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Commissioner says storm costs may top $900,000 and LOSAP trust now about 84% funded

St. Mary's County Commissioners (public remarks) · January 27, 2026

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Summary

An unidentified county commissioner estimated recent snow removal costs at about $900,000 (likely higher) and said the LOSAP trust reached roughly 84% funding after recent deposits of $1.9 million and a planned $900,000 contribution, which could avoid a $1.5 million general‑fund transfer.

An unidentified county commissioner said the county’s recent snowstorm produced an early estimate of $900,000 in snow‑removal costs and that the final bill will likely be higher. "It was a estimate put out there of $900,000 for the snow removal over the last couple days. I think it's gonna be higher," the speaker said, citing round‑the‑clock labor on roads.

The speaker also described the Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) trust and recent contributions that, in their view, reduce pressure on the general fund. “What’s good also about this LOSAP ... is we've got it to this 84% funded level,” the speaker said, and reported trust contributions: “we've put money into the trust this year, 1,900,000.0 that we're in now. We got another about 900,000 going in this year by July 1. Plus, we've been paying the benefits, which has been about 1,600,000.” The speaker summarized those figures as producing “a 3.4, something like that, million” applied toward LOSAP obligations.

The speaker said that, because of the trust’s improved position, the county may not need to take roughly $1.5 million from the general fund this year for LOSAP payouts and that approximately 177 additional volunteers could qualify for benefits under the program.

The remarks criticized a prior decision to remove a dedicated snow‑removal line from the county budget three years earlier and argued for reinstating snow‑removal funding in the budget process rather than relying on fund balance or salary savings.

No formal budget vote or ordinance was made during these remarks; the speaker framed the comments as budget guidance and fiscal context for the upcoming budget season.