[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6377555,"mediaKeyId","2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f","parentId",2138923,"title","Debate over sheriff's vehicle replacements, totaled cruisers and dispatch staffing leads commissioners to set $1 million placeholder","audioSeconds",1442,"startMs",1272000,"endMs",2714000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f&start=1272&end=2714","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f/thumbnail_1272000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6377555/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Debate-over-sheriffs-vehicle-replacements-totaled-cruisers-and-dispatch-staffing-leads-commissioners-to-set-1-million-placeholder","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377555-1f5ae20230b7173aaa4770040e3988af/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990840&Signature=GfyF46-h~YqaFWTtLJaA7abbkGBQve7cVuXjlwIxXUBEJABQjnvKxifqu6-0HWmwgM7IXnHaggEUk6c3dyF1jobmmLe5RNNaIBcEvpJve6HboInvVOaFNJkS6QlXt1nV-f6ArRiQ8eIq9aA4kmXn1r3eH6L767vkj4zl1Y8sBGRSoPw9UbHjpzou1tRQJEaWwZ2apJ9dKcwpI-5IWEVh9TyvCYg343XWsyQS4GXQYBLrgzQnHiCHynQpqU~IAthNjeIBWcwzTHLwBXxOrdYgaviJ0JX3V1UbQf6fRevhX7Ye1zwgNWvYiUvSQnDJh6nBDHjqSU21rhLzxnaM0BORLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County, MD","date","2025-01-22T18:57:08Z","article","Commissioners spent an extended portion of their March 10 budget work session on the sheriff's proposed budget, focusing on vehicle replacements after a recent cluster of nine cruisers were declared totaled, the office's staffing requests and the possibility of funding specific nonrecurring items from fund balance.

County finance staff and the sheriff's office reviewed requested positions and equipment. Lane Kramer, the county chief financial officer, walked the board through the sheriff's submission and a list of potential nonrecurring purchases the county could fund from unassigned fund balance. Kramer identified several high-ticket items in the sheriff's law division, including a taser replacement at $130,065 and a $500,000 line for replacement vehicles; together with other items she cited, those possible fund-balance uses summed to $649,605 on the law side. For corrections, Kramer identified roughly $154,200 in equipment and fixtures that could be funded from fund balance, giving a combined potential fund-balance total of about $803,000.

The sheriff and public-works staff discussed long-term fleet metrics and the surge in totaled vehicles. Dale Erickson (county public-works staff) told commissioners, \"As it stands today, there are 47 vehicles in the sheriff's fleet that qualify under that criteria for replacement. That's about 25% of their fleet.\" Sheriff Cameron said he had reviewed the recent totals and told the board, \"By my calculations, 7 were at fault on our part,\" noting that department accident reviews and training are used to manage driving safety and that insurers often declare high-mileage vehicles totaled because their replacement value is low.

Commissioners debated options for addressing the immediate need for replacements without destabilizing the vehicle-replacement program. The board discussed combining exempt financing for a portion of the replacement schedule with use of fund balance to catch up on vehicles deferred during earlier budget constraints. Commissioners asked staff and the sheriff's office to identify the oldest and highest-use vehicles to yield the most benefit from a catch-up purchase; public-works staff said they could supply a prioritized list.

On staffing, the sheriff requested a number of positions including civilian roles and detectives; the sheriff's office and county staff discussed whether some hires could be delayed to January to allow revenue forecasts to firm up. The board also considered the sheriff's request for a dedicated red-light camera deputy but several commissioners said they do not support red-light cameras; Sheriff Cameron said the camera program did not hinge on the deputy request.

After discussion, several commissioners indicated they would support placing a $1 million recurring placeholder in the draft budget for the sheriff's office and using fund balance to cover identified nonrecurring items if needed. The $1 million figure was described as a starting point for the sheriff to prioritize how to allocate recurring dollars; commissioners asked the sheriff to return with prioritized spending choices for the $1 million and to supply a proposed list for which fund-balance items should be purchased if fund balance is used.

Commissioners also asked county staff to draft a policy for vehicle replacement and spare-fleet management that would reduce future vulnerability to a spate of totaled cruisers. Public-works staff said they would analyze the fleet and recommend which vehicles to replace to get the most operational benefit from a catch-up purchase.

No final, formal vote was recorded on the $1 million placeholder or the vehicle-funding mix during the March 10 session; commissioners said staff and the sheriff's office should return with prioritized plans and final numbers for the next budget session.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/10/2014 CSMC Budget Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners and sheriff's office staff debated vehicle replacement policy, a string of totaled cruisers and new staffing requests March 10. Commissioners agreed to place a $1 million recurring placeholder in the draft budget for the sheriff's office and discussed using fund balance for specified nonrecurring items totalling roughly $803,000.","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},6377560,"Commissioners approve one-step pay increase for county employees totaling about $569,000",253,1702000,1955000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f&start=1702&end=1955","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f/thumbnail_1702000.jpg","/articles/6377560/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Commissioners-approve-one-step-pay-increase-for-county-employees-totaling-about-569000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377560-91bf5764497a332cb290c1928502a0e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990840&Signature=eQn~0Jue7-GBh~os0z4RRfYf2Kq36kpy7qN07QPYYflFFFFYHvsjkFjGVgSYBZKf7w9yzBHv-ze2skmAEwi7iDL9chwgko~v06bzFlAGt65KXfaPYV9N2hUGx5pQ1fBOscphtbC5o0T3sz48NqCDWg9cxUrZJqKpzd4m6~ZsZBR7OeMUV1MWTsRODHqXMewCnzOh1cg9CRH7I6qeljEi~xBunM0Lkatmptvt8sP7z8aMitKNws06KKvALXwRCVbtVMYGvpGDo86B4a6nEICsWe6nxY65YMoiVq41fuNZSdVWfAqJbcDQy9jNdeLFQUB~cvn56aySufbl6FHNCLiowA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Mary's County Board of County Commissioners approved a one-step compensation increase for county employees during its March 10 budget work session, a change county staff estimated would raise recurring personnel costs by roughly $569,000 for the general fund.

Commissioner Todd Morgan moved the compensation action, outlining the proposal as a one-step increase and an added $1,000 top-of-grade stipend for employees at the top of their grade. \"Make the motion that we grant to our employees a 1 step increase for next year. There'll be a $1,000 increase over the 2,014th amount for those out of grade,\" Morgan said. Commissioner Daniel L. Morris seconded the motion. The board voted in favor by voice vote and the president announced the motion carried.

County staff explained the estimate reflects a net general-fund effect because several grant-funded positions were already accounted for. The board directed staff to apply the change in the FY2015 recommended budget; staff said step and benefit adjustments would be reconciled with grant budgets and health-benefit assumptions during final budget preparation.

Commissioners discussed scope: the step program applies to county employees and elected-official offices and was described by staff as including deputies and other county positions; it does not change the underlying pay ranges (minimums and maximums) but moves employees one step within existing grade structures. Commissioners also discussed possible separate treatment of hourly employees and the potential impact of state or regional minimum-wage changes.

The board instructed staff to carry the one-step adjustment forward in the recommended budget and to return with final numbers when the board meets again to reconcile revenues and other items ahead of the public hearing.

","The board approved a one-step pay increase for county employees for next fiscal year, a measure commissioners said amounts to about $569,000 to the general fund, adopted during the March 10 budget work session.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377565,"Commissioners keep nonprofit funding at prior levels, impose 20% cut for groups not joining nonprofit institute",83,1161000,1244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f&start=1161&end=1244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138923-e4eade68f1eca56edab173cc5ae8c11f/thumbnail_1161000.jpg","/articles/6377565/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Commissioners-keep-nonprofit-funding-at-prior-levels-impose-20-cut-for-groups-not-joining-nonprofit-institute","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377565-ee38d6cf1293e26d2c5791034969e290/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990840&Signature=g1qYW5yLHk6bzf1KDHz6q9O0XKCXV-rqAqC5Qoz8e0OtyikIl9gbhpBI6tCco3j-jbRXBz3bPsPcP7gNKHMhHKW0JFqckgHNMjika7c1RdaHsUXJlxtXmmDVOTTDhxmNLxcywPjjG8glgTgQujIWS08WOJVCLSgin3RBD1aHD6CqN~~uZldD5euF1FaiF1U5KrTw93UHrwWPvy37lmaxDi-gVnKy2Gypu9VEsHZo12m~bdvvN41aJSzy4Y7j8a57fuP3yp2zHHit-KH-ENwXZ6gtNR34ZNk~iAbKRvJTwpHZNJ8UMR3lW2sMlCPREQe2hevgcoFOgaaPpdwKANVkXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary's County commissioners voted March 10 to fund non-county nonprofit organizations at the same levels they received last year but ordered a 20% reduction for any group that did not participate in the county's Nonprofit Institute.

The decision came during a budget work session at the Chesapeake Building as the board reviewed non-county entities, the county's newly formed Nonprofit Institute and options for smaller grant programs.

Commissioner Todd Morgan moved the funding motion, saying, \"I would propose that the non county entities be funded at the levels they were of last year. No additions. No subtractions. However, if the non county entity failed to participate in the, institute, then they take a 20% cut.\" Commissioner Daniel L. Morris seconded the motion. The board then voted in favor; the president declared the motion carried.

The board discussed reasons for the directive. Commissioners and staff said the Nonprofit Institute was intended to help local groups with training, collaboration and fundraising; several commissioners praised organizations that had already engaged with the institute and urged others to use the resource. Commissioner comments also noted alternative fundraising avenues, including the Community Foundation of Southern Maryland and endowment options.

The motion preserves the prior-year allocation amounts as the starting point for the recommended budget, while making participation in the Nonprofit Institute a condition for full funding. County staff said details on which organizations had participated would be checked against the institute's records when implementing the decision.

The board's action does not change the county's role as a pass-through administrator for state or federal grants that are administered by nonprofit partners; commissioners distinguished those grant pass-throughs from the county's local mini-grant funding.

Next steps: staff said they would use the nonprofit participation records from the Nonprofit Institute to apply the 20% adjustment if required when the recommended budget is finalized ahead of public hearings.

","St. Mary's County commissioners approved funding non-county nonprofit groups at last year's levels but directed a 20% cut for any organization that did not participate in the county's Nonprofit Institute, a motion the board adopted during its March 10 budget work session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Debate over sheriff's vehicle replacements, totaled cruisers and dispatch staffing leads commissioners to set $1 million placeholder

Commissioners approve one-step pay increase for county employees totaling about $569,000

Commissioners keep nonprofit funding at prior levels, impose 20% cut for groups not joining nonprofit institute