FARMVILLE – Town Council unanimously adopted the 2013-14 Town budget Wednesday morning during its reconvened June meeting.

There are no increases in existing taxes, though the projected revenue includes the increased grave opening fees, a cigarette tax and higher water and sewer tap fees approved by Town Council during its regular monthly meeting on June 12.

The $17.476 million budget leaves all other taxes and fees at their current rate.

The budget, which anticipates $350,000 in revenue over expenses, will see employee pay increases come via a bonus schedule based on years of service as a Town employee.

The Town of Farmville's major sources of revenue are the meals tax, projected to bring in $2.2 million next year, and the business license tax, anticipated to produce $1.3 million.

Other revenue streams include $600,000 in real estate tax revenue (the tax rate remaining at 12 cents per $100 of assessed value), $340,000 in sanitation fees and $215,000 in personal property tax revenue forecast in the adopted budget.

Following the vote of approval, Ward E council member Jamie Davis suggested the finance committee begin meeting regularly to develop a “game plan” to reduce debt and create a rainy day fund.

“The Town is headed in a great direction,” he said, before asking the finance committee “to discuss the possibility of…developing a long-term game plan of reducing the long-term debt that the Town has. And maybe develop a game plan over the next five to 10 years to be able to create some type of rainy day fund where we can funnel money in there to be prepared for some of the things that may come in the future.”

Davis said the amount would be “a little, probably, at the beginning, if any, but just develop a game plan.”

The council member volunteered to do his part by joining the finance committee if one of its members no longer wants to serve.

“Versus just asking them to do it,” Davis explained.

Council members made no comment on his suggestion.

BZA Appointment

Town Council unanimously voted to recommend that Farmville businessman Brian Eckert by appointed by the circuit court judge to serve on the Town's Board of Zoning Appeals.

Davis thanked Eckert for his willingness to serve and for the seriousness of his consideration of the position.

Eckert had done “background checking” on the Board of Zoning appeals, Davis noted, “to make sure he felt qualified to serve and I do appreciate that. All council does and I thank you for that, Brian.”