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Awendaw council reviews Ordinance 2026 to create separate treasurer post and tighten financial controls
Summary
Council reviewed Ordinance 2026, a repeal-and-replace of Chapter 34 that would separate financial duties from the clerk, create a dedicated treasurer position, and add outside accounting oversight; questions centered on procurement thresholds, exempt status and bonding.
The Awendaw Town Council reviewed Ordinance 2026 on a repeal-and-replace of Chapter 34 that would separate the town’s financial duties from the clerk and establish a dedicated treasurer to handle check-writing, reconciliations, investment policy and procurement support.
Council members and staff said the draft ordinance includes numeric procurement thresholds drawn from historical practice but left the specific dollar limits as policy decisions for the council to set. A staff presenter said the version before the council reflects edits made by legal counsel and a procurement reviewer and is intended to give the town greater internal controls.
Why it matters: The change would move routine financial duties out of the clerk’s office and add an independent layer of review intended to reduce errors and strengthen audit outcomes. Staff and auditors told the council that current audit reports show insufficient checks and balances and recommended outside reconciliation and periodic independent reviews.
Details and debate: Staff described a model combining an in-house bookkeeper with an outside treasurer who would perform reconciliations in QuickBooks and an additional accounting firm to assist with year-end reporting and audit coordination. The draft budget includes two Exhibit A options — one that funds a treasurer role and one without the position — and lists a placeholder treasurer salary of $50,000, which staff said could be changed by the council.
Council members pressed for multi-person authorization for expenditures and for clarity on the mayor’s spending authority. Staff repeatedly framed the numeric thresholds as policy choices rather than legal requirements: “Those are the things you want to look at and make sure you’re comfortable,” a council member said, describing the decision as one of policy preference rather than law.
Implementation questions included whether the treasurer should be a salaried (exempt) position, whether bonding should be required and whether a certification preference should be listed in the job description. A bond amount of $10,000 was discussed as an example; staff said bonding requirements are typically set by local ordinance or job announcement and are not uniformly mandated by state law. Staff also noted that the treasurer position would carry the same annual state ethics filing obligation as council members.
What’s next: The council did not take a final vote on Ordinance 2026 during the discussion; staff said members could amend thresholds, titles or job descriptions before advertising and hiring. The item will return for a subsequent council reading with edits the council directs.
Sources: Discussion and staff presentation to the Awendaw Town Council on Ordinance 2026 (repeal and replacement of Chapter 34, finance).
