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Budget office requests new analyst and explains $10 million federal‑grant contingency held in FY26 budget
Summary
The county budget office asked council to approve a new budget analyst position to support capital analysis and the transition to a new financial system, and explained a $10 million one‑time reserve in the FY26 plan held to backfill potential shortfalls if federal grants do not materialize.
The Anne Arundel County budget officer told the County Council the FY26 proposed budget includes a request for an additional budget analyst and explained a $10 million contingency that the administration is holding as a federal‑grant backfill.
Chris Trumbauer, county budget officer, said the new analyst would support an intensive transition to a new financial management system — described as improving capital‑project treatment and requiring more staff hours — and provide a second dedicated staffer for capital analysis. He said the budget office had not added staff to the unit in five or six years and argued the new position would improve capital review and may yield savings through closer analysis.
Councilmembers asked about a recently opened management analyst 3 vacancy; Trumbauer said the vacancy was recent (since March), that the office quickly brought on a contractual analyst during peak season, and that recruitment for a permanent fill was under way with strong candidate interest.
Trumbauer and budget staff also described a $10 million unappropriated reserve reflected in the overall FY26 plan. He said the amount is one‑time money held in reserve (not in an appropriated contingency account) to backfill critical county programs that depend on federal grants if those grants are reduced or do not materialize. He explained the number is an approximation based on recent federal grant volumes and departmental discussions, not a list of specific grants, and that any use of the funds would require future council appropriation legislation. He and council members discussed options should grant shortfalls exceed the reserved amount, including using newly available fund balance or the CAO contingency fund.
Trumbauer said the $10 million reserve represents revenue not appropriated into departmental budgets and would fall back to general fund balance if unused at fiscal year end. Councilmembers asked follow‑up questions about the reserve’s source and whether other jurisdictions use similar set‑asides; Trumbauer said he would research peer practices on request.
No formal council vote occurred during the presentation.
