Pulaski Council holds public hearing on town budget
By DAVID QUESENBERRY
Patriot Publishing
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Pulaski Town Council held a public hearing on the Town’s proposed FY 2026-2027 budget. Council also received good news that there were no increases proposed either in taxes or fees for the Town’s General Fund budget.
Town Manager Todd Day, in his report to Council, said he had received no comments from the public on the budget. He thanked staff for the tremendous amount of time that they spent on the budget, telling Council it was an amazing accomplishment to go six years revenue increase free in an inflationary and declining economy.
Day said “There are no recommendations nor are there any tax or fee increases in the General Fund recommended, implemented or studied. I’m very happy to say that.”
Day credited the ARPA funds over the last four years enabling the Town to reach this point. If it weren’t for these funds becoming available to the General Fund, he ventured revenue increases would have had to be considered.
Concerning utility revenues, Day reported that the projected 25 percent increase in water revenues for three consecutive years was lowered to 19 percent while sewer revenues were at an increase of 8 to 9 percent.
For the upcoming fiscal year the General Fund was budgeted at $11,492,295; the Water Fund at $4,157, 399; the Sewer Fund at $5,039,841; and Solid Waste at $848,452.
Due to an error in the legal ad, Council will conduct a public hearing on the Water Fund at its next Council meeting.
During the public hearing Eric Tyler expressed concern over what he saw as cuts to the Police Department’s budget. He felt that persons looking to relocate to the Town from other communities might not do so unless they felt the Police Department was capable of protecting them. Tyler also spoke in favor of increasing the salaries of the Police Department to aid in officer retention and to give them the equipment they needed to do their job.
Later in the meeting, both Mayor Shannon Collins and Manager Day spoke to these comments.
Mayor Collins said, “I just want to reiterate that we are not taking from them (Police Dept.). I’m sure that there are expenditures that we don’t need anymore.”
Day echoed these remarks, noting that reductions in budgets could be due to a lot of things.
“I can assure you that the Police Department’s budget is not being cut when it comes to the things they need in order to operate.”
He cited as an example a $70,000 savings in insurance for the department as well as savings in such line items as FICA when an employee moves on.
Council next discussed a proposed zoning definition of a ‘temporary housing shelter.”
Manager Day read from a letter prepared by Nathan Smythers, Town Zoning and Building Official. The letter stated that the Planning Commission of the Town decided there was a need to establish a definition of a “temporary housing shelter” to be included in the town Zoning Regulations.
Following discussion, a definition was drafted for reference to Town Council as follows:
“Temporary housing shelter – a facility that provides short-term residential accommodations to individuals or family experiencing homelessness, or housing instability, along with supportive services specified in the special exception approval.”
Day continued reading the ordinance which limited stays to 120 days between November 1st and February 28th.
The use would be classified as a special exception requiring the approval of the Planning Commission and Town Council in the following zoning districts R-1, R-2, R-3, R-O, B-1, B-2 and B-3.
Day said that there needs to be a clarification of legal language by the Town’s attorneys to make a workable definition. He sought Council’s decision on whether or not to move forward.
Councilman Joel Burchett voiced opposition to the measure.
“I think this is a step in the wrong direction. This would open up residential areas for transients to stay four or five months out of the year. What’s that going to do to your home values? I’ve had residents tell me they do not want this.”
Burchett referred to events in Roanoke and Asheville, North Carolina as examples of where attempts to aid the homeless resulted in problems for the locality.
“I am against this,” he said. “I don’t think it’s good for the Town, for the citizens, for the property values, and the neighbors that would have to live adjacent to this.”
Councilman Brooks Dawson said, “I don’t believe this is the path. To introduce the possibility of homeless shelters to our business community and our residents is not the path that is going to make the Town successful as a whole.”
After discussion Council voted four to two to refer the definition on to the Town Attorney.
Council received a brief from attorney Andrew McBride of Farthing Legal PC on recent changes to state law involving localities. Among the changes covered were changes in zoning and planning which will have an impact on all localities.
Mc Bride said that under the new laws all zoning districts where site-built housing is permitted, must allow manufactured housing on the same terms. The manufactured home must be converted to real estate by being permanently fixed to the property. The unit, however, must be less than five years old with one unit allowed per lot.
Single-family zoning districts must allow attached or detached accessory dwelling units (ADU) through a special permitting process. Localities may charge a fee up to $500 and are authorized to regulate parking, placement, occupancy etc. However, ADU’s may be banned from property by private covenant.
Concerning data centers, localities must now require special site assessment in addition to zoning approvals for such centers. The assessment must consider sound impacts on the surrounding area and other assessments on impacts to water resources, agriculture, parks, industrial and mixed-use districts.
McBride said that under the new laws, localities had to provide a special exception in their zoning for ground mounted solar energy projects. Solar projects must be allowed by special exception in agricultural, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use zoning districts. Localities have the authority to regulate setbacks, fencing, height and visual impact with some restrictions.
Other measures discussed include various laws for affordable housing, law enforcement, and the Freedom of Information Act.
In other action, Council reappointed Joseph Goodman to the Redevelopment and Housing Authority and set July 7, 2026 for two public hearings on a zoning amendment for farm stores in the Rural Residential Districts and a rezoning of 2312 Pleasant Hill Drive from R-1 Residential to Rural Residential.
Council also awarded a certificate of appreciation to the members of AmeriCorps Team Grizzly 7 for their recent work in the Town.
The next scheduled meeting of the Pulaski Town Council is at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday June 2, 2026 in the Council Chambers on the second floor of the Town Municipal Building at 42 First Street, NW.