Meetings eye taxes, Harvey response

Tax rates, budgets and Hurricane Harvey are on the agendas of several local governments meeting in open session the next couple of days.

• West Orange City Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11 at the West Orange Community Center. Its agenda includes setting a tax rate of 45 cents per $100 value and a budget to match, which would increase by 11.65 percent over last year.

Also on the agenda is discussion and possible action on hiring contractors to remove storm debris removal and federally required monitors for the debris contractors.

Possible implementation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for debris removal and disposal also is on the agenda.

• The Orange City Council meets at 9 a.m.

  Tuesday, Sept. 12 at the Orange Public Library Auditorium.

  Its agenda includes a public hearing and an ordinance adopting the 2017-18 budget and the second public hearing on a proposed tax rate of 71.744 cents per $100 value.

  The final vote on the tax rate, an increase from 70.940 cents per $100 value, is set for Sept. 26.

The city will also consider hiring GP Strategies Corporation and Thompson Consulting Services, LLC, as monitoring services for debris collection per FEMA rules.

The city already has contracted with D and J Contractors for residential debris removal.

• Orange County will hold the first of two public hearings on its proposed tax rate at 1 p.m.

  Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Commissioners’ Courtroom.

  A second is set for 6 p.m.

  Friday, Sept. 15, at the same location.

  The proposed tax rate is 54.4 cents per $100 value.

The Commissioners’ Court meeting will be held at 2 p.m.

Tuesday at the same location.

Topping the agenda is possible action ending the disaster declaration for the county.

• The Pinehurst City Council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Pinehurst City Hall. A hearing on the proposed 2017-18 budget will be held prior to considering adoption of that budget and a tax rate of 69.762 per $100 value. A discussion regarding Harvey is also on the agenda.