By Mark Wineka
mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — The Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen will hold a public hearing on the town’s proposed 2017-18 budget at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall.

A special meeting to adopt the budget is then set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, also at Town Hall.

Town Manager Phil Conrad has proposed a budget that depends on a property tax rate of 41.75 cents per $100 valuation. That’s the same as the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

The owner of a house valued at $150,000 would pay, for example, $626.25 in town property tax under the budget proposal.

Residents also would continue to pay an $11 a month “environmental fee,” which includes garbage collection.

The total 2017-18 budget is proposed at $2,691,669, and it covers expenses for the governing body, administration, police, fire, maintenance, parks and recreation, waste and town projects.

In his budget message, Conrad says the proposal includes the following:

• A 2.34 percent merit pool increase for employees based on performance reviews.

• Funding for the CMAQ (a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality grant) Sidewalk Project in the amount of $490,000, which includes town matching funds of $56,000.

• Funding for all debt service, which for the town includes payments on the 2015 fire truck and on a water line serving the Village of Granite subdivision..

• The purchase of a new police car.

• Necessary equipment purchases for all departments.

• Operational funds to continue services to residents at current levels.

• Adjustments to cover inflation and any contractual increases.

The budget allocates $83,000 from Powell Bill funds to go toward repairing and repaving streets.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.