Jim Fair
Suzanne Lynn has joined the City of Greer in the Planning and Zoning department. She replaces Darlene Howard who retired last month.
Mayor Rick Danner asked city council for a motion to receive the budget, council members Wryley Bettis (District 5) immediately motioned to accept, Kimberly Bookert (District 3) accepted and in the next 20 seconds a 5-0 vote signaled it was ready for a public hearing and second and final reading at the June 25 council meeting.
Council members didn’t have any questions and that can be attributed to City Administrator Ed Driggers presenting the budget May 14 and holding a workshop May 28.
The budget reflects the third straight year of austerity as Greer continues to recover from the recession five years ago that forced severe departmental cuts and layoffs.
Read the complete budget is here.
Highlights of this year’s budget:
• 2.37 percent overall ($429,402) increase from last year's $18.068 million.
• 98.7 millage rate is same as past two years ($95,542 = one mill).
• 2.5 percent employee merit pay increase.
• 2.0 percent annual bonus pool based on merit and longevity of uninterrupted service. Average is $100/year for full-time employee, $50 part-time.
• Hiring a firefighter, IT technician, building and standards clerk, promote 2 PT to full-time status and hire 4 part-time positions. Compensation for one intern.
• $490,000 purchase of pumper truck for Greer Fire Department.
• 7 new vehicles to replace older models.
• $500,000 over 5-years for Greer Station improvements/development.
• $1 million over 3-years for Wade Hampton Blvd. corridor street lighting program.
• $100,000 additional from general funds for Road Paving Fund (total $421,150 budgeted expenditures)
• $50,000 traffic calming (first year included in budget).