Commissioners narrow FY22 budget options; delay animal shelter staffing to FY23, direct staff to refine school and tax options

St. Mary's County commissioners on May 11 advanced a set of adjustments to the fiscal 2022 recommended budget after a wide-ranging discussion of public comments, appeals from departments and the Board of Education, and options for recurring and nonrecurring funding.

Chief Financial Officer Jeanette Cudmore summarized the April public hearings and said 69 people spoke to the FY22 recommended budget; an additional 15 written comments were received. She told commissioners the recommended budget currently included $293 million in revenues and expenditures, a figure that incorporates an American Rescue Fund allocation of $22 million described at the meeting as nonrecurring.

Commissioners reviewed revenue updates Cudmore proposed: an increase to property-tax revenue of $244,138 based on reassessments, an added $400,000 to recordation-tax receipts, a $100,000 reduction to the accommodation-tax estimate, and a projected $200,000 increase to 911 revenue. Cudmore also told the panel library utility reimbursements were expected to rise by about $25,200, and that a discretionary Land Use and Growth Management grant would not be received and therefore would be removed from revenues.

On appeals and departmental requests, commissioners approved a number of modest changes and asked staff to return with final numbers next week. Items recorded in the meeting record as approved or supported by consensus included:

- An hourly fiscal specialist in the Department of Aging and Human Services (20 hours/week) for $19,565. - An increase in…