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Richland County board adopts balanced 2025 budget with 5% wage pool
Summary
The Richland County Board adopted a balanced 2025 budget of about $42.6 million that includes a 5% wage pool to implement a countywide wage study, reduces short-term borrowing, and uses no general fund or ARPA dollars to balance the books.
The Richland County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8 adopted the county—2025 budget after a public hearing, approving a plan county officials said is balanced and does not rely on general fund reserves or ARPA funding.
County Administrator Larry presented the budget and told the board the proposed revenues total roughly $42.6 million and that the plan includes a 5% wage pool intended to fund implementation of a countywide wage study. He said the county expects to increase investment income by about $150,000 and is reducing short-term borrowing for capital projects, a change that officials said will save on bonding fees and reduce levy pressure on property tax bills.
The administrator also walked supervisors through revenue sources (county sales tax, intergovernmental aid, public charges for service, investment income) and expense categories (public safety, highways, debt service, Pine Valley Health and Human Services). He noted the proposed gross levy is down compared with last year and that the proposed net levy for 2025 is roughly $6.7 million.
Supervisors asked clarifying questions during the hearing about contingency and general fund balances, the mill rate, and a sales-tax line item; the administrator confirmed the contingency fund balance is in the low six figures (about $120K--$125K) and that sales tax used in the apportionment is $1.5 million. The board closed the public hearing and adopted Resolution No. 2471 to adopt the budget; Supervisor McKe moved the resolution and Supervisor Fleming seconded. The resolution passed without a recorded roll-call tally in the transcript.
Why it matters: County leaders said the budget prioritizes workforce competitiveness by setting aside funds to implement the wage study and seeks to limit borrowing and the use of one-time funds. Officials also emphasized the goal of building the capital projects fund to reduce the need for future borrowing.
Next steps: Staff will correct a typographical year error in the resolution (2024 should read 2025) and proceed with implementation, including the wage-study appeals and job-description updates ahead of planned payroll changes in 2025.
