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Sykesville council adopts $6.8 million FY26 budget, keeps property tax rate at $0.32
Summary
After a brief public hearing with no speakers, the Sykesville Town Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2025-03 to approve the FY2026 operating and capital budget and set the property tax rate at $0.32 per $100 of assessed value.
The Sykesville Town Council on May 12 adopted Ordinance 2025-03, approving the town’s fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budget and setting the property tax rate at $0.32 per $100 of assessed value.
At a public hearing opened at 7:11 p.m. and closed shortly thereafter, no members of the public spoke on the budget before the council voted to adopt the ordinance. Joe (town staff) summarized the proposal to council members, saying the FY26 operating and capital budget shows total revenues and expenditures of “just over $6,800,000.” He told the council the proposed property tax rate remains at 32 cents per $100 of assessed value and that the town plans to continue using capital reserve funds and federal/state grant dollars, including ARPA, for projects such as the South End streetscape.
Why it matters: The ordinance sets the spending plan and revenue measures the town will use for the coming fiscal year and preserves the current town property tax rate. That affects municipal services, capital projects and the funding available to address stormwater, streetscape and other local priorities.
The budget summary and several line items cited during discussion: - Total revenues and expenditures: approximately $6,800,000 (Joe, town staff). - Property tax rate: 32¢ per $100 of assessed value (unchanged). - Stormwater project: $100,000 identified for Norwood Avenue (capital reserve usage). - Grant-funded capital projects: roughly $800,000 in the capital plan from sources listed in the budget book, including the Strategic Demolition Fund and a state capital grant. - Strategic demolition grant: $450,000 (town staff said the grant has already been received). - ARPA/state and local fiscal recovery funds: ongoing use for the South End streetscape project. - Fire department contribution: $20,000 (increase noted by council discussion). - Legal fees placeholder: $200,000 listed as a placeholder in the budget book.
Councilman Alan Grassley moved to adopt Ordinance 2025-03; the motion was seconded by Councilman Scofield. The motion passed unanimously. The council president announced the document will be posted on the town website after adoption; the budget book and line-by-line details are available through the meeting agenda link and will be moved to the permanent budget documents section once finalized.
A staff reminder: town staff said that the budget book contains line-item details and is available on the town’s agenda page; once the ordinance is adopted the document will appear in the budget document section of the website.
The council closed the hearing and promptly finalized the vote; no amendments were made to the ordinance. The council also noted the town expects many of the grant-funded projects to move into construction during the coming fiscal year.
