By Nicole Bowman-Layton

EDENTON — Edenton property owners will face a higher town tax rate this year, but not nearly as high as officials once thought would be necessary after a state law upended the town’s budget plans.

The Edenton Town Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a 47.5-cent property tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27, 2.5 cents above last year’s rate of 45.5 cents per $100 of assessed value.

The final rate is well below the 55.5 cents town officials said last month could be necessary after the General Assembly delayed Chowan County’s 2026 property revaluation for one year.

The town had initially adopted a 43-cent rate for 2026-27 using the newly revalued property values. When Senate Bill 474 postponed use of those values until 2027, Edenton was forced to return to the older, lower tax base. Officials calculated that a rate of about 55.5 cents on those values would produce roughly the same property tax levy as the previously approved 43-cent rate.

Rather than adopt the higher rate, council directed staff and department heads to look for expenses that could be reduced or postponed without compromising essential services and public safety.

“Staff were able to hear you loud and clear,” Town Manager Corey Gooden told council Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. “We listened to the department heads and tried to prioritize what items that they were needing as far as capital.”

Those revisions brought the proposed rate down to 47.5 cents. The final recommendation added another half-cent to cover an additional $35,000 in Police Department capital needs and priority capital needs for the Fire Department.

Mayor Hackney High noted that the 47.5-cent figure did not reflect how far the town had come during the budget process.

“The original request was in the neighborhood of 55 cents, and that’s when we said, ‘Hey, we’ve got to take a look at that,’” High said.

The final General Fund budget totals $9,458,207, including about $2.68 million for police, $1.73 million for fire services, $852,268 for sanitation, $733,897 for landscaping and $695,193 for streets.

At 48 cents per $100 of assessed value, the new rate is about 5.5% higher than last year’s 45.5-cent rate. An individual property owner’s tax bill will depend on the property’s taxable value.

Following the unanimous vote, High thanked Finance Officer Virginia Smith, Gooden, department heads and town staff for repeatedly working through the spending plan.

Rezoning decision postponed

Council also postponed a decision on Llama Rama LLC’s request to rezone approximately 1.19 acres at 431 and 435 Old Hertford Road to allow an expansion of The Uptown Edenton.

The property is zoned R-20 Residential, which does not permit hotel, motel or extended-stay uses. The applicant is seeking conditional Highway Commercial zoning.

The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval July 6, and town staff also recommended approval with conditions governing the property’s use and future development.

Councilman Elton Bond was absent Tuesday, however, and council members said they wanted him to have an opportunity to weigh in before a vote.

“I think that’s my only reservation about tonight, is that he’s not here, and I know that he would definitely want to have some input,” Councilman Aaron Coston said.

Council voted to table the request, with High indicating he hoped Bond’s views could be obtained without delaying the matter another month.

High apologized to the applicants for the delay and thanked them for their investment.

“I appreciate your investment in the town of Edenton, and I am happy to hear it’s been so successful that you’d like to expand,” High said.

Snapback reports on services

Courtney Briley, of Snapback NC, also gave council the organization’s annual update on its peer-support and other services for people dealing with substance use, alcoholism and mental health issues.

Briley said the value of peer support comes in part from specialists being able to draw on their own experiences when working with clients.

“They don’t care about the degree on my wall. They don’t care about how many textbooks I’ve read,” Briley said. “What they care about is the fact that when I look at them and I tell them that I understand exactly what they’re going through, that I do understand exactly what they’re going through.”

Snapback served 126 peer-support clients in 2025, while 31 people participated in support groups. Briley said grants and donations help the organization serve people whose insurance does not cover peer-support services.

“I don’t turn anybody away,” Briley said. “If somebody wants help, we’re going to figure out how we can make it happen.”

Briley said referrals are increasingly coming through the justice system, including probation officers and public defenders. Snapback also has hired a therapist who is a licensed clinical addiction specialist, with services expected to begin Sept. 1.

Other business

Council approved two budget amendments involving existing project accounts.

One recognizes $385,494.34 remaining in an escrow account associated with renovation of 115 W. Hicks St., which is to become the new fire station. The other recognizes $761,054.93 associated with the Project Teapot escrow account for redevelopment of 211 S. Broad St.

Town officials stressed that the amendments account for funds already associated with the projects and do not represent new spending.

Council also revisited traffic concerns around town. Officials continue to consider alternatives for improving safety along North Oakum Street near the high school rather than immediately reducing the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph.

High raised concerns about speeding on portions of Broad and Church streets as well. Council discussed traffic studies and automated speed-enforcement technology, with Police Chief David Lafon agreeing to gather more information for council.