McBee council accepts first reading of budget, schedules workshop after members raise shortfall concerns

The Town of McBee Council approved the first reading of the municipal budget for fiscal year 2022–2023 and agreed to schedule a workshop for members to review specific line items and questions before the second reading.

Mayor John Campolong said the draft budget "will have no increase of any taxes involved" and described the document as pared down. Council Member Glenn Odom pressed for a workshop and cited what he said were discrepancies in contract payments and an overall shortfall: "We are negative $150,000 of this years budget," he said, and raised a line-item concern that a water distribution contractor listed for $63,000 had reportedly been paid only $52,000 in the past six months.

The mayor asked council members to submit written questions ahead of the workshop so staff can prepare answers. Council Member A.C. McLeod Jr. and others requested the workshop be scheduled promptly; the mayor said he would set a date and asked members to provide their questions in writing.

The transcript shows several project-level budget items were also discussed: a pending $28,000 payment for recently contracted tennis-court concrete with partial reimbursement expected ($12,500) and an approximate additional $7,000 needed for paint. The council also discussed a $20,000 Duke Energy grant to buy a generator for an emergency command capability; mayoral comments said bids were being solicited.

Next steps: Council agreed to a follow-up workshop and the second reading of the budget before the end of June. Specific budget lines and any adjustments were to be determined at that workshop; precise figures for some items were not specified in the open meeting record.