In a summarized breakdown, the budget sees $12,326,994 devoted to the general fund, $163,500 to the emergency telephone system, $18,000 to narcotics enforcement, $623,210 to water and sewer, $1,068,500 to health insurance, $112,234 to the municipal service district, and $544,064 to the rural fire district.
Here’s the article from Frank Ruggiero
Extra fees for well permits
The new-well permit fee will increase from $225 to $300 on Tuesday, July 1. The fee includes the cost of inspections, fieldwork and a water sample.
Here’s the article from the High Country Press
Fish for free, July 4th
Along with watching fireworks and grilling out, everyone in North Carolina can celebrate Independence Day by casting a line in their favorite fishing hole - no license needed!
Here’s more from GoBlueRidge
New name for Realtors Association
The new proposed name for AWAR is the High Country Association of Realtors or “HI-CAR”. The Board of Directors also proposed a new tagline for the association that says, “All Real Estate is Local and So Are We”.
Help for Tweetsie
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed the movement to help buy the land on which Tweetsie operates during a public hearing held on Monday evening.
Here’s the article from Go Blue Ridge
UPDATE: Opinions divided
County passes $60M budget
Watauga County’s property tax rate will remain the same in the next fiscal year, though the overall county budget will increase 4.6 percent.
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners adopted a balanced $60.1 million budget Monday morning, with a $44.6 million General Fund budget for county operations.
Click here for the article in the Watauga Democrat