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City Council is inching its signage nearly indoors announcing its regularly scheduled meetings in front of the entrance at City Hall. There is a public forum Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. regarding the 2016-2017 fiscal year budget.
The repeal of a Public Works Fee to be replaced by a Sanitation Fund Fee, for city residents, is also part of the forum that begins at 6:30 p.m.
Council gave first reading approval for the proposed $22,625,940 budget and Sanitation Fund Fee on June 14. The FY 2015-2016 budget, $20,605,900, ends June 30.
The proposed hirings will set departmental standards in employees, wages and benefits in coming years. It also includes additional vehicles, maintenance and maintaining free fuel that compensates employees, assigned to the city-owned vehicles, to travel freely or live outside of Greer.
A one-time two percent salary increase is budgeted to entice employees to move into the city.
A $115 Sanitation Fee for city residents eligible for the services is proposed with the repeal of the $75 Public Works fee instituted four years ago to help boost a declining annual fund balance.
Greer is contracted with Ace Environmental for the next four years and is seeking to balance the cost from users of the service only. There is no opting out for city residents.
Council unanimously approved the repeal of the Public Works fee on its first reading June 14, acknowledging the fee will be more than $4,000 underfunded.
Traditionally the city council budget forum is rarely attended. That pales, for example, to the 63 residents and family members along Brushy Creek Road that shared their objection last Monday to two housing projects virtually across the street from each other. Planning Commissioners last Tuesday denied the proposed projects. The developers will present to City Council on July 12.