The County Council passed on third reading the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Ordinance at a Special Called County Council meeting today, Thursday. The digital budget book will be available online soon.

Council approved the $154.2 million budget where it passed unanimously. The budget was passed with no mill rate increase: it will remain at 59.5.

"This budget is fiscally responsible yet provides quality services that our citizens expect in order to live, work and play within our County," said Joe Passiment, County Council Chairman. "I thank the County staff for their hard work and dedication to get a well-thought-out budget in front of Council."

Some budget highlights:

• General Fund Overview
  • Capital Improvement Fund $100,013828
  • Debt Service Fund $10,388,520
  • Rural and Critical Debt Service $10,206,894
• FY2025 Priorities
  • Quality of life
    • Staff compensation adjustments to remain competitive
    • Public Safety-transportation
      • $50,000 for Beaufort County Hazmat Teams
      • $40,000 for Marine Water Rescue
      • $717,639 for Palmetto Breeze
  • Culture and Community
    • Passive Parks
      • 38.9% for park planning hydrology and engineering assessment
      • $2.2 million-Camp St. Mary's for civil planning and construction
      • $120,000-Crystal Lake Park for trail walkway
      • $250,000-Ford Shell Ring for park construction
      • $500,000-Fort Fremont for stairs and safety
      • $950,000-Park Construction
      • Whitehall Park-$250,000 for pier/dock construction
    • Parks and Recreation
      • $2.47 million-MC Riley Pool HVAC and Building Envelope Repairs
      • $635,000-Southside Park Pickleball Courts
      • $593,000 Charles Lind Brown Renovations restroom, Gym renovation, entryway awning
      • $87,000-Booker T, Washington remodel 
  • Improved Customer Service
    • Administration Building Lobby Remodel-$1.2 million
      • also includes Council Chamber and Administration Building upgrades
      • Invest in technology and community engagement
        • $154,237 Budget management, development and transparency tool
        • $68,346 Project management tool
        • $32,000 Public Information Tool to communicate with community, facilitate and engage in two way communication                            
  • Economic Development
    • Address deferred internal facilities and capital needs
    • External funding for higher educaiton, indigent care and economic development

To watch a replay of this meeting or to watch all programming, BCTV can be found on cable channels Hargray - channel 9 and 417; Comcast - channel 2; Spectrum - channel 1304. BCTV also streams live on www.BeaufortCounty.tv and through the FREE BCTV APP available on ROKU, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire.