The Aiken County $62.7 million 2015-16 budget will go into effect July 1 after a unanimous County Council vote.
Council held one of their shorter budget meetings on Tuesday, discussing beforehand whether to include several funding requests before finalizing the budget. Earlier this month, Council agreed to cut roughly $1 million from the budget's general fund, hoping to avoid raising the millage rate, or property taxes.
Council members also sought more revenue to help cushion their reserves.
With the cuts, a portion of the $1 million will cover the difference of what a property tax increase could have brought the County in revenue, leaving what was initially about $542,000 in additional revenue.
Council member Camille Furgiuele asked officials whether the addition of several new budget requests would "jeopardize" the position Council took last week against raising County property taxes. County Administrator Clay Killian stated the County would still have sufficient revenue, despite the budget additions.
Council voted to amend the 2015-16 budget with several requests that included nearly $22,000 for a new position in the Treasurer's Office.
Council members Chuck Smith, Sandy Haskell, Andrew Siders, Camille Furgiuele and Kathy Rawls approved the request. Council Chairman Ronnie Young and Council members LaWana McKenzie, Willar Hightower and Phil Napier did not.
"I can understand we have people, County employees where job descriptions changed and (they) have more on them, but you know I have a problem; I hate that this year to eliminate the tax increase we can't give all County employees a pay raise," Napier said. "There's trouble with giving five to six people pay raises when hundreds of others are deserving."
The position request under the Treasurer's Office was originally taken out of the budget, Killian said, because the County is still in the midst of their new compensation study. Killian said the County's Human Resources Department should get to the Treasurer's Office by mid-July, evaluating any and all employee grades.
Council did already approve position upgrades under budgets from the Aiken County Animal Shelter, Sheriff's Office and Magistrate's Office. But not all upgrade requests were approved, Killian said.
Council also approved all requests made by County Auditor Charles Barton, which included software upgrades and a new position. The County's governing body also approved the two employees requested under the Aiken County Detention Center's budget and $25,000 in Accommodations Tax funds toward the City of North Augusta's Greeneway, which does not impact the budget's general fund, Killian said.
The North Augusta 2000 Chairman Charles Martin and Director Mary Anne Bigger put forth the requests. Both asked for $25,000 go toward a firm to create an action plan that leads to the implementation of the North Augusta downtown Greeneway connector and Gateway Park, with the primary goal being to make the downtown area a "destination" with a branding campaign.
Council voted 5-to-3 to approve the funds. Council member Chuck Smith abstained being that he represents the North Augusta district.
In its final amendment, Council voted 5-to-4 to put $25,000 back into the already cut fund that allocates money toward the demolition of vacant and abandoned homes. That fund was initially set at $100,000, but was cut by $50,000. Council member LaWana McKenzie, who covers the Midland Valley area where many abandoned homes are located, asked for at least $25,000 be put back into the demolition budget item, citing that these homes have dangerous impacts if left untended.
In other business, Council approved:
- The acceptance of a $400,000 grant from the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development for CTP Transportation Products LLC.
- A dead end sign to be located on Holleyberry Trace in Council District 1.
Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard. An Atlanta native, she has a mass communications-journalism degree with the University of North Carolina Asheville. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.