During their meeting Tuesday, West Pelzer Town Council approved first reading on a revised budget for 2024-25.
The new budget includes an increase in tax millage to pay for better police salaries and keep law enforcement “In-house” and reflects changes due to the sale of the water system to Greenville Water.
Town Clerk Paula Payton reported that the closing for the sale of the water system to Greenville Water was tentatively scheduled to happen this week, but now is expected to happen on June 21. She said that the June billing will be done by the Town. All customer accounts will be finalized after the June reading. If there is a balance due customers will receive a bill. Deposit and/or refund checks for customers due from West Pelzer will be issued in July, she said. Any delinquent West Pelzer balances at that time will be forwarded to the state for collection, Payton said.
After the June billing, the next billing for customers will be by Greenville Water and will include water, sewer and sanitation which will be due in August. Customers should see reduced water rates reflected on the August billing.
Payton also announced that Senator Mike Gambrell has presented a check for $5,000 from SCPRT to be used for park and recreation in the town.
Payton reported that the dog show had gone well and a donation from proceeds from the event was sent to Anderson County PAWS. Three dogs were adopted during the event which included eighteen dogs participating in the show.
Council also approved first reading on a new budget for 2024-25. Due to considerable changes from the original draft budget approved for first reading at the May 14 meeting, the process was started with a new budget ordinance.
Highlights include an increased reserve fund by over 50 percent; increased salaries for full time, qualified police officers; emphasis on code enforecment; Capital projects; Grant funding for beautification and park improvements; additional events and festivals.
The budget under the new administration also reflects policy refinements including an updated employee handbook, quarterly reviews and progressive discipline policy.
There will be an increase in the sanitation fee. Residential customers will pay $13 per month. Commercial customers will pay $16 per month.
The budget also reflects a tax millage increase of 13 mills. The Town will apply unused millage from 2021, 2022 and 2023, as allowed by State law, for the increase.
The proposed millage increase will be a targeted fund to support and build the West Pelzer Police Department. The millage increase will result in an additional $36,000 in revenue for the town.
According to Mayor Jim Riddle, the increase in police salaries will be covered by the increase in tax millage. The remainder of the targeted fund will be applied to payroll related expenses, additional equipment/fuel costs and additional security service for police officers.
On the accounting side, all employee salaries will be paid from the General Fund salary line. Maintenance Department salary was also moved to administration and increased the overall salary line item from $175,000 to $200,000. An additional $25,000 from the targeted fund will go directly to police officer salaries, making the total salary line item $225,000.
With the sale of the water system to Greenville Water, the utilities department which included one full time person and a part time person, is no longer necessary. Mayor Riddle said the part time person is now responsible for maintenance.
The West Pelzer Police Department has seen some changes recently with Chief Scott Stoller and another officer leaving.
According to the budget highlights presented along with the budget, all full time positions in the Police Department “have been vacated, independently in the last two months including the Chief of Police.”
The mayor and council discussed options including keeping the department or going the route of Belton, and having the County/Sheriff’s Office take over law enforcement in the town. The Town has been accepting applications for the two vacated positions in the police department. The department normally operates with three people.
“Several good candidates have come forth,” Mayor Riddle said.
“We’ve also had conversations with Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and County Administrator Burns regarding ACSO coverage, but we feel that it is in the best interest of our citizens to keep our police service “in-house”.”
“The West Pelzer Police Depatment has been comparable to other municipalities of our size in recent years, but we need to be competitive,” Riddle said. “Local law enforcement must be provided by local government.”
Riddle said, “For this to happen we must take advantage of our “unused millage bank” from the previous three years, as allowed by law. This will add approximately $36,000 to our property tax collections for the 2024-25 budget year, which will be one hundred percent allocated to the West Pelzer Police Department.”
During her presentation on the Town budget, Clerk Payla Payton said the millage increase to provide better pay for the police department will bring in approximately $36,000.
One mill is equal to $2,800. New homes/growth in the town limits takes approximately two years to be reflected on town property taxes. Homestead has increased yearly and reflects approximately 25 percent of the collected property taxes. Multi-family units have increased the population but not necessarily tax collections.
According to Payton, property owners will see an increase of approximately $50 annually per $100,000 value of property.
The current millage rate of .094 will increase to .1067.
First reading on the new budget was unanimously approved Tuesday. Councilman Johnny Rogers was not present for the vote.
The salary increase for the police department was apparently a major concern for the mayor and council.
Councilman Jeff Lee said, “We need police coverage. These guys need to make a living.”
Mayor Riddle said the police salary increase put West Pelzer “in-line with everybody around us.”
“We are back on track,” Riddle said. “We will get there. To have local police provided by local government, you have to pay for it.”
Reflecting changes in the water department with the sale to Greenville Water, and police department, the operating budget for 2024-25 will be $725,991.32, down from $1,166,428.86.
Second reading and a public hearing is set for the next meeting of Council at 6 p.m. July 9.
