Scherer unveiled the financial plan at Tuesday night's city council meeting.

One of the issues the budget does not cover is the broken dehumidifier at the Aquatic Center, which comes in at a $250,000 to $300,000 price tag.

“We're still looking at a source of funding,” the city manager said following the meeting.

(The next step in the process will be a public hearing at 5:15 p.m. on June 3 at the Lloyd Andrews City Meeting Hall. Adoption of the budget is anticipated on June 17 at 7 p.m. at the Andrews building. The budget is available for inspection at the city's website.)

In his budget message, Scherer said the operating document includes revenues and expenditures totaling $14,964,878 with the tax rate to remain at 62.4 cents per $100 of valuation.

The budget includes funding for one additional employee who will be assigned to the street department, Scherer said, as well as funding for a recycling program.

“The national economy continues to strengthen, yet the pace of growth here at home remains below average,” he said in the budget message. “Despite some slow down in the economy, the economy is expected to continue on a slow and steady path. Little change in this scenario is expected over the next 12 months.”

There is concern that pending legislation in the form of a cap on privilege licenses could result in a $180,000 revenue decrease for the city.

Available funds, he said, “Are insufficient to address all of the city's capital equipment and improvement needs that have been identified. The city continues to do more with less.”

Scherer said today one of the things he will be doing is developing a three or five-year capital improvement plan.

The proposed budget, which leaves the city with a 26.4 percent fund balance, projects an increase in sales tax revenues by 3.75 percent.

While no tax increase is planned, the city is recommending a $5.25 increase in the solid waste user fee. This will boost the rate from $199.25 per year to 204.50 per year. “The increase is needed to cover operational costs,” as well as to implement curbside recycling and a fluorescent bulb and mercury recycling program.

Other fee changes include an increase to $17.05 per month in the business solid waste user and disposal fee as well as the same rate for each additional container.

“We will continue to move forward with enhancements in the city's vast spectrum of services,” Scherer said in the budget message. “I remain optimistic that we are going to continue to improve operational efficiencies with such a great team that truly cares about the citizens of Roanoke Rapids.”