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Surfside Beach leaders are moving toward approving the 2025-26 fiscal year budget with no tax increase and adding about half a dozen new positions to the town.

Town leaders met Thursday, April 24, to discuss the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. Out of nine different scenarios, the town council decided it would go forward with the proposal that gives all employees a 3% cost of living raise, new positions in various departments and unfreeze two police officer jobs.

鈥淓verything鈥檚 there and no mil increase. It just makes sense,鈥� council member Harry Kohlmann said.

If the proposed funding plan passes, a Public Works Storage Building would not be funded in the 2025-26 spending plan. Leaders had discussed using just over $353,000 in hospitality funds to pay for the building.

New positions in town

The town is planning to add a full time code enforcement officer, a light equipment operator, an executive assistant in the fire department, and two police officers, which would be funded starting July 1.

Some of the funding includes reclassifications for certain positions.

The council decided an arborist was important to consider in the budget for code enforcement officers due to an upcoming ordinance that will protect trees.

Mayor Robert Krouse said he does not anticipate the tree ordinance will be in effect until the end of this year, but since it will impact large portions of property in Surfside, the need for an arborist is anticipated.

However, there was discussion over what kind of applicant fulfills the qualifications of a code enforcement officer and an arborist. The position will be revisited further down the line, but is accounted for in the budget.聽

If the budget is passed, the Surfside Police Department will be able to hire two police officer positions to relieve the current police force of its strained schedules.

The proposal would unfreeze two police officers, which totals $179,320 for salary and benefits.

Kohlmann, a retired officer of the New York Police Department, said he felt strongly that two officers be approved in the upcoming budget after the council considered only unfreezing one officer.

鈥淵ou want these officers to go out and protect you and risk their lives for you, but you鈥檙e not willing to pay for him to have somebody to help him have his back? Not a good idea,鈥� Kohlmann said.

Surfside Police Chief Kenneth Davis said the department has needed these positions filled for more than a year, but a year ago there were more than two vacant positions. Davis said he has been selective with recruitment out of respect for the public鈥檚 money, and a year ago he did not want to request funding for positions that he would not be able to fill.

鈥淎t the end of the day one of the things that has helped us tremendously with hiring recently is the fact that word has gotten out about what we are doing. What the council has been able to do with salaries, it's helped us a lot with our recruitment,鈥� Davis said.

Surfside Police Captain William Mickle said the current workforce of the department is not sustainable.

鈥淥ur overtime is through the roof and we鈥檝e been able to get through, but it's a temporary fix being that understaffed. We鈥檝e asked a lot of our officers and our officers are working lots of overtime,鈥� he said.

He added recruitment efforts over the past year are paying off and officer interest in the department has increased.

鈥淥ur recruiting efforts are starting to pay off. It took a little time, but we鈥檙e in a really good position now. I am comfortable saying that whatever you decide to unfreeze if any, we will be filling those positions ASAP. I have the qualified applicants now that we will fill these immediately,鈥� Mickle said.

The town council is expected to take a first reading on the budget next month. It will need two readings before it鈥檚 approved. State law requires that it鈥檚 approved before the end of June.