The City of Clinton has announced the agenda for a called meeting of council where a budget amendment — 6% higher than the original budget - will be the subject of a public hearing.
If Council does what it did the last time the budget amendment had a public hearing, speakers will have 2 minutes to discuss the budget amendment - pro, con or neutral.
The budget amendment includes a 5% cost of living raise for hourly employees making $50,000/annual and less; 3% for $50,000 - $75,000; and 2% for $75,000 and above. City administration had requested a 5% across the board cost of living raise.
Council was presented a budget in the spring but delayed action after City Manager Tom Brooks said he wanted to come back to council with an amendment that more closely reflects true revenue and expenditures.
In the $31,845,347 Budget Amendment, property tax rates remain at 128.6 mils; however, revenues are projected to increase through an increase in the residential electric rate — council did not discuss business rates specifically or institutional rates. The City of Clinton buys its electric from the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, based in Greer, a cooperative of “electric cities” that get electricity from the Duke Power Catawba Nuclear Plant. (The original budget for 2023-24 was revenue-expenses balanced at $31,265,345.)
The 6 pm called meeting — council’s regular meetings are the first Monday of each month - will be in the PS Bailey Council Chambers of the MS Bailey Municipal Building, 211 North Broad Street. The meetings are open to the public and are live-streamed on the city’s Facebook Page.
Citizens have a chance to address the council on any agenda item (public hearing is a separate time for comments) - register before the meeting starts; council will approve an amendment to the Business License Ordinance; then will conduct the Budget Amendment public hearing and will vote for final approval; then will have a closed session discussion about “personnel matters in the Administration Department.”
Reports and Recommendations round out the meeting.
Also, the District 56 Board of Trustees meets this Monday, 7:30 pm in the Clinton High School auditorium; and the board of the Laurens County Water & Sewer Commission meetings this Tuesday, 8 am at the commission office on Hwy 221 South, Laurens.
Link to Clinton City Council agendas and minutes here.
