LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Citizens should look into county expenditures

Prior to the tax notices coming out, but knowing that the county would be faced with budget challenges, concerned members of the Florence County Citizens In Action wrote letters to each member of the Florence County Council asking for balances in each council members’ discretionary funds including the Infrastructure Funds, Paving Funds and Utility Funds and In-Kind Funds.

The councilmen do not like for these funds to be referred to as discretionary funds. However, each councilman maintains separate funds. The funds are rolled over each year, large amounts accumulate and each councilman spends these funds at his discretion. Because of the efforts of the FCCIA, the State Attorney General rendered an opinion that these funds were unconstitutional based on the fact that they were not voted on or discussed by council at open meetings. When faced with possible legal action, council, a number of years ago, began voting on the expenditures of these funds at council meetings.

Only four council members responded (with identical form letters) to the inquiries of the citizens. They were Russell Culberson, Morris Anderson, James Schofield and Johnnie Rodgers. They only gave balances and did not identify projects or for which the funds were spent. The letters to the councilmen were written by citizens living in their districts. The money in these funds belongs to the people, not to the councilmen. Information as to how and why the funds are spent or why the money is rolled over annually is also information that belongs to the people and should be readily available to them.

By doing some research on the county Web site, www.florenceco.org, FCCIA was able to determine that the total of unspent (rolled over) discretionary funds from 2008 was $5,774,604. This was the total from accounts of all nine councilmen. This information can be found under the long agenda and is included quarterly in the “Allocation Balances by Districts” report.

According to a statement written by the county administrator on page (i) of the 2009/2010 Florence County Budget, there was a $2 million budget shortfall that resulted in the 63 percent increase in the solid waste fee and the transfer of $740,000 from the General Fund Balance. We are in the midst of a severe recession. Many people in Florence County are out of work. Why were the Councilmen not willing to transfer $2 million of these unspent funds to the general fund and eliminate the need to increase the solid waste fee? Unfortunately, once fees are increased, they are seldom decreased.

The best way to get answers to these and other questions is to make your voice heard. And we encourage everyone reading this letter to do so. The councilmen can be reached at 180 N. Irby St. MSC-G, Florence, SC 29501 or www.florenceco.org. Also please ask how they have spend their discretionary funds in fiscal year 2009, as so far this year a total of $1,742,100 has been spent. The three big spenders are James Schofield, who has spent $468,867; Al Bradley, who has spent $463,216; and Waymon Mumford, who has spent $317,833. Please ask for specific projects and why these projects were chosen. If possible, please send a copy of the response to your letter to the chairman of The Citizens In Action, Lou Vause, 3955 Creek Road, Timmonsville, SC 29161.

Lou Vause, chairwoman
Florence County Citizens In Action