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Tag: Fairfield County Behavioral Health

  • Council wraps up budget requests

    WINNSBORO – Council wrapped up its fourth budget workshop recommending several changes in agency allocations as well as a proposal to encourage the county’s elected officials to buy in to a merit based system of salary increase.

    After considering agency requests and County Administrator Jason Taylor’s budget recommendations over the last six weeks, Council is looking at continuing to pay $15,150 for Behavioral Health Services’ annual audit. It will also begin paying $11,000 for the Council on Aging’s annual audit. Council will also provide lawn maintenance at Behavioral Health Services’ new facility which is not county owned. Councilman Billy Smith said the County generally only provides lawn maintenance for agencies occupying county owned buildings.

    Of the $65,000 recommended by administration for Disabilities and Special Needs, Council is pulling out $19,000 DSN requested for a new van. Smith said he recommends withholding that amount since the agency still has several vans with low mileage.

    No consideration was given to allocating $4,000,801 requested by Fairfield Memorial Hospital or $1,043,000 recommended for the hospital by administration. With the exception of the current rehab departments, the hospital is expected to shut down operations by the end of 2018 when construction of a new standalone Emergency Services facility is expected to be completed on the bypass by Providence Hospital.

    The full $87,500 the County allocates each year for the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce was been placed in a holding pattern earmarked for tourism after the Chamber’s interim director failed to present a plan of action for the agency for the 2018-19 fiscal year two weeks ago.

    “We’re leaving it in tourism for Council for a future date to decide how to allocate that money,” Taylor said.

    “The latest word is that the Chamber has gone inactive, so it would not make sense even for us to allocate $25,000 at this point,” Smith said. “So we’re going to put that in a new line item right now?” Smith asked Taylor.

    “The money will be there should the Chamber come forward with a plan that you all find acceptable. If it is not acceptable, then that money could be reallocated for another project to be tourism related,” Taylor said. [Note: since the budget workshop, the Chamber’s new interim director has submitted a plan of action that is being considered by the County.]

    Looking at salary increases for county employees and elected officials, Smith suggested said he would like to see the county’s elected officials buy into a merit based system of salary increases.

    “If elected officials buy into the merit based program, then we would give them a full three percent increase to be dispersed throughout their departments as they see fit. If they don’t want to do that,” Smith said, “then we’ll allocate two percent for them to be used across the board.”

    Council is expected to vote on the 2018-19 fiscal year budget at the May 14 meeting to be held at 6 p.m. in council chambers.

  • Council holds first of 3 budget workshops

    WINNSBORO – During the first of three planned budget work sessions, Council took a conservative look at allocations it provides for agencies in the county.

    “We’ve got to start taking a little closer look at funding given the situation we’ve had with V.C. Summer and the fact that we’re now looking at less revenue in the future than we had expected,” County Council Chairman Billy Smith told The Voice before the meeting.

    Behavioral Health was the first to feel the pencil, with council suggesting reducing the agency’s usual annual allocation of $67,438 to $52,288. While the County has covered the agency’s cost for its annual audit in the past, Council Chairman Billy Smith expressed reluctance to continue paying for audits for this or any other agency.

    The Council on Aging requested and administration recommended $104,912, an increase of $11,501 over last year’s funding of $93,411. Smith, again, pointed out that $11,000 of that increase is to pay for the agency’s annual audit, which he said he wants to stay away from.  Smith also noted that he saw no explanation for the $501 increase and would want to see that before funding it.

    Fairfield Memorial Hospital saw the largest recommendation for reduction in funding, from $1,043,000 to $0.

    “We do need to change this to reflect zero funding until further decisions are made regarding the hospital,” Smith said.

    Council questioned a recommended $6,352 increase in funding for Midlands Technical College over last year’s approved budget of $158,810. Council members also had some discussion about reducing the $25,000 it gives each year to the railroad museum.

    Council also suggested reducing the amount it gives Palmetto Citizens Against Sexual Assault ($9,285) by $1,285 and recommended reducing Sistercare’s funding from last year’s $10,000 to $8,000 this year.

    Council let stand the administration’s recommendation of a $10,000 increase for Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center, bringing that agency’s funding from council to $60,000.

    Heads of agencies considered for cuts will be invited to make their case to Council at the next budget work session which is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. in council chambers.