Dewey considers adding hour to paid parking

The Dewey Beach Finance Committee is asking town commissioners to consider moving the start time for the summer’s hourly parking from 10 a.m. to 9 a.m.

That was one of a number of proposed changes to the Fiscal Year 2027 draft budget the committee recommended at a Feb. 9 meeting at the lifesaving station.

Under the proposal, the 2 a.m. end time and the $4 hourly parking rate would remain the same. According to estimates, the change would generate an additional $35,000 in revenue.

Other key revenue-related changes include increasing the budgeted transfer tax revenue to $850,000 to better reflect the multi-year average while still being somewhat conservative; decreasing the budgeted parking ticket revenue with the hope and expectation that better public education and compliance will reduce the number of tickets even if enforcement remains strong; and decreasing the building permits revenue projection by $100,000 due to the projected loss from the recent change in permitting standards and FY 2026 actuals.

Major expense-related changes include reducing planned across-the-board increases for non-contract staff to 3%; decreasing the employee benefit cost to 5%, based on updated information from the state provider; and eliminating the beautification contract budget line, as work like cutting and weeding will instead be done by town maintenance staff to save contracted-out costs.

In terms of the current fiscal year, Accounting Manager Sheena Hall said everything is going well overall.

“Transfer tax continues to amaze the daylights out of me,” Hall said.

In January, transfer tax revenue exceeded the budgeted amount by 30% – about $23,000.

The town is on track to end the year with a surplus, which Hall said can hopefully go toward the cost of the new town hall or other capital expenditures.

To view the town’s monthly financial reports or draft FY 2027 budget and proposed changes, go to townofdeweybeach.gov/events/42333/.