By Allen Turner, The News Reporter
Columbus County commissioners Monday night received a glowing audit report from an independent auditor, heard from the county maintenance director that recommendations will soon be forthcoming from an eight-person committee on the renovation of the historic courthouse, approved an additional part-time career coach at Southeastern Community College and authorized the pre-order of flu vaccine by the health department.
Interim Southeastern Community College President William C. Aiken was introduced to county commissioners Monday night by SCC Board Chair Henry Edmund, right. Commissioners unanimously approved a request from Aiken to use already-allocated fund for an additional part-time career coach at the college.
CPA Alan Thompson of Thompson, Price, Scott, and Adams told commissioners that the county was “really healthy” financially at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, citing a total fund balance of $39.7 million, a small increase over a year ago and more than $4 million more than in 2015.
The county’s unassigned fund balance — or rainy day savings not already committed for other purposes — represented 50.1 percent of total general fund expenditures, well above the 8.33 percent mandated by state law, Thompson said.
In the five years since 2015, the county’s unassigned fund balance has increased by $7 million while the total general fund budget grew by only $1.6 million in the same period. However, that unassigned fund balance amount does not factor in future obligations the county has committed itself to for education, Thompson said in response to a question from Commissioner Trent Burroughs.
Total general fund expenditures for the year ending June 30 were $53.7 million, the largest chunks went to human services, $16.4 million; public safety, $12.4 million; and education, $12.3 million.
Thompson pointed out that ad valorem property taxes represent the biggest source of income for the county, 55 percent, that the county tax rate has remained the same, 80.5 cents per $100 valuation, for the past five years and that the tax collection rate is high, 97.95 percent.
Historic courthouse
A lengthy departmental update by Maintenance Director Larry Hayes was highlighted by his revelation that an eight-member team named to study recommendations for renovations of the historic courthouse has been meeting regularly and should have proposed budget figures for presentation to commissioners at one of the next “two or three” meetings. “To prevent obstacles, setbacks and surprises…an array of information is being gathered,” Hayes said. “Input from other outside sources also is being requested.”
By consensus, the team placed the project on hold for a short time due to some unforeseen “issues,” about which Hayes did not elaborate. However, Hayes said those issues have been resolved. “The project will be regaining its momentum very quick,” Hayes said. “With the assistance of outside sources, as well as with the team’s input, we are getting cost quotes and estimates to determine the needed budget.”
The half-hour report by Hayes touched on many other issues involving lots of other county facilities and many of those details will be reported on in Friday’s print edition of The News Reporter.
Other business
In what was a formality to complete a decision reached last month, commissioners set Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. as the date and time for a required public hearing that most be held before they can adopt an ordinance authorizing the installment financing of a $4.9 million VIPER radio system to replace the troubled current emergency services radio system utilized by the sheriff’s department and fire and rescue units in the county.
Commissioners also met Dr. William Aiken, interim president of Southeastern Community College, and approved his request to use previously-allocated N.C. Career Coach grant funds for the hiring of an additional part-time career coach.
More details on these and other items of discussion by commissioners will appear in Friday’s print edition of The News Reporter.