County Administrator Wayne Adams told council that the state legislature was dealing with two budgets, one that includes stimulus money and one that doesn’t. The money passed on to the county from the state could decrease revenues by thousands of dollars or not at all.
“It could be wild mood swings in this budget,“ warned Adams. “These are hard times and hard choices must be made.“
Adams is already recommending cuts.
Taxes and fees
If council chooses to raise taxes by the maximum amount allowed, the consumer price index plus growth, the estimated tax increase will be 1.4 mills. That millage increase would translate into $5.60 on a $100,000 owner-occupied home at the current value of a mill.
The county could also start charging user fees. In previous years, council placed a user fee on garbage disposal, but it was later removed.
Also discussed in previous years was a $20 per vehicle road fee. This would add $20 to the taxes paid on every vehicle. When this was discussed a couple of years ago, farmers and businesses with numerous vehicles led protests against the fee.
Rescue Squad funds and fees
The funding for rescue squads would be reduced by $115,871 to a recommended $394,970 in the administrator’s proposed budget. Adams recommends that the rescue squads develop a fee structure to offset costs of ambulances, equipment, upkeep, training, utilities and other needs. The fee would not include labor. Currently, the rescue squads do not charge for services or patient transport.
New sheriff’s office
The county has budgeted $200,000 the past couple of years to build a new sheriff’s office. This year, the plan is to put half that, $100,000, in the escrow account.
Public works building
Plans are to use excess money from the penny capital projects sales tax to build a new public works complex. The special levy’s tax collections are projected to come to an end during the next fiscal year. The county is not allowed to reimburse itself for overruns in projects that have already been paid for.
Employee raises, insurance and vacation
There are no employee raises forecast in the budget.
Also, the county currently pays all of its employees’ health care premiums with employees being able to chose between standard and more extensive coverage.
The proposal is for the county to cover the entire premium for an employee that chooses standard coverage. Employees would have to pay the additional premium cost for plus plans. County employees cannot change their coverage until October, with new rates effective Jan. 1, so the county would start the standard-only no-premium for employee system on Jan. 1. The half-a-year cutback would save the county $48,737.
The county is also looking at reducing the rate at which employees earn annual leave. Currently, employees receive three weeks of vacation in their first year of employment and tenured employees get more. The plan is for council and the administration to change the county’s paid time off policies and treat sick and vacation days alike. By cutting vacation time, county administration also hopes it can trim total employees.
Capital repairs
The money to make repairs on county properties is proposed to decrease in the budget from $351,747 to $122,835.
Paving
The county has $250,000 in an account to pave county roads in the 2007-2008 budget. This year the figure was cut to $200,000 and next year it would be reduced to $115,000. The County Transportation Committee expects to continue to provide money to add to the county’s bottom line for road paving.
EMS ambulances
The county would only purchase two ambulances for EMS, instead of the four scheduled to be purchased in the upcoming year.
Clemson Extension forester
Plans are to cut an unfilled Clemson Extension forester position at a savings of $51,285. The county could keep a 4-H agent position that was added in last year’s budget, but the position was never filled due to lack of funding from the state.
Council contingency
The council contingency is a fund County Council pulls from to purchase extras or use for needs that arise during the year that are not in the budget. The plans are to decrease this discretionary fund from $200,000 to $175,000.
Pugh Bridge construction
The construction of the Pugh Bridge should be complete by the end of the year with a $100,000 budget reduction.
OPEB liability
The county will forgo increasing its Other Post Employment Benefits for retirees. It is projected the county should set aside $550,000 to prepare for retirees’ health needs. Currently, the county has 11 people participating in the plan at a cost of $60,000.
The County Council Finance Committee is scheduled to meet again on April 13 at 6 p.m. During this meeting, the Springfield and J. F. Hawkins nursing home facilities and capital projects will be discussed.
All issues discussed by the committee must be voted on by the full council before enactment.
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