Votes at a glance: Carroll County Commissioners approve HUD plan submission, contracts, purchases and budget transfers

The Board of Carroll County Commissioners voted on a number of motions Aug. 28, 2025. The actions below summarize motions the board approved during the meeting and the implementing department or vendor noted in each motion. All motions recorded in the meeting were approved by voice vote with the board answering “Aye.”

Nut graf: The meeting recorded approvals across operating, capital and grant actions, including submission of HUD housing plans, contract renewals for software and services, purchases for public safety and parks, emergency repairs and a $950,000 final operating budget transfer for Carroll County Public Schools.

Votes at a glance (each item was moved, seconded and approved by the board):

1) HUD 5-year plan and FY25 annual plan: Motion to close the public hearing and approve submission of the Department of Housing and Urban Development five-year plan (FY25–29) and the FY25 annual plan for the Carroll County Bureau of Housing; outcome: approved (no public comments received). Implementing office: Bureau of Housing; next step: submit to HUD for review.

2) Personal caregiver services (Right at Home): Approved authority to spend up to $120,000 with Right at Home for personal caregiver and chore services for qualifying older adults under the Bureau of Aging and Disabilities; funding included in FY26 budget. Implementing office: Bureau of Aging and Disabilities.

3) Child Support Enforcement agreement (Sheriff’s Office): Approved submission and acceptance of the FY26 child support enforcement agreement to fund one full-time deputy and 75% of an administrative position for enforcement activities; county match included in budget. Implementing office: Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

4) Purchase of firearms and accessories (Sheriff’s Office): Approved purchase from Whitmer Public Safety Group in the amount of $153,787.85 to replace Glock 17 service weapons with Glock 45 pistols (optics-equipped); FY26 budgeted amount. Implementing office: Sheriff’s Office.

5) NetCloud Mobile Performance (Cradlepoint) renewal: Approved renewal of NetCloud Mobile Performance Essentials plan with Brooks Network Services LLC in the amount of $26,668 to manage in-vehicle connectivity devices for public-safety vehicles; FY26 budgeted amount. Implementing office: Department of Technology / Sheriff’s Office.

6) Project management software subscription (Building Construction / Public Works): Approved purchase from EC America Inc. in the amount of $35,153.39 for a cloud-hosted project management platform used by building construction staff; FY26 budgeted amount.

7) GIS software maintenance and support (ESRI): Approved renewal of ESRI maintenance and support in the amount of $135,000; FY26 budgeted amount. Implementing office: Department of Technology Services.

8) Carroll County Public Schools FY25 operating budget transfer: Approved transfers totaling $950,000 to finalize FY25 operating fund category balances; approved earlier by the Board of Education and forwarded to the commissioners for approval under state law.

9) LED lighting upgrades at Freedom Park (BGE program): Authorized Recreation and Parks to coordinate with BGE and subcontractors to upgrade eight athletic fields to LED lighting under the BGE/Empower Maryland program; program funding described in meeting as 100% BGE-funded (estimated value reviewed in meeting: $460,000). Implementing office: Department of Recreation and Parks.

10) Pickleball court installation at Leister Park: Approved purchase and installation from Tarkett Sports Construction in the amount of $149,722 (Keystone Purchasing Network contract); FY26 budgeted amount.

11) Independent financial auditing services renewal: Approved renewal of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP contract for annual financial audit services (motion recorded with a budgeted amount of approximately $112,710). Implementing office: Comptroller.

12) Connect & Explore Path subscription (Pathful): Approved Pathful subscription for middle-school career and college readiness programming in the amount of $67,000; FY26 budgeted amount (workforce development coordination with schools).

13) Emergency order — detention center hot-water heater tube bundle: Approved the emergency expenditure of $31,300 to Bay Associates to replace a failed PVI water-heater tube bundle at the Carroll County Detention Center.

14) Shotcrete invert lining for corrugated pipe near 507 Sunshine Way: Approved contract with ProShot Concrete Inc. in the amount of $35,645 to apply shotcrete to invert of a 108-inch corrugated metal pipe; FY26 budgeted.

15) Rural Legacy purchase — Barbara Hunter property: Approved exercise of an option to purchase an 85.29-acre conservation easement through the Rural Legacy Program (Maryland Department of Natural Resources) at a state-funded cost of $619,531.50 (rural-legacy appraisal methodology noted; state grant-funded). Implementing office: Department of Planning/Conservation.

16) Contract renewals and other routine items: Additional approvals included renewal for GIS, ESRI support (above), and other procurement items listed on the agenda (project-specific details recorded in department files).

All recorded votes during the meeting were answered “Aye.” Where a recorded dollar figure was discussed in the presentation but not otherwise specified in the motion, the board approved the motion language as read into the record. The meeting contained extensive informational items and public comment; no motions to table or defeat the listed items were recorded.

Ending: Staff will proceed with contract execution, grant submissions and project coordination consistent with the board’s approvals and the county’s procurement and budget rules.