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Bluffton council unanimously adopts $113.9 million FY2027 consolidated budget
Summary
Council approved the FY2027 consolidated budget totaling $113,913,988, keeping the property millage at 36 mills and funding priorities including affordable housing, historic preservation, employee pay adjustments and infrastructure; council also discussed placeholders for community pilots and ATAX allocations.
Bluffton's Town Council on Tuesday approved the town's FY2027 consolidated budget, a $113,913,988 spending plan described by staff as supporting council priorities including affordable housing, historic preservation, infrastructure investments and competitive employee pay adjustments.
"This is the budget that is in front of council that we've worked through over the last three meetings to get to," town staff summarized during a public hearing and final reading. Council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance on second and final reading.
Key items in the approved budget include:
- Property millage maintained at 36 mills. - A 3% cost-of-living adjustment and a midyear merit pool of up to 4% (with a $3,000 cap) intended to raise lower pay ranges faster. - Continued investment in infrastructure, including funds for sewer conversion work that staff estimates will target an estimated 50'75 septic systems for conversion in the coming year. - Continued partnerships (Palmetto Breeze, USCB microbial lab) and allocations to capital projects and interfund transfers.
Councilors also debated and settled placeholder language for a potential local contribution to regional initiatives. On marine search-and-rescue funding, council agreed to include a placeholder (staff explained it would not change the budget total) and directed staff to return with specific approvals if the funds are to be spent. There was council support for limiting the placeholder for equipment to about $20,000 while declining marketing funding for that nonprofit, following the Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee's recommendation.
A separate discussion centered on a proposed TriShare childcare pilot: council asked staff for more details on selection, management and accountability before committing to any local match. Staff said the United Way would likely manage the pilot and the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry had expressed interest in matching local contributions dollar-for-dollar.
The adopted budget preserves a mix of operating priorities and capital planning, and staff told council they will return to the body for any specific spend approvals associated with placeholders or grants.
Speakers quoted in this article follow the meeting record: "It is a pilot program... we're just trying to be conservative," staff said while explaining the bonding and timeline choices for capital work.
Next steps: Staff will implement the adopted budget on July 1 and will bring any specific placeholder expenditures or interagency agreements back to council for approval.
