BY DEBBIE PAGE

Department directors gave detailed presentations of their fiscal year-to-date achievements, goals, and vision to Troutman Town Council in a day-long session on Thursday. Council members listened intently and asked probing questions as they prepare to enter budget discussions next month.

Town Manager Ron Wyatt thanked department directors for the concise and clear presentations of their accomplishments and future directions to inform council members.

“The citizens are getting a heck of a bang for their buck because of what each one of these directors do,” Wyatt said.

FINANCE

Finance Director Justin Mundy presented the town’s financial picture to the council. Ad valorem, or property taxes, provide 63 percent of the town’s revenue. Other sources are sales tax (17 percent), permits and fees (9 percent), other revenue (7 percent), and utility tax (4 percent).

In the 2023-2024 budget, Mundy conservatively projected the town would receive $6,448,380 in ad valorem taxes, but the town received $62,889 more than expected. In the current fiscal year, Mundy projected $7,625.927 in ad valorem revenue, but he expects final numbers to reach $7,797,574.

Sales taxes are expected to increase from $1,843,381 last fiscal year to a projected $2,025,000. Wyatt noted that two-thirds of the state is seeing lower sales tax collections, but fortunately this area is continuing to boom economically.

Overall, Mundy projects the town’s general fund revenues, at $10,347,480 last fiscal year, to increase by more than $2 million to $12,351,574 by June 30.

Salaries, wages, and benefits for town employees make up the majority of general fund expenditures at 35 percent. Capital outlay (long-term investments like buildings, machinery, and equipment) and “other expenditures” each comprise 25 percent of the town budget, with contracted services at 12 percent and departmental supplies at 3 percent.

By department, the police department represents 29 percent of general fund expenditures because of its 24/7 service, vehicles and equipment. Mundy pointed out that Chief Josh Watson’s has lowered that percentage from 50 percent since his arrival while also increasing manpower, training, equipment, and services.

Capital outlay accounts for 29 percent of general fund spending, followed by sanitation and administration (both at 8 percent), planning (7 percent), parks and recreation (6 percent), economic development, debt service, and streets (each at 5 percent), IT (3 percent), governing body (2 percent), and and passport and other expenditures (1 percent each).

Mundy projects spending increases for all departments except governing body, passport, planning, debt, and capital outlay during the current fiscal year, based on year-to-date performance.

In Utility Fund revenue, 55 percent comes from water and sewer charges, 39 percent from availability fees, and 6 percent from other sources. The fund took in $8,595,795 last fiscal year, but Mundy expects the fund to reach $9,705,000 with the increase in customers served.

Water and sewer capacity purchases make up 26 percent of utility fund expenditures, followed by wages and benefits and capital outlay (20 percent each), other expenditures (15 percent), contracted services (12 percent), and supplies (7 percent).

Mundy wants to organize and grow the Finance Department by creating three new divisions: customer service, billing, and accounting.

“We will need more employees (as customer services increase with growth), but we need somewhere to put them.”

Mundy also wants to review all utility fees to ensure they are in line with the current market.

PLANNING

Planning Director Andrew Ventresca reported that 4,253 approved living units have not yet been started.

He noted the 2018 Strategic Master Plan’s population estimates are way off. The town had 3,738 residents in 2020 and the population is now near 8,000.

If all 4,253 residential units currently approved build out, Ventresca said Troutman is estimated to grow to 11,058 residents by 2035, assuming 2.6 persons per residential unit.

The department issued 897 permits and reviewed 11 commercial and multi-family projects in 2024.

Ventresca said the population will continue rising. The number of permits issued is stable, with 2025 numbers showing a decrease. Commercial-multi-family plans and conditional rezoning requests are also declining. However, commercial inquiries are increasing.

Ventresca said that growth does seem to be slowing slightly, and some rezoning requests could shift in another direction as market demands change.

He noted that a conditional rezoning reverts to its previous zoning if no movement occurs on a project in two years, unless engineering documents were approved, which extends the project start to five years after approval.

Several new neighborhoods are nearing completion, meaning that the town will be taking over the streets, curbing, gutters, and stormwater ponds for those developments, creating more demands on Public Works employees.

The Wakefield development is underway, with construction meetings starting next week and the dirt turning on the project’s east side off Moose Club Road soon.

A proposal for 350 homes on 150 acres on Clontz Hill Road will be considered by the council in the next two months.

Council member Eddie Nau asked if turning down the last North Fork Business Park rezoning request had slowed industrial development. Ventresca felt inflated land prices were the issue, saying that the market needs to correct on land valuation.

The 1.7 million-square-foot TPA warehouse project near Exit 42 has stalled because of market shifts and lack of demand, but Ventresca said developers are exploring other commercial or industrial options for the parcel.

A data center is anticipated on a Houston Road site already approved by the town in June of 2022. Other expected commercial development includes a Waffle House, car wash, Mavis Tire, and a shopping strip next to the Food Lion area at Exit 42.

Council member Paul Henkel noted the importance of attracting commercial and industrial development. Mayor Teross Young added that supporting and growing the businesses already here to expand and grow, like the recent C.R. Onsrud expansion, is crucial as well.

Iredell Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Jen Bosser, who visited the retreat, said 80 percent of businesses are feeling positive about the economy, with 20 percent expressing uncertainty with the possibility of tariffs looming.

Development of the North Fork Business Park, which features smaller industrial spaces, is well positioned because demand for logistics and distribution is falling. She said 95 percent of Iredell EDC inquiries are now about manufacturing sites.

Bosser said the TPA project is moving ahead with 1 million square feet of warehouse space, but is flexible about how the other 700,000-square-foot space will be developed.

Bosser said 20,000-square-foot facilities seem to be the new sweet spot, accompanied by area to expand later. She also added that having spec buildings ready for interested clients is wise.

She suggested the town identify properties suitable for commercial and industrial development and then help property owners looking to sell connect with the Iredell EDC to get the property site ready.

Iredell EDC can work with owners to market the properties to attract site selectors and other services.

She said that 20 industrial projects are currently in the pipeline for the county but are currently idling. With 15 million square feet of space ready and few infrastructure issues, Bosser said Iredell County is an attractive market.

“It’s important that we maintain a balance of residential and commercial for the tax base,” she said, noting that Statesville lost several prime industrial sites to residential development.

An effective Land Use Plan is a good tool to promote smart growth, along with the town having the infrastructure in place to attract industrial development, she said. The town can also ask for options on certain tracts of land to be the first referral and work with the owner to find an industrial site developer, added Bosser.

Ventresca also listed a number of challenges for Troutman, including utilities capacity decisions, the effect of the Iredell Water Agreement in the area around the new high school, and traffic congestion from an outdated NCDOT traffic plan.

Unfortunately, NCDOT has removed the Main Street/Highway 21 widening and Old Mountain Road widening projects from its latest revision of the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), though the Houston Road/ Flower House Loop realignment is scheduled to begin in June.

The downtown/Talley Street sidewalk project, the Richardson Greenway extension project, and the Main Street/Old Mountain Road/Murdock Road intersection improvements are all progressing. The town will contribute from 20 to 35 percent matching funds to the projects.

Funding, greater population growth, an outdated strategic plan, the quasi-judicial Board of Adjustment having few applicants, and contradictions in the Unified Development Ordinance are other issues facing the town.

Proactive solutions Ventresca offered include a new strategic plan to guide staff and council with tough decisions and hiring a grant consultant to search for and submit grant applications.

He also suggested working through the CRTPO Board to ensure town transportation projects are again added to the STIP, using the Safe Streets For All (SS4A) to create a town specific safety plan, and doing small scale capital improvement projects as the town budget allows.

Ventresca also urged the Council to update the UDO since over 25 approved amendments have been added since 2022, creating a UDO specifically tailored to Troutman’s needs.

General fund expenditures will also be required for grant matching and funding of projects. He reminded the council that North Carolina does not allow local governments to adopt special local gas taxes or charge developer impact fees.

Department accomplishments included updating and streamlining the traffic impact analysis process, moving to online applications for customer convenience and greater efficiency, and incorporating software to track code enforcement actions.

Other accomplishments are adding interactive online maps (once the revamped website is operational), making pre-construction meetings mandatory for project clarity, and being asked to present on Troutman’s planning efforts at a statewide conference.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Director Emily Watson provided a long list of accomplishments for FY 2024-2025, including the pickle ball and basketball courts and Morrison Farm Park currently under construction, the addition of a full-time events coordinator and an athletics coordinator, the rejuvenation of Georgie Street Park, the launching of adult athletic leagues, the debut of the CivicRec online registration and Placer.ai software, the completion of several projects (equipment garage, parking lot, patio at park), and additional staff certifications.

The department’s six full-time and three part-time employees have also taken over maintenance of all greenways, Town Hall, the Planning House and Passport office, Georgie Street Park, the Wagner Street lot, and Morrison Farm Park, in addition to ESC Park.

The event coordinator also oversaw 21 annual town events in addition to various monthly programs (sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, crafts, puzzles) offered by the department, with the assistance of department and town staff and volunteers.

The park also hosted 25 community events on town property that attracted 50 or more community members and also require town resources and oversight.

Adult athletic leagues, including softball, soccer and volleyball debuted last fall, followed by basketball this winter. Spring registration for softball, soccer, and volleyball is now open. Other athletic program opportunities for all ages are also being considered.

Additional athletic programs offered included preschool dance camp, pickleball, adult hip hop, community first aid/CPR classes, a community bike ride, and softball, basketball, baseball, and tennis camps.

Town facilities were used 913 times by athletic teams, for town events and programs, and for private rentals.

Watson said the town recreation facilities were expected to bring in $40,000 in revenue this budget year, but revenue has already reached $74,429 and is projected to hit $100,000 by June 30.

The Georgie Street Park is averaging 24 to 34 visitors per day, and the new Morrison Farm Park will provide additional walking trails for the community. Watson wants to add benches, an information board, and a wildflower area to the amenity.

Wyatt noted that Duke Power will not allow any other amenities on this property except trails and benches.

In the next fiscal year, Watson plans to replace greenway winter banners, finish the construction of trails and installation of amenities for Morrison Farm Park, complete the basketball and pickle courts and add associated amenities, and continue to build/expand programming and events.

Watson is also exploring outdoor stage and amphitheater ideas for ESC Park as well as soliciting lighting quotes for the baseball fields and other areas of the park. Getting funding and plans for a baseball field area concession stand/restroom facility is also on her agenda.

PUBLIC WORKS

Director Austin Waugh said the number of water customers has grown from 2,889 to 3,894 in the past year. The system had 2,029 customers in 2021, so the customer demand has nearly doubled in the last four years.

The department has completed an inspection of the town’s wastewater system, cleared storm drains, and has decreased its water loss percentage over the past year.

It also completed a state-mandated inspection for lead and galvanized pipes, an unfunded mandate by the state, and sent letters to affected customers.