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Port Royal council reviews court and public works budgets, projects and revenue projections
Summary
Mayor Kevin Phillips convened a budget workshop where town staff reviewed the court and public works draft budgets, projected revenues and an initial surplus; council discussed a 3.2% cost-of-living adjustment, ARPA and investment funds and directed staff to refine figures ahead of the next workshop. No votes were taken.
Mayor Kevin Phillips called the Port Royal Town Council to order for its second budget workshop, saying the session would cover the court budget followed by the public works budget and revenue projections.
A town staff member presenting the draft budgets said the court budget for fiscal year 2024–25 would be roughly $227,000, citing special contracts (Beaufort County magistrate, public defender support), a 3% built-in cost-of-living adjustment and higher health insurance costs as the main drivers. "This one's pretty straightforward," the staff member said, and invited council questions.
The presenting staff reviewed the public works budget, which the town is tracking at about $1.19 million for the current fiscal year. The draft includes a 3% (the staff and council referenced 3.2% in several places) COLA, funding for a new hire and a transfer of an existing employee from building safety; staff noted a placeholder of $75,000 for capital expenditures.
On revenues, staff reported property taxes are tracking as expected, business license receipts tend to arrive later in the fiscal year, and building permit revenue has been dialed back from a prior-year projection of about $350,000 to a more conservative $275,000 given a moratorium. Staff said a late-year Dominion franchise fee payment increased franchise receipts this year. The presenter estimated total revenues for 2023–24 near $9.0 million and an initial surplus of about $65,950 before accounting for wish-list items and final police department numbers.
During the discussion, staff told council members they do not currently anticipate a millage increase. Council members asked for additional detail on asset lifecycles and maintenance tracking for parks and playgrounds; staff said they are creating a spreadsheet and checklist to record the condition and maintenance history of each park asset.
No formal motions or votes were taken. Staff said remaining departmental and council budgets will be covered at the next workshop, and the council recessed until 6:30 p.m. for the scheduled public hearing.
The council asked staff to return refined numbers — including clearer totals for capital requests and updated police and executive budgets — at the next workshop so council members can finalize decisions on COLA, capital spending and potential millage adjustments.
