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Keep Beaufort County Beautiful awaits DOT permit for Route 278 welcome sign; board eyes $122,000 budget
Summary
Board said fabrication for a 4x6-foot Route 278 welcome sign is ready but cannot proceed until a signed county MOU is delivered to S.C. DOT for an encroachment permit; liaison proposed a $122,000 target budget for next year to cover signs, ordinance implementation and plantings.
Board members on June 11 heard an update on a long-running Route 278 welcome-sign project and broader budget plans for the coming fiscal year. The sign design is complete and a purchase order for fabrication and installation has been issued, but staff said South Carolina Department of Transportation must sign off on an encroachment permit before contractors can proceed.
Victoria Hoffman, county solid‑waste and recycling staff, told the board staff had not yet received an approved encroachment permit and that S.C. DOT was waiting on a signed memorandum of understanding from county administration. “You have not yet received an approved encroachment permit for that,” Victoria said, adding the county had submitted the MOU to County Council on May 26 and that Council approved the item on the consent agenda but a signature remains outstanding.
The chair described the planned sign as a substantially larger replacement to an existing small roadside notice: “The sign today is about 6 inches tall and about a foot wide…It’s gonna be 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide,” and staff said contractors estimated a two‑week build time once DOT issues a permit. Members discussed coordinating installation scheduling and a media event once fabrication is triggered.
Separately, County Council liaison Joe Passman said he will seek increased board funding for FY27. He outlined a requested increase of $100,000 split into three parts—$20,000 for additional signage, $25,000 for ordinance‑implementation materials, and $55,000 for plants—paired with an expected roughly $22,000 carry‑forward to produce a projected board budget of about $122,000. Board members stressed the need for flexibility in allocating funds and for encumbering purchases early in the fiscal cycle to avoid losing available money.
Staff also warned that procurement deadlines had closed for FY26 and that some purchase requests would need to be carried forward or handled once the county’s procurement and finance offices reopen for the new fiscal year. The board agreed to prepare quotes and documentation for the August meeting so it can vote quickly if additional funding is available.
