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County details year‑end budget amendment and $10M school central office project ordinance
Summary
Burke County presented a year‑end budget amendment (no new appropriations) including reallocation tied to FEMA and disaster recovery, and described a project ordinance to hold $10 million from the school system's capital reserve to fund construction of a new central office.
County staff summarized several fiscal items the board will consider at its upcoming regular meeting, including a year‑end budget amendment and a project ordinance to support the school system’s new central office.
Year‑end amendment: the County Manager explained the amendment is primarily housekeeping to close the fiscal year and includes adjustments tied to federal and state grants. He said the county has decided to withdraw from a $2.4 million FEMA BRIC grant and reallocate the county’s $1.1 million match to a water meter project; staff also proposed returning residual equity from completed convenience‑site and courthouse projects to general capital. The manager said the county will add an estimated $2 million to the disaster recovery fund to cover outstanding invoices tied to recent storm debris work as the state took over debris collection.
School central office project ordinance: staff said the school system has acquired the former Burke County Christian Ministries building, has drawn roughly $1.5 million for acquisition and design, and estimates approximately $10 million in remaining construction costs. The county will hold the $10 million in escrow (drawn from the school system’s capital reserve) and disburse funds to contractors upon approved invoicing; the transfer is structured so funds remain under county control while the school system executes the construction contract.
Tax collection and other consent items: deputy county manager/finance director Margaret Pierce said Drexel asked the county to collect town taxes (approximate levy $520,000) for a 2% fee; county revenue from the agreement is estimated around $10,000 next year. Tax administrator John Brides reported property tax collections year‑to‑date near budgeted totals (roughly 98–99% collected), motor vehicle taxes above budget, and delinquent collections with remaining balances to collect; the monthly release/refund report totaled about $34,847.
Quotes: on the FEMA change, the manager said "it was a $2.4 million grant that we ... have made a strategic decision to now withdraw from." On the school project, staff said the county "will hold those funds as the school system goes through awarding the contract and doing that renovation project."
What’s next: items were left on the regular meeting agenda for formal action; staff said budget amendment includes no additional appropriations and the project ordinance requires the board’s formal approval to move funds into county escrow.
