The Cost To Keep Up With SC Small Town Costs

Bamberg County, SC—Welcome to Olar. Population? About 245 people, who pretty much all know each other. It’s a place where not a lot has changed in the last 100 years…and that includes the town budget.

Mayor Walter O’Rear, Olar, SC: “A small amount in the bank, and it’s hard to meet our budget, at the present time, and we’re struggling. We’ve been struggling for quite a while.“

They work with $200,000 a year here, and after most of it goes to the police department, the street department, the water department…there’s barely enough left over to pay the light bills.

Mayor O’Rear: “It’s hard to run a small town.“

That’s why an annual state audit that costs roughly $5,000 puts a big strain on the small town’s budget, that survives payment, to payment…

Dianne Mock, Olar Town Clerk: “Every day, looking in the mailbox to see what’s coming in.“

Mayor O’Rear: “To me, for a small town, an audit every couple of years, every two years, at the most, would be plenty. Every year is just a big financial burden on the town.“

The Mayor says he understands the state wants to keep an eye on where tax dollars and state funds are going, he just wants the cost to come down.

Mayor O’Rear: “I’m very confident that our money is very carefully spent, we don’t have any extra for it to disappear!“

Olar’s money, he says, is right there in the open. They just replaced a 70-year-old water system, and received a $200,000 grant for a new fire department.

The audit, is a struggle each year, but somehow, the Mayor says he’ll get it done, because his town, is worth it.

Mayor O’Rear: “We’re proud of our little town, as small as it is, we’re still proud of it.“

A spokesperson from the Treasurer’s Office says they are trying to work with small towns for future audits, to avoid those high audit costs.

The mayor of Olar says they hope to have this year’s submitted to the state, within the next few months.