City of Anderson approves 2024-2025 budget, includes pay raises, funding for firefighters

Travis Jacque Rose, Anderson Independent Mail
·9 min read

The City of Anderson's 2024-25 budget includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for full-time and permanent part-time city employees, a full year of public safety salary adjustments, and funding for capital projects such as the Linley Park Project and utility line upgrades/replacements.

On June 24, the City of Anderson approved its 2024-2025 budget of $84,757,127 for the current fiscal year. This is an increase of 2.33% from the prior fiscal year of $82,842,152.

The new budget went into effect on Monday, July 1.

According to officials, this plan is designed to keep up with the growth within the City of Anderson. The most recent United States Census data states that between 2021 and 2022, the Anderson population grew from 28,796 to 29,345, a 1.91% increase.

City Hall in downtown Anderson
City Hall in downtown Anderson

"I am proud of our 2024-2025 budget, which signifies that our city is a great place to live. Our council and administration commit to working hard for our citizens," said City of Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts.

"The budget reflects this commitment to providing our residents with top-notch services, infrastructure, and opportunities," he said. "The fact that we are attracting relocations of families from across the nation is a testament to the quality of life we offer here in Anderson."

City of Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts
City of Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts
City Hall in Anderson on South Main Street.
City Hall in Anderson on South Main Street.

City of Anderson Fire Department

The 2024-25 budget includes six additional full-time firefighters and two new ACATS transportation team members.

"Although the request was for 10, the City is only able to fund five," City Manager David McCuen said.

"However, the City’s fleet can accommodate this as there are reserve vehicles available, and the current fleet is in good shape," he said.

The Anderson Fire Department operates three fire stations that are staffed 24/7 in strategic locations in the city.

Anderson Fire Chief Charlie King listens as The City of Anderson City Council talks holds a public meeting discussing the 2024-25 budget.
Anderson Fire Chief Charlie King listens as The City of Anderson City Council talks holds a public meeting discussing the 2024-25 budget.

Fire Station #1 houses Engine #1, Ladder #1, and Battalion Chief #1. Station #2 houses Engine #2, and Station #3 houses Engine #3.

There are 63 firefighters with various ranks, divided into three shifts with 21 firefighters per shift.

Why the City of Anderson needs more firefighters?

According to Fire Chief Charles King, new team members will be assigned to each of the three shifts, bringing the total to 23 on each shift and 69 in total.

They will provide additional personnel support at the “north end” of the city, such as Fire Station #3 on Simpson Road and Engine Company #3.

This will provide manpower to support the continued and planned growth in Midway Road, Crestview Road, East/West Connector, and Clemson Boulevard and deploy additional resources to Rescue Company #3.

Soot from a tire fire on his face, Homeland Park fireman Jackson Meehan of Anderson County works at the scene of a tire fire at Viva Recycling of South Carolina on S.C. 28 South in Anderson Friday morning.
Soot from a tire fire on his face, Homeland Park fireman Jackson Meehan of Anderson County works at the scene of a tire fire at Viva Recycling of South Carolina on S.C. 28 South in Anderson Friday morning.

"This will be a manpower-based unit equipped with specialty tools for vehicle extractions, rope rescue, water rescue, fire ground operations, and medical responses," King said.

In addition to supporting needs inside the City of Anderson, the Rescue #3 crew would respond to HazMat and technical rescue incidents county-wide.

"Our city's long-range plan is to continue increasing staffing and place an engine company at a new fire station near Clemson Boulevard and the East/West Connector," King said.

Friendship firemen from Anderson County work at the scene of a tire fire at Viva Recycling of South Carolina on S.C. 28 South in Anderson Friday morning.
Friendship firemen from Anderson County work at the scene of a tire fire at Viva Recycling of South Carolina on S.C. 28 South in Anderson Friday morning.

"As our city continues to grow," King said. "So does the quantity and complexity of the incidents the Anderson Fire Department responds to.

"The additional personnel and planned fire station allow us to match personnel and equipment to those needs," he said.

General Fund

The General Fund budget is $38,395,00, representing a 5.72% increase from last year’s budget.

According to the Anderson County 2024-2025 Budget Report, this year’s budget includes revenue growth, offset by the increase in operational expenditures.

Special Revenue Funds

Honea Path garbage truck, right, waits for a truck from Greenwood to pass it in downtown.
Honea Path garbage truck, right, waits for a truck from Greenwood to pass it in downtown.

  • The Capital Replacement Fund currently stands at $713,860, which reflects a decrease of 4.03% from the previous year's budget.

  • The Hospitality Fund is $5,915,000, which reflects a 2.78% increase from last year's budget.

  • The Parks & Recreation Fund is currently at $2,465,948, representing a decrease of 8.91% from last year's budget.

  • The Sanitation Fund is $3,139,532, representing a 3.58% increase from last year's budget.

  • The Community Development Fund remains at $1,301,263, the same amount as last year's budget.

  • The Cemetery Fund currently stands at $673,953, a 20.56% increase over the previous year's budget.

  • Accommodation tax of $600,000, a 3.23% decrease from last year's budget.

  • Transit Endowment of $50,000, the same amount as last year's budget.

  • Perpetual Care of $55,000, the same amount as last year's budget.

  • The Total Special Revenue Funds amount to $14,914,556, representing a 0.62% increase from last year's budget.

Enterprise Funds

  • Sewer funds are $16,935,530, a decrease of 3.94% from last year's budget.

  • The budget for Water Funds is $11,770,775, which reflects a 5.17% increase from last year's budget.

  • The Stormwater Funds amount to $1,180,460, which reflects a decrease of 6.07% from last year's budget.

  • The amount allocated for transit funds is $1,560,800, which represents a decrease of 2.74% from last year's budget.

  • The total enterprise funds amount to $31,447,565, which reflects a decrease of 0.74% from last year's budget.

City of Anderson Water Treatment

According to the City of Anderson's budget report, most of this upcoming year's budget is allocated to capital projects and enterprise funds such as sewer and water.

The City provides water distribution, wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment for Anderson County's principal urban areas through two wastewater treatment facilities.

The Rocky River WWTP has a treatment capacity of 9.5 million gallons per day, and the Generostee WWTP can treat 10 million gallons daily.

The city also operates and maintains five pump stations, approximately 6,643 manholes, and 1,473,120 linear feet (280 miles) of gravity line.

Fire hydrants, protection, sprinklers, water and sewer fees

According to the City of Anderson's Budget Report, residential sewer tap fees will increase from $1,000 to $2,000, and the residential capacity fee will increase from $600 to $1,500 in the new budget to keep up with the city's growth.

The 3/4” water tap fee will increase from $1,000 to $1,500, and the 1” tap fee will be the line cost plus 25 percent.

The charges for fire hydrants, fire protection, and sprinkler systems have also been changed. A fee of $200 will be charged for unauthorized use of a fire hydrant, and $500 will be charged for unauthorized use of fire service.

According to officials, this plan is designed to keep up with the growth and demand for sewer system capacity.

Davis & Floyd for Engineering Design

According to the 2024-25 budget, around $1.2 million will be spent replacing the drainage pipe that runs southeast along the rear property lines from East Calhoun Street to North Street.

This upgrade to downtown will also involve installing new water and sewer lines.

Electric City Utilities workers fix a water line break near the Anderson Mall on North Main in Anderson, S.C. Friday, January 7. 2022.
Electric City Utilities workers fix a water line break near the Anderson Mall on North Main in Anderson, S.C. Friday, January 7. 2022.

Funding for this project will be from the City’s allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act.

In 2022, the City of Anderson requested consideration of an engineering contract with Davis & Floyd to perform a condition assessment to determine the location and condition of the storm drainage system in the vicinity of North Street.

New water and sewer lines upgrade

According to the 2024-25 budget report, the city has chosen to plan the project in one phase and execute the project in two phases.

Electric City Utilities workers fix a water line break near the Anderson Mall on North Main in Anderson, S.C. Friday, January 7. 2022.
Electric City Utilities workers fix a water line break near the Anderson Mall on North Main in Anderson, S.C. Friday, January 7. 2022.

It aims to ensure sustainable growth by pursuing long-term infrastructure projects. Officials recommend approving the engineering contract with Davis & Floyd, which should not exceed $396,000.

Click here to view the project breakdown of the proposed fees.

Linley Park Project

According to the 2024-24 Anderson County Budget, the $13.75 million Linley Park Project will be primarily funded through the city's hospitality funds, and stormwater funding will also be used.

As part of the project, the park will be redeveloped into a playground with rubberized surfaces to make it safer for children.

A redesign of Linley Park by the City of Anderson, seen in progress April 30, 2024. "The $13.4 million project is funded by a mix of federal grants and reinvestment of our community’s Hospitality Tax," the City of Anderson stated on their website. The project is expected to be complete around Spring of 2025.
A redesign of Linley Park by the City of Anderson, seen in progress April 30, 2024. "The $13.4 million project is funded by a mix of federal grants and reinvestment of our community’s Hospitality Tax," the City of Anderson stated on their website. The project is expected to be complete around Spring of 2025.

There are also plans to update the restrooms, build a pavilion where families can picnic, expand parking, and reconstruct the existing creek.

Construction has already started. The renovation will take up to a year and a half, and the park will be closed to the public.

Cater’s Lake Project

The City of Anderson owns and maintains Caters Lake Park at Hiawatha Drive and East Greenville Street.

According to the 2024-24 Anderson County Budget, the City of Anderson hired Goodwyn Mills Cawood, LLC (GMC) in the summer of 2023 to develop construction documents, conduct public input sessions, acquire permits, and oversee the construction contract for the renovation of Cater’s Lake Park.

Foggy morning at Cater’s Lake near Greenville Street in Anderson on Dec. 11, 2018.
Foggy morning at Cater’s Lake near Greenville Street in Anderson on Dec. 11, 2018.

The 7.0-acre park was built in 1923 and transferred to the City in 1979. It currently consists of picnic tables and parking stalls.

The primary components of the redevelopment are installing parking along Hiawatha Drive, sidewalks throughout the park, improvements to the water feature, and the construction of a signature “covered bridge” structure.

Anderson is coordinating with SCDOT to remove the intersection of Hiawatha Drive and East Greenville Street.

Public drop-ins are scheduled for late summer 2024, per the 2024-25 budget. The project has a contractor for pricing exercises and a constructability review.

The Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) method of construction administration will provide the City with development plans.

The City Council unanimously approved an 8-0 recommendation to select Edifice General Contractors to perform pre-construction services for the Carter's Lake Project for a fee of $30,000.

According to the 2024-24 Anderson County Budget, once a final budget, scope, and timeline have been developed, contractors will bring a contract to the City Council and a guaranteed maximum authorization price before construction starts.

Hospitality Fund will fund this project.

Budget Highlights

  • There will be no proposed increases in tax rates, and the millage rate will remain at 109.

  • There are no proposed monthly utility, stormwater, or sanitation fee increases.

  • There will be no health insurance increases for city employees.

Greg Steele talks with people before the start of the Anderson City Council meeting, where they unanimously approved the 2024-25 budget on it's second reading at City Hall in Anderson Monday, June 24, 2024. Steele begins his term in seat 6 at the next meeting in July, as Rick Laughridge retired from serving since July 2008, 16 years ago.
Greg Steele talks with people before the start of the Anderson City Council meeting, where they unanimously approved the 2024-25 budget on it's second reading at City Hall in Anderson Monday, June 24, 2024. Steele begins his term in seat 6 at the next meeting in July, as Rick Laughridge retired from serving since July 2008, 16 years ago.

  • The City will incur an 11.7% increase in health insurance costs in January 2025.

  • There will be a 6% increase in the wholesale purchased water rate.

Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Anderson yearly budget includes funds for pay raises, Linley Park