WAGRAM — Shortly after unanimously approving a 2024-25 fiscal year budget, the Wagram Board of Commissioners voted to terminate the town’s clerk/finance officer, Roosevelt Henegan Jr., during a reconvened meeting held Thursday.
The commissioners decided after discussing the matter in closed session during the town’s regular June 6 business meeting, according to Commissioner Kendrick Thomas.
“After two years of employment and training with Mr. Roosevelt Henegan Jr. as the clerk and finance officer for the town of Wagram, there were still some concerns and issues in handling the Town of Wagram’s business,” Thomas said Thursday.
Thomas made the motion to terminate Henegan’s employment, effective immediately, and the board’s vote was unanimous. Henegan turned in the keys to Mayor Barbara Pierce after the meeting adjourned and vacated Wagram Town Hall shortly thereafter.
Prior to his termination, Henegan gave a brief presentation on next year’s spending plan and a public hearing was held where no one spoke for or against the proposed budget ordinance.
The budget ordinance includes a General Fund made up of $459,622, to be split between the General Administration, Community Building, Police Department, Street Department and Fire Department.
A large percentage of the budget goes toward General Administration, $177,954; the Street Department, $141,248; and the Police Department, $109,032. Also, a bulk of the revenue, a combined $265,500, is expected to come from sales and property taxes in the coming fiscal year.
The Water Fund for the operation of the Water and Sewer Departments is appropriated $338,467. Also, the Street Department will be allocated $29,678 in Powell Bill funds.
Property taxes will remain at $0.65 per $100 valuation of property.
Like many municipalities across the state, the Town of Wagram crafted a budget without assistance from the American Rescue Plan Act funding dispersed to offset the financial impact of COVID-19. However, a boost in revenue will come by way of the General Assembly, which designated $200,000 to the town.
“I’m just glad we have a budget in place for the year 2024-2025 year and I’m certain that the town is going to continue to move forward and we’re looking forward to some major projects this year and I’m just pleased we have the funds to take from our General Fund,” Mayor Pierce said.
Pierce said crafting the budget had been a learning process for herself and fellow commissioners.
“A lot (of commissioners) hadn’t been involved in the past and we had everyone at the table this year to learn about how to actually read the budget and to know what it actually meant when there’s a negative out there, what you actually need to do,” Pierce said. “We got input from each commissioner.”
The Wagram mayor said it’s her opinion that input is needed from the commissioners, the citizens and the businesses throughout Wagram.
Tomeka Sinclair is the editor of the Laurinburg Exchange. She can be reached at [email protected].
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