Editor’s Note: In order to tell the story as accurately as possible of the public hearing and budget discussion at last Wednesday’s (June 28) Dillon County Council meeting, we will be providing today’s story in a transcription-like format due to the twists and turns of the discussion. This is not a word-for-word transcription, but is our best translation of what occurred at that meeting regarding these issues. Translated parts will begin with the speaker’s name in all caps. We encourage you to view this meeting on www.thedillonherald.com or visit our YouTube Channel. The direct link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaKLhPNNu9g to watch the video of the meeting. Links to this video have also been placed on The Dillon Herald’s page on Facebook® and on The Dillon Herald’s twitter feed (@Dillon Herald).
By Betsy Finklea
A public hearing on the 2017-2018 budget and discussion about the budget highlighted the Dillon County Council’s Wednesday, June 28th meeting.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Archie Scott. Chairman Scott then made initial remarks.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I’m joyful this afternoon to see so many of you show up today. That let’s me know that you are concerned about Dillon County. You are concerned about things that goes on in the county. And, I’ve got to say, I welcome all of you school officials today. Mr. Rogers, Mr. Schafer, and different ones here. All the school board members, we thank you for being here. And definitely I appreciate you being here. Certainly my fellow councilmen appreciate you being here. When I look at you guys I probably cut myself short by not visiting the school board meetings. Certainly I plan to visit the school board meetings. We welcome you. We welcome you.
After the initial remarks, County Administrator Rodney Berry led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Scott then gave the invocation.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Father, we thank you today again for life, for health and strength. We just appreciate you for all that you do and all that you are going to do. We know that government is ordained by you even from the days of old from Moses and certain ones, and we carry it on today. We, Lord, know it is you who put people into positions and not us. You say you set kings up and you take them down. We pray for your blessings today upon this meeting Lord. Lord, we pray that you will hold back any confusion, that you hold back any disturbance, and Lord, I say if there be anyone among us who would want to cause a division, who would want to cause a disturbance, who would want to cause confusion, it is Satan. You have given us authority over that according to your word. For we bind anything that comes against this meeting today. We need to show your will and your purpose at this meeting. In Jesus name, Amen.
Other items of business were taken up before the public hearing on the 2017-2018 budget. Scott read the title of the agenda item: “D. An Ordinance to Provide Budget Appropriations for County Purposes in the County of Dillon for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2017 and Ending June 30, 2018 and Adopt and Implement Rates and Fees, and for Other Tax Purposes and County Appropriation Purposes and to Establish the Tax Millage to Provide for the Budget.”
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Have we had anybody sign up for the public hearing. Alright, who’ve we got?
COUNCIL CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: We have Jacorie McCall, Richard Schafer, Ray Rogers, Charles Curry, Nancy Finklea, and Doug Broome.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Okay, we’ve got an extensive amount of people and that’s good. People have a right to express themselves and that’s what democracy is about and we welcome that, but I want to give you the guidelines of this public hearing and these guidelines read as such:
1) Each organization can have three people speak on their behalf. Each speaker will have a minimum of three minutes for their presentation.
2) For the record, each speaker should identify themselves and what organization they represent.
3) Comments should be addressed to the county council pertaining to the issue being discussed.
4) All potential speakers should sign up to speak as soon as they enter the chamber. They probably have already done that.
5) If for any reason you were unable to make a presentation and would like to make a comment, you can do so in writing to the County Administrator within five days of the public hearing and that has probably already passed. …
But, however, we respectfully ask you to please govern yourselves according to these guidelines.
Then the first speaker was called, Jacorie McCall. Pleasantries were exchanged by McCall and Chairman Scott as McCall approached the podium to speak.
JACORIE McCALL: Good evening. My name is Jacorie McCall, and I plan to go to the University of South Carolina and practice political science and study law and to come back to Dillon County and practice law and serve all you guys. Last week I represented the Dillon School District Four at Palmetto Boys State to expand by knowledge of government and the way our county and our state run. One of the most influential things I retained during the week was a quote by Lt. Governor Kevin Bryant, “Education is the key foundation for the State of South Carolina, that pushes us forward into prosperity.”
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. McCall, can I interrupt you for a minute? I certainly embrace your endeavors and certainly I am happy to know you are going forth with your education and seeking political vision. You’ve got to stick to the budget.
JACORIE McCALL: I was giving an introduction. I’m sorry. South Carolina ranks 48 out of 50 states in education. With a new inland port coming to Dillon we have the possibility of improving our county’s economic development, as well as educational growth. Taking money from the local school district is taking a step back in growth.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I’ve got to interrupt you again, sir. You are talking about issues that are not about our budget. Talk about our budget. We have an $18 million dollar plus budget, and we are providing services to the citizens of Dillon County and if you going to support that or oppose that. If you oppose that, talk about what you oppose.
JACORIE McCALL: Yes sir. The school has received money from the county for 20 years. Last year we received $319,000 in funds from the county. This money is pledged to the repayment of the school debt for the new county school buildings. Our school districts need this money to fully fund day-to-day operations and work with a budget to help our districts succeed. We need to educate our…
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Jacorie, your minutes up. You are getting way off with what this is about. There is nothing in here about taking money from education or giving money to education. Your time is up. You’re getting away from that. Who’s next on the roster? Thank you though, sir.
JACORIE McCALL: Question—I thought we had three minutes?
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Your three minutes are way up sir.
JACORIE McCALL: Thank you, guys.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: You’re talking about something that doesn’t pertain to this budget.
JACORIE McCALL (as he walks away from the podium): That’s not democracy.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: But I do want to commend you for your endeavors. Who’s next?
COUNCIL CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: Richard Schafer.
RICHARD SCHAFER (Dillon County Board of Education Chairman): Good afternoon.
SOME COUNCIL: Good afternoon.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: How are you doing today, Mr. Schafer?
RICHARD SCHAFER: I’m doing good, and I hope you are. I’m here to discuss your budget issue. I’ve been on the County School Board for 29 years. I was fully involved in 1996 when this discussion on the referendum was brought forth. I was…
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Schafer, I’ve got to interrupt you.
RICHARD SCHAFER: I was going to get to the budget.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Schafer, but you are bringing in stuff that doesn’t have anything to do. You are talking about 1995 and a referendum. I don’t get that being part of our budget.
RICHARD SCHAFER: Let’s talk about the budget then. We’ve always been included in your budget. For $319,000 this year, so far we’ve only been paid about 1/2 of it. The budget that you are proposing right now reduces your contribution from the referendum to half of that from I am told.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Schafer, you know as well as I know that we have already been down this road. We have had discussions in this past about this…
RICHARD SCHAFER: Is this my three minutes or yours?
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I’ve got to interrupt you again because you are not talking about our budget.
RICHARD SCHAFER: I am talking about your budget.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: You are trying to bring in something about a referendum and about…
[Chairman Scott and Richard Schafer talk over each other.]
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I can bring in, sir, that this money possibly was illegal for ya’ll to receive, but we don’t need to get into that. That has nothing to do…talk to me about our $18 million budget that we are trying to pass.
[Chairman Scott and Richard Schafer talk over each other again.]
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Then, you don’t have anything sir to say about our budget.
RICHARD SCHAFER: …the $319,000 that is contributed, allocated.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I am going to have to cut you off Mr. Schafer. That is not part of our budget, and I am going to cut you off at this time. …Call the next person.
CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: Ray Rogers.
RAY ROGERS (District Four Superintendent): Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Hello, Mr. Rogers.
RAY ROGERS: Council.
RAY ROGERS: It’s an honor for me to come down here because I don’t come down here. All of you are my friends. I’ve never had a problem with any of you. The only thing that I came here to say, and it’s dealing with your budget. Dr. Kirby and I met yesterday with the architects and what plans we have depend on revenue which comes from ya’ll. Now, I’m smart enough to know you guys say as to whether your budget what you continue with. And all I’m saying is take a hard look at it because what we’re trying to do is the best for the kids in Dillon County. I’ve been in it 46 years, and I’ve put everything I’ve had in it, ya’ll know that, trying to get better for our kids. Ya’ll have got a decision to make in your budget, and I hope that everything you can do, you will do, for the betterment of our county and for our kids.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Thank you, Mr. Rogers. Anyone else?
CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: Charles Curry.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Curry, at this time.
Charles Curry approaches and passes out folders to council.
CHARLES CURRY: I did want to start with the ordinance that was passed. The school is asking that you put back in your budget. That is a part of the budget.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: No sir, I’ve got to interrupt you. I’ve got to interrupt you, Mr. Curry. Mr. Curry, this is not nothing concerning our budget. We’ve all seen this stuff before. This will probably be something if ya’ll choose or whatever your choose will be for the court system if ya’ll want to and that will be fine. That’s what the judicial system is for. But to come in here with these documents to give to us one way or the other. This not the time and the place.
CHARLES CURRY: I’m asking you, Mr. Chairman, to put back into the budget. That’s what this public hearing is about is whether or not the budget is proper or not.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I don’t find these documents you got being any…
[Talking over each other]
CHARLES CURRY: Don’t look at them then.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: You should not have passed them out to us.
CHARLES CURRY: Don’t look at them then.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: You are taking off the time of council. You’ve got three minutes. I want to treat everybody fair, but it’s nonsense to bring these documents and try to incorporate them into what we are doing today. It’s just nonsense. This stuff would be for a court. If you want to take it to a court, then that’s fine. We don’t have time.
CHARLES CURRY: I want the opportunity to ask this council to put in the budget…
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: We don’t have a judge.
CHARLES CURRY: …in the budget. In the budget we are here to discuss.
[Talking over each other]
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: If you want to talk about the $18.5 million budget that we plan to pass to offer services to the people of Dillon County. Sir, we would be glad, to operate this county. Sir, we’d be glad, but this stuff that ya’ll come up here with this is school stuff. We’re not here to discuss this. Now again this is not the appropriate place. If you want to go to a court or something then we probably could discuss that, but this is not what this is for.
Talk about the $18.5 million dollar plus to provide services for the citizens of Dillon County.
[Talking over each other]
CHARLES CURRY: I’m asking that you put back in your budget, which is what this meeting is about. I’m asking that you put back into your budget the money that is supposed to go to the Dillon County Board of Education.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Sir, we have no proof where that money is supposed to go.
CHARLES CURRY: Look at the documents.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Sir, I’m not going to argue with you. We’re going to close. Ma’am, do you have anybody else to speak?
CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: Nancy Finklea
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mrs. Finklea
NANCY FINKLEA: I would like defer my time to Charles Curry.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Okay, she’s going to give here time to Charles Curry. Mr. Curry, if you come with the same stuff, then it just ain’t going work.
CHARLES CURRY: I don’t have anything else, and you are not going to let me talk anyway.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Not with this, I won’t. If you are opposing that we offer services to the citizens of Dillon County, if you feel like we’re doing wrong in that area, then you know we can listen because that’s what the $18+ million dollars is for. It’s to offer services for rescue, employees, and that type of stuff, sir. We’d be glad to. But you come up here with an accusation against us that we took money one way or the other from somebody, sir. That has not been established and this ain’t the place to establish that.
CHARLES CURRY: The place to establish that you put back into your budget the 300 some thousand dollars…
[Talking over each other]
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: … I’m not going to answer that stuff.
CHARLES CURRY: By amending your budget…
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Who do you have left?
CHARLES CURRY: Amending your budget from $150,000 to $300,000.
CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: Doug Broome
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Doug Broome. Do we have a Mr. Doug Broome in the room. Mr. Doug Broome, come forward. Please talk about the budget, Mr. Broome.
CHARLES CURRY (while taking his seat back in the audience): This is a done deal.
DOUG BROOME (Dillon County Board of Education Business Manager): I’m Doug Broome. I’m the business manager for the Dillon County Board of Education and have been since 1998. During the time I have been here and before the time I got here since 1995, we’ve collected a portion of the local option sales tax from the County Council’s budget, and we’ve used that in accordance with what the taxpayers voted for.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Sir, I’ve got to stop you to. You are bringing in the same thing that those before you were trying to bring in. Again, sir, I must say that this is not the place for that. We have no evidence one way or the other. If ya’ll want to take this stuff for a judge to decide fine, but we are not a court. We are not a court. We cannot say one way or another. … Sir, if you have support or if you are in opposition of us operating these services then I’ll hear you. But this stuff about the schools and all this kind of stuff, sir, this ain’t the place for it.
DOUG BROOME: Yes, but it does have to do with the budget.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Jamie Sue, who we got next?
CLERK JAMIE SUE STEPHENS: That’s all.
COUNCILMAN T.F. “BUZZY” FINKLEA, JR.: Mr. Chairman, if they have evidence, why don’t we look at the evidence?
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Because this is not a court.
COUNCILMAN T.F. “BUZZY” FINKLEA, JR.: I didn’t say it was a court.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: We cannot hold court here and look at evidence.
COUNCILMAN T.F. “BUZZY” FINKLEA, JR.: We’re not having no court.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: It would be wrong to say we’ve got evidence we can push back and forth here. I don’t see that we can support that. Mr. Berry (County Attorney), can we examine evidence and look at it at this time?
ALAN BERRY (County Attorney): I don’t think that’s the time to do it, but if you want my opinion about the speakers at a public hearing I think they should be afforded their full time, Mr. Chairman, but you are the chairman and you are running the meeting.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Sir, I feel that they had the opportunity, but for them to bring in stuff to me as the chair that is not related to our budget I think is just uncalled for and I don’t see how we can hear that. Sir, moving right along, what’s next on the agenda?
Other business is taken up, and the meeting progresses to the vote on the third reading of the 2017-2018 budget. After Chairman Scott read this item on the agenda, Vice-Chairman Stevie Grice asked if he could speak.
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: I don’t feel like we need to vote on this budget today. I really don’t know what’s in it. I haven’t seen it since it has been revised and things put in and things taken out. I haven’t seen it so I don’t know how I can vote on it. I’d like to make a motion that we don’t vote on it.
COUNCILMAN T.F. “BUZZY” FINKLEA, JR.: Stevie, I was looking at it, and everything is like it is bundled together, and nothing broken down. It’s got the money each department gets, but it doesn’t tell where the money is going.
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: What I seen was from three weeks ago. I think it’s been changed several times since then.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Grice, you are putting it on the floor that you want a motion to not approve the third reading?
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: Yes, I don’t think we need to vote yes or no on it today. I don’t think we need to vote to do anything on it today.
Chairman Archie Scott then tried to clarify what Vice-Chairman Grice’s motion was.
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: I mean, has full council seen the budget? Had time to look at it?
Chairman Scott then said he had seen it in the budget workshops.
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: I’ve seen it to, but I think there’s been different things since then. I haven’t had time to look at it. I didn’t have in my packet. I didn’t see it. I don’t know about the rest of council.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: So you want to put on the floor not to vote on the third reading.
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: Yes sir.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Mr. Grice wants to put on the floor a motion not to pass the third reading of the budget. Okay, do we get a second?
COUNCILMAN HAROLD MOODY: I’ll second it.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Okay, we have a second. Any further discussions? All in favor of not voting on the third reading, raise your hand.
Four hands went up: Councilman Harold Moody, Vice-Chairman Stevie Grice, Councilman Robbie Coward, and Councilman T.F. “Buzzy” Finklea, Jr.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: Okay, we’re not going to vote on the third reading, and our vote is 4-3 not to vote on the third reading.
CHARLES CURRY: Is that a motion to table the third reading?
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: Yes sir.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: We pretty much voted not to have the third reading so we are not going to have the third reading.
Other business is then taken up. The time arrives for council comments.
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: I know we invite the public in here. We want them to be involved. We’re nothing but representatives of them. If we have public hearings, I think they ought to have the opportunity to speak whether we agree or disagree with what they are saying because we’re representing them, and we want them to be involved. So I mean, when we do have a public hearing, I think they should have the opportunity to speak.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: I have a comment on this too because I am a council member and all comments are welcome. I want to go on record saying that the general public were not deprived, they were not deprived to speak. They had an opportunity to speak, but you have to speak according to the budget and stay online with the budget. To bring in other stuff was just not called for and not permitted by me as the chair because it is a budget hearing. It’s not a hearing. We’re not here to hold court. We’re not here to look over documents and exhibits and try to do any legal litigation here. That’s for the court system. That’s why I took the position I took on this, and I still stand on that position. I don’t want anyone to walk away from here and say that the general public did not have the right to speak or have the opportunity. They knew what the guidelines was. We told them. The guidelines was explained, but when you get off the guidelines, it is the sole responsibility of the chairman to make sure you follow by the guidelines. And that’s all I asked for. We would have been here all day long trying to hold court, and none of us are judges and none of us are the jury. That is for another time and another place. Thank you.
COUNCILMAN T.F. “BUZZY” FINKLEA, JR.: I’ve been on this council for about five years now, and I know we’ve got rules to go by, but this is the first time that I’ve seen time called on anybody since I’ve been on this council. I’ve seen people get off the subject and talk 15 minutes and were allowed.
CHAIRMAN ARCHIE SCOTT: As a chairperson, it is your responsibility, any chair, the one after me, the one before me, or whoever, to make sure things are done in decency and in order, and if you allow things to get out of control, it will run longer and longer and longer and longer. Again, it is my position, that some of this stuff were not called for, and I called it the way I saw it. And again, there is another place for some of this stuff, but certainly this is not the place. Anyone else?
COUNCILMAN ROBBIE COWARD: I was planning on voting on the budget, but I didn’t vote on it because I feel like every councilman needs to know exactly what’s in there, and Councilman Grice brought up the issue that he hadn’t had time to look at it so that’s the reason I wanted to go with that. I wanted him to look at it, and then we’ll have a called meeting to come look at it and have a called meeting, because we’ve got to have a budget, right Mr. Administrator? I would like to see this council agree to give him until Friday. Can we do it Friday morning or Friday afternoon? Come in and get it done? Would that be okay, Mr. Grice?
VICE-CHAIRMAN STEVIE GRICE: I would like to see it.
CHAIRMAN ROBBIE COWARD: I was prepared to vote for the budget but I want to make sure that every councilman has got a right to look at it.
Chairman Scott offered other councilmen the opportunity to speak, but no one else spoke.
In closing comments, Chairman Scott said he would certainly like to thank the general public for being here today and again it always excites me to see people come out. It shows me that people are concerned and that people want to be involved and you should be involved. You know this is a democracy. This is an elected body and that shows that we are accountable to you.
So any time that you come in and sit in these meetings, it certainly make me feel good. He then asked for a motion to adjourn.
