Cherryville Officials Propose Salary Adjustments, Vehicle Upgrades in 2025-26 Budget
By: Wise News Network Staff
Cherryville, NC (WNN)- As City of Cherryville officials work to finalize the 2025-26 budget, department heads raised concerns about salary gaps and aging equipment during a budget work session on April 29th, 2025, at the Cherryville Fire Department.
Police Chief Brandon Hunsucker and City Manager Brian Dalton addressed staffing challenges and outdated resources, noting that the city’s base salaries for public safety personnel lag behind those in nearby towns.
Dalton said Cherryville struggles to compete for qualified candidates, citing examples of neighboring towns offering significantly higher pay for similar roles.
Although the city does not plan to add new police positions this year, two vacancies in the police department remain unfilled.
Public Safety Needs Highlighted
Hunsucker proposed leasing three additional police vehicles – specifically two four-wheel drive trucks and a police car for the narcotics unit, to bring the department’s vehicle count back to its required level. He also requested $34,000 for new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) software, which would allow dispatchers to communicate emergencies directly to officers. The current system dates back to 1998.
Assistant Fire Chief Colby Heffner addressed the council and is seeking five new sets of protective gear at $4,000, plus an additional $5,350 for vehicle maintenance. Staff also discussed moving to a new truck maintenance vendor, which will include ladder and hose testing. Officials stated that as of now, they are adding only one new firefighter position, bringing the total to seven drivers.
One public safety-related item that drew attention was the request to replace “Sparky,“ a 20-year-old mascot costume used during fire prevention outreach. The new costume, based on “Marshall” from Paw Patrol, is expected to resonate better with kids and will cost approximately $2,000.
David Day Highlights Budget Adjustments and Community Engagement Efforts
Economic Development Director David Day highlighted efforts to reduce departmental spending while maintaining community-focused initiatives. “We went through each department- promotions, economic vitality, design, and the Architecture Review Board- and lowered every one of them this year because a lot of our projects are done,” he told the council.
Day said the city is finding creative ways to continue programming without added expenses, including partnerships with Gaston County Tourism. “Some of the projects we’re planning, especially with promotions, are free. Gaston County Tourism is going to do several of these for us at no charge,” he explained.
As a result, the budget for facade grants was lowered from 75,000 to 65,000, reflecting fewer active applications. Day emphasized collaboration with citizens and county agencies to cut unnecessary costs while still delivering value to the community.
Day also announced plans to plant flowers in all the new pots on Main Street. Additionally, 18 volunteers plan to come together on Saturday, May 10th, to complete planting all 48 pots.
Proposed Budget Available Soon; Public Hearing Scheduled
The proposed budget will be available for public inspection in the coming weeks. In accordance with North Carolina law, municipalities must approve their annual budgets by June 30th, which marks the end of the current fiscal year. WNN will have the proposed budget, including all departments, in the public documents section at https://wisenewsnetwork.com/public-documents/ after the May 12th council meeting.
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