LITTLE MOUNTAIN — The town of Little Mountain has will levy 51.5 mills for the 2015-16 fiscal year, 42.3 for the operating budget and 4.2 for the capital bond repayment.
“We have not raised taxes in the past two years, but the town had raised taxes since 2005 before that,” Mayor Jana Jayroe said.
According to the budget ordinance, the fiscal year for the town begins on Oct. 1, 2015, and ends Sept. 30, 2016. The projected revenue for the new fiscal year totals $123,285. The total revenue coming in from taxes, mills, is $40,890.
The town also receives $1,950 from rental fees; $5,290 from business licenses; $39,750 from the Municipal Association; $11,377 from the state treasurer; $1,800 from the Council on Aging reimbursement; and $22,214 in franchise fees, $22,214.
“Franchise fees have gone up, that is a sign of our growth. Little Mountain is one of the parts of the county that is growing,” Jayroe said.
The franchise fees are being collected from SCE&G, Time Warner, Clinton Newberry Natural Gas Authority and BellSouth. The town is also projected to receive $14 in revenue from bank interest.
This year, the town’s expenditures are expected to match the town’s revenue at $123,285. The biggest expenditures will be upkeep and repair (grass cutting), $17,000; upkeep and repair (general repairs, plumbing, electrical), $12,000; utilities (water, gas, electricity, etc.) $33,347; salaries, $13,100; and deferred maintenance, $18,597.
“This year I increased the grass cutting expense because it keeps going up,” Jayroe said.
The first reading of the 2015-16 budget was approved after a motion was made by Councilman Marty Frick and seconded by Councilwoman Susan Epting.
In other business, the town heard the results of the annual audit from Tim Cornelison, CPA. He gave the town a clean opinion on the audit, with no findings on grants.
“The current assets for Little Mountain are about $85,000 and the current liability for the town is about $8,000,” he said. “Overall, everything looked good.”
The Town of Little Mountain is also starting the process of getting new town signs.
“Cindy (Farr, town clerk) got us some draw ups and estimates for new signs. The total estimate was $12,400 to replace all of our signs,” Jayroe said.
Flagship Sign Designs in Columbia provided the mock ups and the design. The proposed signs would have metal poles and the sign itself would be vinyl.
“If we go with the vinyl we would have to get it re-painted every few years,” Farr said. “There was a dimensional option that would only only need to be pressure washed, but would cost more.”
The proposed design does not include the art the current town signs have. Frick asked if they could show the cost to keep that design on the new signs. Farr will look into the complete cost to incorporate the old design as well as the cost to re-paint when needed and the costs of dimensional signs.
“We really need to do something about our signs, so I think this is a good start,” Jayroe said.
Other business
• Jayroe is now on the board for the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is also looking to have a community meeting in Little Mountain so locals can attend and voice what they would like to see in the town.
• SCDOT received the annexation letter, asking if they would be able to move the town sign further out to show the new town limits. The representative said he would ask his boss, but more than likely the town would have to ask Newberry County.
• Little Mountain is looking to get a local alarm company to replace the company they currently use for the senior center. Farr spoke with Columbia Fire and Safety and they will take a look at the system and what they can do later this week.