Park parking fees, budget on agenda
MOUNT PLEASANT — Memorial Waterfront Park parking fees and the new town budget will be the subject of public hearings at tonight's Town Council meeting.
Mount Pleasant’s Waterfront Park is seen from the Tides Condominiums. A committee has recommended rules and regulations for the new park next to the Ravenel Bridge, which opens Fourth of July weekend.
The proposed 50-cents-per-hour fee to park at the new $14 million park would help offset annual operating costs. The park would have 235 paid parking spaces, with a kiosk system, such as the one on Isle of Palms, used to collect the money.
For large public events, the parking fee would be suspended. Short-term, 15-minute parking for pick-up and drop-off would be free, officials have said.
The park is considered by local officials to be the crown jewel of the town with its 1,200-foot-long pier, visitors center, Sweetgrass Basket Pavilion, playground and other amenities.
The park is scheduled to open Fourth of July weekend.
A hearing also is planned to receive public comment on the $62.6 million budget, which includes no tax increase. The proposed budget is $7.5 million, or nearly 11 percent, less than last year's spending plan. The new budget year begins July 1.
Town Administrator Mac Burdette said the budget cuts will not affect town services, and the town will not have to dip into its $9 million savings account to make ends meet. The budget freezes merit pay and cost-of-living increases. Measures have been taken to reduce insurance costs.
"We really cut back on the capital (improvements) side of things," Burdette said.
Since last July, the town has left vacant 29 positions out of its workforce of more than 500 employees. So far, employee furloughs have not been required.
Burdette said the town has not received resident complaints related to town services during the leaner fiscal times.
Although hard times have affected town revenue, Burdette said the new budget was not particularly difficult to put together.
"In a way, it was probably one of the most rewarding budgets I ever worked on," he said. He said the experience has been positive because the various town departments have pulled together to meet their objectives and trim costs.
"I wish we weren't going through this. It's not a bad thing to have to go through fiscal belt-tightening," he said.
In a recent presentation to Town Council, Burdette said the town's lean budget years could extend to fiscal year 2013. Red-hot growth filled the town coffers from 1998-2006. These days, growth has slowed to a trickle and the town has suspended limits on building permits.
Belt-tightening measures, such as freezing vacant positions, have saved $1.3 million in this year's budget. Burdette has advocated the continuation of road projects and the town hall expansion because they will stimulate the economy.
A proposed membership fee increase for the Whipple Road tennis center also will be considered in the same public hearing.
