Havre de Grace council adopts charter resolution to ease budget timing

The Havre de Grace City Council unanimously adopted Charter Resolution 307 on second reading Tuesday, a change to section 37E of the city charter that council members said will provide additional flexibility in the timing of the municipal budget approval process.

Council Member Ellis moved to introduce the resolution and explained its purpose during debate: "the purpose of this is to make it so that we have a little bit more flexibility on the timing of the passing of the budget — just administrative in nature," he said. After a motion and second, the council adopted the resolution by roll-call vote of 4-0.

The resolution was described on the record as an amendment to the city charter authorized under Article 11 of the Maryland Constitution, the Land Use Article §7-302B, and sections of the Havre de Grace city charter. Council members said the change is intended to give staff and elected officials more administrative leeway when scheduling and approving the annual budget.

Council members offered no substantive amendments during the session and the measure passed without recorded dissent. According to the meeting record, the vote was recorded as four in favor and none opposed.

The council did not announce an effective date during the meeting. Council members said any procedural changes would be used to help the finance department manage timing and not to change budget priorities. The city clerk will include any formal notice of adoption and effective date in the public meeting minutes and the next published agenda.