County Council - Special Meeting

Good afternoon. I'd like to call this meeting of the Lang County Council to order. I ask that the clerk note for the record that a quorum of council is present. That public notice of the meeting, including meeting agenda, has been posted. the required length of time in the lobby of the county administration building and on the county website and the news media was notified of the time and meeting time and place. I welcome you to this county council meeting. I would ask that you take a moment to turn off or place on vibrate any cell phones or pagers. Thank you for not wearing any hats or caps in the council chambers and please be considerate of others in the room by refraining from conversation during the meeting. I ask that you please stand and join the council for the pledge of allegiance followed by the invocation giving this afternoon by council member Charlene McGriff.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, as we go into this budget meeting, please let us remember uh our staff and our constituents and please give us the wisdom and knowledge to make the decisions that's going to move our county forward. I ask you this prayer in your name. Amen. Amen. We have a motion to approve the meet uh the agenda for the special meeting. So moved. Second.

Have a motion from M. McGriff, a second for Mr. Harper. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. All those opposed is unanimous. Okay. Um, at this time we're going to need a motion to go into executive session in regards to one item, the discussion of a personnel matter pursuant to South Carolina code of laws 30-4-7A1 regarding county administrator interviews and to invite representatives of the search firm find great people in to discuss the item. Is there a motion to go into executive session? Have a motion from Mr. Mosell or a second from Miss McGriff. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. All those opposed. It's unanimous. We are in executive session.

Can I need a motion to come out of executive session? So moved. Have a motion from Mr. Luis. Do we have a second? Second. Second from Mr. Neil. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. All those opposed. It is unanimous. Miss MC Dupont. Mr. Chairman, I wasn't in executive session. However, it would be my understanding that council met in executive session in regards to one item, the discussion of a personnel matter pursuant to South Carolina code of laws 30-4-7A1 regarding county administrator interviews. I take it no motions were made and no votes were taken. We have a motion coming out of the executive session. So move.

Oh, we got to go. No, we need a motion. Do you you have a motion, Mr. Louise? Yes. So, I'd like to make a motion authorizing the chair to enter into contract negotiations with a candidate for county administrator. I have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. Have a second from Miss McGriff. Any discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. All those opposed, it is unanimous. Okay, we need a motion to um we're just going to go on through to the the rest of the meeting. Correct. Or do we have a second

it? Is that what we need to be doing? How do we hand or do we close this meeting and then go into another one? It's one meeting. So, okay. Okay. We had no citizens comments. We'll go past citizens comments and we'll go on to item 8A, non-consent agenda. First reading of ordinance number 2026-2021. An ordinance to adopt amended policies related to pole workers and their classification as temporary employees is included in Langster County Personnel Policies and procedures in accordance with the Langster County Code Chapter 2 Article 4 relating to the Langster County Personnel Policy. Uh is there a motion to approve? So move. Have a motion from Mr. Harper.

Second. A second from Mr. Mcgriff, Mr. Willis, Mr. Chairman, members of council, um the change is found on page eight in your council package and basically what it does is it it kind of carves out pole workers as a separate category. Um and it reads, "Pole workers appointed pursuant to South Carolina election law shall not be considered temporary, part-time, or full-time employees of the county. Such individuals shall be governed by applicable state law and policies established by the county board of voter registrations and elections. We have any discussion?

So just so I'm clear. So with this change, there will be no requirement that pole workers will be drug tested or have criminal background checks. Not unless the the board of voter registrations elections were to to do that. they would fall under their their regulations but currently the answer would be no. So currently no. Okay.

Okay. There any other discussion? I'll call for the vote. All those in favor please raise your right hand. All those opposed. Uh vote is 61 and passes. Okay. We'll move on to item nine discussion and action items. Um item item 9A is presentation and discussion of the county administrator's recommended budget for the fiscal year 2026 to 2027. Do we have a motion? So move. Have a second. Second. Oh, we don't need a motion. We just this discussion, right? Sorry about that. Mr. Pruznack.

Thank you, Mr. You want to give us all the good stuff today? Well, what it's all relative now. Um, thank you, Mr. KS. Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for having me today. Um, did you want to do some initial remarks to us before I jump in or Well, prepared to

The only thing there there three of y'all I've not had the pleasure of doing a budget with before, so this is kind of my first time with three of y'all. Um, as I said in my email the other day, We really need feedback on this because I don't have any illusion that you're going to approve everything I've got in here. I think everything in there could be justified, but that's going to be more money than you're going to want to spend. So, we need feedback because, as I mentioned in my email, administrators only recommend budgets. Councils adopt budgets and that's what we carry out. So, you know, we solicit your your feedback on something that you see. You know, we don't really need to be doing this or we need to be doing less of some service. Um, whatever. The the only thing I would ask is, you know, please don't do the across the board cuts because departments just aren't created equally. It's, you know, some they're just an example, but Solister and public defender, heck, I can't legally cut them below what they had this year. Um, can't be done. Um, so but please, you know, solicit the, you know, we're soliciting your feedback on this so we can come up with something over the next couple of weeks. I'd love by the time we have first reading. Most of this thing's been pretty hashed out and council's happy with, you know, the product that's going to come to you at first reading. So, we don't have a whole lot of changes, first, second, third reading. Um I really don't like changes after the public hearing because that citizens don't really have a chance to comment if we do amendments on third. Um but again listen and if you have any questions please ask them. Um especially it's technical. We have a lot of department heads out here. They'll be coming on down to the podium to answer your question. You hear it straight from the folks that are going to have to implement the budget. And so with that, I I appreciate all the fine work that Sabrina Jamie desired.

There any questions of Mr. Willis. Any discussions? If not, we'll move straight on.

Thank you, Mr. Willis. Jamie Pvuzznack, budget director. And today, I have the pleasure of presenting you with the administrator's recommended budget for fiscal year 2027. And here's your agenda as follows. This budget recommendation provides funding to address council's goals from its annual annual retreat and considers the following five points and these are the guard rails that we have used in previous budgets as well to help formulate the budget. The recommended budget is balanced with increases to county operating, capital improvement, courtmandated security, millage rates. The mill increases are based on a conservative estimate and an assumption that the value of a single mill will increase by 7% for calendar year 2026. Of course, the county debt millage rate is an estimate only at this time. The preliminary total for all the county millage rates is 101. This line graph shows the total county millage over 10 years. The decrease in calendar year 2025 represents the adoption of the roll back millillage which occurred in the calendar which occurred this past budget cycle and the roll back millage of course is calculated during a year of the reassessment of real property in the county.

Just a quick question just to make sure I understand when on that previous slide when you're showing county operating at 835. So basically the recommendation is going up 7 mills on the county administrative or the county operating. That is correct. Okay. Yes. Difference between 27 and 26 7 mil increase. So we're estimating the new millillage we're going from 92 to 101 with this budget. Yes sir. If if adopted as if yes recommended yes if adopted of course that will look different.

I I don't understand why our property taxes didn't go up more than they did this year. Did we did we not do something during reassessment? Did we not uh because they should go up at least 3 million a year? Did we underestimate something? We came in at 37 million and we budgeted 38. But I'm looking at for 26 adopted and estimated 38. I mean, it's just uh uh it goes 36, 38, and 38. Something's not right. I don't know. I don't think it's right either. I just don't uh I don't understand.

What page you on, Steve? I'm on the ad forum property taxes. That was on the pre Yes. I don't know if we got there yet. No, we haven't. That was page. We're on the Yeah, he's on the handout.

I mean, obviously, if we're raising Miller by seven mills, it would there's I would hesitate to say that it could possibly be 38. It wouldn't be the same unless we're conservative in our projections, but we'd have I mean we're that and that's what it is. They're always Does that make sense what we're saying on the previous revenue forecasts? Are are you talking about the April 15 presentation? Correct. So that didn't account for the seven mills increase. Correct. Okay. So that was just a flat.

Okay. On April 15, you had the request, the body of requests that came in. After the 15th, we do more work on trying to figure out what mill what revenue we have. And so to balance the budget today requires seven mills. So where I guess our question would be where do we see what those increased mills for property taxes and those breakdowns of those uh revenue funds? Where would we see that and what we're seeing to what we're receiving today? Is that part of anything that we will see today? Is do you mean like the reports that you requested earlier today?

I mean, yeah. I mean, it's just basically when you're thinking about budgeting like we we're trying to see what a revenue is and what our expenses are as a total number, but I don't know where we can see that. Um, I'm happy to maybe if you want me to walk through more of the presentation, it might because it kind of goes back to what Steve's asking is is where how much he's trying to figure out. What we're trying to figure out is how much more are we asking the residents to pay.

This is an estimate. We don't have a final value of what one mill equals. So we are estimating that the value of 1 mil would increase 7%. Of course you'll get final numbers once that estimate is certified and calculated from the auditor. So when you're looking at what does one mill bring in and you look over the 2021 to 2026 period and you do year-over-year, you can make at this point a preliminary estimate. Okay, I think the value of 1 mill might come in at 641,000. And then you could begin to do your math and compare that to the body of work that was requested,

right? I mean, I think is it would it be fair to say if if if we're saying that the operating millage is going to go up 7% that that would end up going to the the individual taxpayer that they would pay 7% more in property taxes. I think too we don't know what the loss credit factor is just yet and that may offset any increases. We don't know the exact amount of what one mil equals quite yet. So, we're still this picture is still evolving, right? Well, it just it's just it's challenging because we don't know like where the balance how how is the balanced budget like how does that

I think for all of us as well. I think when you look at the graph here last year we had a pretty substantial increase in the rise of the meal um and I think what finance has done is they've gone back and historically done it over those all of those and and it's probably dropped down the percentage of what we got last year. So it's more of an average. That's right. Mhm.

So if the value of a meal goes to 641,000 on 92.6 operating meals, I'm getting we'll we'll just on tax will have an additional 3.889 million. Is that correct? Yes, sir. But you also have a larger body of requests in front of you this year. So even if we're pulling in two, three, four million. The body of requests you have to make decisions on is larger than what you had at this point last year. Okay.

I think we're putting a the cart before the horse this, you know, you're talking about our request is larger and and kind of to come up with these predictions of of what we need. I think we need to look at it after we trim the budget on far as what our totals are going to be. This is a little bit misleading to me and and I'm like Mr. Har Councilman Harper the the admalor just this seems like this is really conservative to me really conservative because we've the growth and stuff that we've had I I just can't we I've sat here 10 years and I see this look at the building permit

every year be like this that that revenue is uh uh it's either related to reassessment or something something's not being accounted for. So, usually what we do is we go through look at what our what our meal value is, estimated meal value, go through our budget, decide on what we're not going to fund and what we're going to fund to come up with a real number to match the revenue that we're bringing in. That's correct, M. All right.

So, here's the body of requests that are in front of you. And so as an example, and this relates to exhibit A and exhibit B in your council packets. So as an example for personnel, we received in early March budget finance 91 requests for new positions for a total of 9.9 million. The administrator has recommended 72.5 new positions for 7.2 2 million. And so this is the crosswalk of what was requested and showing you what is being recommended by category type. The general fund, of course, the general fund is where you're doing the majority of business. Uh this is the largest fund out of all the funds and contains most budgeted personnel and operating expenditures for the county. The general fund is balanced and today is 156.4 million. This is a decrease of 5.2% from what staff requested. Exhibit C in your council packet lists each department in the general fund. And the information in exhibit ZC C, excuse me, includes the department's current year adopted budget, the amount that was requested by staff, and the amount that's recommended by Mr. Willis.

Okay. Let let me ask a question for clarification here. Sure. According to our 27 requests and 27 recommended, we've got to hash through that $ 8.7 million to determine what we're going to approve from what Steve recommended to meet to be on budget. Yes. So, at this point, that's where we're going. Well, I mean, your start is technically Hold on a second. Wait a I I just this doesn't I'm having trouble with this because our op our general fund budget last year or this physical year is $12 million.

We are now looking at a recommended budget of $156 million. That is an astronomical increase. I I mean we obviously can't start at 156. And my where I'm getting really confused is is when you're saying the budget is balanced, where's the you're saying in seven mills would increase would so how how how is it a balanced budget at 15? It's balanced the reports that you received earlier today. We'll show you what we're using for reserves to balance. So if if I can walk through the rest of the presentation,

you might um see where the other revenue is coming from to balance the budget where it is today. It's not balanced by income. It's balanced by pulling from from the general fund. I mean, it's balanced by using savings balance. Okay. It's balanced by using savings for large capital expenditures, which was one of the priorities that you had noted in your retreat. So, and that's the other thing that's confusing me. You're saying that there's capital in this general fund? Yes.

Wh why would we can I'm guess I'm confused. Why are we I mean would we not typically take general fund or excuse me capital and make it an unassigned fund pull it from unassigned fund balance rather than the general fund? We are we are you don't have you don't have capital assets living in its own fund. it lives inside the general fund. So what we're doing is using the savings in the general fund. So we've got to unwind. You're applying the savings to the capital assets that live in the general fund. Okay. To to me this is conf a bit confusing or misleading.

Uh you know we got the 27 recommended. What exactly was the 26? Is it 102 million? What's what's the 2026? 2026 cuz I mean it looks like we're we're knocking off $8 million and we're saving 5.28%. When we're actually going up correct a bunch of percent. I mean I I mean I what's what's last year's if you go one it's got 156 recommended this year. What was last year's budget? 102 going 102. I mean that that stuff out of the for for fire trucks or whatever needs to go to the capital budget or whatever.

Let's try to have one conversation at a time so we can all follow what's going on. Mr. Willis, you have some comments.

Chairman, members of council, as as Jamie had indicated, at this point we don't have certified mill values. You know, this is all it's balanced based on projections and it's balanced based on a mill increase that I admittedly am saying, you know, council's not likely to do this. Point of today is starting to look at some of the expense items that we we've got hard numbers on those. What does council see that we're proposing to spend that you say, "No, we're not going to spend on that particular item or we're going to spend less on that particular item." So that when we do have hard numbers on the local option, sales tax credit factor, the mill value and all that, at that point, we can come back to you and say, "Okay, based on the the information you've given us to this point, we have trimmed the expense budget by whatever y'all recommend. And then when we have hard numbers, we're back to now we have real data that we can show you. Do we trim more? Do you want to add something back? What council want to do?

So I I I think the challenge that we're all having is we're talking about this number out there that's just a fantasy number. And what we'd really like to see is what are the real estimates of where we're going to be because that's where the budget should be. Because when we plan for a budget, we don't plan for everything that's in the wish list and then we go backwards and start saying, "Well, we didn't get that much money. We only got, you know, $2 instead of 10." So, are we where we need to be with real estimates on revenue? We don't have certified numbers. We we we don't have at this point. We're looking at expense,

but we don't need certified numbers. We just need estimates, realistic estimates or more realistic estimates. So, for example, what Mr. Harper was talking about when we're looking at the revenue that we're estimating to get from millillage and staying at what was it 36 million to 2027 staying at yeah that's not right

that that doesn't even make sense with even the current situation forget about increasing any mill value incre all of that just looking at existing buildings that were calculated this or for 2027 that were not included in 2026 it's going to make a significant difference you have the Costco you have the Target you have the that's going to make a huge impact. That's what I think we're looking at to say what's a realistic number so that then we can go back and say out of all these recommendations, what makes sense? Because if you look at the 2027 budget request and we're seeing 165 million and the recommended is 156, we're then saying there's a dollar change of 8.7 million. That's only between the request and the recommendation. But the increase is really 65 million that's being requested over the old budget, the 2026 budget and 56 is what's being recommended. It is a significant difference from what we're currently at.

I cannot I I am not I I'm not going to I I'll be honest with you uh with with what's going on and the cost of living and and what it's costing everybody for transportation and all right now. I cannot support a budget increase and that's why we're soliciting your the tax increase

on the expenses because we're gonna have to trim some of the expenses, but you know some of the things just for example there's 12 new employees for detention center. I can't cut those. We're going to end up with a $90 million empty building the department of corrections won't let us open. So, what I'm asking for is feedback from council on these expenses. What do you see we need to do less of or not do at all so that you know when we do have the hard revenue numbers, we've got the expenses trimmed down and paired down based on council's priorities.

I mean, I would say that at least in my mind, I would expect uh income to be somewhere in the 115 range. Um, and probably that's what we should be targeting from an expense perspective. I mean, that's probably a little bit more realistic. It might be a little bit high, but I me personally, I think we need to go through this budget

and see what we want to kick out and then you like Mr. Willis said, we can come back with some closer numbers because this these numbers we we're really wasting time looking at this numbers of cuz everybody in here knows we're not going to do everything in this book. Uh so so we need to trim it down and then you give us some numbers of where we stand. I I I just I think that's what Mr. Willis is telling us we need to do. That's right. This is a this is what he's recommended based on we need to go through it from department heads. Now we have to tell him where we want to be.

Everything in there I feel we could justify spending but like I told y'all I have no illusion that we're going to spend that much money. But I need council's input. What particular items do we want to not do or do less of? Because the one thing I absolutely hate is across the board cuts because departments are not equal and it just it never works. So So let me let me ask You're not looking at cuts. Where where you're in Hold on. I I I may be looking at some cuts. Now you're you're you're talking about new expenditures. We're not talking about cutting anything. That's that's misleading. That list of the new expenditures.

So So let me ask you this question. What are the things that we absolutely need to have? You mentioned the detention center and the staffing for that. That is one thing that we know we have to fund that is different from what was in last year's budget. What else would fall under that category? Um I know the sheriff's office has some grants. Um, one of the things that, you know, you've heard from EMS, for example, if we're going to start transitioning to the 2472 schedule, I got to have more medics for that. If we don't,

but but that's an if question. So, we don't we don't absolutely need that. I'm I'm just talking about what are the absolute critical needs that we have to fund right now that is different from 2026. It it's a sheriff's detention office. I I don't Well, we we've got, you know, for example, residential plans examiner and assistant shanda in building, you know, once the moratorum comes off, is that a surface level drop? And that's where I need or processes change. I mean, right. And that's why I'm that's why I'm just trying. So, what I'm hearing is there's only one item that is a critical absolute we must have because we have a new facility that needs to be staffed. And we also have

we need to go through the recommendations and say yeah or nay on what we're going to support and what we're not going to support cuz we're just continue to having the same discussions over and over. Uh we know what we want, we know what we need, we know what we can afford. Let's go through it and figure out that and then come back to uh the uh expense and revenue side because we we're going to be beating that can u all do and present you know some of the some of it you like I said you got to when you get into some of the outside agencies I just turned this page at random list and public defender we've got increases in there and but we got new circuit judge coming. I think we're sitting over.

That's why we need to go through every item. It's going to probably be 2028 or before it comes. Are there any positions in the county that have been vacant a year or more? I have absolutely if there's any I mean if there if there hadn't been filled in a year that job could be cut out. Could you ask HR that please?

I can certainly find that out. The one thing, you know, keep in mind a lot of departments and again, you know, having been volunteer working with the sheriff of the last couple of years, it's constant transition, folks coming in, folks leaving. So, it might not be one particular slot, but if you have, you know, one in I I'll certainly ask if you know, some of the smaller departments, it'd be pretty easy to point out, hey, boy, that that position's been open for a year. I I I'll get that information. Just some of the larger departments, there's that constant churn. So, it's a little tougher there. Yeah. I don't think he's talking about that. I think he's talking about a specific role that has not been filled.

Specific role that's been vacant for one year and hadn't been filled. You don't need that job cuz we've made it through a year without it. We'll have that. Well, I mean, we know we know one economic development has one for sure. Well, no. Not yet. Okay. I mean, I don't I don't know how you cut 35 million with us up here. Uh at this point,

this is the first brush today. This is for information only. We're not we're not rewriting the budget today. We're learning what the administrator has recommended. we can come back at the next meeting and say this is where we see we need to cut today. We we're learning of what the recommended mendation that the the administrators made. Uh we can either learn that or we can sit up here and we can talk back and forth all day and not get any information.

Okay. Well, I I agree with Mr. that the the the administrator needs to bring us a budget more like into 115 million than the the 150 and because I'm not an expert to make those decisions at this point on what needs to be cut to get to those numbers. Go ahead, Miss Buzzac. Okay. So is the pleasure of council for me to continue going through the deck or sorry I'm

we need to go ahead and see the numbers because we've all gotten this information today. So and then the next meeting we can be more in tune of what what we're talking about. And where are we? We we looking at numbers that it's not even realistic.

Okay. Um let me ask you at what point will we have realistic estimates even when we go through this? At what point will we be close to to what we know the we're working with in the next couple weeks? In the next couple. Thank you.

I will say everything because

Mr. Chair. Yes, ma'am. Instead of having conversations from the back of the room, we need people to come up to the microphone and speak because citizens can't hear that. Thank you. And if you could please just say who you are.

Susette Murphy, Langster County Auditor. Um I just want to let you know that the mill value is going to be more than what is projected on this slide. Um Mr. KS the assessor has not completed putting on all the buildings. He's got he I know he said LA uh last week that he's got to put two apartment complexes on. So all that we're having to wait to get the values of it so we can determine the meal value. But it is going to be more I promise you than what it is. I mean what we've been playing with now is more than what this figure is on the slide. Okay. The local option sales tax it is going up also. But you have to consider there because of the growth the money has to be split between more people. So you may not see a big increase in the local option sales tax.

Explain that more people because of the growth. It's on everyone's tax bills, right? So the more money you take, you have to split it equally between everybody in the county on their real estate, on their vehicles, boats, every everything gets it. The local option sales tax. So if if we didn't have increases in our collection, people would probably see a decrease. See a decrease. That is correct. Yes. Is the formula for local options sales tax changing? No, we know it's the same.

Just it's based on how much money we get back from the state, right? each year. And right now, we don't like to do it so far ahead. We don't like to estimate so many months. Um, we like to do it like two or three months at the most. But I will tell you, December was well, January, excuse me, when we got the refunds, I mean the uh check from J uh December sales, it was over a million dollars for sales tax. So it it that's going to go up too, but again the growth you have to spread it out between everyone in the county that pays taxes. So when you're just to make sure we're clear what we're talking about, are you talking about the local option sales tax credit that goes back or the actual funds that that

it's going to be the credit that that we have to distribute the law sales tax? Law sales tax. Yes. Yes. Mhm. So that that is good news. I promise we're looking the the the the mill value is going to go up. I do promise you that. So, but we will have more definitive figures in two weeks. Yes. To give to y'all. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

And and just to be clear from my perspective, and I I think Mr. Harper is going down that path and probably others as well is what we're trying to understand is what the impact is to the individual tax holder, especially from a real estate perspective. So if let's just say if they paid $1,000 last year, you know, at the end of the day, what are we asking them to pay this year? I wouldn't even dare do it with this big numbers here. We're premature to be asking that question today. I I mean I I understand that, but it when you're trying to figure out a budget, you have to understand what your income is.

We don't have that. So, we need to look at the proposed expenses and when we get the income numbers, then we can start balancing. That's all we can do. Yeah. It's back. That's it. That's the system. Finish the budget. Control the system.

I'll be the first to tell you my concern was I did not want to have all this. If we wait until we have the hard certified numbers, you're at first reading on the budget and you've got five weeks to do it. So, I wanted to try to get this information out ahead of time so you have time to look through it and you say, "No, we're we're not doing this. You can just go ahead and trim that." If it would it make more sense that if we looked at the existing revenue numbers and then set up a budget based off of those projections that are currently in there and then if we have revenue projections that come in higher, then you have a separate line item that says if we get more revenue then these are the items that we will move to the top because they're the top ones as options. That to me seems more reasonable, but I don't know if that makes sense.

I think after the day we'll be able to do that, but we should have been able to do that before today so that what we're looking at is a that we're doing this. No, but we we Steve's recommendation.

I know, but we have revenue projections from even the 15th of April. So, we could have gone through and instead of having 165 or 156, we could have had 110 or 115, whatever the number was. It just would have been closer to where we're at right now. It just feels like there's a lot on the table that we're going to have to cut. And I would my recommend I would prefer the county administrator go through that and identify a much bigger portion of those cuts. And I think some of that 156 is capital. So it's actually not part of that correct general fund. Hopefully. Yeah, those capital numbers are skewing this.

It's all it's all in. It's all it's all in. You know, I think most of us has worked with the way Steve does his budget. So this is really not new to me because this is way done his budget. uh we start on this end and we go from here to the revenue estimates what we're going to recommend what we what we can live with what we can't live with. It's just this is the way the system is set up. We can't project uh what you know we can't count numbers that we don't have yet. I I'm looking at an April 15th revenue projection and it looks like we've already done that. Well, if we've done it, let's let's just move forward. That's exactly my point.

Look at that and let's let's move forward. It's right here. Are these not revenue projection? I mean, are these revenue projections from April 15th, Jose? What I'm saying is let's move and like they're not right cuz we're killing, right? They're not right. Let's go with the at least the baseline that Steve is presenting. Just let's do otherwise we're still going to be here talking at 5:00 when I have to leave. Okay, I think we need to go through the budget. All right, line item to line item.

Let's get through the general presentation here and then we'll get into the budget. Council has longstanding financial relationships with various state agencies and local partners in this community. The following tables list each organization and the organization's current budget. The organization's request and the recommendation from Mr. Willis. The dollar change is the difference between the recommendation and the request. And the last column provides additional detail. And I'll flip through these slowly. They're in alphabetical order. Any questions regarding external agencies? Seeing none, I'll move forward. When we're talking about reserves and unassigned fund balance, you're always going to start with that audit year. And our audit year happens to be the fiscal year 2025. So when we ended fiscal year 2025 in reserves savings, we had 72 million available. And now we're in the current budget year. And so during the current budget year, you're making amendments and changes to the existing budget and you're pulling down from that reserves bucket. And so you're so you see in red what you're pulling out of savings reserves.

The 4.6 million is only an estimate of what we think project will come back into reserves at the end of the year. So at this point in time, snapshot in time, you have 72 70.2 million in reserves in the general fund. Miss Perua, can I can I just go back to the external agency? So when we're going through the recommendations, so it looks like you have let's at the very beginning right there 2025. So if you look at Kataba mental health,

Yes, sir. 202526 budget had zero. The request was 80,000. The recommendation was zero. But the dollar change is showing is 80,000. That dollar change is based off of the request, not the 2026 2025 2026 budget, right? They had no budget in 202526. They are brand new. I They came in at 80. No, I I I get it. For me, what I would like to see is instead of a dollar change from what was requested, I would like to see a dollar change from the actual 2025 to 2026 budget. I think that would give me a more realistic sense of what we're doing compared to last year rather than a request. Make sense?

It does, but they didn't request anything in 2526. That's why you see the hyphen. Correct. Maybe I don't hear you. I'm just saying what is the difference between the 202526 budget and what is the recommendation for 2627 and then that's the dollar change that I would like to see. I don't know if you all would like to see the same thing or if you want to keep it but for me I'd like to see it based off 202526 budget. Okay, there it is sir if if you'll indulge me. For all external agencies that are in the pot, the current year budget is 2.3. Correct. The request that came in in early March was 3.1. Correct.

The recommendation for all external agencies is 2.9. Correct. And we pulled out $185,000 from the request, but it's a $600,000 increase from the budget. And we're happy to add that as a column as well. that that's all I'm asking for because that gives a realistic to what Mr. Graham and Mr. Harper are talking about. That gives a realistic expectation of where we have been to where we're going. Okay. Sure.

Council, I if I could pick one at random here. Soil and water conservation district. I think what you're asking for it says dollar change zero, but that's between the request recommended. But if you go back 139480 to 248, you're looking over a $100,000 difference. And that's where we need to be able to say, okay, dams are coming to the end of their life cycle and we're starting to, you know, look at having more expenses for the soil and water conservation wershed dams. Is that is that what you're looking for?

And that's a little misleading. These dams aren't coming to the end of their life. uh it would cost millions and millions to replace them. What what I what I'm looking at is for that Lancaster soil and water conservation. The budget for 2025 was 139480. The request was 248221. The recommendation is 248221. It's indicating that there's a Z change, but that is only from a request to a recommendation. I'm looking at what is the dollar change that is going to impact our taxpayers for real not not an imaginary number that they started with 139 and 238. Okay.

Correct. So I want to see the difference between 2025 26 actual budget to what's 2026 27 recommended. Okay.

Okay. And that's not a problem. We could do the math. We could add the column in. Um I if I may I think what we're trying to illustrate here is what's happening between the phase of request and recommendation. No, and I I hear you. But I think the challenge that council members, from what I'm hearing is that it gives the appearance that we are reducing these amounts because the total number looks like it's negative $185,000, but really it's a $600,000 increase from 25 26. And I think that's the discrepancy that we're all talking about. So I just want to make sure that that is heard clearly. We want to talk about where we were for real and where we're recommending to go.

And I think that's great feedback and we're happy to add it. Happy to add it.

Any other items on external agencies. Okay. And then I think we walk through unassigned fund balance and where that's at as of today. And these are those fund balance appropriations. And so what we've done is we've pulled out of the operating budget the capital asset items that we believe we could fund with um one time non-recurring um fund balance. So you'll see each item listed and then you'll see the recommendation. And so we would be proposing at this point 29.3 of the 72 million

put towards these capital assets. So and and that's part of that 156. Yes. Okay. Yes indeed it is. Okay. Thank you. All you're talking about income? Yeah. It's a form of income reserves just like the millillage is a form of income. special revenue funds.

Let let me ask you a question, Jamie. Uh with that um with our 70 million in general funds and we're using 29 million of that, will that keep us within our um um I guess our rating to keep our AAA or double A defer to Sabrina. Okay, that that was okay.

That's an important point, M. McGriff. Yeah, moving away from the general fund and talking about the remaining funds. These are all alphabetized. And again, um, you're going to see that dollar change column, um, is not exactly, you know, we're really doing what happened at requested and what cuts took place with Mr. Willis in the recommended and reporting that dollar change. And then, of course, you have the administrator's comments in the last column. Some of these special revenue funds have their own dedicated millage. And so again, once we receive that final mill value, we'll be in a better place to talk about um what revenue we would have to fund some of these expenditures.

Uh this be for the administrator who have a question on airport. Uh we're talking about spending million dollars on uh new new tanks for fuel. I would like to know our revenue. I know 40 years ago when I ran a convenience store, the uh revenue on fuel was not very much. So I got a feeling that uh it it it would take a long time to get that back and and what is the useful life of what we got left? Are they still meeting DHECK requirements on our on our current fuel distribution?

And I've said this, but I I I say it again. I I can't support spending any more money on the airport without a actual plan and a way to move forward on the airport. So, where are we without with the uh replacing the uh tank? And are we what's the life of it? And are we in will we be in trouble if we don't replace it? I guess that's my question. Can anybody answer that?

I'll have to get with the engineer. I know the tanks have been in the ground a long time, but you know, I having to look at the, you know, the loss from any leakage and all that. I'll have to ask. I do not know that. And I think that was a question when we were building the new terminal is that the life of those tanks. So, I think that we need to know that before we move forward to say we're not going to uh allocate any money toward that. I think we need an answer to that. I know you stores and stuff have monitors on their tanks that lets them know if they got any kind of leakage that's in the soil. We don't have anything like that at the airport or

there's any do not know. I'll have to ask. You want us talking about the store the stores requirement? He hacks tight on underground storage tanks, but I just do not know off top. For airplane fuel, I feel sure there's multiple dis uh a filtering process that it has to go through before you could put any fuel in an airplane.

Yeah, I'm talking about leakage far as the those tanks into the soil is what DHEX is looking at. Uh that's why they make the stores, your convenience stores that has tanks in the ground. They're being monitored and somebody comes out every so often and make sure everything's working right and all that and you don't bother you tanks till they start indication of a leakage and then you replace them uh or repair them or whatever. But uh

we used to have to do an annual report to DHCK. I I don't last four years they could have done away with it especially since DHCK broke up. I'll have to ask Could could you um explain the the land consolidated fire protection district? I don't quite think we have some question on that like what that actually means. Where you at? Are you on slide 22 sir? Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am.

Just trying to understand. So what what was in that 21 million is that that's can you talk through that?

Sure. And um I've got two not to call them but in that 21 million we have fire station 3 which was to the the construction of uh CIP approved project was a little over 10 million. So we back that out. We also had in that 21 million um a paving project which I believe was a little over 300,000 and then we had the engine that's attached to fire station 3 in that 21 as well. And so um and then um chief had uh 10 new positions. So but that's this this line item specifically for Indian consolidated fire district. Yeah. So

fund. Yeah. So, but I just want to make sure I understand we're pulling it out because we're we're not recommending it or is it could be coming from somewhere else? Uh, both, sir. Good point. Okay. Um, the not recommending at this time, unless otherwise, would be the construction of the station and the paving project. Another revenue source would be the purchase of the engine. And so for the engine, we would do impact fees, fire service impact fees, and then we would do a general fund, uh, unassigned fund back that would be included in the 18 million or whatever, right? Yeah.

And so I I guess at least from my feedback would be that I I would like to see us fund fire station 3 as part of this process because when are we going to do that if we're not going to do that now? But that's my Are are are they going to uh do a bond for it and pay it out of the Indian Land Fire District like they did other stations?

Um well, I would propose that we actually we pay a series of fire stations and set aside funds for a series of fire stations that we know we need. One being Harrisburg, this one we know we need. We just got donated land at at the Haven with Gwenar. We need a joint. We need a combo EMS fire station there and we need one in Edgewater. That's three and three pieces of the county. I would encourage the council to consider not necessarily constructing all three right now, but at least um I mean we need the one in Harrisburg and we're going to need the one at the Haven. We need the one here. I guess we we we need to assign funds to those stations and move forward because otherwise what do we what are we what are we doing here?

We definitely need all three of them. Yeah. If not assign uh have some sort of funding source that we can we need to allocate funds so that we can have that on the radar as a funded project and move forward because I'm I'm I'm concerned with New Hagen. I'm concerned with Edgewater. I'm concerned with Inuland area, too. But it's like we can't do one without the other. We don't need to do Harrisburg without Edgewater. We need to have some sort of combined uh revenue that's going to meet all the needs of what we need. I mean, all the needs of the fire station and EMS's that we could come up with a total cost.

Yes, sir. if I could on on the fire stations issue just real quickly. I don't know the all the history behind it. I understand it's been kicked around for a couple of years. Um certainly no fault of the county attorney. I've been trying to get with the municipalities to get something lined up for about a month and I've been striking out trying to find a time that works for all municipality. She's got a real good plan on the fire capital district that, you know, could address a lot of this, but it doesn't exist today.

Right. But I what I'm saying is that we don't I'm not convinced that we need that all set up now to move forward with allocating funds for those stations now because yes, we do need to set up fire districts and go down that path, especially for operating. But I think from a capital perspective, I I don't see how it makes sense financially for us to chop the county into multiple capital districts. I think it's going to be the entire one county for capital operating may be different, but we're talking about capital right now.

My my understanding, we're probably getting off topic here. It was only going to be one one capital district, just one covered the whole county, but we have to get buy in from the four municipalities. I've been trying for a month to get those mayors and administrators lined up for a meeting to talk about this. Struck out so far. and to your resp but but none but none of the I what I would say is that none of these fire stations exist in a situation where that is even going to matter because they're not within those municipalities can we move forward without those municipalities then I would suggest we move forward without the

attorney I think so but

my recommendation would be that we move forward without those municipalities if they want to join in they can join in afterwards correct So instead of kicking the can down the road, if chair is okay, let's look into and start that process rolling. And and to your question, Mr. Meller, within the fee for the Indian consolidated district, there is not monies that were built into that fee to pay for bond other than what the bond that was already existing. And Mr. Chair, did we not put together few years ago total cost to build u the EMS's and the fire well the fire stations in each of those areas and I know that cost has gone up somewhat but uh I think we I think Stephanie presented us with some sort of a plan with with our fire stations in that in those areas

capital plan. Yeah, we can do that design bill stuff. I'm not supporting no $10 million for no fire station. I'm saying that she put together something that I know we've got numbers and I'm sure those numbers have changed, but we got to have something to go by. We got to have some uh amount that we need to either borrow or pull from our general fund to to build whatever we need to build and stop kicking the can down the road. Can we get cost estimates on what a fire station would look like and what it would cost at least just from preliminary estimates?

I I think that Indianland Consolidated has gotten estimates from their architect. They have I believe engaged uh a firm that does design build and their numbers looked more promising than than what this number is. that number there are in that chief. Could you come up for just a second? I don't know where you are in that process. Uh

yeah, we started off with Stuart Cooper New uh the ones that designed and built our station, Pleasant Valley Station, station two now. Um his numbers was a lot higher than I was looking for. So, we've talked to some other uh companies that do a design build and uh every one of them we've talked to is around the 450 to 500 a square foot for a fire station. How many square feet of fire stations? Uh about the one we're looking at is about 12,000. I think you're looking at manned versus Yeah, I know. 6 million. I'm sorry. H plus

yeah it's about $7 million for the one we're looking at. Uh but then you got to put in the the 20% soft cost which is all your furniturees and fees and and then the county wants a 20% contingency also which drives that number up. So that ain't that ain't the numbers. I looked at one in Fort Long that Well, Fort Long, you can't compare what's in Fort Lone with a fire station houses.

Yeah. Fort Long 70% bay and 30% admin. And ours is the opposite. We need the admin side for the sleeping quarters, the all that for the staff. Uh, and the admin side is exactly what it costs. It's cheap to build bays, but it's not cheap to build admin side. But you have to have the admin side to sleep people and and to have enough staff in there. We looked at the one in Fort Lawn and you was there, too. And, you know, they had the the big bays and everything. And then they had sleeping quarters and the meeting rooms and everything. They had the three bedrooms and um I mean just if

I'd be glad for y'all to come and look at station two and that's what we're basing it off of a 50-year building uh with sleeping quarters enough to sleep staff for two trucks uh which is double what um that place had. Um their kitchen if you remember it was extremely small. Their living areas was very small. Um, and you got to remember these the firefighters that live there one-third of their life. That's I mean they've got to have a little bit of room to to eat and and sleep and all that. So

if Mr. Chair um this is where we keep getting stuck on this station and I understand it and I think we all understand it. We we've got to come up with a number as council and say this is the number. If any land consolidated wants to come up and and do something else outside of that number, then they've got their fund and they can go down that path. But I would urge council to not keep getting stuck on this conversation and just say, "Hey, for for these stations, we're going to fund X amount and that's what we're going to do. And if you want to do something above that, then that's on the district to figure out how they're going to go down that path. But we need to come up with a number and we need to set that number aside and that those funds aside and move forward. Otherwise, we're going to sit here forever going back and forth. We just need to come up with a with a number that we're comfortable with.

Yes. Any other questions for me?

Okay. Keep

this is probably the slide that is mo of most interest at this point. Uh what was adopted for all funds? There's your what you adopted July 1 of 2026. All funds 160.1 million. What is recommended today? You can see that increase of 34%. And then you can see the delta between what was adopted versus what is being recommended today by the administrator. 55.4 is the delta. And right now you have a budget that is balanced uh at $215.7 million. So I think that's the cut you're most interested in. Shifting gears to the tourism piece and promoting tourism. Uh this is a an action item for you at your uh reading of the first ordinance today. You have two organizations fulfilling this function. The Old English District and the Lancaster County 250 committee. So they're using the state accommodations tax. uh that total was 57,000 and as part of this current year's adopted budget ordinance. You directed staff to cut that total in half and split it equally between those two organizations. And so you could do that arrangement again in FY27 or you could come up with a different arrangement. Either way, I think there's rules around the organization has to be able to promote tour and tourism locally or in within the area. forthcoming action, other considerations of how we're pulling together all the pieces. Um, we have these listed and so, you know, county population is

growing with growth. There is the the natural occurrence that you would have more requests. Uh, inflation of course is growing 4.2 too. And then you do have in your packet exhibit G the annual fee schedule. So many of the department directors or some that had changes to the fee schedule. Uh that's in exhibit G redline document. other items that shaped this uh request and rather the recommendation and then of course ARPA being something big we'll do at the end of the calendar year. And so without further ado, I will turn the floor over to budget analyst Josiah Park to update you on the capital improvement 10-year plan. Thank you. Okay. Good afternoon, council members. I'll be giving you a quick update on the capital improvement plan and highlighting the results of both the planning commission's and interim county administrators ranking exercises. No action is requested you uh today, but it only serves to update you on the process since our conversation in April. Okay, a quick recap. We can see our original CIP ordinance adopted in July of 2021 and amended in 2024 and 25. As mentioned last time, we have 24 projects for consideration for the upcoming fiscal year with a total request amount of $77.2 million between all 24. Nine of these are approved by council in previous budget years, but have not been funded or been scheduled for the current year or the upcoming upcoming fiscal year. while 15 are new projects that were submitted this year.

Once again, the main instrument council can utilize in their effort to improve community infrastructure is the capital improvement plan. As always, however, it's important to understand that council is not committed to funding sources or amounts as it identified in the CIP alone. That obligation comes from the adoption of the budget ordinance in the annual budget process. There are variety of ways to fund capital investments as you've already been discussing. These include borrowing through a general obligation bond or similar instrument, taxes, fees, their millage rate or impact fee, and the appropriation of cash savings. Here we can see our progress along the CIP process with the planning commission and interim administrator both completing their ranking exercises of unfunded projects. This update serves to inform county council of those priority recommendations as well as set the stage for your discussion on this on the CIP at the May 13th uh committee of the whole meeting. Okay. If you turn to exhibit D, you can see the um planning commission and interim administrators ranking exercises. Uh this year the planning commission participated in the CIP process in two distinct ways. First the commission submitted two projects to the CIP project list. Those are um listed and identified. Second, the commission developed and voted to recommend a list of 10 priority projects for council consideration. The commission also voted to recommend the county council amend the 10-year CIP document to include the other unfunded projects. Exhibit D, you can see the complete list of projects that were ranked by the planning commission uh at their April 21st regular meeting. The column to the right also shows interim administrator Willis's rankings. Uh these slides show the respective projects in rank order. I'll give you a few moments to take those in.

Can can I ask a question? Absolutely. I'm just trying to wonder why would the 13 passenger buses um or 13* 4 um rank as number two? Well, Chris is here. he can explain to you. My my recommendation was looking at the 13, which you have more flexibility. You don't have to have a CDL to drive the 13 passenger bus. But Chris,

but and it's not Chris. I'm asking you because you're the administrator. So I I guess I'm looking at all the other items that we need for infrastructure. I'm just curious why that one would be number two in your estimation. buses we have are in pretty bad shape and I don't want kids on them if they're not, you know, in good shape to drive.

And Chris, you you come up speak to the condition of the buses as he's coming up. Folks have to live with it. I I I guess I I Chris, I appreciate it. I in terms of conditions of buses and and kids riding on buses. I guess I'd rather get rid of the programs and support infrastructure for fire that is desperately needed in our county. I to me I just that just blows my mind that that would be number two. But that's just me. Go ahead, Grace.

So the the the flexibility I I can't speak to the rankings. I mean that's I can speak to what what we're proposing and why we're asking for them. And uh the the 13 passenger buses give us a lot more flexibility. As uh Administrator Willis alluded, you know, you don't need a CDL license. It makes it a lot easier to use staff. Um as I said in my presentation, however long ago that was at this point, uh the the big passenger buses we have are from 2013, 2014, 2015. So, if it's a matter of getting rid of the smaller buses and replacing with the bigger buses, I'm I'm open for conversation. I'm open to do some horse trading on that. Um, but at the end of the day, the the vehicles we have in our fleet are old, outdated, and well beyond their their useful life at this point from a safety and service standpoint. I I would just like to say is that uh I do understand we need infrastructure, but I do understand the need for uh buses in good shape with our children and grandchildren on those buses. And I do not want to deal with any program that's going to benefit our youth in this county. I just hope it's a way that we can fund both.

Again, I'm willing to talk about it. I know I got a big fleet request and we can have those conversations. And I would say for to be clear, I would say that buses technically count as infrastructure from that standpoint.

Anything else on the first slide? I'd got one one thing here, Steve. My understanding that those radio consoles they they could wait a year. Yes, sir. Um, Robert was here earlier. Robert, you want to come up talk the consoles? Motorola has um contracts and you know, you have service service contracts and what they will cover and at some point they just stop and I believe next year or year after is when they Robert,

good afternoon. Um, that is correct. uh this was put in front of you because it's a big ask. Uh we can absolutely make it another year if we need to with the understanding that next year won't be optional. That's right. So, you know, it's not something that we can do partially. We have it is a wholesale change and we can put it off to next year with you know no risk to 911 at all but I will be standing here asking for them next year. That's right. Have to do it. We'll have to do it. Understand that.

If we can get another year out of them would be good. What's that total cost? Do you remember? 1.9 million.

1.9. Okay. Thank you, Robert. Okay, I'm going to go to the next slide. Just let me know if you have any other questions. I'll move on.

Okay. Okay. In summary, we had a total of 24 CIP projects for consideration this fiscal year with most in the unfunded state. Staff request the council begin to consider which, if any, of these projects to approve and appropriate funds for in FY27. Staff will return to ask for direction uh on this later in the budget cycle, but you're free to discuss it now. We'd also request that council continue funding existing CIP projects that are already in progress as part of the annual budget document. and staff would also like to highlight the 15 new capital requests and inform council that they may include them as unfunded projects on the CIP as part of the budget process. Finally, appropriations for council approved projects will be approved as part of the annual u operating budget ordinance. Here we can see our next steps. Um May 13th we have the committee of the whole meeting for budget discussion. May 26 is our first reading of the budget ordinance, fee schedule, and capital improvement plan public hearing and ordinance reading. June 8th is the second reading of the budget ordinance, public budget public hearing and CIP ordinances. And June 22nd is the third reading of the budget and CIP ordinances and adoption. I apologize for any questions. There any questions? Thank you.

at this point. Um, you know, once we finish CIP, next up in the book is personnel. And this is one if you're looking for the big bucks, this is where it exists in the personnel. That's where, you know, feedback would certainly be appreciated. um would note that for example the Indian land consolidated fire district um chief did recommend cutting those back to half a year but that's coming out of that dedicated fund that's not coming out of general fund um that you me you know one of the things the ERP specialist that person's on board this year council approved coming on this year we're funding a full year of it next year So, that's one that's committed. But, um, you know, as I mentioned, and I'll just pick one because she does an outstanding job. Shanda down at building inspections. Um, if we don't get her some help, then the lag time on building permits, it's going to start to expand because one person can only do so much. That's where, you know, we need feedback. Council, is this something you see as a critical need or no? Let's Let's put it off.

So, I mean, I I guess to to start, I mean, clearly one of the bigger decisions that we have is the uh EMS schedule change. I mean, do we want to start there? And and I I'll tell you my rationale on that is and and Clay is here, Damon's here. If they want to come up and speak, we don't start changing 2472, we're going to be losing our medics because they're going to be going across the river to Chester and Rockill and other places that have a much better work life ratio because we're running 2448. Um Clay, any club have any comments on that? Good afternoon, council. So, a few weeks ago, I gave you guys a a map of the state of South Carolina, and in red, we had certain counties. There are only I think it's like 12 counties now that still run the old 2448 schedule, and those are counties that don't run a lot of calls. Um, the other counties that do run a lot of calls, um, I put it, we were on an island, the closest 24 48 is many counties away from here. Everybody else runs that 2472. Um, after you work a 24-hour shift and you run 12 to 16 calls a day, uh, with the type of calls that we have, you're going to have to have a time to decompress. So, we're working harder more with more hours. Um, that's 848 hours of building overtime a year just for showing up for the 122 days that you're scheduled to work. On the new schedule, it's 110 hours of building overtime for the 92 days that you're scheduled to work.

So, it it looks like there at least on the recommended piece that there's some kind of transition. Can you talk through like what that possibility would look like?

So the transition is we have to create a fourth shift. Right now we have three shifts. So we have to create a fourth shift which means we've got to hire those individuals. Now the cost saving is all the current people they're not working the overtime. So the amount of money that we're paying in the overtime budget now is just transferred over to the general fund regular account. So sometimes it's a wash, so to speak. It's just the new hires that you've got to have to bring on to create the fourth shift. You make more per hour to bring home the same amount of money, but you work less hours. So you're relating what the EMS staff does to more of the 40hour employee. Uh, I've got a question. What What is this in relation to what we're looking at on the PowerPoint, the one that you just passed out?

Uh, this is on page those those salaries on page 52, I think, aren't they? 52. Yeah, 52. And and m Mr. Instagram, we've already lost a few employees, two other services that work the 2472 schedule simply because that's 14 14 positions.

Yes, sir. And that's just part of this is a this is a eat the elephant one bite at a time so to speak. So part of it is this year and then the next part would be next year. We we couldn't afford to do the entire service that we need to do. What which specific areas would we your proposed?

So this is the 911 trucks. So instead of working every third day, they're working every fourth day. And this is just to keep us competitive. And the if you if you think back and I don't I know you guys don't have it but uh right now Chester County, Fairfield County, Kershaw County, York County, Union County, North Carolina, Chesterfield County, Lee County, Sumpter County, Florence County, uh Marboro County, Darlington County, uh Marian County, Richton County, Alexon County run 12 hours. Saluda County, uh, McCormack County, I think, runs a 24-hour schedule. Um, Greenville runs 24, excuse me, they run 12 hours. Spart runs 12 hours. Newberry runs 2472.

Then staffing up part of it. This year, you can get creative with your shifts. Yes, sir. I think you've mentioned that when the

so with the 12 or 14 new employees that we're asking for, we would then create creative schedules to cover the peak tier peak times because there are periods when at night when we're not as busy, the call volume goes down and that's usually after 10 o'clock at night and it starts around 6:00 to 7 in the morning. So, we would use some of those staff to bridge that gap until next year when we're going to we're going to have to add more trucks obviously because of call volume and population increase. And we would staff those trucks during the dur the peak hours based on analytics. I would definitely like to see us move forward with that plan. I mean, it's public safety. We got to take care of people. Clay, what what would be the impact if we funded it at half a year and started in January the 1? I

mean, could you hire that many people out of the gate? Like, realistically, how how long would it take you to hire? Well, we have a lot of fish on the line right now. Um, getting them in the door is kind of the problem. Um, sometimes they'll get in the door, they find out how busy we are, and they leave. Um, if we started advertising with the help of our communications department, um, if you funded this July 1, we could not start this July one. Correct. Um, we got to have to build a whole new SCA staffing pattern and decide how we're going to staff the shifts. Um,

how long realistically would it take you to stand this thing up? I'd say two months, 60 days because obviously we want to give the the the current staff there. They're going to have to have time to um adjust their personal lives because right now they're scheduled for every third day. So there'll be some child care and pick up kids at school. And right now they're looking at down the road vacations. Uh because I know right now I'm working every third day. so I can plan if we change that in July one and say August the one you're going to do that says it upset the apple cart I'd like to give the staff um time to prepare. So in fact we just had that conversation this morning. If this gets passed at what point would we be able to roll this out and we obviously know we can't roll it out on July 1. Is all your staff on board with this?

About 150%. 150%. If if you were told you can make the same amount of money and work 30 days less a year, you'd probably want to do it, too. And we do have we do have staff, just for the record, that drive from Lexon County and Richland County now, uh, Cherokee County, Gaffne, they drive a good bit to work here, and they don't want to leave. But those other places that offer those better, we're going to allow you to work 2472 and where we're running 21,000 calls a year and they're running 12,000 calls a year. Come over here and make almost the same amount of money and work less and less days. It's it it being a good It's not mathing. It's not mathing. That's right. And I didn't sleep at a holiday in last night.

Was it a Holiday in or a Holiday in Express? Uh it was a Motel 6. they left the light on.

Mr. Chairman, and again, as you start looking at this, I'll be the first you to admit to y'all 20 years ago when I moved over from the city to the county. And ever since then, I've been accused of being a public guilty as charged. I I look after him, but there's a lot of things in here, and it's just up near the top. auditor, one clerk, just just one. But you've heard from Susette and what's what's the status on the homestead bill? I

you you come I hate to make you come up, but yeah, there's things that are outside Susette's control that are just going to impact her. Yeah, the homestead they um the last that I've heard um they the Senate passed the bill to raise the homestead exemption amount. Uh it got to the House. The House has not picked it up. So, it's kind of just sitting there right now. Heard last week that they have the Senate has attached a proviso to another bill that is they're hoping is going through. So, if that's the case, then the Homestead Act will go through and we're expecting a flood of people to be coming in. With that, I don't know if the new bill has anything about the residency requirements, the length of time that someone has to be here to get X amount of dollars. So they're talking about like five years you get 50,000, 10 years you get the hundred and there's no way that one person that's who I one person in my office keeps up with the homestead. Now if this passes there's no way that one person can keep up with all of this data when people when when we're supposed to give them a raise for their homestead. So, I it's it's just bad. And I told y'all when I presented my budget about how many emails we get, how you know the foot traffic that we get. It if y'all were to do a survey in this building, you can ask the receptionist. People that come in this building,

I would probably bet 80% of those people come into my office first. It may be more than that. So, yes, I I would love to have another clerk to and and we're still looking at growing and it, you know, it's going to be inevitable. If you don't do it this year, we're gonna have to ask again next year because I mean it's it's people I mean, thank goodness people are coming here. But, you know, they have to register their vehicles and then they do the legal residence and then they do the homesteads and then it's it's just it's just a lot.

Yeah. I can testify because of estate stuff and different things going on this year. I've in the last three or four months I've been in there three or four times and and they have somebody in their face all the time and a lot of times they are not happy because they've already been somewhere and told them they got to come back to the auditor's office or so I mean and it's uh it's tedious work. it and uh uh there's a lot of paperwork when you start messing with titles and everything's got to be documented and correct and uh tax notices. Uh there's you can't have any errors.

That's right. Thank y'all. Thank you, Mr. Willis. I mean, I will let you know when the homestead if the homestead passes. Mr. Willis, I would ask uh you know, I know we had to cut some, but just for for point of information or a question, you know, since I've been here, it has grown from two or three to I don't know how many 17 or 18. No, more than that.

2021. could could I I would just recommend that that uh that kind of be analyzed to every position we got because I mean this is that's a uh that's a lot of that's a lot of people in one department if there could is does some of that need to be consolidated or is there not much work out there I don't know we sort of take a look that yeah they asked for four folks the GIS analyst if we need to trim one would probably be where we take a look but the ERP specialist council yeah I think we got to pay that's that's that new system cyber security

cyber security I wouldn't I wouldn't I would I would say we need we probably wouldn't I thought we had cyber security specialists this is a cyber security manager uh that's a little bit different they got clarification on because I I'm I'm like you. We have We were paying for cyber security and they had somebody off site. Yeah, we do. But this is cyber security manager that they're asking for. That's another I mean I I'd like to know the job description on that. Yeah, that's right.

Okay. Um the the next one I mean the one for um the Lancaster County firefighters. Can you remind me what that that is? Those positions we got um the Lancaster County firefighters the um and Chief help me out here that those were the folks that were originally going to go to McDonald Green I believe. How many positions is it? There's um uh three shift captains, three shift engineers. Yeah.

Um the two firefighters engineers at EOC were were going to be additional and the logistics officer was one I believe you covered in your your presentation about keeping up with all the various equipment and everything.

Yes, sir. Uh so the McDonald green staffing was in there and then the additional staffing for a second station was in there which was uh six more staff and then two additional I'd asked for three additional um well four additional actually but I think he recommended the logistics officer that can keep up with all the equipment and gear that comes in for all the volunteer departments and then also a maintenance tech to try to help us on the apparatus. Uh getting all the equipment and apparatus fixed. We're about 460 something maintenance request in the hole right now trying to get them done. They're just they can't keep their head above water.

Well, I mean, I think I think everybody knows what I'm going to say here. I mean, I can't support I mean, I'm the biggest infrastructure fire guy in what I say up here, but I can't support those positions until we do get our operating fire districts up and running because we have existing fire districts in this county that are paying special fees for that operating. Um, and we need to address this, but we can't address it in the general fund in my opinion. So the the two positions the maintenance for tech and the logistics would actually all the positions would touch all the fire departments because if Indian land needs them even the McDonald green people and all they would come and we come to support them but the the maintenance tech they they touch every fire department including Indian land all and so

the logistics officer would be okay. They would they would be something for all the volunteer departments and the and the Indian land and Kershaw all so they would they would supporting the county I can I'm on board with it but in specific stations I I can't support at this time. I understand. Yes, sir.

And like I said, you know, as you as you go home, look over these, you know, we solicit your feedback continuously, not just today. This is a lot to take in. So, as we're looking at these fire services, so in Indianland, those folks, those residents in that fire district are paying for their fire district services and they're paying for the county services as well through the general fund. Yes, sir. Okay. But then you know a lot of as the chief indicated the the technicians and the used to be the 10. How many is it now chief? 12

14

14, you know, they rotate and they include, you know, rotating up to Indian land and not that I guess some of the interdep departmental request. Um, a lot of what you see there is, you know, requests for various things. Some we recommended, some some we didn't. Well, I love to do the welcome signs for Lancaster County, but station generators. Um, the Riverchase development agreement fire station that is in there, but now that's triggered. They've got about 50 more certificate of occupancies before that gets triggered. It's in the budget. It may hit next year, but if it did hit next year, I didn't want to leave you stranded, you know, with without something in the budget to cover that. Um, the Walnut Creek soccer fields, I I would note, you know, there there's little notes that you'll see in there. That's $2 million. Well, one million of it is coming from capital project sales tax three, but there's two fields up there. You we want to have one turf and one synthetic recommend you take a look and just go ahead and fix the Walnut Creek soccer fields. Um, but as you're looking in there again, solicit your feedback. Um, some of that would be capital. We already mentioned the radio consoles at 1.9 million. Um,

actually with the Walnut Creek, Chris, can I ask you a question on that? I'm familiar with I've been at Walnut Creek a lot with my kids, but um as they went through the programs, but there's the big field, correct? Right. Yes. That is covered in capital project sales tax. Maybe not entirely, but by and large, most of it. The second field is that the the second le when you go down the level, yeah, the two smaller ones to the left of it. Okay. All right. That's the That's the area we'd like to turf completely. Okay. All right. I'm with you. Okay. Would it be both fields down there?

Yes, we would turf the the big field and then we would turf the two smaller ones. So that smaller ones are for younger. Yeah, that's for more for the younger age groups or smaller sighted games. Yes, sir. I fully support uh any improvements to that because with the you know with those fields at all they can play even after it rains. It' be great for the neighborhood. So you know the the the use on it and how that the turf gets worn down right now it's really hard and and it's we can't rest the grass properly to really let it regenerate. And then the pressure we have up at Harrisburg that several of you know about. I mean this would help alleviate some of that pressure from a rental standpoint and a use standpoint. So the flexibility in Indian land would

those fields have tremendous usage. I mean there is a lot of people on those fields. There is we drove by there last night about 8:30 or so and there were people they had games going on. Then Chris, what what point is these turf fields going to need major repairs? uh replacements, whatever.

So, those are typically 10 to 15 years down the road as far as any significant type of renovation or repair. At that point, there's going to be minor repairs that pop up. The a seam may break or may tear and you have to have a seam resealed. You may have to refresh it from um the infill standpoint that gets mixed in there. Uh but those are those are relatively easy and and inexpensive uh work for us to handle. Thank you. You're welcome. Any other questions? I guess moving on to the recommendations by department. That's just a summary type thing. Um, and I'm I'm presuming here again, we've got the dollar change request recommended. You would like to see a fiscal year 25 adopted to recommended Mr. Chairman, can we take a 10-minute approach?

Yes, sir. Um, council stand um we need to take a motion for that. Okay. Stand council stand adjourned for 10

Okay, we're going to call this meeting back to order. Okay. All right. We we'll call the meeting back to order. Thank you everyone hanging around. I I guess I'll ask the question is is where do we want to proceed from here? Do we want to continue going through all the numbers and looking at them or do we want to take the time to take this home and look through it and Right. We've we've gotten some good feedback so far. One thing I would note that um you know Jamie Jai and Sabrina if you go back and look at the budget um expenditures the detail information is in there. If there's something you know you have a question about it's probably there but if not give us a call. Um shoot shoot me an email. The only thing I'll do is you know if I get an email from one council member I'll you know I'll have to get with department head. We'll provide an answer, but all seven of you will get the answer.

And and the one thing we heard today, we'll go ahead and start taking a look if if we have an overall budget of about 115 120 million. Okay. What are we going to cut and what's well what am I going to recommend cutting ultimately? you know, four of y'all have to decide, but here's what it's going to do to the service levels. And we're actually not that far off because if you take $30 million of capital out of 156, you're I I still see 10 million in cuts. I mean, I don't like calling it to me. It's not cuts.

Oh, yeah. I know. We're calling it cut. It's increases. Budget increases from last year. Uh, you know, it's it is It's not cuts, right? But cuts from the recommendation. Yeah. But one thing we'll do is uh we'll work

and maybe just going to kill me for saying this. We'll we'll rework this so that you've got fiscal year 25 adopted to recommended. And there's the delta between those two rather than what was requested and what was recommended and showing that delta. Another area that we need to look at on public safety is is our n is our uh communications our 911 staff that we're losing employees because surrounding counties is taking some of them. We might need to raise their look at their fees. That two and a half% might not be quite enough to get their salaries to where

y'all say that. I'm sure Robert would be more than happy to accommodate. We we could certainly take a look at that and I'll get with Robert and get the the data from surrounding counties what they're paying. Yeah. Yeah, I would like that. Yeah. Course I know Chester counties raised theirs. Well, one thing we didn't talk about today, I didn't see the like staff increases. Did I miss that? Recommended staff increases.

What we're proposing is 2% same as the state with an exception. All right, Jamie, make sure I'm right on this. um career ladder at sheriff's office there was there was a larger bump because council had previously said you wanted to make sure we were on a comparable level with entry for sled and highway patrol now I'll be the first to tell you it's not you know when you get up there to like sergeant and people with 10 years experience is it comparable sled and high patrol no it's not at least entry level it is what's proposed at the moment uh 6% sheriff all employees and then 2% for non-sheriff office employees full-time and part-time

but that's not part of the nine well the we didn't see that today right it's in your detail sir it's in the detail piece but so if you you know if it's in the detail part you'll see across the board 2% okay

line item by line item each department across the funds And

did one thing I I'll have to ask council because I remember reading about it in the paper last year. there was a big effort to do something like that. I if you could give feedback I don't know you know when I go back I'm I'm a volunteer I make zero I got 0% increase on my zero salary so I I just I saw it in the paper but I know y'all made a a significant effort last year we did we went up to we raised it last year

I would love to see McDonald's paying more than $15 an hour. $18 an hour. Okay. By the way, for all minimum, not for all, not for incoming. I'm talking about people who we have working here for years

at $16 and expecting them to live $16. That's not even reasonable. My my only comment on salary is, you know, I love law enforcement and respect them and they deserve everything they can get, but our other employees have the same cost of living increases that everybody else Thank you. has had and that we need to those two figures need to be close together.

I I think I think we need to do the same thing that we're looking at for the sheriff's office to do for EMT and do for the coroner's office, all those public safety officials who are putting their lives at risk and are out there every single day. Um, number one. Number two, I don't necessarily disagree with Council Member McGriff, but I do think that if we're going to tax our constituents that they should have the same considerations that we have for our own staff and there are people who are not earning $15 in our county and then we're going to be asking them to pay and fund for these charges. So, we need to be very cautious in how we're looking at those increases and how those increases are then going to impact everything else along the structure. Number three, I think even if we do increase salaries and wages and benefits and things like that, we have to start looking at cutting expenses in other areas. What are efficiencies that we can utilize that we're not currently utilizing so that we don't have to increase spenses. My goal is to have a flat budget. I don't want to increase millage rates. I don't think that that's fair. I think Mr. Harper has said it multiple times this this evening and this afternoon. We do not have the resources right now to assess more on our constituents. I do not feel comfortable doing that with the way things are. So we we have to be looking at where we can cut expenses if we want to increase salaries and wages. I'm good. You want to increase them 50%. Hey, knock yourself out. Where are we going to cut things in order to get there?

In order to do that, we're going to have to cut services. I'm just saying we can't live off last year's dreams. We're going to have to cut services if we don't move forward. I keep telling y'all, we can't live off yesterday with the growth in this in this county and the fact that increased personnel, increased spot off the past. There's no way around it. We can't live off the back of our constituents.

That's not what I'm saying, Jose. I'm not That's the reality. No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that we've got to be real and and we've got to be realistic when we come to doing this budget knowing that we can't live off last year's numbers. And if we do an increase, I got to pay it. You got to pay it because we realize that we've got to meet services in these in this county. We've got to pay people according to what they're doing. This is not my house budget. Not my house budget. I deal with that and I don't have to deal with anybody else. But we're dealing with staff, constituents, services, and things like that. We've got to be able to meet our needs in this county.

And Mr. Chairman, if I by one editorializing, since y'all are getting ready to replace me, I can editorialize a little bit. Take a look. Every year, if the inflation cost, it hits the county same as it does everybody else. We're servicing more people. You can only increase millage by the CPI plus the population growth. You can't increase it beyond that. If you're not doing at least that, you're moving backwards. Yeah.

I'm going to push back on that and think there are different ways that we can look at it. Why are we not growing economic development? Why do we not have more industrial in this county? That would help support a lot of these costs that we're looking at. So, we just need to look at things from a different perspective and see where there are opportunities and look at things from an innovative perspective as opposed to looking at how things are done and how they've always been done. We need to think differently and be more agile or we're going to fall behind.

I agree with you on that. But we're right now we're in the present. We're dealing with present and not what we're going to do. We can look at those things down the road, but right now we're dealing with this present budget and that's what we got to go with. Do we have any mo any more things related to the budget? Um, if not, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. Oh, so moved. We have a motion from Mr. Louise. Do we have a second? You must have been ready to go. I was just getting up. Evan, we adjourn. We have a We have a motion to adjurnn for Mr. Louise. We need a second.

Second. All right. We stand adjourn. Everybody go home, study, mark up your books, and come back prepared to tell Steve what we need to cut. Grenade.