Cherryville Government

City of Cherryville Work Session June 30, 2026:

2025-2026 Budget Amended and Completed

Cherryville, NC Work Session - June 30, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Posted Thursday, July 2, 2026 6:15 pm

By: Mason Beam - Wise News Network

Cherryville, NC (WNN) - This month's work session, held on June 30, 2026, featured a short agenda and an equally brief session. Cherryville, NC, Mayor Wade Stroupe opened the meeting with a prayer to honor the country's 250th anniversary. After this and the Pledge of Allegiance, the meeting quickly moved into its itinerary.

2025-2026 Budget Adjustments

Brian Dalton speaking on the budget adjustments - Cherryville, NC Work Session - June 30, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Not every expense can be planned for, and the June work session is traditionally where the City of Cherryville amends its yearly budget, per City Manager Brian Dalton. This is because this is typically the last week of the yearly budget. Dalton led the discussion, with the final budget amendments made for 2026 being as follows:

$941,000 from the general fund balance for the purchase of the new Cherryville Police Department building.
$475,000 from the electric fund, justified by the electric department's acquisition of office space at the old police department building, per Dalton. This amount is also for the purchase of the new Cherryville Police Department building.
An insurance reimbursement due to damage to the fire department's PPE/turnout gear that occurred during operations.
A change to the salaries and wages of several departments due to the replacement of a part-time mechanic with a full-time position. This drew from multiple because he services all City of Cherryville vehicles.

The council unanimously approved these budget amendments to close out the 2025-2026 budget year.

Local 250th Celebrations

Setting up for Cherryville's Independence Day Celebration - Cherryville, NC - July 2, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

After the budget discussion, Mayor Stroupe mentioned the numerous events taking place in Cherryville, including today's, the City of Cherryville’s Independence Day Celebration. You can see the live stream of the fireworks here at 9:45 PM, June 2nd, 2026, or head there now to see last year's celebration. Even with the larger celebration today, Cherryville will still be hosting local events on the 4th, including a golf cart parade at 9:30 AM on Main Street, followed by a ceremony at 10 AM at the Gazebo Mini Park. This will leave plenty of time to make it to Gaston County's 4th of July celebration, which will be in Dallas, NC. This will begin at noon with a museum block party at 131 West Main St, Dallas, NC, and wrap up with a parade beginning at 2 PM.

City Reports and Other Business

The council then moved on to discuss how the committees are doing and to provide updates on local projects. The city manager mentioned that renovations to City Hall are progressing steadily, with the city preparing to return furniture to the downstairs area. Councilmember Gary Freeman, speaking as the liaison for the recreation board, addressed how well the city-organized leagues are performing. Many have made it to the state level in competition this year.

Councilmember Jon Abernethy speaking - Cherryville, NC Work Session - June 30, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Jon Abernethy spoke on behalf of the Cherryville ABC Board, confirming that they unanimously adopted the 2026-2027 budget at their last meeting. He also noted that sales are doing well but are expected to increase when Las Cascadas Mexican Cuisine receives its permits to serve alcohol.

Jill Puett spoke about how deadheading (removal of dead buds from flowers) should be performed. Dalton notified her that the city is currently working on a new contract with the company that usually handles this. Puett and Janice Hovis brought forth the needs of the city-run cemetery. The council discussed potential solutions to the space issues, with Hovis noting that one citizen told her many of the plots are owned by families with no one left to fill them. City Attorney Yansea Taylor will look into the issue, but it is believed the city's code of ordinances allows the city to reclaim a plot after 20 years of no contact from a family regarding an empty plot. It was also put forth that the city advertise a buyback of unused plots at the original purchase price. Hovis also recommended that burial plots be sold on an as-needed basis rather than reserved for future use. This helps prevent plots from being purchased before an individual is identified to occupy them.

The Cherryville Memorial Cemetery - Cherryville, NC - July 2, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Hovis is the liaison for the Cherryville Historical Museum, but has been unable to attend meetings due to issues surrounding W.B. Beam Intermediate. Freeman and Dalton updated her that the lease between the city and the museum board had been signed.

To wrap up the meeting, Abernethy also brought up that he believes the speed limit on Main Street is too high. He would see it lowered from 25 to 20. After some discussion, it was decided to bring it to a vote to make the entire downtown district a 20mph zone, meaning this change may happen in the near future.

City Of Cherryville Voluntary Water Conservation

Remember to conserve water - Cherryville, NC - July 2, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

While it was not discussed at the meeting, the city issued a voluntary water conservation notice due to current conditions. They ask residents to:

Not water lawns
Avoid washing vehicles at home unless using a bucket and a shut-off nozzle
Delay washing driveways, sidewalks, and other surfaces unless needed for health reasons
Repair any known leaks as soon as possible
Shorten showers and remember to shut the water off when brushing or shaving
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean outdoor areas
Be mindful in whatever ways you can think of

The city did send out a phone tree notice for this; however, the first attempt sent out an older message about a boil advisory. The city is not under a boil advisory. We will update the situation as the city provides notice.