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St. Mary’s County adopts FY2016 budget, approves grants and agritourism and preservation commitments
Summary
Commissioners approved the county's FY2016 revenue and appropriation ordinances and adopted a $227.0 million general fund budget, while also approving several grant applications and letters of support for agritourism and land preservation.
The Commissioners of St. Mary's County approved the fiscal year 2016 revenue and appropriation ordinances and adopted the FY2016 budget on May 12, 2015, voting to set tax rates and advance a capital-improvement plan while retaining pay-go funding for near-term projects.
County finance director Jeanette Cudmore and interim chief financial staff reviewed the budget package, telling the board the constant-yield property tax rate set for the budget is 0.8523 and that the total FY2016 capital improvement plan (CIP) is $37,342,012. The adopted budget uses about $9.9 million in PAYGO (pay-as-you-go) funding for capital projects and carries a general-fund total of roughly $227,000,349.
The county's budget book also includes a plan for continued bond-funded projects (the draft showed $11.1 million in bonds for 2016 and additional borrowings in future years) and an appropriation for a mix of operating and one-time items. Cudmore told commissioners the board is using an estimated 4% growth factor for FY2016 revenue projections and that the county's June 30, 2014 unassigned fund balance was $22.8 million, of which about $11.8 million is planned for use in FY2016, leaving about $11 million unassigned as a contingency.
Board of Education presenters told the commissioners the county will accept a $55,980 federal subgrant under the Maryland State Department of Education's Race to the Top Comprehensive Assessment program to buy individual devices for student assessment. "Our allocation for that subgrant is $55,980 and these grants are specifically allocated to support individual devices or computers to support instruction and assessment," said Dr. Morrow, acting assistant superintendent of instruction, during the Board of Education presentation.
Other grant actions approved during the meeting included a Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant application for $23,527 to cover half the cost of ballistic and stab-resistant vests for sworn and corrections personnel, and a letter of support for a private farm's application to the Maryland Agricultural Tourism Signing Program. Commissioners also signed a letter indicating the county's interest in participating in the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) FY2016 matching-funds program, providing matching dollars that will allow the county to move forward on offers to eight applicants appraised and ready to receive offers.
Votes at a glance - Revenue ordinance (sets tax rates including constant-yield rate 0.8523): Approved by voice vote; motion carried. - Appropriation ordinance (sets FY2016 appropriations and operating budget): Approved by voice vote; motion carried. - FY2016 budget adoption (overall approval of schedules and fund balance plan): Approved by voice vote; motion carried. - Race to the Top Comprehensive Assessment grant (Board of Education; accept $55,980): Approved; motion carried. - Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant application (DOJ US-1616; $23,527): Approved; motion carried. - Forest Hall Farm letter of support (Maryland Ag Tourism Signing Program): Approved; motion carried. - MALPF FY2016 Matching Funds Program letter of interest ($1,035,369 county match noted in presentation): Approved; motion carried.
Context and implications The FY2016 budget preserves a fund-balance cushion while using PAYGO to limit borrowing in the near term; the package includes $9.9 million in PAYGO and proposes future bond borrowing tied to CIP cash flow. The budget increases county funding for the school system (the county contribution was presented as $98,151,001 for the Board of Education in the adopted schedules) and includes policy decisions on vehicle replacements, salary steps and stipends for sworn officers, an enterprise and special-revenue fund schedule, and a list of CIP projects planned through 2021.
Commissioners emphasized they sought to reduce tax burdens while still funding priorities. Finance staff said some figures (notably state income-tax distributions for late May) were still pending when the board voted, and staff said the board would monitor revenues and cash flow during the year.
Ending After the board's votes the county will publish the adopted revenue and appropriation ordinances and begin implementation of FY2016 operating and capital activities described in the budget documents.
