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Carroll County delegation discusses state capital requests, urges restoration of volunteer fire loan funding
Summary
County commissioners and the Carroll County legislative delegation reviewed a proposed list of state capital requests for county projects and urged restoration of a reduced state loan fund that supported volunteer fire companies, noting the cut would cover only a fraction of equipment costs.
Carroll County commissioners and the county's legislative delegation met to review a draft letter seeking state capital help for several county capital improvement projects and to press the state to restore a loan program that has supported volunteer fire companies.
The delegation and commissioners identified three recurring county requests for inclusion in the governor's miscellaneous capital projects package: funding for the State's Attorney building, a new law enforcement building and a public safety training center. County and delegation staff said these projects have been submitted to the State's Capital Improvement Budget process in prior years and remain priorities.
Delegation members and county staff also raised concern about a separate, longstanding state loan program that provided low-interest lending to volunteer fire companies. A participant said the FY26 appropriation for that program was reduced to $4,300,000, which county officials said will buy only a small number of fire apparatus statewide when individual engines now cost roughly $1 million to $2.5 million each.
County officials and delegates urged coordination between the county's delegation members and the governor's legislative liaisons to improve the chances that at least some projects receive funding. Delegates advised presenting the total project costs in requests so the administration understands the county is seeking partial state help rather than full funding.
Delegation members recommended using in-person meetings with the administration to "tell the story" of Carroll County projects and to identify funding pots within agency budgets (for example, community college funds or hospital capital funds) that might be tapped for components of local projects.
Several delegates and commissioners also stressed the role political realities play in capital allocations: administration priorities, legislative leaders and the election calendar can affect which projects are retained in final budgets. The group agreed to keep communication channels open and to consider early bill drafting and prefiling to give legislative staff time to prepare language if a local priority requires a state law change.
The participants asked county staff to finalize the request list and to continue lobbying with legislative and executive branch contacts. No formal vote or commitment to a specific dollar amount was recorded at the meeting.
Ending: Delegation members said they would help coordinate meetings with administration staff and work the requests, but cautioned that timing, politics and competing statewide priorities make outcomes uncertain.
