Jim Fair
City Administrator Ed Driggers chats with City Council members. No one attended this evening's public forum and the second and final reading of the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget passed 6-0.
A $20.6 million City of Greer proposed balanced budget for fiscal year 2015-2016 was passed by City Council, 6-0, this evening with no increase in taxes or fees.
One police officer and one firefighter will be hired, according to the budget. A building and development standards department will move a part-time person to full-time and some part-timers will receive increased hours.
No one attended tonight's public forum and only council members Jay Arrowood, Lee Dumas and Wrylie Bettis commented with Mayor Rick Danner, councilman Wayne Griffin and councilwoman Judy Albert silent. Councilwomen Kimberly Bookert was absent.
City Administrator Ed Driggers proposed an $836,895, 4.23 percent, increase in operating expenses compared to the previous budget. Council gave it first reading approval May 26 after a three-hour presentation by Driggers and department heads.
The past year’s budget, expiring June 30, was $19.8 million. The millage rate continues to be 97.8 mills for the fifth consecutive year. Each mill is $103,446.
The Storm Water Fund ($21.60 per equivalent residential unit/ERU) and Public Services Enterprise Fund ($75) fees remain the same. Business license fees are unchanged.
Council has worked with an austere budget since the recession in the mid-2000s. Its fiscal year is July through June 30.
Driggers’ transmittal letter to council indicated local business license collections and MASC (Municipal Association of South Carolina) franchise and business license fees are expected to generate $4.8 million in revenue.
A compensation and classification study, the first in 17 years, resulted in Driggers recommending city employees salaries brought up to competitive standards in the upstate and pay grades established, much like the military. That initiated Bettis' and Dumas' comments at tonight's session.
It’s the third pay adjustment Driggers has championed for his employees. Four years ago Driggers strategically pushed through an ordinance guaranteeing annual raises based on job performance. Two years later a separate ordinance guaranteed annual bonuses based on tenure, $100 for full-time and $50 for part-time employees.
The budget calls for a $350,000 matching road paving program that would result in $700,000 of paving. Sidewalk repair, replacement and new construction are allocated $50,000.