[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6642475,"mediaKeyId","2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599","parentId",2541843,"title","Public works outlines full-service solid waste operation and growing budget gap; staff proposes phased fee approach to reduce general-fund subsidy","audioSeconds",1745,"startMs",3076000,"endMs",4821000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599&start=3076&end=4821","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599/thumbnail_3076000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6642475/Greenville-City/Greenville-County/South-Carolina/Public-works-outlines-full-service-solid-waste-operation-and-growing-budget-gap-staff-proposes-phased-fee-approach-to-reduce-general-fund-subsidy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6642475-db19085543ed8305a2a9e4592d2e6700/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206647&Signature=OaKeRJUPYNsQRP7DcFySp-WhTY7tFy3poGKH7wsmZO4G7rvZmikaHJ~SgGmOM16hqlloKbkJ6ajoAu-1-A-2AhGJbCUYcWOQu9qX4L3CdVageomtcUVRewETfckv-uymV97~B7AVY15Akwm~~2zu-fl225iRMivu6oVgtAboHNKgwtV-e4LT6D0P623siq~NQh4DxN9xLOuEehSlVlGSwlBOBDd0wO3m~Tad3U2MDcEcElZttCk-ucFYHVCyu-2QUWq-41xsTMdIHFg0UJA7AzJiotHVFiA2Tr0NenOTSQ7bDfJuxpig3zN8uIIpmWrvUaaEakILE6NfpT7YywFPdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Greenville","date","2025-03-11T17:34:12.58Z","article","Dave Derek, director of public works, told Greenville City Council the city provides a high level of solid waste services — weekly curbside trash, recycling, yard waste, bulk pickup and drop-off centers — and outlined proposals to reduce an enlarging general-fund subsidy.

Derek said the department’s total operating cost for solid waste is about $8.9 million. “About $4.3 [million] comes from the rate payers and $4.4 [million] from the general fund,” he told council, adding that the transfer from the general fund is “growing every year.”

Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the item as a service-level and budget-structure question: whether to continue city-funded subsidies that keep resident fees low or to pursue a combination of modest rate increases and operational efficiencies that would make the solid waste fund more self-sufficient.

Key points from the presentation

- Service profile: Derek said the city serves roughly 17,000 residential customers with unlimited trash, yard waste, bulk pickup and door-to-door recycling. The department also runs two unmanned recycling drop-off centers, neighborhood cleanups, electronic-waste events and seasonal programs such as Christmas-tree collection.

- Funding and gap: Derek presented the fiscal snapshot in which the fund’s operating cost is roughly $8.9 million, with residents paying about $4.3 million in fees and the general fund providing about $4.4 million in subsidy. He said the general-fund portion now covers more than half of operating cost in the current year.

- Cost pressures: Staff identified several upward cost drivers, including county disposal and tipping-fee increases (yard-waste tipping fee rose from $0 to $15 per cubic yard in a recent county change and municipal solid-waste fees moved as well), rising maintenance and parts costs (parts up about 35%) and higher vehicle acquisition costs tied to new emissions standards.

- Operational improvements and proposals: Derek described potential efficiency measures and investments that could reduce the subsidy, including adding compactors and staffing at drop-off centers to clean and separate recyclables for higher sales value, exploring yard-waste processing options (e.g., incineration/curtain burners) to lower hauling and tipping fees, and modest, phased residential rate increases (an example $5 per year) to reduce the general-fund transfer over time.

Council discussion and follow-up requests

Council members raised equity concerns about across-the-board fee increases and asked staff to examine tiered approaches that account for household ability to pay or property value. Several members also asked for precise figures on how recent county tipping-fee changes increased the city’s costs; Derek and finance staff committed to return with exact impact numbers (staff estimated the yard-waste tipping change increased costs by roughly $400,000 last year and an overall county-change impact in the neighborhood of $600,000–$700,000).

Council members asked whether hospitality or tourism taxes could cover some downtown services (public trash pickup in the central business district) and staff said they will evaluate hospitality-tax-eligible shares and include suggestions in the upcoming budget materials.

What the staff did not recommend at this meeting

Derek said the department does not recommend eliminating curbside recycling or cutting basic service levels; instead, staff proposed a combination of modest rate changes and targeted operational improvements. No rate increase was adopted at the work session.

Provenance and next steps

Staff will provide council with a detailed estimate of county-fee impacts, consider tiered or property-value–based rate structures, and present formal budget recommendations during the April budget cycle. Council encouraged staff to consider equity measures to shield lower-income households from abrupt rate changes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Work Session | March 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dave Derek, director of public works, told Greenville City Council the city provides a high level of solid waste services and presented a budget snapshot showing an $8.9 million operating cost with roughly $4.3 million from ratepayers and $4.4 million from the general fund.","taxTitle","Greenville City, Greenville County, South Carolina","taxId",3743,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6642480,"Council hears tree fund and canopy update; city reports $1.9 million in mitigation receipts and targeted replanting after Hurricane Helene",2070,975000,3045000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599&start=975&end=3045","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599/thumbnail_975000.jpg","/articles/6642480/Greenville-City/Greenville-County/South-Carolina/Council-hears-tree-fund-and-canopy-update-city-reports-19-million-in-mitigation-receipts-and-targeted-replanting-after-Hurricane-Helene","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6642480-25dbcfd244303e1bef2120af4ba4b192/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206647&Signature=dR-4FDklLdbCxgZZdp7cqnHyB4g9ZbGDVP~5hUxst7jL6kcQzKipRQ0Yg6E5-ynq-21QdwF1-pjyPmaYnTgxZRsUOvtMdkHF0cVWYfbJYc9koJPQRuAVTvKZ0CZZlPoGL7SdBtQsyE6QOrnpey6WWUBUrBHnvII~WytT5Qgj9gErFeLppYQrduipjnnke8C9ZlK4BpdFi9QUcL568YHS~CNsVlLnzeLYUe0LWaLxqfwnreJe6gRA5qapSmScFxsYBlr1sApOtb13F8qjUzxe071JhKUOteRK-ewyXJmSUwb4i36OOOy0J-sv31ADgAp2bHsyawJfBbMTsOnby6tltg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff briefed Greenville City Council on the status of the city’s tree mitigation fund, recent canopy losses from Hurricane Helene and a multi-pronged plan to replant and better track the urban forest.

Edward (city staff) and Drew Smith (urban forestry staff) said the fund has received about $1,900,000 since the tree ordinance's 2021 inception and currently holds approximately $1.16 million after expenses. “All of this is done when developers come and they remove trees,” Edward said, describing the mitigation mechanism.

Why it matters: Council members pressed staff on whether the ordinance’s fee structure incentivizes replanting versus paying fines or mitigation payments. Staff said mitigation fees are currently set at about $50 per caliper inch, with higher rates applied to large or heritage trees and exceptions for diseased trees or properties that predate June 2021.

Key points from the presentation and Q&A

- Fund history and balance: Staff said the tree mitigation fund began with about $4,000 from donations in 2021 and has grown to nearly $1.9 million in receipts; the current cash balance after expenditures was reported at roughly $1.16 million.

- Eligible uses: Per the ordinance, mitigation revenues can be used only to strengthen tree canopy, including plantings, plant-health treatments, land acquisition for green space and administrative costs such as training and software.

- Expenses and projects: Staff listed plantings, giveaways, plant-health care, more intensive removal work and a 2025 land purchase on Church Street in the Haney Serene neighborhood as a major expenditure from the fund.

- Post-Helene response and replanting: After Hurricane Helene, staff recorded approximately 481 work orders for trees across roadways (including private trees that fell) and said crews planted 345 trees from September–December and additional plantings through the current planting season. The city also reported almost 1,500 giveaway trees in 2024 (some targeted to neighborhoods affected by the storm).

- Inventory and mapping: Staff described use of TreePlotter software to map individual public trees and integrate USDA canopy mapping. Staff said individual-tree data support species-diversity goals (10–20–30 rules for species/genus/family) and guide small-area planting plans.

Council questions and staff responses

Council members asked whether the current mitigation fee makes it cheaper for developers to pay to remove trees than to preserve or replant them. Staff and council agreed the $50-per-caliper-inch baseline should be reviewed; staff acknowledged construction math and maximum penalty caps can create scenarios in which removal plus the fee is less expensive than preservation. Edward said the ordinance contains enforcement provisions that can require replanting where trees were removed to meet initial construction requirements.

Council members also discussed prioritizing right-of-way replanting requests for locations that lost trees in Helene and urged staff to consider a public outreach review to refine incentives and enforcement. Staff said canopy-flyover data from USDA will be available later in the year and can be overlaid on parcel and small-area plans to help target plantings and open-space acquisitions.

What was not decided

Council did not change the ordinance or adopt a new fee during the meeting. Staff said they would examine the fee structure, enforcement capacity and incentive options and return with recommendations.

Provenance and next steps

Staff asked the council to consider adjustments to incentive structures and to prioritize canopy mapping and small-area plans once updated USDA flyover data are available in 2025. No formal vote or ordinance amendment occurred at the work session; staff will return with proposals for council consideration.","Urban forestry staff told council the city’s tree mitigation fund has collected about $1.9 million since 2021, explained how mitigation fees are set and described post-Helene replanting and mapping work intended to guide future planting and open-space decisions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6642485,"Visit Greenville credits SEC tournament, broad advertising with tourism gains and a ‘halo effect’ on quality of life",721,61000,782000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599&start=61&end=782","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2541843-30534a5c4eaeed0d2966fdb5993af599/thumbnail_61000.jpg","/articles/6642485/Greenville-City/Greenville-County/South-Carolina/Visit-Greenville-credits-SEC-tournament-broad-advertising-with-tourism-gains-and-a-halo-effect-on-quality-of-life","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6642485-0ed61dc1b1352f35230b068b340c57fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206647&Signature=IR1g7ObliR1dxQ-VKhHO71v3hPePvM4s-IN0DveQVkokMLBEw-mPx8bLFXbIbFGMTfWY~Cc8jtPMuc7UdWKSgOyK9H3GgoikYzQcRr7eYGKPu-mik57GZoKDp7d~vzPXXb7LVN18nYQCMDU4unwkUzRiwHbu-kxnkXpKJeqJ3-BZ1wW82ky8lO-re5zmX43~8lte4YAJqBriViwgV3796Z4FeIV2raOqFvgxeip73Q2DngtXJBsHvkF1yv3TQ7cx3bcSwqw1L8YAWAQqayNjX~hAqOyChDh5kmC3ed4lzBHraJtSC-RKU9lH5wrVgSu5VoNNiXi0Z0OwsGMTg8Zrew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heath, CEO of Visit Greenville, told Greenville City Council on an afternoon work session that the city saw record attendance during the recent SEC tournament and that early indicators show a substantial economic impact.

He said ticket and hotel data will take a few weeks to finalize but “all signs are pointing towards getting that really close to a $20,000,000 weekly sum.”

The bureau’s presentation emphasized two related goals: driving tourism and, increasingly, using visitation to strengthen Greenville’s reputation as a place to live and work. “Our mission … has broadened,” Heath said, adding that the organization now frames its work in three parts and that the “final third” is to “elevate the quality of life and prosperity for this community.”

Why it matters: The presentation connected short-term event revenue with longer-term economic development, arguing that visitor experiences and marketing create a “halo effect” that boosts perceptions of Greenville on attributes such as quality of life, business friendliness and suitability for raising a family. City leaders used the update to underline that tourism revenue helps fund amenities used by residents.

Details from the presentation

- Visit Greenville reported FY24 paid-media targeting reached 25 million households across the United States. Heath said the campaign produced an ad recall of about 43%, meaning roughly 11 million households could remember at least one Visit Greenville advertisement in the prior 12 months. He said the bureau measures how awareness maps to perception and travel decisions.

- The bureau surveyed more than 4,000 people in 2024 on perceptions of Greenville as a place to visit, live, raise a family, attend college and do business. Heath described increases of multiple-fold among respondents who became aware of advertising and then visited — for example, a “6x growth” in strongly agreeing Greenville is a great place to live and a “7x change” on some business-image measures for those who had visited and recalled ads.

- Heath said Visit Greenville’s FY24 organizational budget was about $15.2 million, and the city’s funding partnership accounted for roughly $4.6 million of that. He said the bureau’s reach now allows it to put Greenville in front of households who had not previously traveled to the area.

Council response and context

Council members praised the tournament turnout and the bureau’s broader role in supporting local amenities. One council member said tourism revenue supports parks and attractions such as Unity Park and Falls Park and that Visit Greenville has become “an integral part of the infrastructure” that makes Greenville attractive.

Heath also credited positive national press and social-media commentary; he quoted public praise from media and team officials about the visitor experience during the tournament.

What Visit Greenville did not say

Heath said final ticket- and hotel-derived economic-impact numbers will require two to three weeks of data processing. The presentation did not include a finalized economic-impact report or specific line-item accounting tying the tournament directly to city revenue streams. No formal council action was taken during the update.

Looking ahead

Council members asked for follow-up information on the bureau’s longer-term metrics tying ad spending to local job growth and housing effects. Heath and staff indicated they would continue to provide marketing and outcome data to council as it becomes available.","Heath, CEO of Visit Greenville, told City Council the city saw record attendance during the SEC tournament and cited FY24 marketing that reached 25 million U.S. households and produced an ad recall of about 43%, which the bureau says translates into stronger perception of Greenville as a place to live, work and do business.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public works outlines full-service solid waste operation and growing budget gap; staff proposes phased fee approach to reduce general-fund subsidy

Council hears tree fund and canopy update; city reports $1.9 million in mitigation receipts and targeted replanting after Hurricane Helene

Visit Greenville credits SEC tournament, broad advertising with tourism gains and a ‘halo effect’ on quality of life