Holly Springs budget makes clean water, staff pay priorities. $100M parks bond this fall.

Kristen Johnson
·4 min read

Holly Springs’ proposed budget makes clean drinking water a top priority without raising taxes in the coming fiscal year.

The $93.8 million budget includes commitments to water, parks and recreation, emergency preparedness and would add 27 new town staff positions.

It’s a 6% increase from the current year’s budget of about $88.5 million.

Economic growth has been “robust,” Town Manager Randy Harrington said. The town’s tax base is projected to increase from $7.5 billion last year to $7.9 billion, a 5.7% increase.

Will property taxes go up?

For the past four years, Holly Springs has kept the town’s rate at 42.16 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

Even without a town increase, Holly Springs property owners will see higher total tax bills if Wake County raises its property tax rate to 65.2 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

With the county and town tax combined, the owner of a $383,400 home in Holly Springs would pay $4,116, a $124 increase, if the county’s budget is passed.

Water and sewer rates would increase by 15% for average users. The $9.82 increase would bring the typical monthly bill to $75.20, Harrington said.

Garbage and recycling fees would increase by 56-cents a month, and yard waste fees would increase by $3 a month.

What will the budget be used for?

▪ Water & wastewater treatment

Investments to the town’s water system make up much of Harrington’s proposed budget. Holly Springs gets its water from the Cape Fear River by the way of Harnett County.

“Water is the lifeblood of our community,” Harington said. “It’s something that our residents expect to be safe and secure.”

Holly Springs is in a $237.3 million cost share partnership with Sanford, Fuquay-Varina and Pittsboro to expand Sanford’s water treatment facility. It will work with Fuquay-Varina to carry that water 14 miles to Holly Springs through an estimated $118 million conveyance line.

The Holly Springs wastewater facility is expanding to increase its capacity by 25% over the next four years.

▪ $100M Parks Bond Referendum

On Nov. 7, Holly Springs voters will see a $100 million parks bond on the ballot to, among other projects, develop a 56-acre park on Cass Holt Road across from Holly Springs High School.

The park will include a splashpad, pickleball courts and walking trails.

If approved, there will be a 5-cent per $100 valuation tax rate increase to pay the debt service on Holly Spring’s various investments, Harrington said.

▪ Emergency Preparedness

Harrington wants to spend more money on 911 call center technology to respond to emergencies more quickly. Over the past five years, as the population has grown, 911 calls have increased by 31%.

The budget includes these new emergency services positions:

  • Two new telecommunicators

  • One emergency management specialist for disaster preparation

  • One new fire captain to lead the Holly Springs Fire Department’s professional accreditation process

▪ Other Highlights

  • Constructing Fire Station No. 3. The council previously approved $11.2 million for the replacement fire station. The design and completion will kick off in the summer

What departments are getting new positions?

In total, Harrington recommends 27 positions:

  • 6 positions in Utilities/Infrastructure

  • 6 positions in Development Services

  • 5 positions in the Police Department

  • 5 positions in Public Works

  • 2 positions in the Fire Department

  • 2 positions in Parks & Recreation

  • 1 position in Information Technology

Are there any pay increases?

Harrington recommends employee raises of up to 6% as well as revisions to on-call pay, call-back pay, and addition of field police officer training supplemental pay.

The budget proposes salary adjustments for part-time employees in the town’s cultural centers.

Harrington also recommends a 1.9% pay adjustment for Holly Springs Town Council members and a new monthly car stipend of $150.

This is based on surrounding communities and the “consideration for the various public meetings and community engagements of a council member that require the use of a personal vehicle,” the budget states.

How to weigh in

Read the budget on Holly Springs’ town website.

A budget workshop is set for 8 p.m. May 23 at the Law Enforcement Center at 750 Holly Springs Road.

The Holly Springs Town Council are sxcheduled to vote on the budget June 6 before the start of the new fiscal year July 1.