Lance Martin, Herald Senior Staff Writer

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ROANOKE RAPIDS - While it may still be too early to say just how tight the city's upcoming budget will be, Mayor Drewery Beale says he will not ask for a tax increase.

One of the first steps in the budget process came Tuesday night when council held a work session on capital improvement projects.

While total needs for the city are listed at $2,058,800, department heads presented only minimal needs during the work session.

For instance, while the Public Works Department has about $1,045,000 in needs for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, Director Richard Parnell said the most pressing need is to get three new leaf machines at a total cost of approximately $60,000.

The Parks and Recreation Department has total needs of $923,180, but Director Chris Wicker said one of his department's most pressing needs is the resurfacing of tennis courts at an estimated cost of $6,500.

The other need, which council endorsed but has not funded, is a master plan for an athletic complex and park, which the city would like to see built at the Halifax County Airport. Cost of creating the master plan is estimated to be $15,000.

The fire department has total needs in the upcoming fiscal year of $65,500, but Chief Gary Corbet's main concern is to get new voice pagers to replace those that came out in the late 1980s. That is estimated to cost $13,500. Corbet said he would like to get 30 pagers. “Some of them are in pretty sad shape,” he said.

He also wants to replace the battalion chief vehicle, slated to cost $24,000, which will be used in place of a 1996 Yukon and a 1985 utility vehicle, both of which were donated by Dominion Power. Cost of the utility vehicle is $16,000.

The only need the police department noted was five new in-car cameras, estimated to cost $25,120. “Council has been very gracious,” Chief Jeff Hinton said.

The new cameras would have DVD capabilities instead of VHS tape capabilities. “The cameras are a very important tool to us.”

Corbet said Thursday he believes department heads are aware of the need to keep costs down. “These are needs and not a wish list,” he said. “We understand the city has got obligations.”

While the city knows there will be an increase in certain revenue sources, both City Manager Phyllis Lee and Finance Director Melinda Hite said it is too early to know exactly what the overall budget picture will be. Part of that, Hite said Thursday, is because the city won't know its property values until the county releases them in April.

What Hite does know is that the city will be adding property tax listings from the Hilton Garden Inn, RV Resort and 36 new houses for a total of $112,404.

Sales tax revenue is expected to increase by $395,000 and building permits are expected to increase by 10 percent to $11,100. There will also be a 3 percent increase in the utility franchise tax of $27,750. The next steps in the budget process are as follows:

€ Feb. 22, operational and capital budget requests are submitted to the finance director and the preliminary cost of salaries is submitted.

€ April 1, a complete review and preliminary budget is developed, reviewed and amended.

€ April 21, the development of the budget is completed.

€ May 13, the budget and budget message is presented to city council.

€ May 15 and May 22 are scheduled for budget work sessions.

€ June 10 is the public hearing on the budget.

€ June 24 is when the city council gives final review and adopts the budget.