Waxhaw commissioners wrapped up the town's FY2025-26 books on Sept. 8, approving a $447,000 accounting reclassification and filling a dozen advisory board seats in a meeting that lasted 47 minutes.

The board voted 5-0 on Budget Amendment BAM-013, which Town Manager Scott Dadson described as a year-end true-up involving "no new money, no increases, and no decreases" but rather the movement of existing funds into their proper budget positions, according to meeting minutes.

The $447,000 breaks into two pieces. About $138,600 covers expenditure overruns, including higher-than-budgeted sanitation fees from customer growth, a $10,000 overage in street light power costs from additional streets, the local match for a bulletproof vest grant and a $32,000 town match for the Safe Streets grant. The remaining $309,000 is a cash reclassification from Fund 120 to Fund 402 for the Old Town Campus fund reconciliation. Dadson said this should be the final such reconciliation.

Commissioners also voted 5-0 on Ordinance ORD2026015, directing $237,783 in developer fee-in-lieu contributions to the Marvin/Bond Grove capital project and $235,361.36 to the NC 16/Bond Grove signal project.

Twelve advisory board seats filled

Town Clerk Barbara Bruce presented a slate of appointments covering 10 full-term and two mid-term vacancies across the town's five advisory boards. The mid-term openings resulted from a Planning Board resignation and a removal from the Parks, Cultural and Recreation Board.

An Organization Advisory Board panel vetted candidates through interviews held Aug. 10 through Aug. 18, scoring applicants on a 1-to-5 ranking matrix. The board approved the full slate 5-0 on a motion by Commissioner John Gemignani.

Gemignani, who participated in the interviews alongside Commissioner Richard Daunt, encouraged applicants who were not selected to stay engaged and consider future volunteer opportunities.

Police honors and Junior Olympics recognition

Lt. Michael Mulligan presented service awards to three Waxhaw Police Department officers. The biggest honor went to Capt. Buddy Zill. He received a 25-year award. Mulligan, a 19-year veteran himself, noted that Zill had only recently been promoted from lieutenant to captain and is approaching retirement within about a year. Mayor Robert J. Murray III called Zill one of the town's longest-serving employees and acknowledged his years as a school resource officer.

Sgt. Jeremy Ferguson received a 10-year award. He served six years with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office before joining Waxhaw. Sgt. Jeffrey Maynard received a five-year award, adding to roughly four prior years with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Commissioner Michael De Iulio read a proclamation honoring siblings Tinley Carpenter, 8, who earned third place nationally in the long jump at the Junior Olympics, and Jordan Carpenter, 9, who placed fifth nationally in the same event.

Art, proclamations and public comment

Public Art Committee Chair Sarah Klapprodt introduced Rupam Varma as the latest artist selected for the Waxhaw Little Art Gallery. Varma, a Charlotte-area visual artist and educator, plans a series of 5-by-7-inch Mithila artworks featuring endangered North Carolina species, including the red-cockaded woodpecker, bog turtle and Carolina madtom. The display will go up under the Waxhaw Water Tank for three months.

Mayor Murray read a Constitution Day proclamation, and Gemignani read a Patriot Day proclamation marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

During public comment, resident Franklin Carrillo called for the removal of Flock cameras and other AI-assisted surveillance equipment in Waxhaw. Gemignani noted that a Flock cameras presentation is scheduled for the board's next meeting, a work session on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

The Waxhaw Wall also covered the meeting. The Wall is authored by Commissioner Daunt, a sitting board member.