During their regularly scheduled meeting, the Greenville City Council voted unanimously to add estimated budget cuts of various departments to its furloughs and cost saving measures order.
According to the order, city council will receive a 5% pay cut; municipal court’s budget will be reduced by 1%; mayor’s office budget will be reduced by an estimated 8%; elections budget will be reduced by 48%; city clerk budget will be reduced by 1%; human resources budget will be reduced by 5%; planning department budget will be reduced by 3%; city hall budget will be reduced by 26%; police department budget will be reduced by .6%; police reserves budget will be reduced by 48%; police crossing guards budget will be reduced by 10%; fire department budget will be reduced by .6%; inspections budget will be reduced by 3%; streets department budget will be reduced by 7.6%; traffic, building and grounds budget will be reduced by 10%; park administration budget will be reduced by 2%; golf course budget will be reduced by 6%; swimming pool budget will be reduced by 85%; recreation activity budget will be reduced by 27%; park maintenance budget will be reduced by 3%; airport budget will be reduced by 2%; fire protection fund will be reduced by13%; municipal improvement fund will be reduced by 90%; water and sewer utility budget will be reduced by 6.6%; lift stations and water wells budget will be reduced by 5%; water and sewer maintenance budget will be reduced by .10%; wastewater treatment budget will be reduced by 17%; and the sanitation budget will be reduced by 2%.
The cost estimates were provided by the city’s external financial consultant, Steve Osso.
“The furloughs represent only the people who are furloughed effective June 1 and represent an estimated $356,000,” mayor Errick Simmons said. “With all city departments, we’re looking at cost saving methods.”
Simmons informed the council the police department personnel shortage is at about 15% and the fire department personnel shortage is at about 18%.
Neither the police, nor the fire department will have to endure budget cuts.
However, if those personnel slots remained unfilled for the entirety of the 120 day furlough, it would represent $197,000 in savings for the police department and $242,000 in savings for the fire department.
“All supervisors and department heads are trying to aim to save the taxpayers’ money that we don’t have given this pandemic,” Simmons said, noting departments’ effort to make up for the estimated $2.2 million in lost revenue.
The mayor also highlighted there was nothing adjusted or changed in regards to salaries and benefits in any department’s budget.
As it pertains to budget spending, he said, “We do understand that some departments have to spend for some things, but we will be going over everything with a fine toothed comb. Everything has to come to the office of the mayor and the council has to approve it.“
In addition, Parks and Recreation director Corey Holmes reported to the mayor and council the golf course brought in $25,354.86 in revenue for the month of May, which even excludes three days of the month.
“We only did $7,000 last year around this time,” he said.
