Planning is being completed for this year's Five County Forum. We bring together the County Managers and local Commissioners and Supervisors for a morning-long exchange of information. It is a good opportunity to learn about lake issues and also a chance to meet and chat with some of the folks who run your County government. The Forum is planned for the morning of March 19, 2020, at the Lake Gaston Lion’s Club, 139 Stanley Rd, Henrico, NC 27842. It begins at 9 a.m. and will run to noon.

Also, this is the time of year that the Government Relations committee prepares budget letters for each of the five counties. The letters are tailored for each county government and request specific budget items that should be included or limited in the upcoming FY 2019-2020 budget process. These letters are read and distributed by an LGA director in the comment period at a Commissioner/Supervisor meeting starting in March thru April, in order for our suggestions to be considered in their budget preparations.

The committee continues to attend county Board of Commissioners (in NC) and Board of Supervisors (in VA) meetings around the lake and send reports out to our members.

The Government Relations Committee is a non-partisan activity that focuses on monitoring and interacting with our local and, to some extent, state governments. Our common goal is to represent the interests of our membership on matters that affect the Lake Gaston area.

We think the Lake Gaston area is a great place to visit and live. If you agree, you can help by joining us at our monthly meetings or by volunteering a small amount of your time. For example, members can attend a local county Commissioner/Supervisors meeting and witness your government in action. It only takes an evening a month or less (we can switch off with other members) and can be very interesting.

The dust has settled and the County budgets have been approved for FY2018-2019. The local county fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. During the budget building process, the LGA provided inputs to all five counties. The information below is our annual posting for each county of the total budget, the ad valorem tax rate, and funding to the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council for noxious weed control.

(1) Note that Virginia counties are funded differently than North Carolina counties, which results in higher budget totals, but lower ad valorem tax rates.

(2) Northampton & Mecklenburg counties maintained the same ad valorem tax rate. Halifax went down 1 cent. Brunswick went up 1 cent. Warren went from $0.76 – 0.79 in order to correct a miscalculation in the revenue-neutral rate following the revaluation of real property. During a revaluation year, the revenue-neutral rate is calculated to generate the same amount of tax revenue from the prior year and provide a benchmark for citizens. The miscalculation resulted in a temporary tax break for citizens as well as a $1 million shortfall for the county. This increase of 3 cents will attain revenue neutral.

The Government Relations Committee is a non-partisan activity that focuses on monitoring and interacting with our local and, to some extent, state governments. Our common goal is to represent the interests of our membership on matters that affect the Lake Gaston area.

You can help by joining us at our monthly meetings or by volunteering a small amount of your time. For example, members can attend a local county Commissioner/Supervisors meeting and witness your government in action. It only takes an evening a month or less (we can switch off with other members) and can be very interesting.

Monthly Government Relations Committee meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. at Littleton Food & Spirits - 231 N. Mosby Ave., (Hwy 903) - Littleton, NC 27850. Come by, have a ham biscuit and a cup of coffee and join us for an hour. Everyone is invited to participate and we won't make you do anything!

For more information, you may email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (252) 586-6577 or toll free (800) 586-6577.