Belhaven residents can expect to see increases in property tax rates and garbage collection fees during the next fiscal year, which begins on Wednesday.

The changes come after the Town of Belhaven voted to approve its budget for the fiscal year 2015 to 2016 at a council meeting Monday night at the Belhaven Civic Center.

The budget includes a 4-cent increase on the property tax rate, which is less than was originally proposed.  The increase in garbage collection fees will be the first since 2006.

Mayor Adam O’Neal said the increases were necessary because of the economic impact of the closure of Vidant Pungo Hospital in July 2014 and the town’s attempts to reopen it.

Tensions ran high at the council meeting as O’Neal blamed Vidant Health and Pantego Creek, LLC for the town’s woes, and one dissenting resident was asked to leave the meeting.

“It is an absolute tragedy,” O’Neal said.  “The people of Belhaven have to understand we are at an unusual time in the history of our town.”