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Swain County commissioners approve monthly finance reports, election budget amendment and school funding drawdowns
Summary
At their Feb. 18 regular meeting, the Swain County Board of Commissioners approved the tax collector and finance officer reports for January, a $30,295 budget amendment for the board of elections and school requests to draw additional lottery and Article 46 funds for HVAC repairs.
Swain County commissioners approved multiple routine finance items and spending requests during their regular meeting on Feb. 18, 2025.
The board voted to accept the tax collector’s report, which showed total ad valorem and fees collected year to date of $7,922,766.91 and total revenues year to date of $9,008,484.06. The board also approved the finance officer’s January report showing general fund revenues for the month of $2,099,006.54 and year-to-date revenues of $10,513,991.70, with expenditures year to date of $13,037,004.31.
The board approved Budget Amendment No. 4 for the Board of Elections to cover overspent lines related to overtime, precinct workers and reprinted ballots. County staff said the amendment totals $30,295 and will be funded from the county’s fund balance. The finance officer explained that overtime and additional printing costs drove some lines over budget and that some payments were timing issues tied to bank account changes and grant reimbursements.
The board also approved requests from Swain County Schools to draw down additional funds: $40,719.29 from the lottery renovation and repair fund for two specialized air compressors that serve school pneumatic thermostat systems, and $17,415 from Article 46 funding to replace an HVAC compressor and related electronics at West Elementary. The schools’ representative said the compressors had been ordered and one replacement is already installed and operating.
Votes at a glance - Approval: Tax collector’s report for January 2025 — outcome: approved (motion and second recorded; vote by hand/voice; tally not specified). - Approval: Finance officer’s January 2025 report — outcome: approved (motion and second recorded; tally not specified). - Approval: Budget Amendment No. 4 (Board of Elections) — add $30,295 to cover overtime, precinct-worker costs and reprinted ballots; funding source: fund balance — outcome: approved. - Approval: School fund drawdowns — $40,719.29 (lottery renovation/repair fund) and $17,415 (Article 46) for HVAC and compressor work — outcome: approved. - Approval: Minutes for Jan. 7 work session and Jan. 21 regular session — outcome: approved.
Why it matters The routine approvals close out prior fiscal obligations, authorize reimbursements and free school officials to complete urgent HVAC repairs that administrators say affect classroom climate control. The elections budget amendment responds to higher-than-expected personnel and printing costs tied to recent election activity.
What commissioners said The finance officer noted timing and one-time payments pushed expenditures higher in January, including quarterly allocations, an ambulance payment and invoices for a sheriff’s office body scanner. On the elections amendment, staff said overtime was paid to full-time elections employees who had reached comp-time limits and that the county must cover reprinted ballots that circulated statewide.
Next steps The school and elections expenditures will be implemented under the funding sources cited (lottery renovation/repair fund, Article 46 and fund balance). Commissioners discussed no further conditions in the approved motions.
