Carroll County delegation authorizes $17M TAN, approves multiple salary settings and a $17,950 van purchase

The Carroll County Delegation Executive Committee on April 3 authorized a $17 million tax anticipation note, approved salary settings for multiple elected officials for the 2027–2028 cycle and voted to spend $17,950 from the Capital Reserve Fund to buy a replacement food-transport van for the House of Corrections.

The meeting, held at the Annex Main Conference Room, opened at 2:00 PM. The committee unanimously approved minutes from March 25, 2026 before moving through a series of financial and personnel items.

On finance, the committee unanimously authorized the County Treasurer to borrow up to $17 million under the tax anticipation note program; the exact borrowing amount and interest rate will be determined later when the Treasurer applies to a bank.

On compensation, the committee set the three County Commissioners’ pay at $12,000 each annually, unchanged from the prior year. The committee also set the County Attorney’s salary at $135,000 for 2027–2028 to reflect prosecutorial and supervisory duties, and set the Treasurer’s salary at $10,540 as presented. The Sheriff’s salary was set at $133,000 for the 2027–2028 cycle after discussion of the position’s responsibilities; that motion passed 4-1.

The most contested compensation item involved the Register of Deeds. The committee debated an initial proposal for a 3% increase (presented as $83,309.45 for 2027 and $86,463 for 2028) before Vice Chair Jonathan Smith moved to amend the motion to a flat $131,000 for 2027–2028, citing the office’s responsibility for record-keeping on roughly $10 billion in county real estate and recent software improvements. Rep. Bobbi Boudman urged a broader salary study for other department heads before approving such a large single increase but said she was “in no way against this” specific raise. Rep. John MacDonald opposed the amendment, saying it represented “just shy of $50,000 raise from what she’s currently requesting.” The amended $131,000 figure passed 4-1.

The committee also considered and approved a capital reserve transfer to replace the House of Corrections food vehicle. The Superintendent described the current 2010 Ford Explorer as having a rusty frame that would not pass inspection, with $3,318 in repairs already made in 2025 and an additional $2,100 now needed; the vehicle’s Kelley Blue Book value was presented as about $2,300. The Superintendent recommended a 2022 Ram ProMaster City cargo van (about 92,000 miles, one-owner lease return) for improved sanitation and sealed meal-container transport. Committee members questioned why the replacement was not budgeted, whether leasing or repurposing other county vans was viable, and whether the operating budget could absorb the cost this early in the fiscal year. Chair Lino Avellani noted the Superintendent’s transfer request was not on the committee’s standard transfer form and asked Executive Director Mellisa Seamans to provide the correct, signed form showing the Capital Reserve balance. Rep. John MacDonald moved to approve $17,950 from the Capital Reserve Fund to buy the van; Rep. Bobbi Boudman seconded and the motion passed 3-2. Vice Chair Jonathan Smith recorded the lone 'No' vote, saying he believed the funds should be found within the operating budget at this stage of the year.

Meeting minutes list Hon. Ed Comeau as the preparer. The meeting adjourned at approximately 2:51 PM.