Marion County Council passes budget, sets fire fees

By Jennifer Bartell
Star & Enterprise reporter
Published: July 1, 2008

CORRECTION: The fire fee does include churches, lodges, clubhouses, hospitals and schools. They will be required to pay the fee, though they do not pay taxes, Administrator Tim Harper said. A correction will be printed in the July 9 print edition of the Star & Enterprise. We regret the error.

Marion County Council members unanimously passed their $16, 801,906 budget during a public hearing on June 26. No citizens spoke during the public hearing and there is no millage increase in the balanced budget. The fire budget for the county’s nine fire departments and two rescue squads also passed unanimously.

Marion County Administrator Tim Harper said he met with the fire chiefs and they have agreed on how to disperse money collected. Of the $701,000-plus allocated for the fire departments, the county expects to collect 90 percent of that or about $630,000, Harper said. Each chief will sign a written agreement that says if the county collects under 90 percent, their allocation will be decreased appropriately. This past year, the fire budget shortfall was remedied by using money from the general fund, Harper said.

The fee in the county per house will be $35 and vehicle fees will be $5 each, according to the 2008-09 fire department fee schedule. Acres and commercial industry fees vary. For more about the fees and how much each fire department will receive, see below. The fee include churches, lodges, clubhouses, hospitals and schools, who will be required to pay the fee. Only citizens in the unincorporated parts of the county will pay these fees. Citizens who live in municipalities are excluded.

County council also took a step toward establishing a capital project commission that would consider proposals for funding capital projects and possibly formulate referendum questions for general elections, Harper said. The commission will include six members, three county council appointees, two Marion City Council appointees and one Mullins City Council appointee, Harper said, adding that population determines the allocation.

In a legal update, County Attorney Charles McLain III said the county has an upcoming lawsuit and a potential lawsuit. The upcoming suit involves a public works vehicle that was in a car accident and the potential suit involves two citizens who say the sheriff’s office “allegedly entered the incorrect residence”while serving a warrant, McLain said.
Council and the Marion County Planning Commission will likely have another joint meeting on July 9, Harper said.

The next Marion County Council meeting will be at 9 a.m., July 8 in the Marion County Council Chambers in Marion City Hall.

Marion County Fire/Rescue Squad budgets*

Department Proposed
Mullins City: $130,000
Marion City: $100,000
Marion Rural: $55,000
Temperance Hill:           $55,000
Britton’s Neck: $55,000
Rains: $45,000
Pee Dee: $35,000
Nichols: $32,500
Centenary:           $32,500
Marion Rescue: $50,000
Mullins Rescue: $50,000

Total: $630,000
* Amounts are based on 90 percent collection rate

New Fire Department Charges 2008-2009

Appraisal Fee
With house: $35
With buildings: $45

Rental property 6 percent
Up to $50,000: $45
$50,001-$100,000: $50
$100,001-$500,000: $100
$500,001- $1 million:           $150
$1 million and up:           $200

Acres
50 acres-99 acres: $35
100 acres-499 acres:           $50
500 acres-999 acres:           $100
1,000 acres-100,000 acres: $150
100,001 acres and up:           $200

Commercial properties
$10,001-$50,000: $35
$50,001-$150,000: $50
$150,001-$500,000: $100
$500,001- $1 million:           $250
$1, 000,001 and up:           $500