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Atlantic Beach approves updated criminal code, advances FY2025-26 budget with parking and special-event fees
Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 8-2025 consolidating criminal/offenses code and took first reading of the FY2025-26 budget (Ordinance 9-2025). The budget projects roughly $1.7 million in revenue, introduces a parking program and special-event permitting, and records Bike Fest preliminary net income.
Atlantic Beach's Town Council on June 2 approved Ordinance No. 8-2025 (second reading), consolidating the town's offenses against peace and property into a revised chapter, and advanced the fiscal 2025-26 budget ordinance (Ordinance No. 9-2025) on first reading.
"The purpose as you stated of this ordinance is to consolidate all of the offenses against peace and property into one document," Town Manager Linda Cheatham said when presenting Ordinance 8-2025. The council approved the second reading by roll call (Councilmen Campbell, Councilwomen Taylor and Gore, and Mayor Pro Tem John David voting yes).
Cheatham presented highlights of the proposed FY2025-26 general fund budget during the public hearing. Key points she cited included a proposed mileage (property tax) rate reduction to $0.82 from $0.84, expected total revenues of about $1.7 million aided by increases in property values and new event and parking income, and a special-event permitting process intended to recover public costs for security, trash and other services.
The town also instituted a parking program after a season of heavy lot use. Cheatham said the parking program and special-event permits are designed to help the town recoup the costs of policing and cleanup during large events.
Other budget details discussed:
- Personnel and classification: the town manager's compensation has been moved from "professional services" into the personnel line to reflect employee status. Cheatham said department-level personnel line-item breakdowns will be provided to council members. - EV chargers: the town purchased two EV chargers and expects a $25,000 reimbursement grant from Santee Cooper. - Legal fees: Cheatham said legal and accounting costs for fiscal '25 could exceed $200,000; the town recorded over $100,000 in legal expenses through January of the current year. - Emergency reserve: the draft budget establishes an emergency reserve for infrastructure needs.
Cheatham also reported preliminary results for Bike Fest: income of about $86,000 with roughly $40,000 in expenses pending final invoices. She said the town recorded $6,000 in RV fees and $3,160 from town parking during the event.
Council moved to open and close the public hearing after the manager's presentation and approved the procedural motion by roll call. Council then took first reading of Ordinance 9-2025 to adopt the FY2025-26 budget and approved the motion by roll call (Campbell, Taylor, Gore and Mayor Pro Tem David voting yes). The first reading advances the ordinance for subsequent readings and adoption steps required by statute.
What comes next: council will receive further budget detail breakdowns (personnel by department and final Bike Fest accounting) and members asked staff to provide those figures ahead of future budget votes. The audit presentation for the '23-'24 audit was postponed and rescheduled for June 16 to meet state filing requirements.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of May 5 meeting minutes: unanimous roll call approval (Campbell, Taylor, Gore, Mayor Pro Tem David). - Ordinance 8-2025 (second reading): approved by roll call (4-0). - Ordinance 9-2025 (budget) first reading: advanced by roll call (4-0).
