By Tony Kukulich
The Beaufort County Council recently approved a slew of spending initiatives including a 5% raise in the form of cost-of-living adjustment for all county employees including elected officials.
The council’s actions came after the county identified a multi-million dollar surplus expected in the 2022 budget.
“Beaufort County practices effective resource management and solid fiscal responsibility,” said Dale Butts, assistant county administrator-Finance. “We identified an estimated $9 million surplus for 2022 and have a $68 million reserve to handle natural disasters.”
County Chief Financial Officer Hayes Williams said the origin of the surplus comes from changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We pulled back on what we thought we were going to earn, and we pulled back on what we thought we were going to spend,” Williams explained.
Instead of seeing the expected downturn in revenue, the number of county property tax transfers drove revenue up instead.
The county will add $1.75 million to an existing fund of approximately $2.5 million received as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to pay a one-time, COVID-19 premium. Nearly 1,500 employees with firefighting agencies, the Sheriff’s Office, Beaufort County EMS and others will receive $150 per month worked between April 2020 and January 2022. The maximum benefit will be $3,000.
“I felt it was imperative for me to take an active role in ensuring that all Beaufort County employees received fair compensation for their tireless efforts and dedication throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sheriff P.J. Tanner. “I applaud Beaufort County Council for its support and decision to use ARPA funding for employee compensation and for its approval of a well-deserved 5% cost of living increase. This and future pay adjustments will help retain and recruit Sheriff’s Office personnel and other county employees. With increasing prices associated with purchasing or renting real estate, these types of adjustments will also make it more affordable for our employees to reside in Beaufort County.”
Another $1.75 million will be used to purchase ambulances, quick response vehicles and other needed equipment. The Beaufort County Detention Center and the Bluffton Pool will each receive $1 million for repairs, while $900,000 will be allocated toward construction of the Arthur Horne Building. The county will spend $1.22 million for the acquisition of the properties from the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
“We’ve got a lot of capital projects that we need to do all over the county,” Williams said. “It takes money. We’re trying to decrease debt and get more benefits to the citizens. We’re trying to do the best we can.”
Tony Kukulich is a recent transplant to the Lowcountry. A native of Wilmington, Del., he comes to The Island News from the San Francisco Bay Area where he spent seven years as a reporter and photographer for several publications. He can be reached at tony.theislandnews@gmail.com.
