Hartsville passes budget, awards A-Tax monies
Members of Hartsville City Council, including (left to right) Tre Gammage, Mayor Mel Pennington, Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Andrews, Bob Braddock, and Bernice Wilson voted to approve the city’s $20 million budget for the coming fiscal year
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Hartsville City Council held its regular monthly meeting on June 12 and formally adopted all 2018/19 fiscal year budgets, totaling nearly $20 million.
These budgets include a General Fund of $10,029,796, a Water, Sewer, and Waterpark Enterprise Fund budget of $6,443,857, an Infrastructure Fund budget of $520,500, a Solid Waste Fund budget of $1,344,800, a Hospitality Fee Fund budget of $995,100, an Accommodations Tax Fund budget of $185,000, a Debt Service Fund budget of $165,000, a Storm Water Fund budget of $106,327, and a Recreations Concessions Fund budget of $105,000.
The new budgets include no tax increases, and will go into effect on July 1, 2018.
Also on the agenda, Council held a public hearing and passed final reading of Ordinance 4335, which will implement a new and more flexible purchasing policy. Under these policies, department heads will have discretion to make small purchases up to $9,999 without using competitive bidding. Purchases ranging from $10,000 to $24,499 will require written quotations and competitive pricing.
For purchases ranging from $25,000 to $99,999, requests for proposals and solicitations for competitive bids will be issued. In the case of a $100,000 or greater purchase sealed bidding will take place, along with formal requests for proposals and quotes.
Council held a public hearing and decided to table final reading for Ordinance 4337, increasing the water rates for in-town customers to a minimum monthly bill of $19.57 for the first 2,244 gallons and $3.48 for every 1,000 additional gallons. Out of town customers will see minimum monthly bills of $35.82 and $6.37 for every additional 1,000 gallons. Sewer rates will also be increased for in-town customers (monthly minimum of $17.97 plus $3.54 per 1,000 gallons of usage) and out of town customers (monthly minimum of $32.89 plus $6.48 per 1,000 gallons of usage).
Ordinance 4338 passed its public hearing and final reading. This ordinance approves continuing the rate structure for commercial solid waste fees. A roll cart emptied once per week will cost $38.63, an extra roll cart will cost $17.43, and dumpster rates will range from $76.67 for a four-yard container dumped once per week to $1,268.56 for an eight-yard container dumped ten times per week.
Council also passed final reading of Ordinance 4334, leasing a portion of the property at 321 Bell Avenue from Darlington County Habitat for Humanity. This lease carries a one-time cost of $1, and will allow the city to install a security camera at the property to monitor for illegal activity.
Finally, Council approved distribution of state-local Accommodations Tax revenue based on the recommendations of the city’s A-Tax Advisory Committee. From a $131,710 funding pool, their recommendations include a disbursement of $28,832 for the HCDF Hartsville Tourism Office and Neptune Island Waterpark, $25,407 for the Hartsville Community Center Building Commission / Center Theater’s Phase II Stage Lighting upgrade, and $15,000 for the EdVenture Children’s Museum.
