Jasper County council adopts FY27 budget, sets millage rates and adds rainy-day fund

Jasper County — The Jasper County Council voted to adopt the fiscal year 2026–27 budget on third and final reading, approving new millage rates, several stipend and fee changes, and a newly established budget-stabilization line.

Miss Burgess, presenting the ordinance on behalf of county finance staff, summarized the final package and the changes since first reading. "The millage rates are 115 for the county operating, 5 for county debt, 28.9 for the Jasper County Rural Fire District, 154 for the school operating and 25 for school debt," she said, totaling 327.9 mills. She also described updates to the fee schedule, an added quarterly stipend of $200 for election-board members, and poll-worker stipends of $50 per training day and $50 per election.

The ordinance materials included a roll-back calculation tied to South Carolina law. Miss Burgess told council that the roll-back for FY27 totaled $6,548,900 (an amount described in the presentation as $5,472,000 plus a $1,176,900 carry forward) and that the discount factor applied to assessed home values would be 0.008 for the year.

Council members asked detailed questions about individual line items during a lengthy review. One member pressed whether the contract with Hardyville for fire services was accounted for; staff said the agreement is included and estimated the county spent nearly $2 million less than the prior year as a result of the new arrangement, though precise dollar figures were not produced in the meeting. Staff repeatedly explained that several large percentage changes in department budgets reflected reclassification or reaggregation of line items rather than net new spending (for example, two positions formerly inside code enforcement were moved into a different budget line after the fire/EMS consolidation).

Capital spending rose sharply on paper — from $1.7 million to $7.1 million — because about $6.6 million of the increase is financed with GEO bond proceeds and previously approved capital projects. Council asked that staff schedule a separate work session in August to review and reprioritize capital projects.

Miss Burgess said the county added a "budget stabilization" line equal to one mill ($380,800) to begin a rainy-day reserve. The meeting record also reflects a $6 million authorization for a tax-anticipation bond; staff explained the authorization does not cost the county unless the borrowing is drawn.

On the vote, council approved the budget on third reading by voice (reported in the meeting as 4–1). Council indicated several items will be revisited during the fiscal year as needed and that some technical corrections (section renumbering and minor typos in the ordinance text) will be addressed.

The council’s action sends the adopted FY27 budget into effect as the county’s spending plan; staff said they will present follow-up materials and a capital work-session in the coming weeks.