Public safety a top priority for Maiden’s proposed $25 million budget

Maiden’s Town Manager has released his recommended budget for fiscal year 2023-2024. This comprehensive proposal is aimed at ensuring the financial wellbeing of the community while addressing key community priorities. There are several areas that directly benefit our residents and reinforce our commitment to providing efficient and effective municipal services.

Town Manager Todd Herms said, “The proposed budget balances the constraints of the town’s revenues with the town’s responsibility to provide quality services at the lowest possible cost to our citizens.”

The total budget recommended by Herms is $25,325,166, which is divided into three different areas: the General Fund (which provides most municipal services, including police and fire) at just over $13 million, an electrical fund of $8.6 million, and the water and sewer fund of $3.5 Million.

Herms stated that one central area of focus is Police and Fire.

“Public Safety has always been one of our top priorities and there is no doubt our operational costs are increasing at a dramatic pace. However, the protection of our citizens must be held to the highest standard. For that reason, the proposed budget calls for three additional fire fighters and one additional police officer.”

The Maiden Fire Department’s operational budget has increased 77% over the last two years. This increase doesn’t include capital expenses for trucks and the new fire station which is set to go out for bid in the next couple of months.

In our ongoing efforts to enhance public safety services, the Town of Maiden is transitioning from a volunteer organization to a full-time fire department, supplemented by volunteer firefighters. To prepare for this shift in service delivery, the Town of Maiden added three (3) full-time firefighters in the current fiscal year, along with a full-time fire chief. The Town plans to add an additional (3) full-time firefighters in proposed FY 23-24 budget, as well as an increase in funds for equipment and training. Design of a new fire station adequately sized to accommodate modern fire equipment and personnel needs is nearly complete, with construction anticipated to begin next year.

“This strategic decision aims to improve response times, increase emergency preparedness, and provide around-the-clock protection for our residents. We are excited about this development as it signifies our commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our community.” Herms continued, “Our town will forever be indebted to the men and women who have served as volunteer firefighters. Their selfless service has protected the town for decades while saving this community millions of dollars! However, the reality is that the number of people who can or are willing to volunteer isn’t adequate to meet the current and future needs as the citizens of Maiden deserve.”

Mayor Max Bumgarner, Jr. stated, “We understand the financial challenges faced by our residents, and we are committed to being fiscally responsible. The Town of Maiden has maintained its commitment to financial stability by keeping the tax rate among the lowest in our region for the upcoming fiscal year. This decision reflects our dedication to managing resources effectively while minimizing the burden on our taxpayers. Maiden has historically had a low tax rate, and for the past 13 years Maiden has had the lowest tax rate of any local government in Catawba or Lincoln Counties. To complement the low tax rate, Maiden has also had some of the lowest water/ sewer rates and fees of anyone in our region.”

Maiden had the lowest increase of property values in Catawba County resulting from the recent revaluation process. Herms explained, “While Maiden did see an increase in residential property values, it did not affect the overall revenue in Maiden as much as other communities. A huge portion of our budget is industrial based, and residential property accounts for only (around 4% of the total budget). An extremely strong industrial tax base is why we have been able to keep our taxes and fees this low for so long. Therefore, we had to get creative on the best way to save the most people the largest amount of money and still provide top level services.”

The Mayor continued, “After a rigorous in-depth review of the town’s entire financial situation, we found that reducing solid waste fees was the best option for our citizens. It saves the citizens of Maiden almost twice as much per year by doing so, making it more economically beneficial than to reduce the tax rate to the revenue neutral rate. There is not a lot of room for lowering your tax rate, when it is already 38 cents per $100. We are thrilled that we were able to develop a budget in which Maiden will remain the lowest tax rate, the lowest water rates, the lowest sewer rates, and the lowest solid waste fees in Catawba County—that is an extremely strong statement to our citizens.”