Recommended Budget Now Available • Public Hearing Scheduled
Published on May 13, 2026
FY 2026 / 2027 Recommended Budget Now Available
During the Tuesday, May 12, 2026 Town Council meeting, Town Manager Kathryn Adams and Finance Director Helen Brank presented the Recommended FY 2026 - 2027 Budget. The Recommended Budget, along with the presentation materials and presentation video are now available to view on the Budget Information page at OakIslandNC.gov/BUDGET or by clicking the links provided below.
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
During the Budget Presentation, Finance Director Helen Brank noted several highlights in the Budget overview, including:
- This is Balanced Budget with No Tax Increase
- Increases in the Wastewater Service Fee of .96¢ cent per 1000 gallons, equating to a $3.84 increase to the base rate of 4000 gallons
- An increase in Solid Waste of $2.15 for Yard Debris Collection
- Of the $0.20 tax rate, $0.10 is designated for the Town’s General Operations, and $0.07 is designated for Fire Tax which was established in FY26. The remaining $0.03 is accounted for in the Beach Nourishment Fund (47) established for beach nourishment projects.
The Fund Balance continues to remain strong at approximately 90% for the General Fund. The Town’s General Fund Balance is in compliance with NCGS 159-8 and well over the Town’s internal policy to maintain a minimum total fund balance of 40%.
BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING
Now available to the public for review, the Town Council will receive public input and take possible action to approve the Budget during a Special Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, located on the second floor of Town Hall at 4601 E Oak Island Drive.
This Public Hearing will provide an opportunity for direct public input in the Budget Process, which officially began with the Town Council’s Budget Retreat in January of this year. During the Retreat, the Town Council identified funding priorities for the coming Fiscal Year, which Town Staff used to develop draft budgets for each department. These were then presented to the Town Council during a series of Budget Workshops held in April. The Recommended Budget is the result of the directives given by the Town Council during those Budget Workshops.
The Public Hearing will be open to the public and broadcast live on OKI-TV 8, as well as livestreamed on the Meetings Information page of the Town Website at OakIslandNC.gov/MEETINGS.