A Letter from Mayor Bradley D. Belt
Dear Kiawah Island Community:
I am pleased to provide the FY 2026-2027 “Budget at a Glance,” which provides an overview of the Town’s revenues and expenditures. This budget summary highlights some of the key aspects of the Town’s finances:
• The FY 2026-27 budget projects a surplus of $0.4 million based on $19.2 million in projected revenues and $18.8 million in budgeted expenditures. By comparison, current year revenues are projected to hold steady at $19.2 million and expenditures at $14.1 million, resulting in an estimated surplus of $5.0 million. The increase in expenditures is driven primarily by one-time items, including a $3.7 million placeholder for the resolution of the Captain Sams Spit settlement.
• 61% of budgeted Town revenues are projected to come from unrestricted sources, including business license and permitting fees, solid waste fees, franchise fees, and investment income. The Town has some discretion to adjust certain of these revenue sources if necessary.
• No property taxes are collected by the Town; property taxes are paid directly to Charleston County. These taxes fund County provided services, such as schools, law enforcement, and emergency management services.
• 39% of budgeted revenues are from restricted sources, including accommodation and hospitality taxes. The Town has limited discretion to adjust these revenue sources and funds must be used for specific purposes generally related to attracting or providing for visitors to Kiawah.
• At the end of budgeted fiscal year 20262027, the total fund balance is projected at $53.3 million, including $29.1 million in the General Fund, $10.7 million in restricted funds, and $13.5 million in Capital & Emergency Funds.
• Capital investment highlights include the Civic and Cultural Center addition, resolution of the Captain Sams Spit settlement, and public infrastructure and facility improvements. Key operational expenditure drivers include salaries and benefits, public safety, and consulting and professional services. Overall recurring operational costs have remained relatively stable; year-to-year changes are driven primarily by one-off or nonrecurring expenditures. Key revenue drivers include modest growth in permits and business licenses, stable accommodations tax revenues, and a decline in interest income due to anticipated lower rates.
With the support of the Town Council and dedication of Town staff, the Town continues to be committed to fiscal responsibility and accessible, accountable, and transparent government practices.
Sincerely,
Bradley D. Belt Mayor
Meet Your Elected Officials
Russell Berner
Farrell
Other Town Officials
Tillerson
About the Town
The Town of Kiawah Island is dedicated to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of all who live, visit, or work on Kiawah.
Under the direction of the Mayor, with assistance from the Town Administrator, staff oversee essential services including public safety, planning and zoning, wildlife and natural resource management, code enforcement, waste management and emergency preparedness. By working in partnership with key stakeholders, the Town supports efforts to maintain Kiawah’s distinctive character and quality of life for current and future generations.
Mayor Pro Tempore
E. Luke
Council Member
Madeleine Kaye Council Member
Lance Spencer Council Member
Stephanie
Town Administrator
Stafford J. (Mac) McQuillin III Town Attorney
Dorota Szubert Finance Director
Town Services and Programs
PUBLIC SAFETY
Protect the safety and well-being of residents and visitors through law enforcement, code enforcement, and emergency preparedness. Community Service Officers enforce Town ordinances covering noise, beach regulations, trash, and permitting. The Town contracts with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office for dedicated off-duty deputy coverage and provides residents with emergency medical transport coverage through an agreement with Meducare Air.
PUBLIC WORKS
Maintain the Town’s roadways and rights-of-way, including Beachwalker Drive, Kiawah Island Parkway from the Freshfields Village roundabout to the main gate, and Betsy Kerrison Parkway to Resurrection Road. The department also maintains the Municipal Center and the Town’s portions of the leisure trails along Beachwalker Drive and Kiawah Island Parkway and supports emergency management and storm recovery operations.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Provide collection and disposal of garbage, recycling, yard debris, brown trash, and household hazardous waste, as well as a community composting program. The Town also collects trash from the beach and operates trash and recycling services at the Kestrel Court facility and the KICA Administrative Building.
BEACH MANAGEMENT
Protect and preserve Kiawah’s beach for residents and visitors. Contracted Beach Patrol provides beach safety services and ordinance enforcement, while Town staff monitor beach conditions and dune and shoreline health.
PLANNING and ZONING
Administer the Town’s zoning and land development regulations, including zoning permits, rezonings, planned developments, variance and special exception requests, site plan and stormwater management reviews, landscape and tree preservation standards,
and appeals of administrative decisions. The department also leads long-range planning through the Town’s KiawahNext Comprehensive Plan.
WILDLIFE and NATURAL RESOURCES
Monitor beach and marsh health and wildlife populations, including ongoing research and population surveys of Kiawah’s bobcats, loggerhead sea turtles, white-tailed deer, alligators, and shorebirds. The department responds to nuisance and injured wildlife and engages the community through education, outreach, and volunteer programs such as the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol and Shorebird Stewardship Program.
BUILDING SERVICES and BUSINESS LICENSES
Building Services provides plan review, construction permits, inspections, contractor registration, and floodplain management for all commercial and residential projects within the Town. Annual business licenses, including short-term rental licenses, are administered by the Finance Department to ensure all businesses operating within the Town are properly licensed.
COMMUNICATIONS
Keep the community informed on routine and emergency Town operations through the Town website, mobile app, e-newsletter, social media, and TOKI Talk podcast series.
ARTS and CULTURAL EVENTS
Organize annual arts and cultural events that enrich and engage the community.
MUNICIPAL COURT
Hear cases involving Town ordinance violations and exercise additional criminal jurisdiction conferred on magistrates by state law.
UNRESTRICTED REVENUE SOURCES
BUSINESS LICENSES
Fees paid by businesses operating in the Town.
BUILDING PERMITS
Permit fees for new construction and renovation projects.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Fees for residential garbage, recycling, and yard debris. The Town absorbs curbside collection costs and provides a credit toward additional services for property owners. Credit does not apply to short-term property rental owners.
RESTRICTED REVENUE SOURCES
STATE ACCOMMODATION TAX
A 2% tax on visitor accommodations that supports tourism-related services and facilities.
LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX
A 1% tax the Town imposes on accommodations used to fund tourismrelated projects.
FRANCHISE FEES
Fees for the rights of specific businesses to provide services within the Town, such as electricity, cable, and beach operations agreements.
LOCAL OPTION TAX
A uniform 1% tax on taxable sales. The state collects this tax and distributes a portion to municipalities in the county.
OTHER
• Interest on Town investments
• State aid to local governments
• Beverage tax
COUNTY ACCOMMODATION TAX
A 2% tax revenues allocated to the Town for tourism-related initiatives.
HOSPITALITY TAX
A 1% tax collected on prepared food and beverages that helps fund tourism-related initiatives.
How Town Dollars Are Spent
Administration & Operations
$7M | Town operational costs, personnel costs, professional services, consultants, and maintenance.
Capital Projects
$5.6M | Investments in Town’s infrastructure and long-term community assets, including construction of the Civic and Cultural Center, resolution of the Captain Sams Spit settlement, and Town-owned roadway improvements.
Waste Management
$2.2M | Complimentary curbside service and credit toward additional services for property owners.
Public Safety
$1.6M | Contracted code enforcement, beach patrol, and law enforcement services. Also includes disaster emergency preparedness
Community Grants
$250K | The Town’s community grants program supports a variety of charitable organizations. The 2026 grant recipients can be found at: kiawahisland.org/charitable.
Tourism Support & Promotion
$2.2M | Accommodations and hospitality taxes fund tourism programs through four channels:
• Destination Marketing
$931K | State law requires 30% of the State ATAX balance to be allocated to a fund for tourism advertising and promotion, administered by a designated nonprofit. Town Council directs this to the CVB (Explore Charleston).
• Tourism Grants
$650K | Competitive grants supporting tourism. The 2026 recipients can be found at kiawahisland.gov.
• Arts & Cultural Events
$350K | Town-organized programming that enriches the community and draws visitors.
• Conservation & Environmental
$308K | Research and stewardship of Kiawah’s beaches, wildlife, and habitats — the protected natural beauty that draws visitors to Kiawah.
To view the detailed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget for the Town of Kiawah Island, scan the QR code or visit: kiawahisland.gov/budget/index.php
