During a Monday night public hearing on Chatham County’s proposed budget, commissioners were urged by several speakers to tighten spending during these lean economic times.

The county manager’s recommended budget plans for a 5.5-cent increase in the property tax rate for Fiscal Year 2008/09.

The proposed tax rate is 67.2 cents per $100 of property, up from the current tax rate of 61.7 cents. One penny is anticipated to generate $722,266.

Only seven speakers addressed commissioners about the budget on Monday.

While several people in the audience brought signs — one read "Enough Already" – apparently aimed at urging commissioners to keep new spending to a minimum, only a few speakers sounded this theme during their spoken comments.

County resident Bob Knight criticized the proposed county spending plan, calling it "way out of line with the times."

With many county residents facing job losses as well as rising costs of living, Knight said "the time is now to tighten the belt."

Siler City resident Karl Ernst likewise criticized the proposed increase in the tax rate, saying it far exceeds any increase in salary most Chatham residents have gotten.

Pittsboro resident Mickey East said the county government is "growing much faster" than conditions warrant.

While East commended the board for their attempts to correct what he called "problems of the past" through its capital improvements plan, he also observed that "timing is everything."

He suggested some budgeted items – raises for county workers and a proposed new community development department — be "re-examined, slowed down and deferred for several years."

County resident Larry Ballas, likewise, urged commissioners to reconsider the 5.5-cent tax increase, saying it will impact not only property owners but also renters who will likely face higher rent.

"We’re making poor people poorer," Ballas said.

An agreement signed by Chatham County commissioners on Monday will allow Chatham to buy water from the City of Durham to help meet increasing local demands.

Chatham County currently has an allocation of 2.5 million gallons (mgd) from Jordan Lake.

The agreement with Durham is to supply an additional 1 mgd if needed through 2011 and increasing amounts thereafter up to 4 mgd through 2028.

The agreement calls for Chatham to purchase water at Durham’s lowest published residential rate.

more- See Thursday, May 22,  2008 paper: Vol 88, No.24

The Town of Siler City will likely eliminate five jobs and not provide salary increases for employees this year, in an effort to help curb revenue losses.

Town manager Joel Brower presented the town’s proposed budget to the Town Board Monday.

Creating a budget this year was "a difficult task," Brower said.

"With the drought and closing of Pilgrim’s Pride, we didn’t really know what to expect," Brower told commissioners. "The budget was written with that in mind."

He said this year’s budget total has decreased nearly six percent from last year.

Brower said the town does not plan to purchase large equipment or vehicles for the first time in awhile.

The town also does not plan to increase property taxes.

"There are two people retiring this year from full time positions," he said. "We will be moving some people around in the departments but we will not fill these positions," he said. "We also will discontinue funding for three part-time positions."

Other efforts to save money include suspension of the yearly street paving project.

"We have a $50,000 grant from the Department of Transportation to install sidewalks next to state roads," he said. "That money will go into the public works department."

Brower added that there will also be no cost of living adjustments for town employees, nor a pay for performance plan.

Mayor Charles Turner commended Brower for work on the budget.

"We’re trying not to do what other towns and counties are doing," he said. "Others are raising water and sewer rates and taxes.

"I can’t remember a time when we didn’t buy vehicles or offer raises for our workers."

Mayor Pro Tem John Grimes said because many people are cutting their personal budgets, the town has to "bite the bullet and pray next year will be better."

"It’s only right the town mirror what our citizens are doing," he said.

Several factors are coming together to make this a record year for visitation to Jordan Lake over the Memorial Day weekend.

"We are expecting as many people as we’ve ever had," said Charlie Meek, information officer with the N.C. Dept. of the Environment and Natural Resources.

"The lake is back to normal and the forecast calls for good weather. I expect the campgrounds will be full by Friday evening."

He said record high gas prices are expected to keep vacationers close to home, and many may decide to visit the area’s lakes rather than drive all the way to the beach.

He said the lake has seen steadily increasing visitation over the last decade, except for two years of drought and one of flooding.