The Town Council approved the latest iteration of the tentative budget for FY 2016-17 during the May 5 meeting, with the current total, including transfers, resting at $40,484,193.

According to Town Manager Grady Miller, the current budget is fully balanced and includes the changes requested by Council at the April 19 budget session.

As Miller pointed out during the April meeting, higher than expected State shared Revenues resulted in about $490,000 going back into the local budget, where it was added to the contingency fund.

The Council also expressed a desire to see the planned 2.5 percent pay increase for Town staff bumped up at the April meeting, which Miller explained has now been set at 3.5 percent. Miller stated this was an easy task, especially since the contingency budget increased for the year.

The rest of the presentation of the budget was provided by Finance Director Craig Rudolphy, who gave an abbreviated run through a similar presentation given during the Aril 19 meeting, now including the requested alterations.

Other big changes in this budget from previous years include the addition of 1.63 positions, which include a full-time position for a Public Works director and a part-time position for an accounting clerk.

The $1 million in seed money for the reserve fund was also included in this iteration of the budget; geared toward helping the Town better absorb maintenance and upkeep as projects become necessary.

The tentative budget was unanimously approved and will be brought to the Council for final approval during the June 2 meeting.