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Council split on restoring Island Recreation funding; amendment fails 5–5
Summary
Council debated restoring funding to the Island Recreation Association to $200,000 and considered multiple budget amendments; a motion to reallocate money from Economic Development to Island Rec failed on a 5–5 roll call, leaving the administrator’s recommended funding in place.
An effort to restore Island Recreation funding to $200,000 during final budget consideration failed on a tie vote at Beaufort County Council’s June 9 meeting. Council member Reeds moved an amendment to increase Island Rec funding and suggested the funds come from the Economic Development allocation; the amendment failed 5–5 on a roll call vote.
Frank Sowell, executive director of the Island Recreation Association, had urged the council to restore the funding and said the center recorded ‘‘over 77,000 participant visits’’ last year and provides scholarships and year-round pool access. Council debate focused on budget-neutral mechanisms and whether prior increases (a one-time bump tied to facility closures elsewhere) should be continued. Reeds framed his proposal as restoring the funding to a recommended administrator level; opponents said past increases had been one-time adjustments and asked for more accounting detail and conditions on reimbursements.
Multiple amendment options were discussed on the floor, including reducing Soil & Water Conservation allocations to find the extra funding; that particular amendment was also defeated after debate. During the roll call on Reeds' motion, recorded votes were: Reitz (Yes), McGowan (Yes), Passamette (Yes), Lawson (Yes), Bartholomew (Yes); Glover (No), Dawson (No), Cunningham (No), Tabernick (No), Chair Howard (No). The motion therefore failed 5–5 and the larger budget passed as amended elsewhere. Council members who supported restoration cited high use and community value; those opposing expressed concern about precedent, fiscal priorities, and insufficient itemized accounting for outside-agency expenditures.
The Island Recreation Association’s request remains on the county’s radar: council members suggested possible follow-up through the budget year, including reimbursements contingent on receipts or review of other funding streams.
