The Tega Cay City Council moved forward with its fiscal blueprint for the coming year on Monday night, but the session quickly shifted into a forum on regional transit cuts and an escalating environmental crisis threatening Lake Wylie property values.
Council Greenlights Balanced Budget
The council unanimously approved the first reading of the fiscal year 2026–2027 municipal budget. Under the proposed ordinance, the local property tax millage rate will hold steady at 86 mills.
To keep pace with rising operational costs, residents will see a 1.5% increase in trash collection fees, setting the rate at $18.31 per month. Municipal utility customers will also absorb a $7.33 monthly increase to the base water rate and an 8% pass-through increase on sewer fees.
The $30.7 million budget projects a positive cross-fund balance of $872,475. City Manager Charlie Funderburk stated that at least $300,000 of the surplus will seed a newly established capital reserve fund, shifting the town away from single-year planning toward long-term infrastructure forecasting. Public safety remains the town’s largest expenditure, with police and fire departments consuming 28.4% and 19.5% of the general fund, respectively.
Clock Ticking for 82X Commuter Bus
The council addressed the upcoming July 1 termination of the 82X Rock Hill Express, a critical commuter bus line linking York County to Uptown Charlotte. The route was thrown into jeopardy after the City of Rock Hill decided to pull its $10,000 monthly local subsidy.
April transit data revealed that out of 721 total riders, roughly 45% boarded north of the Catawba River at the Baxter and Carowinds stops, heavily leveraging Tega Cay and Fort Mill populations. While regional transportation planners floated an idea for York County, Fort Mill, and Tega Cay to split the $10,000 monthly cost to preserve a shortened route, Tega Cay leaders emphasized that no financial commitments have been made.
Councilman Jim Foltz urged affected residents to contact the city immediately. Officials hope to compile localized rider data to complete a formal cost-benefit analysis before the July deadline.
Silt Crisis Deepens at Serenity Point
During public comments, the chamber filled with frustration as multiple waterfront residents from the Serenity Point neighborhood presented evidence of severe sedimentation choking Nivens Creek.
Homeowners testified that a massive delta of mud and silt—which they attribute to upstream clear-cutting and ongoing dirt work at The Grove development project—has rapidly spread across the cove. Residents reported that the shifting mud has left expensive private boat docks entirely landlocked and unusable, all while they continue to pay premium waterfront property taxes.
“The developers get to make millions of dollars when they build, but you’re taking millions away from us in the value of our homes,” neighborhood resident Gus Machunis told the council.
Shifting sediment from recent heavy rains has reportedly begun moving past Serenity Point toward the local beach club and the Lakeshore side of the water. Homeowners formally requested that the city halt upstream work and coordinate an emergency summit with Duke Energy, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to map out a dredging and remediation strategy.
Council members noted that while they cannot respond during public comment sessions, extensive behind-the-scenes reviews are underway with staff and developers ahead of an update expected in June.
City Hall Named for Founding Mayor
In a historic move, the council passed a resolution formally naming City Hall the Anthony Terulli Building. Terulli served as Tega Cay’s first mayor and successfully shepherded the town through its initial incorporation in the early 1980s after its original development company collapsed into bankruptcy.
The dedication was widely supported, though it exposed a gap in local governance. Councilwoman Heather Jones noted that the city currently lacks a codified framework for naming public properties. Jones requested that staff develop a transparent, standardized policy for future non-funded naming requests to ensure consistent evaluation criteria for taxpayer-funded facilities.
Department Briefs & Community News
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Crime Free April: Chief Crosby reported that the Tega Cay Police Department recorded an average emergency response time of 3 minutes and 29 seconds for April. For the first time since data tracking began in 2013, the city logged zero property crimes and zero crimes against persons for the month.
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Special Needs Kits: The police and fire departments are introducing “Carter Kits” to their emergency vehicles. The specialized kits contain weighted blankets, noise-canceling earmuffs, and sensory toys to help first responders soothe and communicate with autistic or overwhelmed individuals during high-stress calls.
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Water Restrictions Persist: Stage 2 water conservation measures remain mandatory. Despite isolated heavy downpours, the region remains 15 inches behind historical rainfall averages. Residents are urged to limit outdoor irrigation to late-night hours.
The council approved a first reading of updated derelict vehicle codes before adjourning into a closed executive session to deliberate municipal court personnel matters.
