Howard County Council approved additional appropriations totaling $487,131.40 and a package of budget transfers and salary-ordinance amendments during its June meeting, council members said. The measures included a $400,000 repayment into the county workers' compensation fund after a spike in property-casualty insurance costs, transfers that move $130,000 into jail overtime, and grant-related adjustments for juvenile and public-health programs. "The $400,000 that we are asking for, workers' comp is actually a repayment into the workers' comp. We had to take 400,000 from that for a property casualty insurance that was due earlier in the year," Commissioner Dodd said, explaining the request to restore the workers' compensation balance.

The council adopted Ordinance No. 2025-8CCO-26, listing line-item appropriations across county funds. The ordinance recorded specific increases including $400,000 to county general fund workers' compensation; $30,600 for a PSC probation officer under a JCC PSC grant; $10,000 for a juvenile referee; payroll taxes and retirement contributions (FICA $3,104; PERF $6,630); insurance and program supplies; and other smaller line items. The ordinance text states the total additional appropriations for all funds as $487,131.40. The council also noted that a separate appropriation request for Superior Court 2 has been tabled.

Under Resolution No. 2025-HCCR-15, the council approved transfers between budget classifications, including moving $100,000 from correctional-officer salaries to overtime and $30,000 from part-time correctional-officer pay to overtime (a $130,000 total shift into overtime). Sheriff Terry Asher described the staffing context for that request: "we need to do a transfer, at a correctional officer line item into our overtime for a $100,000 and part time correctional officer into overtime for 30,000…we're too short on correctional officers, which is sounds great. We have 7 in training." Asher added that the department currently has 48 correctional officers and is short two positions; he described the training timeline as "They do a 2 week policy procedure class, and then it's, approximately a 4 month, field training."

Community corrections staff presented grant-funded needs tied to juvenile services. "That's our juvenile community correction grant, which covers our juvenile problem solving court. That is in the amount of 77,600, which covers partial salary and fringe benefits for our juvenile referee and probation officer case manager. And then also, we use that for drug screen supplies, evidence based curriculum, incentives, and drug screens, electronic home detention, and travel and training," Connie, a community corrections representative, said. The council also approved a juvenile-detention-alternative-initiative (JDAI) grant appropriation of $5,531.40 for supplies, food for quarterly collaborative meetings and travel and training.

The health department requested transfers from an immunization grant that ended June 30. James Vest said the department sought to move leftover appropriated funds for a part-time public-health nurse into operating supplies ($3,500) and equipment ($5,000). Jessica, a staff member who read the ordinance language aloud, presented the line-item details during the meeting.

The council approved the transfers by voice vote after a motion by Councilwoman Lake and a second by Councilman Roberts. It then passed Ordinance No. 2025-HCCO-27, wage and staffing adjustments tied to the 2025 salary ordinance, following a motion by Councilman Roberts and a second by Councilman Faulkner; the ordinance formalized the budgeted reductions and increases that mirror the transfer actions (for example, reducing the part-time correctional-officer line and increasing the overtime line by corresponding amounts). All three measures passed without recorded roll-call tallies; the minutes record voice votes of "aye" and "motion carries."

The council chair reminded departments to send a representative if they cannot attend when seeking appropriations or transfers; the meeting then moved to adjournment.