Lee reviews next year’s budgets

By RANDY BURNS
Item Staff Writer
rburns@theitem.com

BISHOPVILLE – County and school officials provided the public with tentative budgets for Fiscal Year 2010 during public hearings held Tuesday at the Lee County Courthouse.

Lee County Administrator Bobby Boland said the proposed county budget of about $11.2 million could reflect a millage increase of as much as five mills. The county has cut about $500,000 in expenditures, he said.

“We still have more budget cuts to make before we give final approval to the budget,” Boland said. “Before we’re through, we hope there won’t be a need to increase mills.”

Lee County School District Director of Finance Kristie Stokes provided a tentative school budget of about $11.6 million, of which about $4.5 million would be provided by county tax revenue.

Stokes said the tentative budget would require a 3.8 percent increase in the county millage rate. Boland said the millage required to meet the school budget would be about 5.5 mills.

On $100,000 property, a taxpayer would pay about $22 in additional taxes, officials said.

Two readings have been given on the county and school budgets, said Chairman Charles Arthur Beasley.

Third reading and final approval of the county and school budgets is expected to take place at a called meeting scheduled for June 23, he said.

Public hearings were also held concerning a local hospitality tax and adding Williamsburg County to the Clarendon County Mega Park partnership.

Following the public hearings, the council gave third reading approval to a 2 percent hospitality tax being added to prepared food and approval for Lee County to partner with Sumter, Clarendon and Williamsburg counties in an industrial business park being developed on S.C. 527 near Interstate 95.

In other business, council:

  Gave final approval to an amendment of the purchase agreement with Carolina Metal Finishing that would extend an option for the industry to buy the building located behind the old National Guard Armory. The company’s 3-year option ends in November, and the company is asking for an extension of one year until November 2010, said Lee County Economic Alliance Director Jeff Burgess.

  Gave first reading to an ordinance that would establish a wrecker service rotation program for the county. Councilman Travis Windham said the ordinance would follow the South Carolina Highway Patrol requirements for wrecker services and would put in writing a formal system.

  Re-appointed Bernice Bradley and the Rev. Emanuel Simon to the Lee County Special Needs and Disabilities Board for another four-year term.

  Appointed Virginia Stokes to the Lee County Special Needs and Disabilities Board for a four-year term.

Lee County Council meets at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Lee County Courthouse.