[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6377424,"mediaKeyId","2139056-168c5b2f148eb48d4ed547df5b672b17","parentId",2139056,"title","Commissioners narrow FY22 budget options; delay animal shelter staffing to FY23, direct staff to refine school and tax options","audioSeconds",3097,"startMs",327525,"endMs",3425000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139056-168c5b2f148eb48d4ed547df5b672b17&start=327&end=3425","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139056-168c5b2f148eb48d4ed547df5b672b17/thumbnail_327525.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6377424/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Commissioners-narrow-FY22-budget-options-delay-animal-shelter-staffing-to-FY23-direct-staff-to-refine-school-and-tax-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377424-a10e6e58cee806fe690dbd06ee54f0a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773170726&Signature=Dqk7TFpegzBXz0uvSXOdm376MI21E3F9AJ-Z8oAWyxGYkZsH-0smWPRprfBpNK7LfNEsFWoEmdQzWLNt2j7tG4qC7xaS7FX-eGHq4pfcqrNXaO9GJiptcVlan-9feGp4TX-Y5geLJdnxxiQs07vND~cJtlPRP9mJioNdsFwxvev1h2JBiQv1-z2ogLDPPWidfZa43DqrfdH8TV87RDu7AFCinzFz0mEWRtREzMtbhNNybuDfG85ssqayS4P0oinzRMoY6RcC8S~Ie-SA-oCiQ5gi6vyC5Z0pBEzMOh9htbKPuy6nH7ylkKP0cXDPwyAAG1EvenrIIzj36mbhkzoyfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County, MD","date","2025-01-22T19:59:46Z","article","St. Mary's County commissioners on May 11 advanced a set of adjustments to the fiscal 2022 recommended budget after a wide-ranging discussion of public comments, appeals from departments and the Board of Education, and options for recurring and nonrecurring funding.

Chief Financial Officer Jeanette Cudmore summarized the April public hearings and said 69 people spoke to the FY22 recommended budget; an additional 15 written comments were received. She told commissioners the recommended budget currently included $293 million in revenues and expenditures, a figure that incorporates an American Rescue Fund allocation of $22 million described at the meeting as nonrecurring.

Commissioners reviewed revenue updates Cudmore proposed: an increase to property-tax revenue of $244,138 based on reassessments, an added $400,000 to recordation-tax receipts, a $100,000 reduction to the accommodation-tax estimate, and a projected $200,000 increase to 911 revenue. Cudmore also told the panel library utility reimbursements were expected to rise by about $25,200, and that a discretionary Land Use and Growth Management grant would not be received and therefore would be removed from revenues.

On appeals and departmental requests, commissioners approved a number of modest changes and asked staff to return with final numbers next week. Items recorded in the meeting record as approved or supported by consensus included:

- An hourly fiscal specialist in the Department of Aging and Human Services (20 hours/week) for $19,565.
- An increase in utilities for certain public works sites; the department will offset roughly $25,000 in revenue where available.
- A $50,000 replacement pickup for Recreation & Parks, with commissioners agreeing to fund vehicle replacements from fund balance for consistency with other replacements.
- A $25,000 recurring increase for museum repairs (Recreation & Parks) tied to island/museum sites.
- Several recurring software and training items for Emergency Services totaling roughly $5,440, and a $45,000 vehicle for a technical-services coordinator (staff noted American Rescue Plan funds as an option to pay that cost).
- Two corrections-position reclassifications in the Sheriff’s Office (combined $9,657) and a separate evidence-analyst position request approved for the State's Attorney's Office ($79,254).
- The State's Attorney also received funding for a 24/7 bond-hearing attorney service at a reduced ask of $35,562 rather than the larger initial request; State's Attorney staff explained the long-standing practice funds four hours per day of attorney coverage on bond hearings and provided hourly-cost detail.
- The Board of Elections' request to add an early-voting center, whose fiscal note totals approximately $190,300; commissioners said they had no discretion to override the Board of Elections' determination and treated the cost as required.

Several larger items remained under negotiation. The Board of Education requested a variety of items: a fully funded negotiated agreement the board described at about $3.2 million; an alternative option of a 1% cost-of-living increase (about $1.2 million); a transportation contract / bus-driver allocation of roughly $519,778; and roughly $2 million in nonrecurring requests. Superintendent Dr. Smith and school finance staff said a delta of about $2.2–$2.6 million over the recommended budget would allow the school system to accept the negotiated terms and the transportation package; commissioners asked staff to produce a final reconciliation next week.

Commissioner discussion centered on tradeoffs between recurring and one-time funding. Commissioner Morgan (speaker identified in the record) proposed increasing the revenue-growth assumption to 4% and reducing the county income-tax rate from 3.17 to 3.10 as a package that, in his view, would produce additional recurring revenue while returning some money to taxpayers. Commissioners debated using American Rescue funds and fund balance as one-time sources to cover nonprofits and capital or to seed LOSAP (the volunteer retirement program). Several commissioners signaled support for using fund balance to purchase replacement vehicles outright rather than financing them, and for directing up to $3 million of fund-balance resources into LOSAP as a forward-funding option to improve the plan’s funded status.

The county also pushed the new county animal-shelter opening and the 12 staffing positions associated with its startup into fiscal 2023 after project timing shifted; staff estimated start-up expenses and the 12 employees would be needed in FY23 rather than FY22. Commissioners noted that if the shelter opens earlier they will revisit funding options including the commissioner's emergency reserve or other departmental funds.

On capital projects, staff reported four CIP projects with funding changes that affect FY22 PAGO (county capital funds): county bridge/large-pipe replacements (additional repairs following storm damage), roadway-and-safety improvements (added design funds for roundabouts and intersection work), adjustments to detention-center funding (a small county reduction after additional state funds were identified), and the North County Farmers Market (construction sequencing adjusted so the trail extension is deferred, increasing FY22 county PAGO by $454,000 to award buildings and sheds).

Cudmore, school staff and the commissioners agreed to return on May 18 with an updated revenue-and-expenditure spreadsheet reflecting decisions from the work session and to finalize directions ahead of the May 25 deadline to set FY22 tax rates and adopt the budget. Several items (the allocation of American Rescue funds, final LOSAP contribution and exact Board of Education deltas) were left for that meeting.

The meeting record shows commissioners reached consensus on many smaller appeals and asked staff to produce a final balanced budget scenario incorporating the growth-rate and tax-rate options for the next session. Staff will present updated fiscal notes and funding-source recommendations, including whether American Rescue Plan funds may be used for specific nonprofit or operating requests.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/11/2021 CSMC Budget Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","St. Mary's County commissioners on May 11 advanced a set of adjustments to the county's FY22 recommended budget, approving multiple departmental appeals by consensus, postponing the animal-shelter staffing into FY23 and directing staff to return with a reconciled package for school and tax options next week.","taxTitle","St. Mary's County, Maryland","taxId",51086,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377428,"St. Mary's County sells $30 million in bonds at 1.62% interest; commissioners authorize administrator to accept award",0,212435,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139056-168c5b2f148eb48d4ed547df5b672b17&start=212&end=212","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139056-168c5b2f148eb48d4ed547df5b672b17/thumbnail_212435.jpg","/articles/6377428/St-Marys-County/Maryland/St-Marys-County-sells-30-million-in-bonds-at-162-interest-commissioners-authorize-administrator-to-accept-award","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377428-5f35cd0a5938c1fa3b184bcc5871ee47/orig.mp4?Expires=1773170726&Signature=SA2jMDep3UA8lhd8LDlr~a2F6M2HfRp4Xm8zYRlIlE74sXAejD67SP5HNabnLx-VNJqXotBf4JdcqUEraXf1A83USR95fhrPbakd~5XrehuWOcadeQjUEE9UxzdaqLPYTpho5fay0xrjguvg8i8F-A2Akh2ESGlj4ImiZrZnwsomS3lXpMCIwjk-yyqkd1ECwj2PfJbbjbfr-y-C6NHkqiQ-RDRLcIKFHVVaNt4wGa732zYmIOTO4CKMZiWfhjMp8OsUck4Ti0Jg4k1ZUFHsqyBSuy9LS2d1ZZwlujFYQYZ9I1BUt3-xuTt7syfVK-ytLvL7WMF4t5fJaPSCs348Hg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary's County commissioners on May 11 approved a motion authorizing the county administrator to accept the certified award for a $30 million bond sale, concluding a transaction that produced an all-in true interest cost of 1.62 percent and a premium of roughly $4 million.

The county received bids from 10 underwriters, with visible rates ranging from 1.58% to 1.68% before the final sizing and inclusion of underwriting fees. Chief Financial Officer Jeanette Cudmore told the panel the premium will allow the county to apply roughly $4 million to additional projects while keeping the principal repayment at $30 million.

\"We think you entered at a wonderful time and obviously, the proof is in the pudding, you know, in the interest rate that you've got,\" bond advisor Pam Kelly said, congratulating the county on the timing and market reception. Bond counsel Cheryl Guth echoed that praise: \"I wanna congratulate the commissioners and Jeanette and her staff for such a great result.\"

Cudmore reported that the debt service pattern for the transaction would be for a 20-year term (not 30 years) and said the average annual principal-and-interest payment will be about $2,005,000. Commissioners voted by voice to authorize the county administrator to accept the certified award; the motion carried after the chair called for the ayes and no opposed were recorded.

The county's sale drew attention because it was the only Maryland municipal transaction offered to the market the week the sale was conducted, according to Kelly. County staff said the premium provides flexibility to accelerate or add projects without increasing the principal being repaid.

Next steps noted at the meeting included receipt of the good-faith deposit from the purchaser and final closing mechanics with the county's bond counsel and financial advisor.","St. Mary's County sold $30 million in general-obligation bonds at a 1.62% all-in true interest cost, received roughly $4 million in premium to apply to projects, and the commissioners voted to authorize the county administrator to accept the bid as certified by the chief financial officer.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners narrow FY22 budget options; delay animal shelter staffing to FY23, direct staff to refine school and tax options

St. Mary's County sells $30 million in bonds at 1.62% interest; commissioners authorize administrator to accept award