Piedmont approves budget for 2014-2015

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By Stan Welch

With little discussion and no dissent, the Piedmont Public Service Commission gave unanimous final approval to the 2014 – 2015 budget Monday night.

The budget, which avoids any millage increase, also provides all full time employees with a one and a half per cent pay increase. That increase is largely negated by significant increases in health insurance costs, to be borne by all employees, regardless of the length of their tenure with the department.

Employees insured under the standard plan will see increases as follows: single/retirees $8 weekly; employee/spouse $25 weekly; employee/children $20 weekly; and full family coverage $35 weekly.

Those insured under the more comprehensive BlueChoice program will see increases as follows: single/retirees $25 weekly; employee/spouse $60 weekly; employee/children $50 weekly; and full family $100 weekly.

The budget for the fire department’s operations reflects total revenues of $1,183.899, with projected expenditures of $1.183,195 , for a surplus of $704. As usual, Salaries and fire runs consume the largest single portion of the revenues, at $598,345.

Health insurance, even with full time employees shouldering the increases, comes to $204,000. Various other forms of insurance, such as workmen’s compensation and retirement benefits comprise an additional $137,000.

The budget for the lights operations reflects revenues of $26,466, and expenses of $26,265, leaving a surplus of $201. The major cost is the Duke Energy bill, projected at $22,750.

The recreational budget reflects total revenues of $50,607, with almost $40,000 of that coming from taxes. Expenses are projected at $50,370 for a surplus of $237.00.

The total revenues generated by Greenville County taxes totals $1,055,335, while Anderson County taxes generated $194,387.