[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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",6377419,"mediaKeyId","2139059-c5c4708d72bd2a4f2f018592355e6888","parentId",2139059,"title","Commissioners approve most budget appeals, defer additional EMS hires to next week; CIP PAYGO increases","audioSeconds",3288,"startMs",2062000,"endMs",5350000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139059-c5c4708d72bd2a4f2f018592355e6888&start=2062&end=5350","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139059-c5c4708d72bd2a4f2f018592355e6888/thumbnail_2062000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6377419/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Commissioners-approve-most-budget-appeals-defer-additional-EMS-hires-to-next-week-CIP-PAYGO-increases","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377419-41bfa50436e873aa0efa86dc8c989832/orig.mp4?Expires=1776142043&Signature=c7dw51769sz0aY4R9LFNABLAwzGX3q~ombo11Q1H8hGkI2CuG7mvbJExFYrv9ny13MQVd-FczMOrQBb3BjAO8mLRlQlhEiK6qzzeWXhYSfKpPvqHdaua5Wmbz97iiFLLi3icYqfDHwHrjhuDHpS2hovdKDw3BvyjRHBjV8x3OBknQHpJM5fcxRCRQ3ABL8p47jae41yGg~7O-42Mqp2I0662KJr5lVoT85~yhl~R5zIXeFltnX-3LzD-O6mv4Fu1~MRP1gfvN0mknSXBT-QO98CBs-yh1lWBGJ6lDbzXJnmXvM6h-5XPbqf9-0l38bGQobfKct97Fw9eDal~OQT5Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County, MD","date","2025-01-22T19:57:22Z","article","After the finance briefing, county staff and commissioners reviewed operating and capital appeals submitted after the recommended FY2023 budget.

Jody Quasney, deputy director of finance, summarized the appeals list and the available amounts: “We have total requests of 3,600,000. 2.8 or 2.9 of that is grants,” she said, noting the bulk of appeal dollars were grant‑funded and therefore offsetting. Quasney told commissioners staff had identified roughly $770,000 in additional unspent revenue if all the operational appeals on the list were approved and that, after the agreed adjustments, revenues would exceed expenses by $1,185,037 with a remaining useable fund balance of $397,895 in the package as presented.

What commissioners decided: by consensus the board agreed to move forward with the majority of operating appeals shown in the packet (including staffing and program requests for aging and human services, public works shop materials and vehicle maintenance adjustments, certain IT and risk‑management increases, and stipends related to the newly formed Police Accountability Board). Commissioners also concurred with multiple CIP adjustments that increased county PAYGO by about $3.5 million to fund project timing and scope changes in the capital improvement plan.

Public‑safety staffing left unresolved: emergency services asked for additional EMTs and paramedics; the department’s original request included more than a dozen new positions. Commissioners did not approve the full EMS staffing request at this meeting and asked Emergency Services Director Michael Walker (and staff) to return next week with a refined proposal that fits within the remaining available dollars. Finance staff said the combined cost for the full package of requested EMS positions would total about $1.13 million; if the board chose to add a subset of those positions, the remaining gap would be small.

CIP and project highlights: commissioners approved changes to several CIP projects’ funding profiles. Staff said the county added PAYGO funding to cover shortfalls and scheduling changes for projects that include roadway and safety improvements, neighborhood drainage and sidewalk programs, certain airport work, and the county museum renovation. The museum project’s most recent design‑phase estimate increased from earlier figures; staff described the increase as the product of longer program timelines, higher exhibit design costs and inflationary construction escalation.

Ending: staff will return to finalize EMS staffing requests at the next budget work session and will continue to pursue grant funding for selected CIP projects. Commissioners emphasized prioritizing nonrecurring uses of the new revenue and avoiding recurring commitments that could pressure future budgets.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/10/2022 CSMC Budget Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Following a debrief of public hearings, commissioners agreed to fund many department appeals and several CIP adjustments using one‑time and PAYGO funds, but asked emergency services to return next week with a refined request for medics and supervisors.","taxTitle","St. Mary's County, Maryland","taxId",51086,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377426,"St. Mary’s County finance office briefs commissioners on reserves, income-tax windfall and how it affects FY2023 budget",889,46000,935000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2139059-c5c4708d72bd2a4f2f018592355e6888&start=46&end=935","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2139059-c5c4708d72bd2a4f2f018592355e6888/thumbnail_46000.jpg","/articles/6377426/St-Marys-County/Maryland/St-Marys-County-finance-office-briefs-commissioners-on-reserves-income-tax-windfall-and-how-it-affects-FY2023-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377426-b7249e44a078d5993f60f6082be02b50/orig.mp4?Expires=1776142043&Signature=ce01o~d0c5p519x7GCBpre1nsqnr32k1D1Ak41cL7j9IYliCXrpPPAc2FIuI2U3pANPsvscMlhjSlhqLfsJTzDI7TG5~lwGcEzzsj5uBkuzOJvHLwcWms2ZjQYxvfnYLzqcNqFWqsrKaI1WX0GbyVvwXyQOqQDJ3XRuZHyCFYQEgcQqEDGVHgyPsI0Uu88kcsMPWGC5kZtOWae4M9vT4WFzHB-HiDZYqsd~iguEzKtwnXaNrwKIU4frX9XWnQr8285iVI42QDcxMtXxuL~XwRIZAd2Wkh0o8qOD2F6wzMGB7rZWXxl8jZRQWiJq6NVRtuuWfoLNomt5vcsJu7R-O8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Miss Cudmore, the county chief financial officer, told the St. Mary’s County Commissioners at their May 10 budget work session that the county’s audited fund balance for fiscal 2021 was $88.1 million and that commissioners had used $21.1 million of that balance for the FY2023 recommended budget.

The presentation outlined how the $88.1 million breaks down into nonspendable, restricted, committed, assigned and unassigned components; Miss Cudmore said the unassigned portion in the FY2021 audit was $51.1 million. She told the panel the county maintains a formal reserve policy and “we put in a policy a number of years ago to have a fund balance of 15%.”

Why it matters: county leaders said maintaining reserves matters for solvency, operations and credit ratings. Miss Cudmore said the post‑audit calculation of total reserves as a percent of revenues was 24%, well above the county’s 15% target, and that the ratio of total fund balance to revenues was about 30% for FY2021 — figures she said are viewed favorably by rating agencies.

Details from the briefing: Miss Cudmore reviewed how revenue timing and recent state reconciliations changed estimates used in the FY2023 budget. She said the county received an additional, unexpected distribution tied to tax year 2020 and that staff used updated income‑tax projections and recent assessment data to raise the FY2023 tax‑revenue estimate included in the package.

Commissioner discussion focused on tradeoffs between returning money to taxpayers and protecting the county’s long‑term fiscal position. Several commissioners said the new revenue should be used prudently and that recurring spending should be avoided when revenue sources are not certain year to year. One commissioner noted federal and state tax policy (SALT) could change long‑term receipts, and others pointed out that rising interest rates or weaker property‑market activity could reduce some future collections.

Miss Cudmore closed by noting the figures in the recommended budget reflect the March constant‑yield/assessment updates and that staff will update the numbers after the FY2022 audit is complete.

Ending note: Commissioners directed staff to proceed with the debrief and appeals review, emphasizing a preference for funding nonrecurring needs from one‑time revenue and protecting the county’s reserve policy while recognizing near‑term needs for public safety and infrastructure.","The county finance chief reviewed FY2021 audited fund balance, reserve policy and updated income-tax and property-tax estimates; commissioners discussed using one-time revenue for nonrecurring needs while preserving reserve targets.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners approve most budget appeals, defer additional EMS hires to next week; CIP PAYGO increases

St. Mary’s County finance office briefs commissioners on reserves, income-tax windfall and how it affects FY2023 budget