Dublin Council Approves Annual Budget for 2025-‘26
By DAVID QUESENBERRY
Patriot Publishing
Dublin Town Council at its regular meeting on June 25th, approved the Town’s operating budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Council approved a total budget of $6,540,604 which was a 4 percent increase over last year’s total budget of $6,287,265.
The approved General Fund budget was $2,352,856 which was almost level funded from last year’s budget of $2,325,856; an increase of three-tenths of one percent.
The Town’s Enterprise Fund budget for FY 25-26 was approved at $4,207,748 which was 6 percent higher than last year’s budget of $3,961,400.
According to Town Manager Darrin Cullip, the increase in the Enterprise Fund budget was caused by an increase in the cost of water purchased by the Town from Pulaski County and upcoming work on the main sewer line of the Pepper’s Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment Authority.
Council then heard updates from the Town Manager concerning the current budget, grants and building agreements.
Cullip reported that as of May, the budget looked pretty good.
General Fund revenues were at 85 percent of budgeted revenues, which would improve when transfer funds were received. He said that the revenues for real estate and personal property taxes were “a little behind,” but felt they would meet budget goals. Expenditures stood at 89 percent of budgeted expenditures. The budget he said was leveling out this last month as the fiscal year comes to an end.
For the Enterprise Fund, expenditures were at 85 percent of budgeted expenditures, while revenues were at 104 percent of budgeted revenues.
Cullip said that the budget overall appeared on track for the year.
Regarding updates on the Brownfield and DEQ grants, Cullip said he would be meeting Monday with staff from the New River Valley Regional Commission to finish a request for proposals for bids which might go out in the next 30 days.
Cullip also reported that he had received a notice regarding the DEQ grant that the Town appears to have not spent $9,000 in grant funds, which the state was requesting to be sent back. He said he was under the impression that the Town had received an extension under the grant, which was being checked on. Cullip added that he was working with the engineering firm CHA to get that grant completed.
Concerning the agreement and memorandum of understanding with Pulaski County for use of the Dublin Fire Department building by the County’s Squad 10, Cullip said the Town had not yet received a response from the County on either the agreement or the memorandum of understanding on use of the fire station.
In response to a question from Council when the County would begin trash pickup in the Town, Cullip said the County would begin collections the following Monday, June 30th.
Doug Irvin, Jr. asked if an extra line item would be added to the budget for fuel for the Fire Department. Cullip responded that the gasoline expenditure line item was removed and that all volunteer fire departments in the county received funds from the County for fuel. The Town had appropriated $6,000 to the Fire Department. After consulting with Mayor Lyons and the Treasurer, Cullip said the Town would add an additional $3,000 for fuel for in-town calls. If more funds were needed for fuel, the Council would have to consider it. As to where the funds would be located in the budget, Cullip said that they would be placed under a miscellaneous expense line item.
Mayor Debbie Lyons invited all persons to the Town of Dublin’s Annual Flag Ceremony at the Dublin Town Center at 9:00 am on Friday, July 4, 2025. Lyons said the ceremony would be followed at 12:00 noon with a Veterans Remembrance Ceremony on the front lawn of the Pulaski County Courthouse and a Fourth of July Parade at 3:00 pm in the Town of Pulaski. The day’s festivities would conclude with a River Turtles baseball game at historic Calfee Park, starting at 7:00 pm, with fireworks to follow after the game.
As a reminder to citizens, the Dublin Town offices will be open starting July 1, 2025 from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
The Dublin Town Council will not meet in July, but will have its next scheduled meeting on Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers of the Dublin Town Center.