Road tax collections coming faster than expected

BLUFFTON — Collections for the 1 percent county sales tax voters approved by referendum in 2006 earmarked for county road projects are coming in faster than expected despite the weak economy, the county's head contractor for the road projects said Monday.

Dan Dennis, president of Dennis Corp., told the Beaufort County Council that through the last quarter, about $25 million was forecast to be collected but about $32 million came in.

County Council Chairman Weston Newton said that means the sales tax will be lifted sooner than expected, since the referendum question put cutoffs after either $152 million was collected or after six years, whichever came first.

"We're on target for an early sunset," Newton said.

The tax took effect in May 2007, and could last until 2013 if collections don't hit the $152 million mark.

Lady's Island airport

The council approved a $332,740 contract for trimming and removing trees from about 20 private properties around the Beaufort County Airport on Lady's Island. The targeted trees — there are more than 1,000 — have grown too tall to meet federal safety standards regulating air space around the airport.

About 30 unhappy people attended a January meeting that airport officials arranged to explain the situation and to obtain the rights for contractors to enter their properties to trim or remove the trees. Most of the property owners cooperated with county lawyers and the remaining holdouts' objections were overruled through eminent domain proceedings, Beaufort County airport director Paul Andres said.

No one challenged the condemnations within the requisite 30-day window, Andres said.

Ninety-five percent of the contract will be paid for through a Federal Aviation Administration grant and the remaining 5 percent will be split evenly between the county and the state.

Stormwater fees

The council voted 10-1 to increase stormwater utility fees for single-family homes on the second of three required readings. Councilman Bill McBride opposed the increases, which vary among the municipalities and unincorporated Beaufort County, because he felt the county's stormwater resources are inequitably used.

McBride said he wanted to draw attention to some of the county's stormwater drainage ditches dug under "gentleman's agreements" in rural parts of the county that have been neglected while new ditches are dug elsewhere.

Beaufort County public works director Eddie Bellamy said the increase in unincorporated Beaufort County's fees from $44.43 to $50 will allow him to hire three more employees and purchase two Bush Hogs, machines used to maintain drainage ditches.

Third reading and a public hearing on the fee increases are scheduled for the council's Aug. 11 meeting.