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North Augusta administration outlines FY2026 budget with proposed 2‑mill increase and staffing additions
Summary
City Administrator Jim Clifford and department directors presented the proposed FY2026 budget, citing personnel additions, vehicle replacements and enterprise-fund constraints and proposing a 2‑mill property tax increase to balance the general fund.
City Administrator Jim Clifford and department directors presented a detailed FY2026 budget briefing to the council, describing drivers, proposed staffing additions, capital replacements and policy changes that inform a draft budget that will return for formal readings.
Clifford said General Fund drivers include employee compensation (PEBA insurance increases of about 4%), additional personnel, and vehicle and maintenance costs. He outlined a proposed 2‑mill increase in property tax to balance the general fund; staff estimated that a 2‑mill rise would increase annual property taxes by about $24 on a $305,000 house and would raise vehicle tax bills by small amounts depending on vehicle type. The administration discussed enterprise funds (water, wastewater, sanitation, stormwater) as legally separate ‘‘cups’’ that cannot be used to backstop each other.
Major proposed personnel additions (general fund unless noted) include: a solicitor to address a backlog of jury-trial caseloads; a dispatch supervisor to ensure two dispatchers are available per shift and to avoid pulling officers from patrol to staff dispatch; a public-safety headquarters station sergeant to manage station duties, court security and fleet functions; and the animal-control technician (midyear start) noted by the mayor. Clifford emphasized that some suggested items were not funded, such as five additional public‑safety officers and a fire lieutenant, several equipment requests and facility projects.
Clifford also described a policy shift away from reliance on lease‑purchase financing toward more outright vehicle purchases to reduce interest costs, noting past peaks in lease‑purchase payments and projected declines. He and Finance Director Linda Williamson said Moody's will maintain the city’s credit rating after staff responses to a questionnaire.
Enterprise fund specifics included proposed wastewater and water rate adjustments tied to higher fees charged by the Horse Creek regional facility; staff warned those charges are driving the need for wastewater rate increases. The sanitation residential fee was proposed to increase by $3 per month inside the city; staff said projected transfer-station revenues in future years may help stabilize sanitation capital needs.
Council discussion included questions about fee schedule changes, the proposed COLA, the tradeoff between adding one fewer public-safety vehicle and increasing employee COLA to 3% (staff said reducing one vehicle could allow a 3% COLA rather than 2%), and the schedule for public hearings and ordinance readings (first public hearing Oct. 20; second reading Nov. 3). Clifford said staff would rework the documentation if council elects a different COLA/vehicle mix before the published hearing.
No final votes on budget ordinances occurred at the study session; staff will publish the budget and proceed with formal readings and hearings. Directors are prepared to provide more granular department detail at subsequent meetings.
