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Scotland County budget draft would need about $1.2M from fund balance; board eyes 5% COLA
Summary
County staff presented a draft general-fund budget that would require roughly $1.2 million from fund balance to balance at current proposals, while the budget committee recommended a 5% across‑the‑board cost-of-living adjustment for employees and $300,000 for sheriff vehicles.
The Scotland County budget workshop on May 20 laid out a draft general-fund plan that county staff say would require roughly $1.2 million from fund balance to balance under the current assumptions.
County manager (S3) told commissioners the draft includes capital requests such as a new library roof, work on the county annex and evidence building roofs and $300,000 earmarked for sheriff vehicles. "With all that being said, it would still require $1,200,000 out of your fund balance to have a balanced budget," S3 said. He also said water and landfill enterprise funds appear self-sustaining and should not need general‑fund support unless major repairs arise.
The budget committee recommended a 5% across‑the‑board COLA for county staff and left position freezes in place. S3 said personnel costs in the draft are driven by a roughly 13% increase in insurance per employee as well as the proposed COLA. "So that's what's in it so far," S3 said when summarizing what is building the personnel and capital sides of the budget.
Finance staff (S5) provided a fund-balance snapshot and estimated the county is currently sitting at about 28–29% of total general‑fund expenditures; staff also said unrestricted and restricted balances must be reconciled and that the value will decline as large May–June check runs process. "It looks like right now, we're sitting at about 28 to 29% of total general fund expenditures as fund balance," S5 said, while noting staff will report back the unrestricted portion separately.
Board members pressed staff on revenue and valuation assumptions used in the worksheets. S3 noted the Board of Equalization has not finished commercial appeals and cautioned that revenue‑neutral calculations and final assessed values could change the numbers before the June 30 budget deadline. "We haven't changed that number with the appeals yet because you have to get all your information correct in BiTech and run the roll again," S3 said, describing the limits on current projections.
What happens next: staff will finalize fund-balance detail and updated revenue projections as appeals are resolved and return to the board ahead of the required budget adoption timeline, with the board required to hold its hearing and adopt a budget by June 30.
