Anne Arundel County Council adopts amendment cutting $156,000 from Discovery Village boat-ramp lease; reviews supplemental budget changes

The Anne Arundel County Council on June 10 voted to reconsider and then adopt Amendment 54 to Bill 33-25, reducing contractual services by $156,000 for the Discovery Village boat ramp lease, and heard a presentation from the county budget officer on a draft supplemental budget letter that would alter both operating and capital budget items for fiscal year 2026.

The reconsideration motion passed 6-1; the amendment subsequently was adopted. Councilmembers also voted 7-0 to waive the public hearing requirement in Anne Arundel County Charter section 7-0-9 on the County Executive’s proposed supplemental amendments and directed that public notice and copies of the supplemental budget be posted on the county website following the meeting.

Why it matters: The votes change how limited county funds are allocated for water access and shift monies among operating and capital priorities ahead of the council’s final vote on the full FY26 budget scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, June 13, 2025. The supplemental changes discussed on Tuesday include personnel additions for schools, one-time grants to community organizations, and updated cost estimates for capital projects.

County budget officer Chris Trumbauer presented the draft supplemental letter and the suite of amendments the County Executive intends to submit. "I shared with you just a little earlier this morning our draft supplemental letter," Trumbauer said, then walked through highlights. He told the council that because of the amendment just adopted, the board of education request will fund two special-education teacher positions in the final version: "we now have enough funds that in the final version, this will be 2 special ed teachers, positions."

Trumbauer described other operating budget adjustments in the draft supplemental materials: reassigning one position from the County Executive’s office to the chief administrative officer to reflect duties (no net new funding); a $150,000 one-time grant moved from capital into operating to fund the Odenton Volunteer Fire Department; a $90,000 one-time allocation for Maryland Hall community programming; and a package of one-time community nonprofit support funds requested by the council.

On public safety, the draft letter initially funded three additional sheriff’s vehicles; Trumbauer said council intent and the available funds now allow eight vehicles to be purchased for new recruits: "the council's intent was to do 8 for the new recruits that are starting. And again considering the funding that's available from the action you just took, this this can be 8." He also noted one-time operating funding for library service-year positions.

Trumbauer reviewed several capital items with updated cost estimates or new requests. He flagged an updated cost estimate for the proposed new police firing range and a cost increase for the Millersville Garage reported by the Department of Public Works. The draft supplemental letter includes a $500,000 council-requested allocation for park renovation to address a backlog of maintenance and repair work, and additional funding for the Broadneck Peninsula Trail after new environmental work and soil testing raised the construction estimate.

Councilmember questions elicit clarifications on specifics. A councilmember asked whether the Broadneck Trail supplemental identifies which phase the funding targets; Trumbauer said he would forward detailed phase information. Another councilmember asked about lines in a chart tied to capital overhead reductions; Trumbauer explained those are reductions the administration agreed to based on auditor recommendations and an adjusted overhead rate.

Trumbauer also noted a timing issue for positions moved into the newly created Department of Animal Services: the department’s effective date falls shortly after July 1, so the supplemental language will preserve those positions across fiscal years as the administrative shift takes effect.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included the motion to reconsider Amendment 54 (passed 6-1), adoption of Amendment 54 (adopted; reduced contractual services by $156,000 related to the Discovery Village boat ramp lease), and a 7-0 vote to waive the public hearing requirement under charter section 7-0-9 so the council could consider supplemental amendments without an additional hearing. The council will reconvene in person at 10 a.m. Friday, June 13, 2025, in county chambers to vote on the full proposed FY26 budget.

The meeting record and finalized supplemental letter will be posted to the county website as required by the charter and as noted by the council following the vote to waive the hearing.