Glenarden council continues 2026 budget talks after staff flags $89,004 deficit; public hearing set for next Thursday

Glenarden City Council on Monday continued discussions of the proposed 2026 budget after staff said the current draft shows an $89,004.20 shortfall that would likely be covered from reserves.

Stewart, a city staff member who summarized adjustments, told the council, “we ended up with the $89,004.20, and that's the amount I would recommend to be taken from reserve,” while adding that further line-item changes during the meeting could reduce or eliminate that draw.

The session opened with staff walking through revenue estimates and departmental lines, and council members repeatedly challenged several assumptions in the draft. Councilman Harry questioned personal property tax projections, saying recent local bankruptcies and layoffs made some revenue estimates “not realistic.” He asked whether the larger personal property figure reflected prior-year receipts and urged a more conservative approach.

Council members also pressed staff on other revenue lines. The draft includes $2,800 for…