City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot said despite removing all capital outlay items from the budget except approximately $79,000 to replace police radios and dispatch consoles, there is still a roughly $182,000 deficit. He said the vast majority of that, $154,000, was because of losses at the golf course.

Councilman Dale Trotter suggested funding the golf course for the next six months to allow it a chance to rebound.

“If it’s improved compared to previous years then approve it again for the following six months,” he said.

This move would cut the net loss in half, which would total approximately $77,000, Crofoot said. He also noted that after six months the council would have to amend the budget if they wanted to keep the course operational.

“As I’ve said before the cost for next year is fairly static,” he said. “It’s the play that has to increase.”

Over the last few months Trotter said marketing efforts have intensified at the course.

“You’re not going to see the product of that for at least three months,” he said. “Wallops has a lot of people there who want to come up and play.”

Crofoot said the course, which currently brings in more than $50,000 annually, would need to pull in roughly $200,000 to reach break-even status.

“So we’d have to have four times as much revenue as we have now,” he said. “We’d have to have a 300 percent increase in revenue, [and] a 300 percent increase in play. That’s lot of golf.”

Based on recently revamped marketing efforts, Trotter thinks the course is poised to make a comeback.

“There were two other tournaments that did not play last year that have agreed to come back this year,” he said.

Earlier during the meeting a previously discussed proposal to raise trash service fees was examined.

Crofoot said the town currently charges $10 for twice-weekly trash service and once-a-month bulk collection, which nets the town roughly $160,000 per year. Doubling that charge would generate an additional $160,000, while a $5 rate jump would net the town an additional $80,000. 

Mayor Bruce Morrison suggested phasing in the price changes at a $5 increase for each of the next two years. 

“I don’t want to do $10 this year because I think it’s a big increase for people,” he said. “It’s still cheap at $20.”

Based on his market research, Trotter said regardless of the price increase Pocomoke residents would still get a relative bargain. He noted that BFI Waste Services and Waste Management charges $42 and $38, respectively.

Morrison said the same holds true for other municipalities. 

“A lot of towns are doing once a week pickup and theirs is like $25 or $30,” he said.

Another proposal discussed would increase the late fees on water and sewer billing from $12 to $25, which at its current rate raises approximately $59,000 annually, Crofoot said.

“However [with] more prompt payment we may net $30,000 more,’ he said.

Considering the potential to cut losses at the golf course by approximately $77,000, and raise an additional $80,000 from increased trash fees, Crofoot said the roughly $182,000 deficit appears manageable.

The council will hold another budget work session on May 22 and will hold a first reading and pubic hearing on the matter at its meeting on June 5.