Staff report

LUMBERTON — The Robeson County manager’s budget for fiscal year 2008-09 will officially be introduced when the county Board of Commissioners meets tonight. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the commissioners room of the county administration building.

The manager’s proposed total budget of about $146.2 million includes no frills, holds the line on spending and keeps the county’s tax rate at 80 cents per $100 of property valuation. It also calls for increasing water rates by $4.50, a move that would up the monthly bill of a customer using an average of 6,000 gallons of water from $24 to $28.50.

The budget also calls for freezing county positions vacant on July 1 except for those at the Sheriff’s Office, jail, Emergency Medical Services, Jail Health and positions funded by grants; eliminates six positions; hires a private collection firm to assist the EMS Billing Department collect Medicaid and Medicare bills; and slightly increases fees to dispose of solid waste.

A public hearing on the budget will be held at the board’s meeting on June 23.

In other business:

— The county’s budget for the Home and Community Care Block Grant will be presented.

— The Robeson County Housing Authority’s operating budget will be presented.

— Ronald Colvin and Gary Colvin are requesting a conditional-use permit to allow for the establishment of an activity center and recording studio in St. Pauls.

— Luther and Geraldine Bell are requesting a conditional-use permit to allow for mining and excavations on a two-acre tract in Rennert.