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  County Council Chairman proposes funding for NGO's and raises for county employees web posted April 21, 2010 EDGEFIELD – Edgefield County Council Chairman Monroe Kneece presented a budget amendment at the county council’s budget workshop Tuesday night that provides for funding for non governmental organizations (NGO's) non-profits, libraries, Piedmont Tech (PTC), and included a 2% pay increase for county employees. Although Chairman Kneece’s proposal included $42,908 for PTC, Jim Klauber of PTC said it was not enough. Chairman Kneece read off the list of items he proposed to be added back into the budget for a second reading: An increase in salary to County Attorney Michael Medlock to $20,000 (currently at $16,572, a 21% increase). Senior Citizens Council $3,000 Edgefield Civic League $7,000 Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce $2,000 Mobley and Trenton Library $1,000 total ($500 each) Beaverdam Creek Watershed $1,000 County Agent $1,000 Piedmont Tech $42,908 2% increase in county employee salaries The total cost of the amendment is $153,860 and would have to be taken completely out of the county’s reserves. Including the funds set aside for the county council’s contingency funds, proposed at $75,000, the cost increases to $228,860. With the current deficit in the budget being $242,155, the county will have $471,015 in total reserve spending for the next fiscal year. County Councilman Rodney Ashcraft stated that he would like to propose at least two patrol cars for the Sheriff’s Office and Chairman Kneece said that could be taken up at the second reading. Councilman Ashcraft said that would be fine and went on to explain that by the time the next fiscal year begins the Sheriff’s Office would have five patrol cars beyond their recommended mileage. By the time the fiscal year of 2011-2012 there would be an additional four patrol vehicles needing replaced, and by the fiscal year 2012-2013, seven vehicles will be added to the number needing to be replaced. “It turns out that there will be a total of 14 or 15 cars in the next three fiscal years,” Ashcraft said. “I think mathematically I should put in for five, but I don’t think I’m going to get that.” Councilman Ashcraft went on to discuss the need for an ambulance that will reach in excess of 300,000 miles by the time the next fiscal year begins in July. “I for one would like to be carted to any hospital in a working ambulance.” “I’m probably going to make some enemies out there right now, and it’s very lonely,” Ashcraft said. “When I try to be a fiscal conservative, like I campaigned on, looking at some of the things on here (the proposal) if they were lightened up and paid for by the people I think should pay for them, then I think we could afford some of these other things.” Councilman Ashcraft said that the bulk of the benefit from the Tompkins Library taking place in the Town of Edgefield with the visitors’ spending money in the town and not the county, and the town has not had property taxes for three years, the responsibility of the contribution should come from there, not the county. Ashcraft said the $15,000 the town contributed to the purchase of the Calliham property could have been diverted to the Tompkins Library. The discussion turned from the Tompkins Library toward Piedmont Tech and Councilman Ashcraft asked Chairman Kneece is PTC would be in agreement with the suggested funding. Bill Klauber said Piedmont Tech would be “okay” and they would still educate students from Edgefield County, “We just may not do it at the Edgefield County Center.” Klauber said that the cost of operating the Edgefield campus was more than twice the offered amount ($42,908), “I just don’t think the college is going to be able do that.” Councilman Norman Dorn questioned Mr. Klauber after his presentation and asked if PTC was going to refuse to accept the funding. He said that classes would not be open at the Edgefield campus and they are not accepting any applications for the summer or fall classes. Mr. Klauber stated the cost of operating the Edgefield campus was $93,000 and if the county did not fund the operating cost the campus would be closed and the pottery classes would probably be moved to another county. Mr. Klauber said PTC would take the money the county is offering and apply it towards other campuses. “But we won’t have the money to run the center in Edgefield.” Mr. Klauber said he wished the burden placed on Edgefield County could be removed, to which Chairman Kneece replied, “It should be”. Klauber said that they are just trying to recoup “statutory” requirements that each county “pay their fair share”. A claim he made at the April 6 meeting that PCT President Ray Brooks claimed was never uttered but was quoted verbatim from the meeting. One woman posed the question as to the percentage of the reserves would be tapped to fund the current recommended spending and County Finance Director Lynn Strom stated 14% of the reserves would have to be tapped under the current proposal by Chairman Kneece and the deficit already on the books. The county council also heard comments from supporters on Piedmont Tech who wished to see the campus remain open as well as a supporter of the Tompkins Library that claimed they were responsible for bringing in an economic impact of over $5 million dollars to the county. However, the $5 million claimed does not show up in revenues collected by the county. Such an impact would fund nearly 80% of the county operational budget which is just over $6.6 million. With no other business the work session was closed. The County Council will meet on May 4 for a second reading of the budget and vote on the proposals presented at the work session. Merriwether Councilwoman Genia Blackwell was absent from the meeting due to illness. © Copyright 2010
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