Lancaster County Council passed second reading of its fiscal 2026-27 budget Monday night, adding a slate of new spending for employee raises, jail staffing, ambulance service and senior transportation that will be covered in part by a property tax increase of up to 1.5 mills.
The amended budget cleared second reading 7-0 after roughly two hours of line-by-line negotiation among the seven council members. A third reading, a second public hearing and final adoption are scheduled for Monday, June 22, with a budget workshop set for Wednesday, June 10. Council meets at the County Administration Building, 101 North Main Street in Lancaster.
The decisions matter to every property owner in the county. The package the council backed Monday raises the county operating millage for the first time in two years and commits new money to public safety positions that staff have warned are needed to keep pace with one of the fastest growing counties in the state.
A net neutral budget that did not stay neutral
Interim County Administrator Steve Willis told the council the version presented for second reading was built as a net neutral millage budget. County debt service fell while general fund operations rose, and the two offset each other, freeing 4.7 mills of debt capacity that staff shifted toward operations. Budget officials projected $6.4 million in new general fund revenue for the coming year.
To hold the line, Willis said, staff had cut recurring costs that council was unlikely to support, including detention officers, an EMS shift change and other positions. “We had to go back and we took a hatchet to recurring expenses,” he said, telling council the choices amounted to policy decisions about its priorities.
Council spent most of the meeting putting much of that spending back. After extended debate over how to balance pay between public safety workers and other employees, Council Member Stuart Graham of District 1 framed the final motion. It set a 5 percent raise for sheriff, EMS, fire, emergency management, public safety communications and coroner staff, a 4 percent raise for all other employees, and an operating millage increase of up to 1.5 mills.
County staff estimated that 1.5 mills would cost about $6 a year on a $100,000 home. A single mill generates roughly $674,700 in revenue.
Detention center, EMS and senior rides
The largest single addition was staffing for the new detention center. Sheriff Barry Faile told council the current jail, built for 125 inmates, held more than 220 as of Monday morning. Council agreed to fund eight sworn correctional officers and four booking clerks, with six officers hired up front so they can complete training and the remaining positions filled in January. A roughly $300,000 reduction in the jail medical contract helped offset the cost.
Council also moved Emergency Medical Services toward a 24/72 schedule, working 24 hours on and 72 off rather than the current 24/48, for half of the coming year beginning in January. EMS Director Clay told council the department has already lost a medic to the demanding schedule and the long distances staff drive, and warned the county could build new stations it cannot staff. “We’d have nice pretty stations, but it would just be a station with nothing there,” he said.
Senior transportation drew repeated support. Board members of the Lancaster County Council on Aging asked the council to fully fund the Lancaster Area Ride Service, known as Lars, which provides low fare public transportation for seniors, veterans, low income residents, workers and students. Council added $100,000 to the program’s existing $100,000 in county money. Supporters said the additional local match would unlock about $600,000 in federal funding. “Anytime you can spend $2 and get $6, that’s pretty good,” Graham said.
The final amendment also funded a half-year staff attorney for the sheriff’s office, a full-time clerk for the Auditor’s Office and a salary boost in the Coroner’s Office. Auditor and coroner officials both told council their offices are already behind and bracing for added work from a pending state homestead exemption expansion that, if approved, would require paper records and years of residency research.
Other budget actions
Council voted 6-1 to split $60,000 in state accommodations tax tourism funding evenly between the Old English District and the Lancaster County 250 committee, the same arrangement used last year. Council members said those were the only organizations that currently qualify for the funds.
Council also passed second reading of the county Capital Improvement Plan 6-1, with Vice Chair Billy Mosteller of District 3 opposed. The plan lists about $43.5 million in capital project requests for the coming year. Mosteller objected to a $6 million appropriation for a new Harrisburg Road fire station in Indian Land, arguing the county could build an adequate station for less and spread the savings to other fire stations. Other council members cited updated construction figures showing a comparable station would cost about $4.5 million bare bones.
Council members noted at the close of the budget discussion that two items still need to be formally removed before third reading: a planned increase to a $17 minimum wage and $125,000 for a compensation and classification study.
Rezonings and a development agreement
Council approved first reading on three rezoning requests, all of which the Planning Commission and planning staff had recommended for approval. The cases covered about 0.57 acres at 2637 Worldreach Drive, moving from general business to regional business so the parcel can combine with adjacent property for a commercial development; about 7.09 acres at 7319 Charlotte Highway, from low density residential to neighborhood business; and about 8 acres at 3172 Shiloh Unity Road, from institutional to rural residential to allow a single home.
On the Charlotte Highway case, council members questioned whether commercial traffic might enter from Charles Pettis Road rather than U.S. 521. With no applicant present and no committed use, Chair Brian Carnes of District 7 kept the item on the non-consent agenda and asked that the applicant attend second reading. A fourth rezoning, about 6.08 acres at 9595 Yarborough Road, was removed at the applicant’s request.
Council passed second reading of an ordinance extending a development agreement with Century Communities Southeast LLC for the Shiloh Woods project to Sept. 30, 2026. The vote was 4-2, with Graham and Council Member Jose Luis of District 4 opposed and Council Member Steve Harper of District 5 recused. Gordon Johnston, representing Century Communities, told council there were no changes since first reading.
In a routine resolution, council unanimously set the local option sales tax credit factor for the 2026 tax year. Willis said the factor decreased slightly this year as more parcels spread the credit further, and he expected it to rebound once new retailers such as Costco and Target post a full year of collections.
Board appointments
Council unanimously appointed William Kasper to the District 1 seat on the Board of Assessment Appeals, a first term expiring June 30, 2029, and Jennifer Sims to the District 2 seat, an unexpired term ending June 30, 2027.
Citizens who addressed council during the public comment period raised concerns about senior transportation funding, alleged Unified Development Ordinance violations tied to clearing on a Barberville Road and Fort Mill Highway property, the size of the budget increase, fire station costs and council compensation. Several also encouraged residents to vote in Tuesday’s election.
The June 22 meeting will include the third reading of the budget and capital plan, a second public hearing and final adoption. Meetings are livestreamed on the county’s YouTube channel.
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