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Windsor Treasurer Cheryl McClanahan expressed confidence during her report to the Windsor Town Council in May that the town will be receiving close to the budgeted amount of $550,000 from the meals tax for the current fiscal year.

As she addressed the council during its May 14 meeting, McClanahan highlighted parts of a memorandum she had provided to the mayor and Town Council.

The memo featured the treasurer’s report for the month of April, including the following FY 2024 revenues for the month:

• Received $3,679.32 from the personal property tax with license fee;
• Received $44,041.31 in real estate taxes;
• Received $14,675.19 in VIP interest;
• Received $104,519.50 from the meals tax;
• Received $32,775.88 in business licenses; 
• Received $13,524.21 from local sales and use tax;
• Received $6,000 from the cigarette tax; and
• Received $5,013.73 in traffic fines.

McClanahan noted during the meeting that April was a good month for the town, first highlighting the amount collected from the meals tax.

She indicated that the VIP interest amount collected varies based on how many work days there are in the time period being analyzed.

“It was just a tad lower this last month, but it depends on days of the month and when everything falls in there,” she said.

McClanahan stated that at the end of April, the town was at an average of 87.75% of personal property taxes collected that were due in December. 

She noted that other means of collection were underway to try to increase that percentage.

Next, she mentioned that the real estate bills are due Wednesday, June 5.

“We have 14.37% collected, and to this date, that’s taxpayers coming in here,” she said. “Most of it will come in mortgages probably at the end of May.”

Next, she explained that a new checking account was opened to keep track of revenue and expenses for the town’s Fourth of July and Christmas parade events.

“We have one donation that went in there, and the fireworks and stuff has not come out of it yet, but once we get the other donations come out, I will move the money back to the general fund,” she said. “So I’m working on that, but I wanted to see what kind of donations we get and expenses we have for the Fourth of July.”

McClanahan’s report also noted that all bank balances and accounts receivable were reconciled, and then she opened the floor to questions.

Councilman David Adams directed her attention to the year-to-date budget report under the category of “General Fund Local Tax.”

“I see that the budgeted meals tax for this year was $550,000,” he said. “To date we’ve received ($442,180.96). Does that number represent 10 months or 11 months of collection?”

McClanahan said, “We still have one more quarter to get. The ones that are due for the end of June but they’ll come in July — we will put them back to June for the audit. … It will be deposited in the next fiscal year, but I do a journal entry to account for it for this year.”

Adams said, “I know you can’t prognosticate or see the future, but do you anticipate receiving the budgeted amount of $550,000, or do you think we’re going to be short of that number?”

McClanahan replied. “I think we’re going to come close to it the way the trend is, because I’ve got two businesses that pay monthly, so I’m pretty sure we’re going to come real close to it.”

Councilman Edward “Gibbie” Dowdy made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report, and Adams seconded it. The motion passed by a 6-0 vote.