Howard County Council approves additional appropriations, transfers and salary amendments

Howard County Council on Sept. 23 approved an amended additional-appropriations ordinance, a set of transfers among departmental budget lines and an amendment to the county salary ordinance that adjusts staffing line items for 2025.

The actions followed presentations by department representatives explaining why funds should move between existing budget lines rather than increasing the county's overall spending authority. Council approved the measures by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the public transcript.

The council first considered Ordinance No. 2025-HCCO-33, described in the meeting as additional appropriations to cover outstanding travel and opioid-related spending. Auditor-led text presented the ordinance with itemized amounts, including a Superior Court 1 travel and training appropriation originally listed as $21,000 and opioid fund appropriations described as $87,466.72 (restricted) and $14,121.90 (unrestricted). During discussion, Judge Elkins told the council she had identified transfers within court accounts that reduced the Superior Court's additional request; Judge Elkins said the court's…