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With a split vote of 4-3, the Stanly County Board of Commissioners approved the budget ordinance for the 2022-23 fiscal year starting in July.

County Manager Andy Lucas presented the ordinance to commissioners at a budget workshop Tuesday at the Stanly Commons.

Lucas said the tax rate for the county will stay at 61 cents per $100 of value. He had recommended an increase of 13.5 cents for residents serviced by the West Stanly Volunteer Fire Department. However, a 4-3 straw vote at a previous meeting approved an increase of the fire tax to 11 cents.

Lucas also noted the budget ordinance has an additional $500,000 for Stanly County Schools, which reflects a total increase in operating funds for SCS from the county by $1.048 million.

Lucas also said an additional $10,000 was reallocated from substance abuse treatment funding from Partners Behavioral Health to Bridge to Recovery addiction treatment center.

Commissioner Mike Barbee, during the discussion of the ordinance, said he was making “one last appeal” to commissioners to not increase the WSFD tax rate from its current 10 cent rate. He said the increase “does not sound like much to some,” but it is “a lot to those on a fixed income.” Barbee also mentioned the average household value in the area increased 22 percent during the recent revaluation process.

Barbee also moved to keep the rate at 10 cents, seconded by Commissioner Lane Furr. Both voted for the motion, along with Bill Lawhon, but Chairman Tommy Jordan, Vice Chairman Zack Almond and commissioners Peter Asciutto and Scott Efird voted against the motion, which failed.

Almond later moved to approve the budget ordinance, seconded by Asciutto. Both voted for the ordinance, along with Efird and Jordan. Barbee, Furr and Lawhon voted against the ordinance, and the motion passed 4-3.