Town Council Work Session

Page 1 of 3 TOWN OF ST. JAMES WORK SESSION MINUTES April 17, 2025 The St. James Town Council held a Work Session on April 17, 2025 in the Earl Dye Council Chamber. Mayor Toner opened the Work Session at 10:00am. Council Members Present: Mayor Jean Toner, Mayor Pro Tem David DeLong, Councilors Jim Board, Lynn Dutney, and Dennis Barclay. Staff Present: Town Manager Jeff Repp, Finance Director Pauline Haran, and Town Clerk Jamie Burns Others Present: SJFD Treasurer Rich Agar, SJFD Board President Jim Crum, and 2 residents. Administration Update a. St. James Fire Department discussion on FY26 Operating Budget Rich Agar, SJFD Treasurer, presented the FY26 proposed budget for the St. James Fire Department. He thanked the mayor and council for their support, noting that the town is the department's primary source of funding. Mr. Agar explained that the budget process began in November/December, involving all divisional officers. The budget was reviewed and approved by the SJFD board in March 2025. He highlighted key points in the budget, including: ● Increases in ambulance transport fees and Brunswick County fire fees ● Increased contributions and interest income ● A potential $45,000 grant from the state fire marshal's office for purchasing SCBAs (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) ● A relatively flat service fee to the Town of St. James ● Softened fundraising revenue projections- groundcover sales were less than the previous year ● Implementation of a capital reserve budgeting plan ● Reduction in debt service - The loan for Engine 3773 (pumper) is fully paid. Jim Crum, SJFD President, clarified that the SCBA grant would allow for the purchase of 10 units, with the department providing matching funds. He explained the department's long-term maintenance plan for equipment replacement. The council discussed insurance costs, noting a substantial increase due to a revaluation of the fleet. Agar mentioned that repairs and equipment budget was increased due to the aging fleet. He also noted that the department is working on bringing budget awareness down to the line officer level. Mayor Toner inquired about the increase in transport numbers. Mr. Crum explained that there has been a 20-25% year-to-year increase, but the nature of calls varies. He mentioned that as the population increases, both within and outside St. James, the number of calls and likelihood of transports increases.  Page 2 of 3 TOWN OF ST. JAMES WORK SESSION MINUTES April 17, 2025 The council expressed appreciation for the department's budget management while emphasizing the importance of maintaining full-service capabilities. b. March 2025 Zoning Report Town Manager Jeff Repp presented the zoning report for March 2025. He reported that there were 16 total zoning permits issued, including 8 for new construction and 8 additions/modifications. The running total of permits issued in the last 12 months was 75 residential zoning permits for new construction and 92 others. Mr. Repp discussed the need to analyze the development agreement with St. James Properties and Reserve Development, as the subdivision of remaining parcels creates more building lots. He explained that while there are currently about 200-250 remaining platted lots within the town, this number increases as developers subdivide larger parcels. The council discussed the importance of tracking these developments for the comprehensive plan and understanding the potential number of dwelling units that could be added in the future. c. March 2025 Event Center Reports and Survey Results Town Manager Repp reviewed the Event Center reports for the month of March. There were 247 events held in the event center during March bringing the total from January through March to 706 events. These events generated $36,362 in billable activity. Compared to the previous year, the number of events was slightly lower, but revenue was higher. Pauline Haran, Finance Director, noted that in regards to the billables they have almost reached the budget for collections of about $80,000. There are no proposed changes in fees. The Council discussed the upcoming public meetings regarding the event center survey. Mayor Toner expressed concerns about the format of the meetings, emphasizing the need for a structured presentation and clear instructions for attendees. The Council agreed on the importance of setting expectations and providing guidance to ensure productive public input. Town manager Repp assured that he would contact the consultants to ensure there would be a brief presentation at the beginning of each meeting to explain the purpose and process. Finance Update Pauline Haran presented the monthly finance update through April 15, 2025. Key points included: ● Total revenue collected this fiscal year is approaching $5 million, at $4,965,152  Page 3 of 3 TOWN OF ST. JAMES WORK SESSION MINUTES April 17, 2025 ● Property tax collections are over 100% of the budget due to discoveries made by the county ● Sales tax collections are consistent and slightly higher than the previous year ● Rental income from the town hall event center is at $101,462 ● Interest income is over budget ● Total expenses are at $3,157,268, in line with expectations Ms. Haran noted some additional items such as completion of ARPA filing for municipalities and the unexpected expense of termite treatment needed at the event center. Ms. Haran presented her Balanced Budget Presentation for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. The property tax rate will remain at $0.06. Projected revenue is $5,561,400. There will be a 6% increase in personnel costs. Ms. Haran discussed various expenditure increases, including liability insurance (11%), landscaping (5%), animal control (3%), janitorial services (10%), yard debris removal (7%), and election costs (43%). She presented new projects added to the budget since the last meeting, including fireworks, Veterans Day breakfast, a consulting contract for regional marketing, EEOC Zoom video upgrade, traffic signs, and a potential TV video wall for the event center. The council discussed the need for improved audio-visual equipment in both the town hall and event center, agreeing to include funding for these upgrades in the budget. Ms. Haran also mentioned preparation to budget for a potential public works/public service facility, noting that the fire department had expressed concerns about equipment storage. Ms. Haran outlined the next steps in the budget process, including a public meeting in May and the final budget adoption. She committed to providing updated, color-coded budget details to the council before the public meeting. Jeff Repp provided an update on the water pressure project, noting that the 60% design had been submitted to the county for review. He explained that the county commissioners are expected to consider approval of the project at their June 16th meeting. Adjournment Mayor Toner adjourned the Work Session at 11:24am. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Jamie Burns, Town Clerk Jean R. Toner, Mayor