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Horry County adopts FY2026 budget; volunteer firefighter pay raised from $20 to $25 per call
Summary
Council approved Ordinance 39-2025 adopting the fiscal year 2026 budget and unanimously approved an amendment increasing volunteer firefighter pay from $20 to $25 per call; a public commenter asked for the coroner's budget to be included in the budget review.
On second reading, Horry County Council approved Ordinance 39-2025, the county budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. Councilors also approved an amendment raising volunteer firefighter pay from $20 to $25 per call.
The chair introduced the budget reading and noted an amendment in the packet that increases volunteer firefighter pay. Council members moved and seconded the amendment, then moved back to the ordinance as amended. During the public hearing, Vince Lohotzke asked the council to publish the county coroner's budget before the next reading and raised concerns he associated with coroner revenues; he also commented on recent changes to compensation for volunteers on various boards.
After public input the council voted on the ordinance as amended. The meeting record shows a single recorded nay during the vote; the ordinance nonetheless passed and moves forward as the county's FY2026 budget. The amendment increases the per-call stipend for volunteer firefighters from $20 to $25, a change council members discussed briefly during the reading but did not further amend that evening.
