Council OKs budget with no tax increase likely
By TUCKER LYON, T&D Government Writer Tuesday, June 23, 2009ST. MATTHEWS -- After taking care of some "house cleaning for the end of the year," Calhoun County Council gave final third reading approval Monday to budget ordinances.
In the housekeeping measurers recommended by County Administrator Lee Prickett, $10,000 was transferred from contingency to public buildings to cover $7,600 in budget overruns due to a utility rate increase. Council also transferred $4,500 to cover overtime costs in the communication department.
In an update on the budget, Prickett said one new position in the clerk of court's office is being funded by the state for the collection of child support payments. Also, he said there is a one-half position in the assessor's office that will be funded once a current employee retires.
Otherwise, the budgets as previously discussed remain the same. No millage increase is expected.
Council is unable to set the millage rate until the manufacturing assessment figures are available in mid-August, Prickett has said.
"It could be a one- or two-mill increase at about $4 per mill on a $100,000 legal residence. That would be the most we would have," Prickett said. "If the manufacturing assessment comes in higher, we may not have an increase."
The county is faced with a $157,000 cut in state aid, an estimated 2.8 mills that will have to be made up. The cap on raising millage for Calhoun County is 3.8 mills.
The county budget is $10.6 million, up 1.85 percent over the current budget.
In addition to county operations, final third reading was given to budgets for water and wastewater; capital improvements and education. No millage increase is expected in any of the other budgets.
The $3.3 million budget for capital projects includes the library, the Sandy Run government complex, Emergency Medical Services facilities, matching funds for a spec building at the Industrial Park, public works equipment and contingency.
The education budget, which includes funding for the operations, debt service building fund and food service of the public schools, does not call for a tax millage increase. The budget also includes funding for Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and the Mental Retardation Commission.
In other business, council:
* Renewed the annual contracts with the local volunteer fire departments. All except Cameron Fire Department and the Midway Fire Department had submitted requested information by the Monday deadline.
"Put that in bold letters," County Council Chairman David Summers said.
* Received as information, an update on the regional public transportation system from Lynnda Bassham, director of human services programs at the Lower Savannah Council of Governments.
The "baby system" recently started for Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, called the Cross-County Connection, is getting underway.
* Approved an agreement with the state Budget and Control Board to provide a uniform e-mail exchange. Some 35 employees will use the service at a rate of $7.25 a month per user.
* Agreed to the request of Councilwoman Helen Carson to contribute some of the $2,000 in recreation funds allocated to each council district to the Fort Motte community festival on July 4th.
Also, concerning the festival, council agreed to provide a free $250 water tap for the community center during the event.
* Approved Calhoun County's $725,155 share of the Orangeburg-Calhoun Detention Center's total $7 million budget.
* Approved the $2,200 low bid, submitted by John Porth, to demolish the county's old cotton warehouse.
* Approved an $8,476-a-year contract with "Thompson" for heating and air maintenance for all county buildings.
* Appointed Ann Watts, chairman, and Melanie Pedings and Mike Fludd to the Fort Motte Community Center Board.
* Agreed to take bids to pave an area at the Fort Motte Community Center.
* Approved a three-phase contract with Tri-County Electric Co-Op for a water tank at the Caw Caw Fire Department.
* Approved the purchase of a pick-up truck from Al Bilton for $17,400, plus tax.
T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.
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