[{"_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",6662119,"mediaKeyId","2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e","parentId",2399443,"title","Finance committee presses city on slow hiring, classification issues and adds union presentations to budget schedule","audioSeconds",1070,"startMs",3104000,"endMs",4174000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e&start=3104&end=4174","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e/thumbnail_3104000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6662119/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Finance-committee-presses-city-on-slow-hiring-classification-issues-and-adds-union-presentations-to-budget-schedule","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662119-d0765912b42d00f7d1f5278ee3cbe896/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427442&Signature=o~3Wf8GB8SXOb4xwD~bhdOqsgr~8V-FeSNbECKpQOaUpriq9N2dkeF7Jak-VhBO3l8aHzkb8YfYwa1ORuTmAuqDy-JbhE8SD0rbv2wak3SMA~kOs80OYTI06ngMLP1k-XjSAJ4re-KlPuOjNjzNj-X1K2e6tNYo8cOyz2zNEnRuCh3Yzs1gGWpPw17NvYUaDiQgS2Bju655P-nZozaSChOx6I3NKU9swp4eTIPCwa0mArlbK9KewA0MueVs8SYUslBhXmQDv-wKWOeg3KVdfHgicyVfNL9rP4hNbLUNVyOq~d0bQhZSyc0rGg7Yqc1Ir~lqrgw7HQei5O9LUzGxvYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Annapolis, MD","date","2025-02-26T16:57:18.47Z","article","The Annapolis Finance Committee on Feb. 26 spent an extended portion of its meeting questioning city human resources and budget staff about delays filling positions included in the FY25 budget, details from the city’s classification and compensation study, and how the council will track implementation of budget amendments.

Tricia Hopkins, human resources manager, presented a listing of approved positions and a summary showing which roles are filled, which are in process and which are awaiting ordinances or position‑summary updates. Hopkins told the committee that positions with existing, approved titles and grades were easier to fill; where the classification and compensation work required new titles or grade changes, the city must follow a legislative or position‑audit process before posting. “So where that stands is there’s just recent approval between Chris Giacubiak and myself around the job description. So they’ll be submitting their vacancy request form, and then we’ll go forth and post that,” Hopkins said regarding the short‑term rental manager position.

Hopkins and Assistant City Manager Vicky Buckland said the class and comp study produced recommendations that in some cases created new titles or grade changes; those items must be integrated into the position summary or the exempt‑service ordinance before hiring can proceed. Hopkins said some conversions are already underway — for example, the camera monitor role is being converted from an employment agreement to a civil‑service title, and two harbor master operations supervisor positions will share a common title once processed.

Committee members expressed frustration about long timelines for filling roles that were included in the July 1 budget. Hopkins said part of the delay stems from whether an approved title already exists and from the need for position audits or legislative steps when it does not. She also noted the department is implementing a new applicant tracking system intended to shorten recruitment timelines.

The committee discussed a specific FY25 amendment related to the Office of Community Services. Buckland explained that while council’s amendment initially contemplated additional wages, the administration repurposed a portion to training under existing internal transfer authority and moved rental assistance funding through a separate fund transfer. “It is not. That was an amendment that was approved by council during the last budget development,” Buckland said when explaining the difference between the originally proposed amendment language and how the funds are being used.

On lobbying, members asked about hiring for state and federal lobbying contracts. Budget Manager Jake Trudeau said the Ferguson Group — the city’s federal contractor — provides not only lobbying but also grant‑opportunity intelligence and contact networks. Committee members debated whether federal and state/local lobbyist contracts should be managed out of the mayor’s office or the city manager’s office; staff said some of the funds were placed in different offices, which added confusion, and promised to follow up with a fuller description.

The committee also approved changes to the budget hearing schedule. Members added a one‑hour block for the four bargaining units to present to the committee (15 minutes each), with city attorney Lyles present, and directed department directors to limit presentations to about 20 minutes so the remainder of scheduled time could be used for questions. The committee instructed staff to align scheduled breaks with presentation end times.

Finance Director Jody Dickinson gave a departmental update: the city’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) is being finalized and an audit opinion is expected in two to three weeks; the finance office is short‑staffed in accounts payable and seeks temporary contractual help; and the city is not expected to issue new debt immediately because proceeds remain from a prior issuance.

Directives from the meeting include HR proceeding with vacancy requests where titles and job descriptions are approved, administration producing a coordinated tracking document for budget amendments and CIP timelines for council review, and the budget office finalizing the amended hearing schedule with the agreed constraints. Several committee members urged the creation of a live, accessible tracking document so councilors can see the status of amendments and capital projects without individual inquiries.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance Committee February 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Annapolis Finance Committee on Feb. 26 questioned HR and budget staff about slow hiring for positions approved in the FY25 budget, approved changes to the budget hearing schedule (including a one‑hour union presentation block), and received a finance update on the ACFR and accounts‑payable staffing.","taxTitle","Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland","taxId",59348,"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},6662121,"Finance committee recommends fee waiver up to $2,500 for film festival amid questions about city sponsorship",348,578000,926000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e&start=578&end=926","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e/thumbnail_578000.jpg","/articles/6662121/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Finance-committee-recommends-fee-waiver-up-to-2500-for-film-festival-amid-questions-about-city-sponsorship","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662121-98649cb6e4f152af19c73188e1952064/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427442&Signature=IE7Z4WcPjj6frfwezaI-8gYhpEHqCsA-FgL79pI6P4TnfOB-F7mKecMECrnTchG88lR3EpcXa~nzayClHBux6UjAtr3DB1bVNjlTklYGRxW-qai8GY-88a6GYFxotDcP41LhEit6ir8yt4dPE~tQbfoodZLQLvjCQQf77HG3y32HM46tKmt7~W2xHhMvGKYzzOsoRp2-Oc8PRmDRoL1KyfftYnTAEuru6ILm12timvANjLcDIBAaFf0qZ2gsz-jJ-i2LFBEr7cpaslg8l9nGPjAFOav~UPP1Ac5yG1a5ZR~3V0A9qGDZV7RaWZuCDzn3IatCPxtctagh1ZnPWNTh6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Annapolis Finance Committee on Feb. 26 voted to favorably recommend R 10, a fee waiver request for the city's film festival, described to the committee as a waiver of up to $2,500 in municipal fees.

Committee members raised questions about the festival’s existing city support. Several members noted the city already provides a $15,000 sponsorship line item for the film festival in the planning and zoning budget and said the event likely also receives support from the Art in Public Places program. “The film festival is an organization that gets money from the city,” Alderman Finlayson said, urging the committee to consider the total city support provided to the festival before routinely granting fee waivers.

Finlayson said she supports the festival and has urged increasing city sponsorship in the past, adding, “a $15,000 sponsorship is a mere pittance to what it costs to run the festival.” She encouraged that the city receive fuller accounting of the festival’s expenditures and suggested the city consider whether fee waivers duplicate existing financial support.

Other members voiced support for the waiver but asked for assurance the festival will follow city rules — including noise ordinances — or will pursue exceptions through the proper process. The committee’s discussion included a request that organizers provide documentation or in-person assurances about compliance with permitting, noise and public-safety requirements prior to final approval.

A motion to give a favorable recommendation for R 10 carried on a voice vote. The committee did not record individual roll-call vote counts in the transcript.","The committee gave a favorable recommendation for a fee waiver (R 10) allowing up to $2,500 in waived fees for the film festival. Members questioned the festival’s total city funding (noted as $15,000) and asked organizers to confirm compliance with noise and other event rules before final approval.",{"_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},6662126,"Finance committee favors transfer of $38,850 to complete Truxton Park skate park",2835,303000,3138000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e&start=303&end=3138","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2399443-2563724ab81d995942fe459fbe0d6e8e/thumbnail_303000.jpg","/articles/6662126/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Finance-committee-favors-transfer-of-38850-to-complete-Truxton-Park-skate-park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662126-0ba160bc2c18da15fda32104d7f95783/orig.mp4?Expires=1775427442&Signature=m5ydnWxIbkeoRyGZ6Tv0lAArd9yIENT0~RVmyWYTr1ZvcazmQKP21g-Mn6xDyK7mqpnSbSG04kaJGMgJkTWaSAfP86P3zzRx7ov9tXc11gpFvwQHzJvbKqcombPDVRbSnrDZm0bHP~V9EI61S6mQVGK~cHpyULuo0xCOqGrA6EyOaQ2IR9GzJgEbmYdME815DUElnVbJS18ophLK1NeCI-tmA-R3K7u7JK8Lcsk9D73oBWotIi6inpVEUDGhKq08RMgJz7zrzHfmqpx4ERysKt1Eodg5DsGJcSbmEG4mpnLr0Ralx3v~qTxRlNW5SEb9d9Jdoff8vM1fgInkBIoVnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Annapolis Finance Committee on Feb. 26 voted to favorably recommend FT 10‑25, a fund transfer moving $38,850 from the pickleball court lights project to the Truxton Park improvement project to cover remaining costs for the Truxton Park skate park.

The committee was told the pickleball lights project came in under budget after a second quote, freeing the balance to complete Truxton Park work this year. “Your assessment is correct. This funding will allow DPW to be able to complete the project,” Jake Trudeau, budget manager, said during the discussion.

Finance Director Jody Dickinson told the committee she had not realized the item was on the agenda until that morning but confirmed the transfer matched what was discussed earlier: the skate park’s final cost exceeded earlier projections and grant funding only covered part of the shortfall. “So this is the money coming through to fund the rest of that,” Dickinson said.

Committee members asked about the funding split and were told the bulk of the transfer is expected to come from bond proceeds with a small portion from capital reserve to cover internal overhead. The committee paused the item briefly so members who had not received the supporting packet could review it; after the documents were confirmed available, a motion to give a favorable recommendation carried on a voice vote.

No departmental vote tallies by individual member were recorded in the transcript; the committee’s action was recorded as a favorable recommendation. The committee’s paperwork for FT 10‑25 includes attachments the committee referenced during the discussion.","The Annapolis Finance Committee voted to favorably recommend FT 10‑25, moving $38,850 from a pickleball court lights project to complete the Truxton Park skate park. Budget staff said the pickleball work came in under budget, freeing the funds to finish Truxton.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Finance committee presses city on slow hiring, classification issues and adds union presentations to budget schedule

Finance committee recommends fee waiver up to $2,500 for film festival amid questions about city sponsorship

Finance committee favors transfer of $38,850 to complete Truxton Park skate park