Town Unanimously Approves New Budget Policy

Town Council unanimously voted during a Monday finance committee meeting to enact a new fund balance policy, which sets aside funds for use in road resurfacing and replacing police vehicles. 

In 2012, Summerville will take 20 percent of its 2011 general fund balance, $1 million of its 2011 disaster budget and $500,000 of its 2011 capital improvements fund to create the fund balance. 

The fund will be $2.1 million, according to town Finance Director Belinda Harper. About $1.9 million has already been allocated to roads and police vehicles. 

The new budget policy was proposed during the council's budget workshop this summer. According to Harper, the town looked to Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill and the Municipal Association of South Carolina for ideas on creating the policy. 

The town has identified nine roads in need of resurfacing with the funds: Shinnecock Hills Court, Maidstone Drive, Shoal Creek, Cider Court and Honeydew Drive in Pine Forest subdivision; Gibbon Court and Long Bow Road in Gahagan subdivision; and Amberjack Way and Dolphin Drive in Marlin Estates. 

The projects are expected to be complete within a year.

With the new policy, Police Chief Bruce Owens will see 10 new vehicles replacing aging vehicles in 2012. His current fleet is 83 vehicles. 

"I have some that are six-to-seven years old," Owens said. "Don't confuse police car use with civilian use … The wear-and-tear on a police car is much greater." 

Owens said a typical on-shift for a vehicle is 12 hours of running. 

Ideally police cars are replaced at the rate of 20 percent per year, Owens said, adding that next year's replacement vehicles are "close but no cigar" to that rate. 

In addition to the new policy, council also voted to allow the purchase of two new vehicles for the police department. The purchase of a new 2012 Dodge Charger replaces unit 117, which was totaled when it was T-boned at the intersection of Highway 78 and Cedar Street, according to Owens.

With insurance from the totaled unit and the Federal Drug Funds grant, the police department will purchase a 2012 Dodge Charger and a 2012 Dodge Caravan. The Caravan will be used for narcotics, according to Owens.