Residents and businesses connected to Trinity’s sewer system will see a 2.5 percent increase on their bill if the city’s proposed 2010-2011 $4.5 million budget is passed. However, no property tax increase is included.

“No tax increase for the fourth consecutive year,” declared City Manager Ann Bailie as she presented the proposed budget to City Council during the May 18 meeting. “That’s a wonderful thing, both from our standpoint and our residents’ standpoint.”

Trinity’s property tax rate is 10 cents per $100 valuation, the lowest municipal tax rate in Randolph County. Archdale’s tax rate is 29 cents per $100.

“This just underscores the exceptional job that our Council and our staff have done with making the most of our limited resources,” Bailie said. “People I talk to, people who know this kind of stuff, can’t believe what we’re doing on a 10-cent tax rate. But we’ve done it, we’re doing it and we’ll continue to do it.”

However, not all the budget news was as cheerful.

“We are not proposing any new fees at this time. We are proposing a modest 2.5 percent sewer rate increase,” said Bailie. “What this will amount to on the average customer’s bill is an increase of about 84 cents per month.”

The rising cost of wastewater treatment is the primary reason behind the sewer rate increase. Both Archdale and Thomasville, which handle Trinity’s waste, are raising their rates again — Archdale by 7 percent and Thomasville by 8 percent.

Bailie said that although 75 percent of all sales tax revenue is dedicated to sewer costs, there was no longer a way for the city to avoid passing wastewater treatment cost increases to its residents.

“It’s unsustainable for us not to raise our rates,” she explained. “In addition, we’ve had sewer line in the ground now for about 10 years and maintenance costs increase. We also need to prepare for the future, because breaks and problems with sewer lines are inevitable and will happen.”

The city’s sewer billing costs are expected to increase by 21 percent as new customers are added. Phase 3 of the sewer plan will be completed by June, and will add between 250 and 300 customers. Part of Phase 4A is scheduled to be complete by October. The remainder of Phase 4A, and the Phase 4B Old Town project along N.C. 62, should be complete by May 2011.

Residents can expect the increase in the September bill.

Trinity’s overall budget is increasing in size. The total proposed budget for 2010-2011 is $4,461,675, a 28 percent increase over the current budget.

“The reason for the increase, in large part, is due to a one-time $450,000 fund balance appropriation for our share of a grant to develop center city park,” Bailie explained.

The fund balance is the city’s savings account.

In December 2009, the Council agreed to submit a federal grant application for $500,000 to be used to construct a 27-acre park with walking trails, picnic shelters and a playground on the city’s property. However, the grant’s terms require the city to provide matching funds.

The remainder of the budget’s increase in size is due to state distributed Powell Bill funds for road improvements and street assessments from property owners in Turnpike Industrial Park.

A full copy of the proposed budget is available at the Archdale Public Library, 10433 S. Main St.; at Trinity City Hall, 6703 N.C. Hwy. 62; and on the city’s website, www.trinity-nc.gov.

Trinity will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 15

The remainder of the budget’s increase in size is due to state-distributed Powell Bill funds for road improvements and street assessments from property owners in Turnpike Industrial Park.

A full copy of the proposed budget is available at the Archdale Public Library, 10433 S. Main St.; at Trinity City Hall, 6703 N.C. Hwy. 62; and on the city’s website, www.trinity-nc.gov.

Trinity will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 15.