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Public commenter challenges Oconee County budget transfers as council moves forward with amendment
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Summary
At a special Oconee County Council meeting April 29, a public speaker accused the county of improperly reallocating special restricted funds cited under state statute 6-1-80 and urged greater transparency as the council considered a budget amendment (ordinance 2026-2009). Council members defended the transfers as documented and said they preserve the fund balance and bond rating.
Oconee County Council met in special session April 29, 2026, to consider ordinance 2026-2009, a budget revision that moves money among a number of special revenue and capital project funds for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025.
During the public hearing, the lone speaker thanked the council for proposed supplements to employee and retiree insurance but pressed a series of legal and transparency objections. The commenter said several line items appeared duplicated, highlighted a $3,400,000 transfer for “Sewer South” that he said had been authorized previously, and argued that some transfers would use special restricted funds that state law protects. “These are special restricted funds covered by state law… and it can't be used for anything other than that as I read that state law,” the commenter said, citing state statute 6-1-80 and later referencing Article X, Section 7(b) of the South Carolina Constitution.
The speaker also asked for clearer documentation of what projects or equipment purchases would be delayed or canceled by reallocations — for example, asking which vehicles would not be bought if $1,000,000 is moved out of the capital vehicle and equipment fund and whether fire apparatus or health-and-human-services programs would be curtailed.
A council member responding during consideration of the amendment said the ordinance includes journal entries showing the transfers and that some funds are not “completely restricted” when the original purpose has been exhausted. “If you look through this budget amendment… you can see the journal entries,” the speaker said, adding the transfers would move the county from a reported deficit to a roughly $4,500,000 surplus. The chair reiterated that, according to his remarks, no projects were being canceled or delayed and that the change would return resources to the unrestricted fund balance, which supports the county’s bond rating.
The council closed the public hearing, took a motion and a second for third reading of the ordinance, and then moved on to the next agenda item after asking “All in favor?” The transcript records the motion and subsequent proceedings but does not include a roll-call tally in the record provided.
The transcript record shows key statutory references and the public commenter’s request that the council either leave restricted funds in place or delete duplicate transfers; the council’s response emphasized documentation and discretion in transferring funds once purposes are exhausted.
What happens next: The council proceeded to subsequent agenda items after the vote sequence recorded in the transcript. The transcript does not include a line-by-line vote tally for the ordinance in the provided excerpt.
