Harlem City Council held a called meeting, Monday night, to host its 2025 budget hearing, Monday evening, one week before the council is scheduled to vote on its approval.
Harlem’s general operating budget for the coming year is projected to be more than $4.6 million, city manager Debra Moore told councilmembers, an increase from 2024’s budget by just less than 17%, which Moore noted is still “a little bit higher than increases normally are.”
Factored into the budget are some 20 city employees eligible for salary increases, including some in the police department who received promotions this year. The proposed budget accounts for 31 full-time positions with the city, six part-time roles and up to 20 volunteer firefighters, for an approximately 7% total increase in personnel costs.
This includes an estimated 10% increase in health insurance coverage for employees, as the city pays for 100% of its workers’ coverage and 70% of that of their dependents. Personnel costs, Moore also noted, account for about 54% of the city’s proposed budget.
Moore also made sure to include the some $250,000 requested to purchase equipment, including generators for one of the fire stations and Harlem City Hall.
The city’s garbage collection expenses are expected to be the largest increase in the budget at up to 43%, Moore said, as Coastal Waste & Recycling is raising its rates after its contract with Harlem ends this year.
Moore noted that no expenses related to Hurricane Helene are expected to affect the budget.
Further discussion on the proposed budget is on the agenda for the city council’s work session on Thursday evening at 7 p.m., and the council is to have its final vote on during its regular meeting Monday, Nov. 25 at the public safety building.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
