Travelers Rest Advances $8M Budget with No Tax Increase: City Council Notes

Travelers Rest Advances $8M Budget with No Tax Increase: City Council Notes

Travelers Rest, a bustling city in Greenville County, recently made significant strides in advancing its financial plans for the upcoming fiscal year without imposing any tax increases. The City Council’s latest meeting on May 16th shed light on key decisions that will shape the city’s budget and infrastructure developments.

Advanced: 2024-25 Fiscal Year Budget

The City Council gave initial approval of Travelers Rest’s comprehensive operation budget exceeding $8.07 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The most notable aspect of this budget is the absence of any tax hikes, bringing relief to residents and businesses alike. In a move to support its workforce, the city council also sanctioned a 4% cost-of-living increase for all city employees.

The budget allocations encompass various vital projects and expenditures, including:

• Poinsett Center Street Streetscape – over $2.6 million
• Tubbs Mountain parking lot – $200,000
• Sidewalk projects – $40,000
• Procurement of a fire department pickup truck
• Addition of an electric Ford Mustang for the police department
• Investment in police weapons and body armor

The final approval of this budget is slated for June 20, underscoring the city’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and strategic financial planning.

Approved: Funding, Memorandum of Understanding for Parking Lot

Furthermore, the City Council greenlit a memorandum of understanding with the Travelers Rest Historical Society to facilitate the construction of a pivotal parking lot at 501 Old Buncombe Road. This agreement not only benefits the city but also enhances public access to essential amenities.

As part of the arrangement, Travelers Rest will have access to the parking lot located at Spring Park Inn for public use. To support the project, the city will allocate $215,000 from its 2024-25 budget, with a portion of $103,000 redirected from the gazebo-area pocket park project and $22,000 reallocated from the city’s capital fund.

This collaboration underscores the city’s dedication to fostering partnerships and investing in infrastructural developments that benefit the community at large.