Greer Council Asks Questions About Proposed Budget

Greer Council had an opportunity to take a closer look at the proposed $18.5 million budget for 2013-14 during a workshop earlier this week.

The proposed budget contains a 2.37 percent increase over the current budget which ends June 30, but does not call for an increase in millage rate, fees or taxes.

But one of the more interesting things that it does call for is the creation of a performance-based merit increase for employees. A move that City Administrator Ed Driggers said could help with the recruiting and retention of employees.

The program, which could provide bonuses up to 2.5 percent of an employees salary based on longevity, would be offered to part-time and full-time employees of the city of Greer. Elected officials and CEOs would not be allowed to participate in the program.

Driggers is proposing that $145,428 set aside in the pool. The minimum bonus for all employees is $50 for all part-time and $100 for all full-time.

"This is a program that I have been truly waiting for," Driggers said. "I sincerely ask council to consider allowing us to implement this type of bonus program."

Driggers said the program is innovative and it rewards employees for being "good performers." Driggers said he would not propose the program, if he did not feel the city could sustain it over time.

The budget also recommends hiring a new firefighter, an IT technician and a building and standards clerk, as well as four part-time positions.

The proposed budget also includes several purchases. The largest by far, a $490,000 lease-purchase of a pumper truck for Greer Fire Department. The new pumper would replace a 26-year-old truck currently used as a reserve truck by the department. The pumper would be used as a "first-out" truck for calls in Station 2's call area.

Councilman Wryley Bettis lightened the mood by asking, "Those things don't have a good shelf life, do they?"

"Twenty-six years is pretty good life in firetruck," Chief Chris Harvey answered.

"Not for that kind of money," Bettis said, drawing a laugh from the crowd.

Greer Police Department has requested the lease-purchase of seven new vehicles to replace older vehicles in the fleet. The department has added a five percent to the cost for each Impala in an effort to try and purchase the vehicles from a local dealer.

The budget also reflects using $194,000 for capital projects, including traffic calming, sidewalk repair, roofing the Operations Center and constructing a driveway or apron at the Operations Center.

Driggers also has requested that the city commit $500,000 over a five-year period to develop Greer Station and the Wade Hampton corridor.

Over the next couple of weeks, council will continue to review the proposed budget and ask questions. A first reading of the budget is scheduled for June 11.

A public hearing on the proposed budget is scheduled for June 25 and then second and final reading of the budget would follow.

View the entire budget here.

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