Allegany County commissioners ratify $524,000 in flood-relief emergency procurements, approve consent agenda

County staff asked the commissioners to ratify emergency procurements related to flood relief and presented ratification number 9 for $524,000. The board approved the ratification by voice vote; staff said the ratifications bring the running total of emergency procurements to about $3,900,000.

"Those are all county funds. We fully expended our lottery funds that we had set aside. They're expended now. Now we're truly eating fund balance. And if nothing comes out of any of this, no state funding, no FEMA funding, we'll be here before too long asking you to go approve a borrowing," Administrator Bennett said when describing fiscal pressure from flood-relief spending.

After the ratification, the board approved an eight-item consent agenda presented by Administrator Bennett. Items included four allocations of 9-1-1 board funding totaling $23,122 for enhancements to the 9-1-1 center system; a declaration of approximately 27 abandoned/seized/surplus sheriff's office vehicles to be sold at auction; a memorandum of understanding with the Allegany County Board of Elections to host early voting in the commissioners' meeting room for the 2026 primary and general elections; and execution of a siting agreement with Spring Haven Road Solar LLC for a proposed solar project (the siting agreement authorizes the county-level step so the project can proceed to the Public Service Commission).

No roll-call vote with named tallies was recorded in the transcript; motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about FEMA and state reimbursement; staff said the state has provided some assistance for residents but had not provided infrastructure dollars to date.