Kiawah Island finance briefing: $10.3M collected year‑to‑date; draft budget includes $1.6M placeholder for civic center

The Kiawah Island Ways and Means Committee reviewed a draft fiscal-year budget and long-term cash-flow projections during its meeting, with the treasurer reporting $10.3 million collected through February and staff outlining priorities and placeholders for capital projects.

Treasurer (Speaker 5) said the $10.3 million figure represents about 58% of total budgeted revenues through the same period last year and noted projected revenues of roughly $18.7 million for the coming year. The draft budget proposes a 9% increase in salaries and benefits (including a 6% salary-adjustment pool) and the addition of two full-time equivalents — one resiliency/sustainability position and one program-assistant floater — with about $150,000 allocated for those hires.

Staff also outlined administrative and IT costs, noting total IT and software expenses of about $344,000 and a request to add an independent cybersecurity audit to consulting costs rather than professional services. Professional-services reclassifications and placeholders include $125,000 for a zoning-code update and $50,000 for a stormwater management phase. The committee discussed the trade-offs of hiring an in-house town attorney versus continuing with outside counsel and the risks/costs of each approach.

Public-safety contract costs were discussed in detail. Committee members were told the contracted public-safety line item is roughly $4.76 million, with approximately $300,000 attributable to contracted deputies; staff said the town expects to provide enhanced peak-season deputy coverage and to coordinate, where possible, with private security and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.

On capital outlay, staff proposed a $1.6 million placeholder in the accommodation-tax-funded projects for soft costs tied to a civic and cultural center. Other potential capital items include a $1.2 million placeholder for repaving (Betsy Carson Parkway) and a proposed pedestrian/bike connection to Freshfields (initially $600,000, with a suggestion to retain $200,000 for design/permitting). The committee discussed phasing and permitting, and members asked staff to refine the capital list and to return with a five‑year pro‑forma that tracks funding sources for each project.

Quotes "At the end of February, we collected about $10,300,000," the Treasurer said during the report. "For next year, we are budgeting about $18,700,000 in revenues," the Treasurer added when outlining the draft. "I'm not sure the 1.2 [million placeholder for repaving] is necessary for this coming fiscal year," the Mayor said while discussing road repaving timing.

Ending Staff will return with updated calculations and a five-year cash-flow pro‑forma; committee members asked for narrower design/permitting placeholders for projects that are unlikely to begin construction next year and signaled support for further study of financing and timing before final council decisions.