Lamar to increase water and garbage-pickup fees
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Municipal services in the Town of Lamar will increase as of July, as Town Council approved rate hikes to both water and garbage pickup services.
Janie Howell, citizen volunteer and assistant to the mayor, presents details of Lamar’s proposed new budget. Photo by Samantha Lyles
Council voted to raise water rates by 10 percent and to tack an additional $8 onto garbage pickup fees.
Even with these increases, Lamar’s water system still charges well below state average for a town of its size. Mayor Darnell Byrd McPherson and members of council discussed the move with citizens in attendance, most of whom seemed to understand their actions.
Lamar currently picks up garbage twice a week for a $10 fee, which is far less than any commercial waste vendor charges, said Councilman Tamron McManus. It was also noted that Lamar doesn’t have a commercial garbage truck, but town workers use a pickup and trailer to collect refuse. Even with this modest system, the town frequently produces more garbage than the county convenience site can handle. The $8 increase may help the town upgrade its collection system.
One citizen asked whether council would consider scaling back garbage pickup to once a week, and the group said that option remained on the table. As for now, the twice-weekly schedule will continue as is.
Also at this meeting, Janie Howell, citizen volunteer and assistant to the mayor, presented first reading of Lamar’s 2019/20 fiscal year budgets. The town’s overall income is projected to be $774,679, with $308,520 coming from Water and Sewer, $114,850 from the Local Option Sales Tax, $86,000 from Business Licenses, $46,764 from Garbage Fees, and $72,000 in franchise fees from Duke Energy. Howell said that franchise fees from Spectrum Cable, which recently expanded into the Lamar market, should plump up that line item next year.
Administrative Expenditures are projected at $135,799, including $37,667 in salaries, $28,902 for Street Lights, $23,093 for Power, and $11,400 for Mayor and Council.
Police Department expenditures are projected at $257,875, including salaries of $150,000, retirement costs of $21,000, insurance of $12,000, and $19,000 for gas. Howell noted that with the department in flux for the past year, revenues from fines were only projected at $1,500.
The Water and Sewer Department’s proposed income stands at $361,284, and expenditures are projected to be $318,550, leaving a modest $42,734 gain for the year. The largest expense continues to be purchasing water from Darlington County, which should cost another $113,400 in the coming year.
Council will schedule another reading for these proposed budgets before they become final on July 1.
