Tega Cay council reviews FY 2026–27 budget, approves $50,000 for wildlife management and seeds $300,000 capital reserve

City of Tega Cay councilmembers met April 22 at the Philip T. Glennon Center for a special budget workshop to review department personnel and capital requests for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. City Manager Charlie Funderburk led a general-fund revenue and expenditure overview and walked the council through line-item requests across municipal departments.

The workshop covered projected county, property and auto-tax receipts; franchise fees; fines; building-inspection and business-license revenue; hospitality tax and Glennon Center rentals; and other sources such as cell-tower rental and grant revenue. Funderburk also detailed a reallocation of a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and a 1% merit increase across funds intended to reduce the burden on the stormwater fund.

Department heads presented requests and key cost drivers. Judge Kebra Simpson outlined municipal court needs, including replacement of two computers and salary increases previously approved by council. Tim Gillette presented public-works and stormwater items, noting a $124,000 increase to the street-maintenance line driven by higher costs for signs, patching, sidewalk and curb repairs, and resurfacing; staff also recommended replacement of two aging pickup trucks. Development Services Director Nick Cauthen said his department is fully staffed and reported an expected 4.4–4.9% reduction in employee health-premium costs.

Police Chief Joey Crosby described expected reimbursements tied to the school resource officer, seasonal boat expenses for water patrols, a $12,000 buildings-and-grounds maintenance increase and $34,000 in cell-phone-related equipment and plans for patrol vehicles; he also presented a voluntary Project Life Saver program with higher upfront start-up costs that decline over time. Fire Chief Glyn Hasty cited rising training and supply costs, noting recent volatility in fuel prices that staff flagged for council consideration. Parks and Recreation Director Dustin Overton reviewed equipment needs, including replacement of a 21‑year‑old vehicle and options to address a front-loader needing approximately $10,000 in maintenance versus buying a used replacement estimated at about $35,000.

On non-departmental funding, staff and council discussed framing the wildlife-management budget line broadly (to address bears, deer and other wildlife) rather than narrowly as a culling program, and agreed on a data-collection period of roughly two to three years before major actions. The council agreed to include $50,000 for wildlife management in the upcoming fiscal year. Councilmembers also discussed segregating Glennon Center revenues and expenses for clearer tracking and clarified that hospitality-tax proceeds have been applied to prior capital projects and current debt service rather than Glennon Center operations.

Council discussed paying off a capital lease and creating a new capital reserve fund, with staff proposing an initial $300,000 deposit to start the reserve. Human Resources Director Dora Perry explained the rationale and expected benefits of a proposed compensation study and described planned data-sharing with neighboring jurisdictions.

Councilmembers Heather Jones, James D. Foltz, Brian D. Carter and Mayor Pro Tempore Thomas S. Hyslip each thanked staff for detailed budget spreadsheets; Mayor Carmen S. Miller also expressed appreciation. Councilmember Heather Jones moved to close the public meeting and move into executive session; Councilmember Foltz seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Next steps: staff will refine line items and return to council with more detailed estimates and options for equipment replacement, project timing for parks renovations, the compensation-study scope, and recommended funding and data-collection plans for wildlife management.