Halifax County Manager Tony Brown this evening recommended a budget plan that will not raise taxes but will reduce the fund balance to 12 percent.

The proposed financial plan for the upcoming fiscal year does include a tax rate adjustment to make up for revenue lost in this year's countywide property valuation.

Commissioners during this evening's budget work session were in general agreement with the plan, which still has several steps to go through, including a public hearing.

Commissioner Patrick Qualls recommended going with an option that was presented last week that would reduce the fund balance to 13.5 percent.

Other commissioners, however, stated they liked the option Brown presented.

“It's important to realize it's better than it was last year,” Qualls said. “But there are no guarantees. We still have fund balance issues.”

Brown's proposal takes $2,901,558 from the fund balance.

The proposed $39,190,467 budget will fund the remounting of an ambulance; replace a quick response vehicle; fund two full-time dispatchers; replace the fire marshal's vehicle; transition to Office 365 for email and fund three sheriff's office patrol cars in the capital line item.

It funds $1,258,400 in school capital needs as follows:

Roof replacement at Halifax Community College.

Boiler, press boxes, lab upgrades, generators and cameras for the county school system.

Security cameras, controlled locks and shingle replacement for the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District.

A Weldon High School gym roof, athletic field renovations and lighting for Weldon City Schools.

The budget will fund additional current expense for schools, including a $127,027 utility increase at HCC.

It will $500 teacher supplements for 578 certified teachers.

Board Chair Vernon Bryant said he wanted the teacher supplements earmarked for certified teachers who have contact with students. “I don't want it to benefit administrators right now.”

Brown's proposed budget will fund $197,787 in outside requests and includes a 2 percent competitive market adjustment for employees and an employee pay for performance plan budgeted at $378,000.

The county manager directed the board to a memo from the tax office which said the proposed tax rate adjustment under the revenue neutral rate will mean owners of 22,000 of the county's 37,330 taxable properties will not have a higher tax bill if the rate is set at 73 cents per $100 of valuation as proposed. The current rate is 68 cents. “That's roughly 60 percent of the taxable properties,” the memo from county Tax Coordinator/Collector Doris Hawkins said.