SALISBURY — On Tuesday, before its regularly scheduled meeting, the Salisbury City Council held a work session to go over further details to the upcoming 2023-2024 budget. One of the topics that council wished to get more clarification on was the upcoming year’s fund balance.

Fund balance is calculated by taking a city’s revenue and subtracting its expenditures. Last year, Salisbury had over $10 million in available fund balance and Finance Director Wade Furches advised that he expects a surplus again this year. According to Furches, they have not figured out the exact dollar amount yet, but Salisbury’s fund balance total has gone up consistently since 2020.

One of council’s priorities is further investment in infrastructure maintenance. Furches presented a list of requests that the city can spend around $1 million in fund balance money on that is not included in the official budget like a new garbage truck, repaving roads and updating the citywide computer software system.

Mayor Pro Tem Tamra Sheffield recommended increasing the cost of living adjustment for city employees from the proposed 2 percent to 3 percent. There were discussions on whether that extra money would come from the general fund or fund balance, but council member David Post requested to see how the hypothetical increase would affect the tax rate as well.

“I don’t like anything that doesn’t keep track of inflation,” Post said.

During the city council meeting, there was a public hearing for residents to come and voice their opinions about the budget before staff makes further adjustments. People suggested getting rid of recycling to save more money, increasing funds to the police department, not raise stormwater fees, address flooding in Kelsey Scott Park, and make sure that the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department is still properly funded.

The budget can be finalized as early as June 20 at the next city council meeting.