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Blythewood council trims parts of proposed FY2025–26 budget, asks staff for itemized equipment needs
Summary
During a special budget work session, council directed staff to itemize IT and media equipment needs, reduced several line items (IT and drone/media), set placeholders for wellness funding, and recommended departmental uniform budgeting.
The Blythewood Town Council continued its review of the proposed FY2025–26 budget at a special-called meeting on April 30, directing staff to provide clearer itemization and tighter tracking for equipment and personnel-related lines.
Finance Director Julie Emory presented an updated draft showing the Mayor's original proposal alongside council recommendations and a planned consensus column for the first reading. Interim Town Administrator Ed Driggers said unchanged line items would be assumed accepted unless amended by council.
Council asked staff to justify a $100,000 contingency placeholder intended to provide match funding for potential grants; Mr. Driggers said those funds would only be used if a grant were awarded. Council proposed cutting an IT equipment allocation from $10,000 to $3,000 and instructed staff to prioritize repairs and list specific needs before approving new purchases. Council also distinguished clearly between repair/maintenance and capital purchases and requested Council approval for any new equipment purchases.
Discussion included media equipment and a drone. Mayor S. Griffin confirmed the Town had borrowed a drone rather than owning one; council set the drone/media equipment amount at $2,500. The council recommended restructuring uniform budgets by department (Town Hall, Public Works, The Manor) with a combined $7,000 allocation and discussed implementing policies for returning uniforms when employees leave. Council also debated a $500 annual health and wellness stipend per employee, with some members calling the stipend unstructured compensation. The council placed a $1 placeholder on the wellness line until a formal policy can be proposed.
Council proposed a combined $8,000 allocation for staff appreciation events (Christmas, summer and fall), limiting attendance to staff, boards and commissions to avoid appearing as community-wide celebrations. Council discussed park maintenance and pending quotes for gate repairs and camera upgrades and noted current Richland County Sheriff's nighttime patrols at $55 per hour.
Council scheduled an additional budget workshop by unanimous vote to continue review and to finalize the consensus column for the first reading.
