Council restores recreation funding, adds Treasurer’s Office positions, advances transportation sales tax referendum
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Beaufort County Council advanced its fiscal year 2027 budget June 8, approving a series of amendments that restore recreation funding, add positions requested by the Treasurer’s Office and tighten oversight of budget transfers as county leaders continue debating spending priorities and government operations.
The budget, which now moves toward final adoption before the county’s July 1 fiscal year, reflects weeks of discussion over staffing levels, funding requests and the role of county administration in managing county government.
In addition to budget matters, council also advanced legislation related to a proposed transportation sales tax referendum, one of the county’s most significant long-term infrastructure funding proposals in recent years.
Treasurer’s Office receives requested positions
One of the most closely watched budget issues involved the office of Treasurer Maria Walls.
Council approved funding for two additional positions requested by Walls after administration recommended an alternative approach that relied on reclassifying existing vacancies rather than adding new positions.
The issue became a focal point during budget discussions after Walls publicly warned council that administration’s recommendations could negatively affect customer service and daily operations.
In a memorandum included in the June 8 agenda packet, Walls said the proposed changes would likely reduce office availability, increase response times and potentially affect the county’s investment program.
“What concerns me most is not simply disagreement over budget numbers,” Walls wrote. “It is the growing pattern of operational decisions being made without meaningful communication or understanding of the downstream impact on taxpayers, employees, and operations.”
Walls also criticized what she described as a lack of communication surrounding operational decisions.
“I have worked hard to shield taxpayers and employees from the consequences of administration’s actions, their poor leadership and communication,” she wrote. “That will no longer be possible if these recommendations move forward unchanged.”
Council ultimately sided with Walls’ request, approving the additional staffing as part of the budget package.
Recreation, solicitor funding restored
Council also approved several changes made during the budget process.
Among them was the restoration of funding for Island Recreation, which had become a topic of discussion during earlier budget deliberations.
Council also approved additional funding for the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and redirected money previously allocated to the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation’s jobs and sites program toward capital improvement projects.
The changes reflected council’s willingness to modify administration’s recommendations as members worked through competing funding requests from departments, elected officials and outside agencies.
Transportation sales tax proposal moves forward
Council also advanced an ordinance related to the proposed transportation sales tax referendum, a measure that could eventually ask voters to approve a one-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements throughout Beaufort County.
The ordinance was amended to further define project categories and clarify how revenue generated by the tax could be used if approved by voters.
Supporters have argued the referendum would provide a dedicated funding source for long-term transportation needs, including road improvements, intersection upgrades, congestion relief projects and other infrastructure investments that local governments have struggled to fund through existing revenue sources.
The proposal remains one of the largest potential transportation funding initiatives currently under consideration by county leaders and is expected to receive additional public scrutiny as it moves through the approval process.
Council removes transfer authority provision
Another significant change involved how money can be moved within the budget.
Council removed language that would have allowed the county administrator or chief financial officer to transfer up to $150,000 between departments and funds without council approval.
Supporters of the change argued that spending decisions involving that amount of money should remain under the direct oversight of elected officials rather than administrative staff.
The amendment was one of several actions taken during the budget process that reflected council’s growing emphasis on transparency and accountability.
Budget debate tied to broader leadership concerns
The budget discussion unfolded against the backdrop of broader concerns about county government operations that have surfaced repeatedly in recent weeks.
During a special called meeting May 26, Walls told council that Beaufort County has experienced significant turnover among key leadership positions over the past nine years, including eight county administrators, six chief financial officers, five deputy administrators and four county attorneys.
Her comments became part of a larger discussion about organizational stability, communication and accountability within county government.
The issue gained additional attention June 1 when council unanimously approved hiring an outside firm to review departments and personnel overseen by County Administrator Michael Moore.
While that review is separate from the budget process, many of the same concerns surrounding staffing, communication and operational effectiveness surfaced again during budget deliberations.
Residents call for greater transparency
Several residents also used the public comment period to weigh in on county spending and transparency.
One speaker urged council to make more detailed budget information available online so residents could better understand how county funds are spent and identify potential inefficiencies.
“There’s a lot of people out there that are smarter than any of us up here,” the speaker told council. “Maybe giving them a crack to look at the budget and say, ‘Hey, you guys, did you know that you were spending money over here when this service is already provided over here?'”
The comments echoed concerns raised throughout the budget process regarding public access to information and government accountability.
Final budget vote ahead
The budget approved June 8 represents another step in the county’s annual budget process but is not yet final.
Council is expected to take final action later this month before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.
The final vote will determine the spending plan that guides county operations over the next year as officials continue addressing questions about staffing, leadership and the future direction of county government.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.