Council Passes $3.9 Million Budget, Funds Main Street Traffic Study, Updates Search for a Grocer at the Old Bi-Lo
Council unanimously approved a $3.9 million 2021-22 budget, up 18%. It buys two police vehicles, funds a $30,000 Main Street traffic study and gives employees a 4% raise. The city manager said grocers have so far passed on the former Bi-Lo and the market may be one to two years from supporting one.
The Woodruff Times reported on July 11, 2021 on City Council's June 29 meeting.
After a public hearing with no comment, Council unanimously approved a $3.9 million budget for 2021-22, an 18% increase driven largely by police vehicles. About $100,000 buys and equips two Ford Explorers, which City Manager Lee Bailey said completes a four-year effort to update the police fleet. Council approved financing the purchase through Truist Bank. The budget also includes a 4% cost-of-living raise for all employees, a longevity bonus for full-time staff, a 1% December bonus, a roughly $80,000 backup generator for City Hall and $10,000 to resurface the basketball court.
The budget funds a traffic study of Main Street by the engineering firm KCI, about $30,000 over 10 months, to find ways to ease congestion. Because Main Street is a state highway, the city can present the findings to SCDOT, but any changes are the state's decision.
Bailey also updated Council on the search for a grocer for the former Bi-Lo. He said the city had contacted nearly every major grocer in the area without success, working with the building's owner. The chains prefer to own their buildings rather than lease, and they told the city the market could not yet support a third store alongside Food Lion and the Country Meat Center. Bailey said he believes Woodruff is one to two years away from the numbers to support a new store, and the city will keep making contact.
Councilmember William Arnold and Mayor Kenneth Gist thanked Bailey for the budget work and for guiding the city through the pandemic.
A note from us: this is the outlet's account of the meeting, not official minutes. Read the original at The Woodruff Times.