Taneytown council adopts FY2025–26 operating budget after public hearing on newsletter, Main Street and traffic priorities

The Taneytown Mayor and City Council on June 18 adopted Ordinance 06-2025, the fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget, following a public hearing held throughout the special meeting.

The budget adoption directs city spending for the coming year and provides the administration with authority to use general-fund resources subject to council oversight. The public hearing remained open during the meeting, and council took voice votes to approve the ordinance.

Why it matters: The ordinance sets municipal priorities and appropriation authority for city services; residents used the hearing to press officials on local economic development, communications and public-safety needs that could affect how budget amendments are proposed and spent.

During public comment, Paul Kluth, identified in the record as a Taneytown resident and business owner, urged the council to prioritize economic development and asked for clarification on line items tied to a proposed city newsletter. “The annual budget should always address the priorities of the residents and the landowners,” Kluth said. He said the initial cost for the mailing would be covered from the current fiscal year funds and that subsequent mailings would follow an opt-in, with the newsletter also posted online. “The initial cost, the first mailing of it, is gonna come out of this current fiscal year budget. So fiscal year 2025,” Kluth said.

Kluth and others described the newsletter as a one-page administrative publication with a calendar, meeting dates, a mayor’s message and department notes; the city will do an initial mass mailing to establish an opt-in list and then use budget amendments, if needed, to fund ongoing mailings.

Resident Alex Kelly asked the council to consider capital investments that would make Main Street more attractive to shoppers, including long-term steps aimed at reducing commercial traffic through downtown. “Making that road a lot more calming would be the first step,” Kelly said, noting comparisons to nearby towns where bypass routes reduce through traffic.

Council members and the mayor responded that some revenue sources are restricted by fund type — notably that enterprise funds such as water cannot be transferred to capital projects like a bypass — and that unspent funds from the current fiscal year roll to the general fund. The mayor said the city would review audit results before authorizing carryover spending and indicated some unspent FY25 funds might be used for police equipment if the audit supports it.

Council discussed the budget amendment process repeatedly: rather than placing uncertain amounts in line items up front, the administration said it would bring specific amendment requests to council for public review and a vote before spending on new projects, such as marketing or Main Street initiatives.

After public comment and council discussion, the council took a voice vote. The meeting transcript records the mayor calling for those in favor to say “Aye,” and then saying, “Budget is approved.”

The council closed the public hearing on the FY2025–26 operating budget and moved to adjourn the special meeting.