Port Wentworth approves new budget, increases millage rate
After a tense public hearing for the millage rate and budget last week, the Port Wentworth City Council passed both during its regular meeting Thursday night. The increase in the millage rate was approved unanimously, while the budget passed 5-1, with councilmember At-Large Artlise Alston-Cone voting against it.
The city is planning to appropriate $17.7 million in general funds toward operating expenses, including staff salaries; $9.7 million in enterprise funds raised from fees like water/sewer; an additional $1.7 million to the general fund from revenues derived from hotel-motel taxes; and, $54.4 million in capital funds with the intention of providing the community with better services and amenities like new recreational facilities and improved roads. The budget includes an ambitious 37 projects, such as the 150-acre Anchor Park Development and several infrastructure projects.
Alston-Cone said one of the reasons she voted against the FY2025 budget was because of the large number of projects, and no staff to oversee their implementation with the sudden passing of Assistant City Manager and Chief Development Officer Jason Stewart. Stewart, 47, suffered an unexpected cardiac event at home the second weekend of June.
At the beginning of June, City Manager Steve Davis announced the city would move to increase the FY2025 millage rate by 1.056 mills over the FY2024 rate. The average Port Wentworth household would see an increase of about $10-$15 on its annual tax bill.
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"What we're adding to the city for the millage rate [increase] is 12 new full-time employees, eight new part-time employees and the CAT service, which is being funded out of our general fund," Davis said. "We've got three new public works, three new police officers and six new firefighters starting at our fire station that will be opening next March."
There were a few rumblings of discontent from a three residents during the final of three public hearings. Resident Georgia Benton, a frequent attendee and speaker at council meetings, asked how the citys' budget jumped from $20 million to over $51 million in a year and urged the council to "look at how they're spending their money." Several council members addressed the increase in both the budget and millage rate, explaining that the growth of the city and its amenities warranted the extra dollars.
"Since 1986, I've heard the same song, and the councilmembers, city managers, clerk and lawyers all doing the same dance," Benton said. "They all got a way of saying one thing in council meetings and doing another. So, if you're going to sing the song, and you're going to do this dance that we have heard for 30 years, then just do it. We don't need nobody lying to us."
In addition to approving the city's FY2025 budget, council members passed a number of items through the consent agenda, which does not involve discussion or public comment. Among those items was a term sheet that outlined a proposed development agreement and an agreement for the Habitat for Humanity development.
Zawyer Sports and Oakview Group Term Sheet
While the term sheet is not a development agreement like the one the city entered into with the Ghost Pirates or SPH 21, it is the roadmap for one. This term sheet outlines the proposed terms of a development agreement for the Ghost Pirates Training Facility and the planned amphitheater for the city, with the proposed agreement committing the parties to a 20-year agreement.
The parties listed on the agreement: the city, which will provide $9 million for the project; the Port Wentworth Development Authority, with $15 million; and the Oakview Group and Zawyer Sports, which owns the Ghost Pirates, combined for a $20 million contribution.
The total estimated project cost is $44 million. The estimated construction timeline is 18 months.
Chatham County Development Agreement
Port Wentworth, Chatham County and the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity have united to bring an affordable housing project to downtown Port Wentworth, the first development there in decades. The project, which had its groundbreaking on Monday, will involve 15 single-family units and 68 townhomes. The county bought the property from the city for $402,500.
Previous: Port Wentworth City Council talks amphitheater, warehouse rezoning
Rezonings
As discussed at the last meeting, Port Wentworth rezoned 200.9 acres, or 2 million square feet, to industrial use, an addition to the 762 acres for an 8.2-million-square-foot warehouse park that was approved in December 2023. The development will increase the land zoned industrial in Port Wentworth by just 1%, according to the city planner.
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter covering Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at DAmbus@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Port Wentworth approves new budget, increases millage rate
