Oconee County details FY25 year‑end budget amendments, $3.4M transfer to capital

Oconee County finance staff on Oct. 28 presented a package of fiscal year 2025 budget amendments that would adjust revenues and expenditures across the general, special revenue, capital and water resources funds to finalize year‑end accounting and prepare audited financial statements.

The amendments include revenue increases based on actual collections: a local option sales tax increase of $722,610; property and other taxes totaling $1,456,270; licenses and fees of $550,140; interest revenue of $467,360; sale of assets $193,470; and a $211,450 transfer from victim services back to the general fund. Finance staff said those adjustments enable a transfer to the capital fund of $3,402,165 to cover capital projects and the timing of expenditures.

Melissa (Finance staff) told commissioners the amendments also reflect specific reclassifications and project funding: an out‑of‑period charge of $94,200 for sheriff’s office vehicles that arrived before the fiscal year closed; a $132,250 increase in debt service tied to the county’s Series 2022 bonds; and reductions or reallocations in personnel and operating lines where grants produced excess funding. In enterprise funds, water and sewer sales increases (reported as $1,093,615 and $422,965 respectively) allow increases in related operating and capital expenditures, including a $237,420 increase for water for resale and a $67,008.75 vehicle purchase.

Staff also described debt‑issuance related entries tied to the Series 2024 financing for the Bear Creek expansion: finance staff reported debt service in the FY25 accounting of $25,456,400, issuance costs of $281,430, and an arbitrage rebate accrual of $127,005. A reported increase in depreciation expense of $627,805 was attributed to bringing an expansion phase onto the county’s fixed‑asset rolls.

Melissa said some budget amendments are revenue‑neutral (proceeds and matching asset purchases for subscription‑based IT arrangements) and that certain projects started in FY25 remain incomplete; staff requested authority to carry forward unspent balances for these projects with maximum amounts listed in the packet, which staff said total $831,207 across various funds.

No formal roll‑call vote on the individual amendments is recorded in the transcript; staff presented the items for the board’s consent agenda and offered to answer commissioners’ questions.