Carroll County Board unanimously adopts FY2027 budgets, approves CIP projects and multiple procurements

The Carroll County Board of Education voted unanimously May 13 to adopt its fiscal 2027 operating budget by major categorical totals, the debt-service fund, the food-service fund and final capital improvement project (CIP) totals, and approved a slate of procurement awards and personnel appointments.

Superintendent Dr. McCabe told the board that county commissioners "had fully funded the board's request as submitted," including $14 million in additional ongoing revenue and $5 million in one-time funds for facility maintenance and technology replacement, and asked the board to approve each required budget motion.

Board members then approved, by separate voice votes, the operating budget, the debt-service fund (the county-determined school construction debt), the food-service fund and the CIP project totals. Dr. McCabe said the separate motions reflect state and local legal requirements for budget adoption.

In related actions the board unanimously approved eight award items presented at the meeting. Dr. McCabe described the awards as: a storage freezer at the Kesler facility; three PreK additions (Elmer Wolf, Robert Motton and Runnyme) to the same lowest bidder with associated capital re‑allocations; playground procurement for Friendship Valley and Hampstead Elementary (the Hampstead purchase supplemented by a $90,000 community grant); prequalification of vendors to provide private duty nursing services; and selection of banking services via a piggyback Harford County contract.

The board also approved motions on two city-related land steps required for construction: irrevocable consent to annexation for the Robert Motton Elementary property and for the William Winchester and West Middle properties, votes that staff said are needed when Westminster provides municipal water for a project.

On personnel matters the board approved five appointments, including school psychologist and acting principal placements, routine personnel action items, and a transfer of one bus contract related to the retirement of a long-serving independent contractor. The board also adopted the 2026–27 special education staffing plan as required by state regulations.

All motions were approved on the record by voice vote, with no recorded ‘‘no’’ votes noted in the meeting transcript. The board set the next regular meeting for June 10 at 4 p.m. at central office, 125 North Court Street in Westminster.

Votes at a glance

- Operating budget (FY2027): approved, unanimous. - Debt-service fund budget: approved, unanimous. - Food-service fund budget: approved, unanimous. - Final CIP project totals: approved, unanimous. - Award of bids (storage freezer; Elmer Wolf, Robert Motton and Runnyme PreK additions; Friendship Valley and Hampstead playgrounds; private duty nursing vendors; banking services): approved, unanimous. - Irrevocable consent to annexation for Robert Motton Elementary property: approved, unanimous. - Irrevocable consent to annexation for William Winchester/West Middle properties: approved, unanimous. - 2026–27 Special Education Staffing Plan: approved, unanimous. - Transportation reimbursement formula for FY27: approved, unanimous. - Appointments and personnel action items: approved, unanimous. - Transfer of school bus contract (retirement-related): approved, unanimous.

Next steps

Several capital awards and project approvals will move into contracting and implementation; staff said the PreK additions will proceed with fund realignments and that the EFMP revision presented separately will be released for public comment before returning to the board for final approval in June.