Bamberg County adopts $14.3M spending plan | News | thetandd.com – The Times and Democrat

BAMBERG -- Bamberg County Council gave final third-reading approval to the county's $14.3 million spending plan for FY 2017-18 at a special called meeting on June 30.

The budget calls for a general fund of $7.2 million, along with separate accounts set up for special revenue ($3 million), enterprise ($1.5 million), debt service ($300,000) and capital projects ($2.2 million).

Council members Trent Kinard, Sharon Hammond, Larry Haynes, Chairman Evert Comer Jr. and Joe Guess Jr. voted to adopt the budget. Council Vice Chairman Clint Carter and Councilman Rev. Isaiah Odom were not present.

The $14,278,775 budget represents a decrease over the $14.5 million spending plan for FY 2016-2017, but the average $60,000 homeowner in the county is projected to see an approximately $55 spike in their tax bill.

County Controller Gina Smith said the largest portion of that increase -- approximately $34 -- is used to cover costs the county is shouldering to meet unfunded state mandates.

Increased retirement contributions, for example, are impacting the county's budget to the tune $63,262. The county's contribution to the South Carolina Retirement System would increase from 11.56 to 13.56 percent, while its contribution to the Police Officers Retirement System would jump from 14.24 to 16.24 percent. Employee contributions to the SCRS would be raised from 8.66 to 9 percent, while the contribution to the PORS would rise from 8.91 to 9.75 percent.

"There is a millage increase for the unfunded mandates. Something that we have been talking about as a group is breaking down unfunded mandates for a number of years," Smith said, noting that 14.3 mills are being levied to address unfunded mandates in this year's budget.

The value of a mill is $26,520, up from last year's $26,000.

"We did one thing new this year at the direction of the county council and the administrator. We broke out to the best that we could any unfunded state mandates. And our intention is to show that separately on the tax notice," Smith said, noting that the county is also having to make up for what the state is not providing through a fully-funded Local Government Fund.

She estimates the levy of 20.5 mills will go toward paying for capital needs, including heavy equipment, vehicles and HVAC replacements and any major building repairs.

Smith also reported that the general fund budget increased from $7,200,095 to $7,227,010, noting, "Most of that was the result of adding a full-time position to the voter's registration and election office."

She said the council had also agreed to increase its municipal detainee fee from $16 per day to $26 per day.

"It costs us on average $79 a day to house an inmate whether it's a county person or a municipal detainee. And we had been charging $16 a day to those inmates. We actually did a survey about a year and a half ago, and Bamberg County was the lowest of all the counties that charged municipal fees," Smith said. "The average is about $38. So we're still below average. We're just trying to make up a little ground."

The spending plan does not include a cost-of-living increase for employees. The average employee with family coverage, however, will not have to pay the $1,300 more per year in health insurance costs because the county is absorbing 100 percent of the increase.

Administrator Joey Preston said the county will also be addressing refinancing the $1.5 million general obligation bond for its now defunct hospital, or else face payments stretching out to 2028.

"At some point and time in the next couple of months, we're gonna come back to y'all. We're gonna try to move toward getting that refinanced over the next year if at all possible," he told council members.

Preston also updated the council on the improvement work scheduled to be done on the County Courthouse.

"What's getting ready to happen with this courthouse is gonna be mammoth as far as the work that has to go into that. ... I think probably September to October is when we'll be coming back before council with a recommendation from the Bambeg Facilities Corporation, which will be the entity that would actually be working with the USDA through the grant and loan program," he said. "Council has to endorse what they do."

Kinard was among the council members who thanked the county staff for solid fiscal management and helping to move the county forward.

"We're doing the best we can do, and I appreciate all y'all do. I think this council has proven that it actually cares," he said.

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Bamberg County adopts $14.3M spending plan | News | thetandd.com - The Times and Democrat