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Windsor Town Manager William Saunders followed a budget public hearing May 30 by summarizing the most recent changes made to the proposed fiscal year 2023-24 Windsor operating budget.

No one spoke at the public hearing that was held as part of the special meeting.

“I think that shows to the council they’ve done a good job in preparations and the way the information has been provided to the public,” Windsor Mayor George Stubbs.

A public notice from the town advertising the meeting noted that the proposed budget features a balanced General Fund of $4,431,726.54, a balanced Water Fund of $1,696,000, a balanced Space Needs Fund of $155,000 and a balanced Town Center Fund of $50,500.

RECENT CHANGES TO THE BUDGET

Saunders highlighted the changes made to the budget since the May 9 council meeting.

First, the revenue in the General Fund changed. He noted that the real estate revenue line was adjusted to reflect a rate change from 14 to 13 cents per $100 of assessed value on the 2023 reassessment numbers.

He stated in a memo to Stubbs and the rest of the Windsor Town Council that the projected amount of additional real estate revenue is $64,134.91 more than the rate projected based on the 2019 reassessment numbers.

“However, this amount should be treated as gross additional revenue, as the amount received will likely be approximately $50,000, and that is due to waivers of taxation for disabled veterans and certain elderly people in the community,” Saunders said at the meeting. “It will likely be actually $50,000 rather than the $64,000 shown.”

The previously mentioned $4.4 million General Fund amount reflects the latest changes.

Next, Saunders addressed Future Space Needs.

“The General Fund transfer to Future Space Needs was increased from $100,000 to $150,000 resulting from that additional real estate revenue,” Saunders said.

When Saunders opened the floor up to questions, Councilman David Adams said, “You just mentioned a tax exemption for elderly or disabled — is that the same as the county’s, or is there a separate application process for that?”

Saunders deferred to Town Treasurer Cheryl McClanahan, who said, “I get the information from the county, and I put it in the system based on what the county tells me to do. So if they do 100%, it’s 100%, if it’s 50% — 50%.”

JUNE 13 PUBLIC HEARINGS AND BUDGET VOTE

Windsor Town Council’s Tuesday, June 13, meeting includes, but is not limited to, public hearings on the following matters:

• Proposed increase in tax revenues based on the 2023 Isle of Wight County real estate reassessment values;
• Proposed FY 2023-24 ordinance for tax rates; and
• Proposed FY 2023-24 ordinance for water rates.

Following these hearings, the council will have the opportunity to adopt the proposed budget, five-year CIP and the tax and water rates.

The meeting will be held at Windsor Town Hall, which is located at 8 E. Windsor Blvd., and it will begin at 7 p.m. 

The public notice stated that full texts of the budget and related ordinances are available to the public for review at Windsor Town Hall and on the town website at www.windsor-va.gov.