The Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners on June 6 adopted the 2017-18 budget that levies a property tax of 83 cents per $100 valuation.

The rate is one cent less than county manager David Clegg recommended after the recent property revaluation reduced the county’s taxable value from $449.3 million to $381.3 million.

The commissioners also added $35 a year to the $200 solid waste fee. The extra charge is a fee to access and use the Land Clearing and Inert Debris (LCID, rubble) field on Smith Lane. The solid waste program is classified as an enterprise, and state law requires that it be fiscally self-sustaining.

The commissioners expect to receive and spend $7.16 million in the General Fund. Biggest appropriations are to Social Services $1.28 million, Sheriff $851,918, EMS and Transport $631,960, School Current Expense $567,595, Buildings and Grounds $524,858, Governing Body $507,419, Solid Waste $472,352, Appropriations $353,138, Soil and Water Supervisors $257,735 (includes $200,525 from Hurricane Matthew debris grant), Tax Department $239,955, and Finance Department $232,855.

The budget increases regular employee salaries by 2.0%.

The total budget of General Fund plus others such as capital outlay, E-911, Debt Service, Recreation, and Water and Sewer systems amounts to $9,381,347.

Sheriff Darryl Liverman and Chief Deputy Beth Floyd spoke strongly in favor of retaining services of one certified detention officer, and the commissioners continued the funding through December 31. Four other detention-telecommunicator positions were terminated when the Dare- Hyde-Tyrrell regional 911 system became operational earlier this year. The sheriff’s request for an additional deputy was denied.

Earlier on June 6 the 76-page revenue and appropriations plan was the subject of a public hearing, which generated more questions than comments from the eight people in attendance.

In the recent revaluation that so drastically affected the tax rate, some property values went up and others went down. However, no property owner appealed the valuations assigned by the appraisers.