South Vinemont approves 2021-2022 budget
Sep. 16—The South Vinemont Town Council passed its annual budget during Tuesday night's meeting and discussed possible uses for the town's allotment of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The 2021-2022 budget projects general fund revenues of around $600,885.81 and expenditures of around $598,534.21, up around 7.8 percent from last year's budgeted amounts of $553,000 in revenues and $549,000 in expenditures.
South Vinemont will be receiving $88,462.10 from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the council discussed some of the potential uses for the funds during the work session preceding Tuesday's meeting.
Some of the ideas brought forward by Mayor Reggie Dodson included new playground equipment, paving the parking lot at the town's sports complex, improvements at the town hall and installing touchless toilets and hand driers in the town's public restrooms.
He welcomed the council's members to bring forward any of their own suggestions for the funding, but said the money can only be used for specific purposes relating to COVID-19 that were set by the federal government.
Town Clerk Kayecea Sasser said projects like paving the parking lot at the sports complex could be completed using the money because the town could use the site for COVID-19 or other disease testing in the event of a future outbreak, and playground equipment could fall under the category of promoting development and exercise for the town's children.
She said the town has until December of 2026 to use all of the money received from the American Rescue Plan, so there is plenty of time for the council to decide the best uses for the funding.
"You have time to spend it," she said.
Dodson encouraged the council members to discuss the uses of the money, as even an idea that ends up not being possible with the funding could spur another idea from another council member that could be possible.
"That's what we're looking for, is something that we haven't thought of that you might," he said.
Dodson also reported that the town received its annual audit report from CPA Larry Cooke, and no discrepancies were found in South Vinemont's 2020 finances.
"The audit is absolutely clean," he said.
The council also discussed the possibility of assigning jobs to each council member, with members responsible for one aspect of the town and preparing a monthly report to review at meetings.
Sasser said she prepared a potential job list of Councilman Chris Thompson over the walking trail/beautification, Councilwoman Charlotte Cosper over the community center, Councilwoman Sonya Adams over the sports complex/Henry and Roe Wood Park, Councilwoman Sonya Copeland over finances and Councilwoman Bonnie Goodwin over streets/lights.
She said Dodson will have the final say on the job assignments, but she believes those areas are where each council member would fit the best.
"I think it would let us communicate a little better and everyone interact more," she said.
Adams said she would also like the council to consider the creation of committees for each area, which could include members of the community who want to provide their expertise or opinions on certain subjects.
"That kind of takes some of the research off of us with somebody who might have more time or more knowledge about those kinds of things," she said.
