By Barbara Augsdorfer, Editor for the Effingham Herald
The Rincon City Council met for its regular meeting Monday, Dec. 11, covering many issues, including the proposed 2024 budget.
The first reading was approved; the second reading and adoption is set for Monday. Dec. 18 so the budget can be in place before Jan. 1, 2024.
In a quick housekeeping move, the council voted to cancel what should have been the next regular meeting on Christmas, Dec. 25.
Related to the budget, the council discussed and passed fee increases for some departments. Some of the fees haven’t been looked at or increased since 2019.
For example, the city approved the residential fire fee from $11 to $14 per month; and the commercial fire fee 15%.
“Three dollars might not seem like much, but some people struggle,” Councilmember Levi Scott said.
“This is one of those necessary fees,” City Manager Jonathan Lynn countered. “We did lose nearly $600,000 in annual revenue for the fire (department) from the county.”
That $600,000 loss is due to Effingham County Fire Department’s contract with the City of Rincon that expired on June 30. Since that time, the county fire department has covered 81 square miles of county land and Rincon FD serves only the City of Rincon. However, Rincon FD will still respond to calls in Effingham County when requested.
“They (the fire department) have their own budget,” Lynn added. “They're not going to intermingle in the general fund.”
Several minutes of discussion followed among Lynn, the council, and Fire Chief Lou Reed. Even though the fire fee is being increased, homeowners should see a significant savings on their homeowner's insurance to more than offset that fee increase.
“We kept the same number of employees to keep that ISO (Insurance Services Offices Inc.) rating as low as possible, to keep everybody's homeowners insurance rates as low as possible, (and) to keep our response time quick,” Lynn added.
Councilmember Kevin Exley asked Chief Reed to estimate a homeowner’s insurance savings based on a low ISO number.
“If we go from a Class 3 to a Class 2 (ISO rating), it should be about 18- to 20 percent savings on your homeowner’s insurance,” Chief Reed answered Exley.
“We had to keep the same amount of people in order to keep that rating,” Exley said.
“Correct,” Fire Chief Reed affirmed.
Other fees the council voted to increase were field rental fees for Macomber Park and fees for business licenses, permitting and planning.
The rental fee for a field at Macomber Park is currently $50 per field per day plus a $175 field maintenance fee.
“We just wanted to go in the process of looking at redoing all of our fees,” Lynn told the council that there’s a request to increase the fee to $100 per field per day.
“That's still probably below where we need to be. But that gives us an incremental increase for the staff to be able to keep the fields going and making sure we're maintaining what we have,” Lynn said.
Lynn also asked the council to raise tournament field maintenance fees from $175 to $200 per day.
Lynn said the fee increases will cover the one full-time and one part-time employee to be present; and he asked that the fee increase go into effect Jan. 1, 2024.
Councilmembers asked if there could be a deposit and if there were contracts available for renters of Macomber Park.
“Can we make them put (down) a deposit?” Councilmember Michelle Taylor asked.
“I've been over there after the tournament was over and the park was still trashed even though (the renters) were supposed to clean it.
“I just want to hold them accountable,” Taylor added.
Lynn agreed with Taylor adding, “Although it's not a fee, (we ask) you to authorize a $350 deposit for tournaments. If they clean up everything, that money goes back to them in full. It's just us holding the money to make sure that they’re held accountable.”
”Did we ever get an updated contract done for the fields and government buildings we rent out,” Councilmember Patrick Kirkland asked.
Kirkland’s concern is that someone could pay the $350 deposit, then trash the building that could cost the city, for example, $1,500 to repair.
Cleaning and upkeep of the park and other buildings the city makes available to rent was discussed.
Councilmember Scott asked the council to make sure they have all the ingredients in place for all the buildings – fee schedules, contracts, etc., before moving forward.
“If we're going to do that, we got to make sure that we're providing a good spot for people. What we have out there right now, the upkeep is not up to standards to where we should be charging,” Exley said.
Councilmember-elect Mona Underwood, seated in the audience, offered her findings from surrounding areas.
“Hardeeville charges $350 per field per day,” Underwood said. “And Macomber can be equitable to that. Easily.”
Underwood also said the concession stand, if fixed up and managed properly could be a moneymaker for the park and/or the city.
“That concession stand-- when (run) and managed properly -- could bring in well over $100,000 a year in income to the city or back to that ballpark,” Underwood said. “It's just a good source of income for that park. So instead of us hunting for $100,000 a year, let that facility pay for itself.”
Kirkland added that many of these ideas can be taken up by the new recreation director once that person has been hired.
Lynn updated the council that he’s doing second interviews with eight candidates for that position.
In other action, the City Council
· Voted to update fees for business licenses, permitting and planning;
· Voted to approve a professional services agreement with Richmond, Virginia-based Davenport and Co. for $20,000 to serve as the city’s financial advisors; and
· Agreed to fill local board vacancies on the city’s behalf to the Library Board, Hospital Authority, and Effingham County Dept. of Health. Mayor Ken Lee asked the council to submit names of people for those boards and that the item put on the agenda for the second council meeting in January, 2024.
