It’s going to cost more to run Fort Mill. But town leaders have a plan in place.

It’ll cost almost 20 percent more to run Fort Mill starting in October than it did the year prior. Yet town leaders believe it can be done without a tax rate increase.

Fort Mill Town Council finalized a $47.98 million budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. That figure is a more than 18 percent increase from 2016-’17. It includes a variety of new positions and investments it capital projects. It doesn’t include a higher tax rate.

Here’s a breakdown of how the town plans to spend its money:

▪ Capital projects will cost $9.1 million, up 103 percent from the prior year. The biggest ticket items are $3.2 million for an amphitheater and $2.5 million for improvements at the Complex on the Greenway and Banks Street Gym. Another $2 million will go to a new fire station.

Other capital projects include land acquisition ($500,000), Walter Elisha Park improvements ($350,000), grant matches for road work at A.O. Jones Boulevard and the intersection of Clebourne and North White streets ($225,000), ball field design work for Waterside Park ($200,000) and sidewalk projects ($100,000).

▪ A dozen new full-time employees, and one shared full-time employee, will be added through the general fund. Positions include three officers and two detectives with the police department, a deputy fire marshal and administrative assistant with the fire department, four administration positions related to planning and construction and a position each for public works and parks and recreation.

▪ Public works will add three full-time and the same shared full-time position, through the town gross revenue fund. That fund also will pay a combined $4.5 million for design of wastewater treatment plant upgrades, phase one of the upgrades and a million-gallon elevated water storage tank.

▪ Funding for bathroom facilities at Walter Elisha Park, which the town acquired from Leroy Springs &Co. earlier this year, made the budget, at $250,000.

▪ The general fund will pay for 15 vehicles at more than $590,000. They include eight for the police department and three for the fire department. Another three vehicles come for public works through the gross revenue fund, and two more from the stormwater fund.

▪ Several studies will be funded. They include a comprehensive plan update, downtown small area plan, impact fee study, athletics facilities rentals and the wrap up of the town unified development ordinance. Those efforts combine for $170,000.

▪ Town employees will get a 3 percent cost of living increase. The town has more than 160 full-time and part-time employees, without including the new hires projected in the budget.

▪ The $5.7 million gross revenue fund budget decreases by almost 30 percent, but includes a 5 percent increase in water and sewer rates. With more customers and the new rates, water revenue is projected to increase by 14 percent and sewer by 25 percent.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 12:54 PM with the headline "It’s going to cost more to run Fort Mill. But town leaders have a plan in place.."