By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon County Council discussed Fund 45 at a recent meeting.
Councilman T.F. “Buzzy” Finklea, Jr., said he had done some research on Fund 45 with particular interest in the Lake View infrastructure area and sewer-Latta area funds.
He said in 2013 when the county got through with the capital sales tax projects the Dillon County Council voted in February use $686,184.59 of the remaining capital sales tax money to assist the Town of Latta with sewer and the Latta area. Later that year, when the council was drawing up the budget, he said the council decided they needed to protect Lake View’s money and put it in the budget. Approximately $2.1 million was left in the budget so council established three line items: $611,111 for Latta – Highway 38 area sewer, $593,714 for Lake View area infrastructure, and the remaining funds would be used for economic-development related and other capital projects.
Finklea said this money has been in the budget every year since then. It was in this past budget and was advertised each year in the budget notice that appeared in the newspaper.
Finklea said Councilman James Campbell called him recently and said that the money that Latta and Lake View had is gone, and there was no money there. He showed the report they received in their packet that day which showed Lake View with $562,497.58 left and Latta with $191,775 left. Finklea said he thought what had happened was the council was hurting for money this year and everything was running very close. He said that bills came in and this money was used. He said there was also stuff bought that was supposed to come out of the G.O. bond in April which he thinks was paid out of this fund.
Finklea said this fund is still listed in the budget, and the only way to take it out was three readings and a public hearing. He said he certainly didn’t believe after they gave the money to Latta and Lake View area that they would take it back. He said if they don’t have the funds now they can understand that. He said leave it in the budget and next year when the money comes in the county was going to get on their feet. He said leave it there and please don’t take it from Latta and Lake View. He said he would like a workshop or special meeting to be called to discuss it.
Finance Director Richard Gaddy said right now these are still part of the budget, but the council doesn’t have the money to fund it.
Dillon County Council Chairman Archie Scott said he was glad that Finklea brought this matter to the floor. He said he had no problem having a full council workshop, but he thought they needed to back up. He said if there was conflict over how the money was spent, allocated, or what happened to the money then he thought the thing to do was to get in touch with the previous administrator, Clay Young, who was responsible for presenting a balanced budget and that perhaps he could shed some clarity on Fund 45 and tell them exactly what happened. A. Scott said he was hearing what Councilman Finklea said, and he was hearing there was no money so he thought that the only way to solve it was to go with the one it originated with and it originated with the budget.
Finklea said he thought that Gaddy could tell them where Latta’s money was spent because every time they spent money they presented a bill and it said what it was going to be used for. He said no money was paid in Latta unless a bill was there. Finklea said he agreed that the budget was balanced, and if the money is not there, then he thought Richard Gaddy could tell them where it was.
Gaddy said what had them in a jam was buying the inland port property at $2.3 million.
inklea said the money was there when Young left.
Councilman Stevie Grice said that Finklea was saying the money was there when Young left. Grice said Gaddy told them that the money was probably gone two years ago. “No,” Finklea said in the background.
“No,” Gaddy said. Councilman Robbie Coward then commented on what he said the county treasurer told them.
Gaddy said it went to the general fund. Gaddy said there were two scenarios. He said when the projects completed the money that Finklea was talking about went to the general fund. He said then it became part of the budget with part designated to Latta, part designated to Lake View, and part designated to Dillon.
Finklea said in their packets the budget report that goes through December 31st states that the county is supposed to collect $4,279,000 in taxes. As of that date, $2,023,593 has been collected, and $2,255,406.03 was still owed to the county. He said that would be plus interest after January 15th.
Councilman James Campbell then commented about his discussion with the county treasurer.
Finklea said he didn’t believe that and wait until the auditor comes in.
A. Scott said he agreed they should call a full Council workshop. He said if the projects were completed and the money returned back to the general fund, then they need to go back and make sure the projects were actually completed. He said there are some issues that they need to take up with Young.
Finklea said there is a letter that states the projects are completed and that he thought Linda Hayes, who was present, had a copy of it. She said that she did, and she took issue with it. She said all you had to do was ride down to the Oak Grove Industrial Park (at Highway 38 and Highway 917) and one would find the Oak Grove hay field. “Where’s the money?” she asked.
A. Scott said he could understand the concerns of the people in that area.
A. Scott said there has been some confusion over this money the last couple of months or better. He said he didn’t think they could solve this at that meeting. He said that they need to get together at another meeting to discuss this. Finklea said he would like for them to ask the county treasurer to attend.
Grice asked Finklea if he was saying that if the money was there when Clay left that it had been spent since the interim administrator had been there.
Finklea said he thought Gaddy could tell them where it went. Gaddy gave a brief overview stating that $7.5 million had gone to Wyman-Gordon, $5 million to the Judicial Center, funds for the fire departments at Bingham, etc.
Finklea said every year they have approved this as part of the budget ordinance to provide appropriations for this. He said the ordinance designates what the money must be used for, and it shouldn’t have come out, but it was probably a mistake.
Councilman Jack Scott said all of the councilmen knew what kind of discussions had gone on behind the scenes about this same money and discussions at meetings about this money. He said they could go on and on about it.
J. Scott said his suggestion was to let Administrator Rodney Berry, Richard Gaddy, and some or all of the councilman to look into it or to turn it over to Rodney and Richard and let them handle it. He noted that the discussions had been civil, and there was nothing against Latta or Lake View. He said it was Rodney’s job and to let him handle it. He said he knew he would do it in the right way.
A. Scott said they can’t just drop it off on Rodney. He is a newcomer, and it is not fair to him. He said he though they thing to do was call a full council workshop to try to contact former County Administrator Clay Young and former County Attorney Ken Dubose and start from the beginning. The council then moved on to other topics
