By Betsy Finklea
Each year as part of the budget, the Dillon County Council designates recreation funds for the three municipalities.
Lake View and Latta have been receiving funds for quite some time because the Dillon County Recreation Program is based in Dillon, and it may be difficult for people in these areas to participate in the Dillon-based program. A couple of years ago, the City of Dillon also began receiving funds. The amount of the funding is based on population.
The recreation funds were discussed during a budget workshop on May 5th. It has also been a topic on social media as of late. During the workshop, Councilman Robbie Coward made a recommendation that instead of the current allotment of $50,000 to Dillon, $15,000 to Latta, and $10,000 to Lake View that each municipality get $25,000 instead. Coward also brought up possibly putting stipulations on how Dillon could use their funds.
The recommendation met resistance from other council members, and there was a lively discussion about this which can be viewed on the video on our website, www.thedillon herald. com, which is on Part Two of the Dillon County Council Budget Workshop from May 5th. The allotment remained $50,000 to Dillon, $15,000 to Latta, and $10,000 to Lake View when the final reading of the budget was passed.
Dillon County gives the funds to each municipality to use as they wish on their recreation program. The council for each municipality designates how this money is used, not the Dillon County Council.
The City of Dillon elects to use their funds for the golf course; however, they could designate it for any part of their recreation program that they so choose. They are not required to use it for the golf course.
If the recommendation to split the funds at $25,000 each had been accepted, Dillon would have received $27.88 less per capita (per person) than Lake View and $14.64 less per capita (per person) than Latta.
Latta would have received $13.24 less per capita (per person) than Lake View.

Dillon County alloted recreation money to the three municipalities for a total of $75,000 as part of the 2015-2016 budget. The allotment is based on population. This is how it divides
out currently on a per capita (per person) basis. This is what was given to each municipality.
Municipality    Amount    Population        Amount Per Person
Dillon            $50,000      6,701        $7.46
Latta             $15,000      1,361        $11.02
Lake View      $10,000      791         $12.64

At a Dillon County Council budget workshop, Councilman Robbie Coward made a recommendation that each municipality get $25,000 instead of the allotment as shown above. Recently, there has been discussion on social media about this same issue.
Below would be the allotment on a per capita (per person) basis if this recommendation was accepted.
Municipality    Amount    Population     Amount Per Person
Dillon            $25,000      6,701         $3.73
Latta            $25,000      1,361        $18.37
Lake View        $25,000         791        $31.61