Laurens County Council has agreed to buy a $4 Million bond to upgrade the Johnson Detention Center and the Sheriff’s Office Animal Control facility. A public hearing will be conducted May 12.
The jail needs a new heating and air conditioning system, replacement of 7 door locks to a more modern system, and a padded cell in the women’s unit for people facing mental health challenges.
The spending requires 3 reading to become official. Initial approval was given at the council’s April 14 meeting, with Council Member Brown Patterson abstaining because he said, “three different figures” were bring presented.
Chief Deputy Chris Martin said, “These projects have been put off and overlooked. I have to do them.”
No inmates can leave the jail because of out-dated interior door locks, he said; but the most recent inspection found the 7 questionable door locks. The HVAC system is expected to cost $565,000, and money also will be allocated to an interior camera system to monitor comings and goings inside the jail, with facial recognition, and there will be upgrades to radioes.
Martin said in the new age of mental health for inmates 2 padded cells are not enough, so 2-3 additional cells will be added including one for the women’s area. This should meet SC Department of Corrections regulations, he said.
Meanwhile, animal control is “a big beast to bear on a daily basis - we need more space,” Martin said. Twenty additional outdoor kennels are envisioned at a cost of $708,310.
Sheriff Don Reynolds said work to get the staff out of a double-wide trailer on the property also will be part of the upgrade. They need a place to work — office space, intake area, wash bay, and storage - the Sheriff said.
The detention center and animal control work is estimated at $2.3 Million, and the $4 Million bond should provide some “wiggle room” depending on the volatility of the bond market, the council was told.
Some of the money can come from county reserves. County Administrator Thomas Higgs said the county can do some of the work and then reimburse itself with the bond sale - this is offset by other bonds coming off the county debt after re-payment.
County property taxes repay these General Obligation Bond debts.
“We can spend from reserves to lock in orders; and when the bond issue is done, we can repay our reserves,” Higgs said.
Patterson said he was cautious about the numbers because, earlier in the meeting, the county’s latest audit showed that Laurens County lost $5.7 Million in revenue because of calculations related to property tax relief provided through the Local Option Sales Tax.
Patterson said the county lost that money because “somebody didn’t know how to use a calculator.”
The effect of the revenue loss was that taxpayers saw a smaller than normal bill for two fiscal years, and then a higher tax bill during the last fiscal year.
Despite the loss, the County received an “unmodified” or clean audit opinion, even as the auditing firm, Love Bailey Associates, said the audit is not designed to tell the county how to spend its money, or detect fraud. The audit ensures that all spending and records are done in accordance with standard accounting procedures.
The audit indicates that the County has a $9.6 Million overall fund balance, and it paid back $9M to other funds owed from 2023. It spent a $1.7M increase in salary and wages - 5% more in the number of employees and a 6% pay increase for employees. Income all other funds other than the General Fund was down $2.9M. This included C Funds (roads) going back to the state at $7M last year and $1M this year. The County has received $4M in grants, including EMS, rural fire, housing, and development.
The County provided $1.5M more in support to the Laurens County Development Corporation this past year than in 2023.
The County’s debt increased by $27M primarily due to a $33M installment service bond (to finish renovations to the Historic Courthouse). The County has a payment due of $6.8M in 2025 due principal and interest.
Council Member Arthur Philson Jr. asked why more money was going to LCDC — he said that’s $1.5M that could be considered for other, human-needs organizations — and Council Chairman Jeff Carroll said, “The auditor can’t answer that question. We can answer later.”
The County is developing next year’s budget - it will be discussed May 12 with a second workshop planned for May 19 to consider capital expenses, solid waste costs, and the general fund; that way, 3rd reading and a public hearing would be on tap for June 9.
The County wants it to be done by June 30.
