Update: Horry Board of Education awards facilities department $581,000 extra

The Horry County Board of Education granted more than $500,000 to the facilities department to cover expenses and buy new equipment, which now leaves less money for other contingency costs.

Facilities staff are over budget this year by more than $288,000 because of previously approved changes to a 2013 short term facilities plan. The plan originally covered seven years of expenses at $5.6 million, but was amended twice and now totals $5 million over an 11-year period.

That leaves the facilities staff with $454,545 per year compared to the original $800,000 granted in 2013. Mark Wolfe, director of facilities, first mentioned the overages in November to the facilities committee, which made a motion to approve the extra funds last month.

“We cut their budget and then asked staff to come to the board for any needs, so this isn’t really any extra money,” said board chairman Joe DeFeo.

“I see it more as needs than wants,” he added.

The extra facilities money come out of a $1.89 million contingency fund, which cannot be refilled unless current projects come in under budget, John Gardner, chief financial officer, said. Some board members worry any contingency money will soon run out.

The short term plan includes the equipment budget, which included furniture, fleet vehicles, maintenance equipment, playgrounds and food service equipment, Wolfe said. If approved, the extra funds will come from a $1.89 million contingency fund with money left over from previous projects.

The district ended a cleaning contract that affected seven schools, so staff had to purchase $300,000 worth of replacement equipment. Two cutaway vans, one delivery van and one HVAC van were also purchased to replace four high-mileage utility vehicles. The district is asking for two more cutaway vans – at $35,000 each – to replace another two high-mileage trucks and two residential trailers, Wolfe said.

The board cut the department’s budget to not only save on costs but give board members a better look at how facilities spend money, DeFeo said.

“It gave us a way to scrutinize budgets, so we could be more accountable,” DeFeo said.

Facilities’ annual maintenance budget is about $28,000, but staff went more than $141,000 over budget this year. The spending stems from a need to purchase several new expensive pieces of equipment – including a backhoe at $40,000 – which was partially funded by grants. Some of the new purchases were necessary because old equipment could no longer be repaired, Wolfe said.

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Update: Horry Board of Education awards facilities department $581,000 extra."