Hampton County Council adopts FY2026 budget and authorizes $1.8 million tax‑anticipation note

Hampton County Council on June 16 adopted its fiscal year 2026 budget and approved an ordinance authorizing a tax‑anticipation note (TAN) of up to $1,800,000 to cover the county’s seasonal cash shortfalls.

County Administrator (name not specified) summarized the budget and the TAN request during the public hearing, saying the TAN is a temporary borrowing tool used during the county’s “dry months” and that the county has repaid similar loans on schedule: “We’ve paid back those tan on time every year for the past 7 years, and we paid back the loan from last year of 3,000,000.”

The adopted FY2026 budget increases the county’s operating request from the prior year and includes a $2 per hour pay increase for county employees, to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. County staff told the council the budget request across funds is roughly $21 million compared with about $18 million in the previous fiscal year, a difference of about $2.8 million.

Why it matters: the budget sets property millage rates and county spending priorities, and the TAN provides short‑term liquidity so the county can pay invoices while waiting for large seasonal tax receipts. County staff said the TAN being authorized this year is reduced from last year’s $3 million request to about $1.8 million and that the county plans to issue a request for proposals to identify bank partners for the loan.

Key details and council discussion

- County Administrator (name not specified) described priorities driving the budget: fiscal responsibility, strategic investment, economic development, operational efficiencies and customer service improvements. He said the general fund increase and millage realignment are intended to improve the county’s capacity to pay down debt and maintain services.

- Latanya Wilson, the county auditor, walked through a sample tax bill to show how millage changes affect a homeowner’s bill. The sample bill shown to the council illustrated an estimated increase of about $112.73 for that property under the proposed millage configuration; Wilson explained the sample used an appraisal and exemptions to compute the amount.

- During the public hearing, Mary Benton of Brunson asked whether the TAN amount appears as both an expected resource and as borrowing; county staff explained the TAN is treated in the budget as cash flow support and must be repaid when tax revenues are received.

Formal actions

- The council approved an ordinance authorizing a tax‑anticipation note not to exceed $1,800,000 (third reading). Motion and second were recorded on the floor and the ordinance was approved by voice/hand vote. (Ordinance number: not specified.)

- The council approved the FY2026 budget (third reading). The approved budget includes the $2 pay increase effective Jan. 1, 2026, and the millage adjustments described in the public materials. (Ordinance number: not specified.)

Discussion versus decisions

- Discussion: staff presented budget rationale, millage realignment, the county’s cash‑flow cycle and performance evaluation plans for employees. Members and department heads discussed staffing needs and prioritized public safety, EMS dispatch, and sheriff’s office support.

- Direction: staff will proceed to issue an RFP for TAN underwriting and implement the budget actions approved by ordinance. Staff also said they will post clearer monthly financial reports online as the county upgrades finance software.

- Formal action: the TAN ordinance and the FY2026 budget ordinance were adopted on third reading.

Clarifying details

- TAN proposed: $1,800,000 (reduction from prior year’s $3,000,000 TAN). - FY2026 budget request: approximately $21,000,000 (prior year ~ $18,000,000; difference ~ $2.8 million). - Employee pay: $2 increase proposed to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. - Sample tax bill shown: approximate household impact demonstrated as $112.73 increase (sample property used by county auditor).

Speakers

- County Administrator (name not specified) — role: county administrator; affiliation: government; first referenced at 1254.94 (presentation of budget overview). - Latanya Wilson — role/title: County Auditor; affiliation: government; first referenced at 3283.63 (sample tax bill presentation). - Mary Benton — role/title: Resident (Brunson); affiliation: citizen; first referenced at 1776.335 (public comment during TAN hearing).

Proper names

[{"name":"Hampton County","type":"location"},{"name":"Latanya Wilson","type":"person"},{"name":"Mary Benton","type":"person"}]

Authorities

[{"type":"ordinance","name":"Ordinance authorizing tax anticipation note (amount not to exceed $1,800,000)","referenced_by":["tax anticipation note approval","third reading, 12.1"]},{"type":"ordinance","name":"Fiscal Year 2026 budget ordinance","referenced_by":["budget adoption third reading, 12.1b"]}]

Actions

[{"kind":"other","identifiers":{},"motion":"Authorize tax anticipation note in an amount not to exceed $1,800,000","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"third reading approval; ordinance number not specified"},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Council approved the TAN on third reading; staff said TAN is to cover seasonal cash flow and is lower than last year's $3,000,000."},{"kind":"budget_adoption","identifiers":{},"motion":"Adopt the Fiscal Year 2026 budget as presented","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":true,"notes":"third reading approval; ordinance number not specified"},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Budget includes $2 pay increase effective Jan. 1, 2026, and millage realignment as detailed in staff materials."}]

Community relevance

- Geographies: Hampton County - Funding sources: property tax/millage; TAN (short‑term borrowing); general fund; previously issued USDA loan funds referenced elsewhere in meeting materials. - Impact groups: county employees (pay increase), taxpayers (millage change), county vendors (timing of invoice payments).

Meeting context

- Engagement level: multiple department heads participated in budget workshops; public hearing opened and one public commenter spoke; the council conducted votes on third readings. - Implementation risk: medium — budget dependent on millage outcomes, cash flow management and TAN underwriting.

Searchable tags

["budget","taxes","TAN","FY2026","Hampton County","millage","pay increase"]

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"t1172.39","local_start":0,"local_end":191,"evidence_excerpt":"We're now on item number 6, public hearing. 6 1 6.1, fiscal year 2026, budget. We now open the floor for public hearing for fiscal year 2026, budget.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"t4521.94","local_start":0,"local_end":221,"evidence_excerpt":"A motion has been made. It has been properly second. Final comments, final, questions, final discussion. If none, all those who are approval of the third reading of the ordinance for the fiscal year 2026 budget should be approved by raising your right hand. And we'll hold.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

Salience

{"overall":0.80,"overall_justification":"County budget and temporary borrowing directly affect taxes, county operations and employee pay; multiple formal votes taken.","impact_scope":"local","impact_scope_justification":"Decisions apply to Hampton County operations and taxpayers.","attention_level":"high","attention_level_justification":"Formal adoption of the annual budget and an ordinance authorizing borrowing were approved on third reading."}