficient. The recent property assessment that the county did also increase the property values within town, which increased the real estate taxes by the assessment, not by the rate,” he said.
Weiland said the meals tax came in close to $400,000, a first for the town.
“We’ve traditionally been right around $330,000 to $350,000,” he said.
Simmons said the town also has a certain percent increase in the cost of meals being prepared.
“So, that also pays a factor and the tax that we are receiving because of that,” he added.
Weiland added every full time employee, except council members, also got a raise.
In other matters, the council:
*Discussed the Star Theater project and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) presentation.
*Heard from Sarah Wray, of One Family Productions, about the Star Theater project.
*Authorized allowing Simmons to apply for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
*Approved paying for items with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Items include lost revenue from the auto-decals where the council voted to not implement the auto-decal taxes through the property taxes, bonuses for town employees, a new truck for the public works director, a backup bypass sewer pump.
*Discussed a potential food truck tax policy.
*Approved the meeting minutes.
*Paid the bills.
*Heard an update on the waste-water treatment plant.
*Heard an update on the town’s public works.
Terry Dalton attended the meeting via phone.
Town Attorney Christopher Corbett did not attend the meeting.