Irmo council ratifies $1.66 million in budget amendments, authorizes administrator as signer, OKs skatepark event and truck purchase

The Irmo Town Council on July 15 unanimously approved four staff-recommended actions, including ratification of fiscal-year 2024–25 budget amendments totaling $1,664,116.

The vote came during the council’s new-business section and passed on roll call after staff explained the amendments cover expenditures already made during the fiscal year and that matching revenues have been or will be posted. Town Administrator Jim Crossland said staff would reconcile the revenues and expenditures within weeks. "She's teaching me on the on the Irmo way, so we're getting caught up with that," Crossland said of budget staff.

The council also voted to add the town administrator to the list of authorized municipal officials able to conduct business and sign checks, approved hosting a second annual board/board-style skatepark event at Rawls Creek Skatepark in 2026 with hospitality-tax funding not to exceed $25,000, and authorized the immediate purchase of a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 4-wheel-drive pickup for $53,288 for code compliance work.

Why it matters: the budget amendment ratification formalizes expenditures the council approved during the fiscal year and consolidates them for audit; adding the administrator as an authorized signer updates routine financial authorities; approving event funding and the vehicle allocates town resources for public programming and daily operations.

Council and staff said the items were largely routine. Crossland and a finance staff member noted many line items were grant-funded and that associated revenues will be reflected on upcoming reconciliations. Mayor Daniels framed the budget item for the public: "We didn't spend $1,600,000 of money we didn't have," he said, emphasizing that revenues offset the listed expenditures.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 25-07 — Ratify budget amendments for FY 2024–25 totaling $1,664,116; outcome: approved (roll-call: Ward yes; Penfield yes; Coleman yes; Walton yes; Mayor Daniels yes). - Resolution 25-08 — Authorize certain municipal officials to conduct business (add Town Administrator Jim Crossland as signer); outcome: approved (roll-call: Ward yes; Penfield yes; Coleman yes; Walton yes; Mayor Daniels yes). - Event approval — Host Rawls Creek Skatepark board/skate event in 2026, funding not to exceed $25,000 from hospitality-tax funds; outcome: approved (roll-call: Ward yes; Penfield yes; Coleman yes; Walton yes; Mayor Daniels yes). - Vehicle purchase — Purchase 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 4WD for $53,288 for code compliance officer Joan Neets; outcome: approved (roll-call: Ward yes; Penfield yes; Coleman yes; Walton yes; Mayor Daniels yes).

Context and next steps: council members said the skatepark event in 2025 attracted participants from many states and netted sponsorship revenue; council approved the 2026 allocation with the events committee’s recommendation. The vehicle purchase was justified by staff because the current code-enforcement vehicle is mechanically unreliable and the replacement is available through a state contract for quick acquisition. Finance staff said they will complete reconciliation of the budget amendments well before the annual audit deadline.

No executive-session action followed; the meeting adjourned after the votes.