Tyrrell County’s annual budget that goes into effect July 1 increases the property tax by one cent to $0.84 per $100 valuation.

The rate is based on a total county taxable valuation of $381,709,776, up by $409,000 over a year earlier. One cent of tax rate equals approximately $38,170.

Overall, the $8.1 million general fund and $1.3 million utilities fund are almost identical to those recommended last month by county manager David Clegg.

Regular county employee salaries are raised by two percent. An additional income maintenance caseworker position in the Department of Social Services is authorized.

An increase in the Tyrrell County Schools social worker supplement and a contribution for the school athletic director position are included. The athletic director will also administer the county’s recreation programs.

The register of deeds receives funding for shelving, document scanner and records preservation; social services gets dual monitors, iPads for field work, and aircards for NCFAST compliance; and the sheriff is authorized aircards and bulletproof vests.

(An aircard is a type of wireless modem used for connecting mobile devices to the internet through cellular networks. Aircards provide internet access from laptop computers that are outside the range of Wi-Fi hot spots.)

A 10% reduction in travel and training expenditures is evident in most departmental authorizations.

Tyrrell Volunteer Fire Department Inc. and Washington-Tyrrell Emergency Medical Services are fully funded in accordance with contract terms.

The county contribution to Tyrrell County Schools’ current expense fund was unchanged from last fiscal year, and the capital outlay fund gets its revenue through restricted sales tax funds.

Employee health insurance, retiree coverage, property and flood insurance premiums, and utilities all increased, as did the detention center budget and the social services building lease.

Funding through December is provided for the administrative assistant-detention officer in the Sheriff’s Department.