City Council passes 2016-17 budget with no millage, tax increase

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A 2016-17 fiscal year budget looked at by Manning City Council in May changed little between then and Monday night, when council members passed final reading on the ordinance. There will be no millage increase and no increase in taxes, according to City Administrator Scott Tanner, as growth in the city was near negligible for the last fiscal year. "With the CAP, we're allowed about a .12 percent increase this year," he said. "Typically, each year we've gone up by the CAP, but that is almost no growth." Tanner said percentages in the past three years have been between 1.2 and 2 percent. “The state puts a cap on it every year, and if you don’t increase per the cap, there is a chance you can lose it,” Tanner said. “However, you can go back three years. So if we don’t increase this year, we can go back next year and add the .12 to whatever we have next year.” He said increasing by the cap would give the city a .2 millage increase for 2016-17. “That’s very little money, maybe a couple of thousand dollars at the most,” Tanner said. “We may not want to do anything with it this year, but we will adjust accordingly as the process goes along.” As it stands, the city is projecting revenues and expenditures of about $7.7 million for 2016-17, an increase of about $300,000 over 2016. Though there is no increase in taxes, the new budget does entail an increase in permit fees, though Tanner said the increase is more of a fix than a revenue-builder. “We have some fees we’re losing money on,” he said. “We may charge a $55 fee, but then it costs us $70 to advertise by law in the paper. So we’re not looking for it to be a big revenue builder, but we don’t want to lose money on it either.” About $12,000 is included for the city's new retail development initiative first proposed by council in April. “We’re going to try and recruit retail development into Manning and Clarendon County, so this will provide funds for travel and incentives to try and recruit small business to Manning,” Tanner said. There is also $20,000 for recreation included. “Our sheds and restrooms at our parks, that’s included in there,” he said. “We are also going through the comprehensive plan update with Santee Lynches Council of Governments and Kyle Kelley. It is $15,000 for the plan update.” During Finance Director Mary Prince's monthly report, council members learned that the city has expended 92 percent of its 2015-16 fiscal year budget, with the general fund collecint $3.8 million, about 86 percent of the budget. "The local option sales tax is expected to add to that between now and the end of July," she said. "The general fund has spent $3.7 million this year and is under its budget. The utility fund has spent $2.6 million. There is $3.3 million in the general fund unrestricted cash account. We are doing good." Manning Mayor Julia Nelson said Bellewood residents were pleased with recent sidewalk construction, but not with the lighting. "I have driven over there at night and it is rather dark, so we discussed during our budget hearing about trying to get more light in that area," she said. Nelson said a retail development trip to an international conference in Nevada was "very producvie, and we are reaching out to contacts made there." "We are hoping for good things," she said. "We do have someone who is very interested in the old Walmart. I've also received positive feedback from residents and businesses regarding their push for retail development." Nelson said the city will be looking into putting a security camera on the parking lot behind City Hall. She also thanked council for approving the use of a "legislative vehicle" for her to drive. "This will help cut down on the expense checks that have been written for using my personal vehicle when it is time to go out of town," she said. "I purchased my personal vehicle in January 2015, and here it is a year-and-a-half later, and I've put over 40,000 miles on it." Tanner said during his report that Phase 1 of the Fleming neighborhood home demolition project is finished. Phase II may have to be rebid, however. "We may have to rebid that project due to some abnormalities in the bids," he said. "There is a fairness question there, so I believe the state is going to require us to rebid those five additional homes in Phase 2." Tanner is hopeful for grant funding for the demolition of the five homes left in the 14-home demolition project. "As part of the grant requirements, the city must help facilitiate crime watch in these neighborhoods," Tanner said, noting a meeting held Tuesday at the Manning Police Department. Scott said a new fire truck should have been delivered Wednesday. He also said the city could be reimbursed for some of its flood-related expenditures. "There is a proviso in the state budget that, if passed, could reimburse the city for some of its flood-related costs," he said. "FEMA pays for 75 percent of that, but the state is now going to come in and reimburse a part of that 25 percent."