b'Budget ProcessThe Budget Process consists of ve phases that occur throughout the scal year: Planning, Developing, Approval, Monitoring, and ExternalAudit.PLANNINGThis phase begins each February witheverydepartment head beingtasked withreviewing their budgets and beginning the preparations fortheir requests. The budget preparation module in MUNIS, the County\'s nancial ERP, is opened for budget input. Department heads can viewtheir budgeted chart of accounts where actual year to date data is available. The Finance Department also posts a Budget Instruction Manual toassist those inputting data. In February, a budget retreat is held with County Council.DEVELOPINGLevel 1 "Department Requests" is open in the aforementioned software, MUNIS, for departments to submit their requested budgets. In additionto regular operating expenses, this phase includes submitting requests for new positions as well as capital assets and capital improvements.Budget requests are due by the end of February. Afterthe deadline passes, Level 1 "Department Requests" is closed for editing, and all entriesare rolled to Level 2 "Pending". This gives the Budget Manager and Chief Financial Ocer (CFO) time to review the requests and meet with thedepartment heads for analysis and suggestive changes to their line items. These meetings occur in the month of March. After discussions withall department heads and after all changes have been made at Level 2, the budget amounts are rolled to Level 3 "Pending". APPROVALIn April, the Budget Manager and CFO present the budgets to the Finance Committee for review and discussion. During the months of April andMay, meetings and work sessions are held with County Administration and County Council to discuss all budget requests. During thesemeetings, the budgets for outside agencies, re districts, andthe school district are also examined. All proposed changes to the line items aremade, then the budgets are rolled to Level 4 "In Process" to be presented to County Council for approval. Concurrently, millage rates aredetermined and public notices for upcoming public hearings are posted. Per South Carolina law, three separate readingsof the presentedbudget are required for passage; these readings occur during scheduled meetings of County Council during May and June resulting in the theupcoming scal year budget being adopted by June 30th of the current calendar year. Upon approval by County Council, budgets are rolled toLevel 5 "Approved".In 2006, South Carolinas General Assembly passed Section 6-1-320(B) to provide that the millage rate limitation (15% cap) may only besuspended and the millage rate increased upon a two-thirds vote by County Council and only for the following purposes:1. the deciency of the preceding year;2. any catastrophic event (natural disaster, severe weather event, act of God, act of terrorism, re, war, or riot);3. compliance with a court order or decree;4. taxpayer closure due to circumstances outside the control of the governing body that decreases by 10% or more the amount of revenuepayable to the taxable jurisdiction in the preceding year; or5. compliance with a regulation or statute enacted by the federal or state government after 06/07/06 for which no funds or means ofobtaining funds are provided by the federal or state government.If a tax is levied to pay for items 1 through 5, the amount of the tax must be listed on the tax statement as a separate surcharge and cannot beincluded with a general millage increase. Each surcharge must have an explanation of the reason for the surcharge.MONITORINGThroughout the scal year, the Budget Manager along withother sta of the Beaufort County Finance Department, performs reviews of therevenues, expenditures and interfund transfers.EXTERNAL AUDITStarting in July each year, the Beaufort County Finance Department begins compiling nancial records and information for the scal year thatended June 30 for review by an external auditor. This audit allows for independent conrmation of the scal activity presented by the County inthe annual audited nancial statements and addresses budgetary performance. The external auditing rm works with sta of the County FinanceDepartment for several months throughout the fall as the audit must be presented to County Council by December 31 following the close of eachscal year.BUDGET TRANSFERSEach department head is permitted to transfer appropriation(s) between object classication codes within that department. The CountyAdministrator or the CFO is permitted, when it is in the best interest of the individual County departments or agencies, to transferappropriations between departments (from one department to another department) and between the County\'s General Fund, CapitalProjects Fund and Capital Improvements Fund (from one Fund to another Fund) up to $150,000.BUDGET BASISBeaufort County, SC | Budget Book 2024 Page 22'