[Call to Order]
[Temporary License:]
[Denton VFC ]
[00:01:13]
HEY, GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026 CAROLINE COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING, WHICH IS NOW IN ORDER. THIS MORNING WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY REVEREND KEN CLENDANIEL OF BETHLEHEM WESLEYAN CHURCH.
AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE RISE, REVEREND CLENDANIEL. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. LORD, WE COME TO YOU TODAY.
AND LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER, PROTECT AND BLESS US.
AND LORD, I JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP OUR LEADERSHIP TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY.
LORD, HELP THEM TO LEAD WITH WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT.
I PRAY, FATHER, THAT YOU WOULD FILL THEM WITH KINDNESS AND WITH EMPATHY AND WITH LOVE FOR ITS PEOPLE, FOR YOUR PEOPLE, FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND LORD, WE JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD JUST WATCH OVER DIRECT AND WE JUST ARE LOOKING TO YOU TO LEAD US FORWARD. WE PRAY THIS IN CHRIST'S NAME. AMEN.
AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SIR, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. DURING THE JANUARY 13TH COMMISSIONER MEETING, THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION UNDER MARYLAND CODE GENERAL PROVISIONS, SUBSECTION 3-305B1 TO HOLD EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS.
I STILL DON'T SEE ANYONE HERE FROM BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS, SO WE'LL MOVE ON UP TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS STEPHANIE FLOWER, DIRECTOR OF CAROLINE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, WITH AN INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW DIRECTOR AND KENDALL TEAGUE.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'VE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CAROLINE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY.
AND LAST MARCH 2025, STEPHANIE FLOWER WAS HIRED AS OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
BOTH BEHIND THE SCENES AND ON PUBLIC SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED FOR CAROLINE COUNTY RESIDENTS.
STEPHANIE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN VETERINARY AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES FROM PENN STATE, AS WELL AS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND CONSERVATION.
WHEN STEPHANIE STEPPED INTO THIS ROLE, SHE WAS UP AGAINST REAL CHALLENGES THAT SHE FACED HEAD ON.
DRAWING FROM HER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, SHE HAS IMPLEMENTED NEW OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES ACROSS THE BOARD THAT HAS HELPED THE SHELTER TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. FOR EXAMPLE, SERVICES PROVIDED NOW BETTER MEET.
BETTER ARE NOW. BETTER DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
[Change in Information]
THE PET PANTRY LOCATED AT THE SHELTER IS NOW MORE ACCESSIBLE WITH EXTENDED HOURS AND INCREASED ALLOTMENTS OF PET FOOD.[El Chupakabra ]
[00:05:08]
REDUCING TRAVEL BURDENS FOR FAMILIES IN NEED.STEPHANIE ALSO INCREASED STAFFING STABILITY. AND THAT'S ATTRIBUTED TO HIRING AND RETAINING MORE SKILLED WORKERS, WHICH IN TURN IS STRENGTHENING THE SHELTER FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS I COULD TALK ABOUT, BUT WHAT I FIND MOST IMPORTANT TO SHARE IS HOW THE SHELTER HAS BECOME A CALMER, MORE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STAFF AND THE ANIMALS.
STEPHANIE'S LEADERSHIP HAS SET A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE OF CAROLINE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, AND THE PROGRESS MADE IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S LEADERSHIP AND VISION.
THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
THIS IS SHORT VERSION AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US SOME OF YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. SO LIKE SHE SAID, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST A YEAR.
AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS HIGH TIME TO COME IN HERE AND MEET YOU ALL IN PERSON.
I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT ALL OF YOU. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ALL TO MEET YOU, TO PUT FACES TO NAMES.
AND ALSO, NOW THAT I'VE BEEN THERE LONG ENOUGH, I FEEL LIKE I COULD, YOU KNOW, ANSWER JUST ABOUT ANY QUESTION YOU WOULD HAVE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION WE'VE PUT SOME TIME IN. WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES.
AND WE DID GIVE YOU GUYS COPIES OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT FROM 2024, WHICH OBVIOUSLY I WAS NOT HERE FOR THOSE NUMBERS, BUT THEY DO SPEAK TO A TREND THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2025 NUMBERS, WHICH I WAS HERE FOR.
FOR EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE, OUR CAT INTAKES ARE DOWN WHICH IS MOST LIKELY A DIRECT RESULT OF THE TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN PROGRAM THAT IS ONLY A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD BUT IS STILL THRIVING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE USING THAT PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THE BIG NUMBER FOR US THAT WAS PRETTY EXCITING FOR 2025 WAS OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE PERCENTAGE OF ANIMALS THAT GET OUT OF THE BUILDING AFTER COMING INTO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR INTAKE PROCESSES. AND THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IS OVER 90% WHICH IS WHICH IS AN ACHIEVEMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR US.
BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE NUMBERS FOR PEOPLE THAT THAT UNDERSTAND THEM AND ARE EXCITED ABOUT THEM IS WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS ANIMAL WELFARE WORK.
YOU KNOW, I STARTED AS A ZOOKEEPER AND THEN I SWITCHED OVER INTO SHELTERING.
SO [LAUGHTER] I'VE SEEN SOME THINGS. BUT THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, WORKING AT THE SHELTERS THAT I'VE WORKED AT AND, AND DOING THIS FOR SO LONG, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS, IS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE A RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS A THAT IS A BIG DEAL. WE DON'T FUNCTION IF OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T SUPPORT US, DOESN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BE MEET US WHERE WE'RE AT AND USE OUR PROGRAMS AND HELP US FUNCTION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT GOES BOTH WAYS. SO WE WANT TO BE THERE FOR THEM WHEN THEY NEED US.
IDEALLY WE WANT TO BE THERE, NOT JUST WHEN, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG FOR THEM, AND THEY NEED A PLACE TO BRING AN ANIMAL THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER KEEP. WE REALLY WANT TO FUNCTION MORE AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER.
SO IF THEY'VE HIT HARD TIMES, THEY CAN COME AND USE OUR PET PANTRY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR AND INTO THE FUTURE. WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE SURE OUR PET PANTRY STAYS STOCKED WITH FOOD, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW, IS WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE USING IT THAT WE TEND TO KEEP RUNNING OUT OF FOOD. SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO TO BUILD THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE WHENEVER ANYBODY NEEDS IT. BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE OUR LOW COST SPAY NEUTER PROGRAM.
AND THAT, THAT THERE AREN'T MANY OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, ON THE EASTERN SHORE AND CERTAINLY IN CAROLINE COUNTY, WE'RE THE ONLY OPTION FOR LOW COST SPAY NEUTER.
SO THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM. OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE WANT TO GET THEIR PETS SPAYED OR NEUTERED, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN. NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT REDUCES, YOU KNOW, THE UNWANTED LITTERS AND THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN THAT THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEIR PETS ARE HEALTHIER, THEY DON'T REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT SPAYING AND NEUTERING HELPS TAKE CARE OF AND MAKES PETS HEALTHIER. SO WE WANT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE THERE.
SO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT VERY IMPORTANT VETERINARY CARE.
AND YOU KNOW, GROWING ON THAT IS THE LOW COST VET CARE IN GENERAL.
AND IT IS NON-EXISTENT ON THE EASTERN SHORE. MORE OR LESS OTHER THAN SPAY OR NEUTER.
[Extension of Licensed Premise]
BUT WE WANT TO HELP EXPAND ON THAT. WE WANT TO DO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO MORE CLINICS AND OFFER MORE VACCINES,[El Chupakabra - Bike Show]
[00:10:03]
YOU KNOW, BEYOND ALSO RABIES, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO SOME OF THOSE CORE VACCINES, BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE. NOW JUST TO GO TO THE VET AND GET THE BASIC CARE.AND WE KNOW THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SOME PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT CAN REALLY HELP IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR ACCESS TO SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HARDER FOR THEM TO GET TO. AND SO THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON AND BUILD OUT, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, BUT ALSO IN THE YEARS TO COME, IS FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE BRING SOME OF THIS UNACCESSIBLE THINGS MOSTLY, LIKE I SAID, LOW COST VET CARE TO CAROLINE COUNTY AND BUILD THE HUMANE SOCIETY, NOT JUST AS A PLACE THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AS A HARBOR FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS, WHICH OF COURSE WE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THAT.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ANY ANYTHING YOU SAW IN THE REPORTS THAT WERE CONFUSING? COMMISSIONER BARTZ. I'M JUST AN ANIMAL LOVER AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO SO.
WONDERFUL THANK YOU. I ENJOY YOUR PASSION FROM WHAT YOU'VE JUST SAID.
SO. YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, SO.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE A FEW TIMES THROUGH MY THREE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, AND BEEN OUT TO THE SHELTER AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN THAT WE DID SOME IMPROVEMENT, LIKE THE PARKING LOT AND OTHER TYPE OF THINGS OUT THERE.
SO. YEAH, JUST THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE IF YOU HAVE. WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE ASKING AS FAR AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR? SURE. SO WE, I BELIEVE, ARE ASKING FOR I SHOULD I SAY I BELIEVE, BUT I KNOW WE'RE ASKING FOR [LAUGHTER].
WE ARE ASKING FOR HELP IMPROVING THE WAREHOUSE THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY.
IT'S A VERY LARGE SPACE THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN JUST STORAGE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
YOU JUST HAVE THAT FLEXIBLE SPACE. THAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE ASKING FOR HELP PURCHASING A MOBILE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC.
AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THAT LOW COST VET CARE, THAT IS A BIG STEP TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO OFFER.
START OFFERING SOME OF THOSE THINGS. SO NOT ONLY WOULD THAT HELP US GROW THAT TNR PROGRAM THAT WE ARE DOING NOW, AND WE HAVE A TON OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE SUPER INVESTED IN THAT, AND WE DEFINITELY HAVE MORE DEMAND THAN WE CAN HANDLE RIGHT NOW FOR THAT PROGRAM.
BUT ALSO HAVING THAT MOBILE UNIT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO RABIES CLINICS ALL OVER THE COUNTY OR, YOU KNOW, VACCINE CLINICS ALL OVER THE COUNTY AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE, I BELIEVE, THE TWO THINGS WE'RE ASKING FOR.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF A COST? THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT WAS $10,500.
AND THE MOBILE SPAY AND NEUTER WAS $150,000.
AND THE MOBILE CLINIC WOULD INVOLVE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL OR WOULD YOU? WE WOULD CONTRACT WITH. WE HAVE WE ACTUALLY JUST HIRED A MEDICAL CARE SUPERVISOR.
SO SHE HAS 20 YEARS OF VET MED EXPERIENCE. SO THAT'S SOMEBODY WHO WOULD HELP RUN THAT.
AND THEN WE WOULD CONTRACT WITH THE VET. THE MOBILE UNIT WOULD BE PATTERNED ALONG THE, THE LINES OF OUR MOBILE UNITS FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR WHAT WOULD IT BE? I MEAN, WHAT WOULD THAT BE LOOK LIKE? I DON'T I HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOBILE HEALTH DEPARTMENT UNITS, [LAUGHTER] SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. BUT BASICALLY I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
SO THE FRONT PART OF THE MOBILE UNITS HAVE LIKE A SMALL EXAM ROOM AND THEN THE BACK HALF HAVE THE SURGERY SUITE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. SO I THINK HE'S MORE LIKE THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE.
IT'S 26FT LONG. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR, BUT THE ANYWHERE VET IS A VET THAT HAS A MOBILE UNIT, AND IT'S VERY THE ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS VERY SIMILAR TO THEIR UNIT THAT THEY USE AND IT SERVES THEM WELL. SO WE WOULD ANTICIPATE
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THE EQUIPMENT ON IT. OKAY. YEAH. SO BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING TO BUY SO THE NEW ONES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO BUY A USED ONE. SO IT'LL BRING THAT COST DOWN.BUT IT COMES WITH ALL OF THAT SURGERY EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING ON IT.
THAT'S ALL THANKS NICE TO MEET YOU AS WELL. SORRY IT DIDN'T WORK OUT WHERE YOU COULD GET IN HERE SOONER, BUT I GUESS YOU GOT A GOOD LAY OF THE LAND OVER THERE NOW.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE COST? I HAVE HEARD RECENTLY THE COST OF VETERINARY SERVICES HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. RIGHT? THIS IS LIKE A NATIONWIDE ISSUE.
AND AS A REALLY, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY POOR COMMUNITY WITH A LOT OF ANIMAL OWNERS THAT ARE PROBABLY EXPERIENCING THESE HIGHER VETERINARY COSTS AND COSTS OF OWNING PETS IN GENERAL. I'M SURE THAT'S PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
BUT WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WHAT'S PRESSURING VETERINARY COSTS TO INCREASE? SO ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THERE IS A VET SHORTAGE.
SO THERE AREN'T AS MANY VETS AS WE NEED. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT.
ONE OF THEM BEING THAT IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATES OF ANY JOB OUT THERE.
SO IT IS, YOU KNOW, HARD TO, TO NECESSARILY RECRUIT VETS ALL THE TIME.
SO THERE'S THAT PIECE OF IT. BUT I THINK IT'S JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN THIS ECONOMY RIGHT NOW IS JUST THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF SORT OF WHAT MAKES UP, YOU KNOW, VET CARE, HAVE MORE COSTS NOW DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY'RE MADE OR WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND IT'S JUST CAUSING EVERYTHING TO INCREASE KIND OF UP THE BOARD.
SO ARE YOU EXPERIENCING MORE? I KNOW YOU KIND OF HAVE A RELATIVELY SHORT EXPERIENCE AT OUR HUMANE SOCIETY, BUT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING MORE PEOPLE COMING IN ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH VETERINARY CARE OR? YEAH, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S MORE, BUT THERE IS A YOU KNOW, WE DO WE DO GET CALLS AND WE DO OUR BEST TO, TO TRY TO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAVE A LIST OF, OF ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, BASICALLY THAT PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE TO TRY TO GO GET THAT, THAT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, VET CARE ASSISTANCE WHEN THEY'RE HAVING EMERGENCIES OR, YOU KNOW, A DOG BROKE A LEG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YEAH. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THAT ISSUE.
AND SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO HELP THEM THROUGH IT.
GOTCHA. OKAY. WELL. SAY THAT THAT OUR JOB IS PRETTY DIFFICULT.
WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT COMES IN AND THE SAME COMMUNITY THAT, THAT YOU SEE THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO, IN SOME CASES, TAKE CARE OF THEIR ANIMALS ARE ALSO PROBABLY STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR, THEIR PROPERTY TAXES OR THEIR INCOME TAXES.
SO IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM THE STATE TO, TO ABSORB MORE CALLS FROM THEM.
SO DON'T TAKE NOT RECEIVING FUNDING AS WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING YOU.
IT'S JUST THAT WE'VE GOT TO PRIORITIZE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOUR REQUESTS MAY NOT YOU KNOW, MAKE THE CUT.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK THEY'RE VALID REQUESTS OR THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE SUPPORTING THEM.
IT'S JUST THAT WE, WE CAN'T FINANCIALLY. SO BUT YOU KNOW AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND GOOD LUCK AND STRETCH. STRETCH WHAT YOU GOT AS FAR AS YOU CAN.
THAT'S THE CAROLINE WAY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. [LAUGHTER].
THANK YOU. SO ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? SO ON THE MOBILE CLINIC FOR LIKE $150,000.
SO I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE ASPECT ON LIKE SAY IF YOU SPEND $150,000 AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER BREEDING IS GOING TO KICK ME HERE, BUT LIKE ON A CALL SAVING, LIKE, SO IF YOU SPEND $150,000, SO HOW WOULD IT PAY FOR ITSELF? SO IF IT WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF, LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO SAVE THE TAXPAYER, YOU KNOW, $150,000 OVER X AMOUNT OF YEARS? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF OR? I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
[00:20:02]
SO I THINK I MEAN IT'S. I MEAN, I KNOW YOU COULDN'T COME UP WITH AN ANSWER NOW, BUT.YEAH [LAUGHTER]. JUST THINKING LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SPEND $150,000 ON THIS MOBILE CLINIC, HOW WOULD YOU PAY FOR IT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH. SO I MEAN THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I THINK YOU KNOW I CAN'T NECESSARILY PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE BEING ABLE TO INCREASE YOU KNOW OUR, OUR TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN PROGRAM WHICH YOU KNOW, WE WE BASICALLY NEED TO FIND A WAY TO BE ABLE TO, TO SPAY AND NEUTER THESE CATS AT A LOWER COST THAN WE'RE DOING NOW.
AND, AND THEN BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE VOLUME.
AND DOING THAT IS GOING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STRAY CATS IN OUR POPULATION, WHICH CAUSE ALL KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, FUN [LAUGHTER] FUN ISSUES FOR EVERYBODY. SO EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD THAT WOULD LEAD TO SOME AMOUNT OF SAVINGS ACROSS THE BOARD OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND TO, TO DEAL WITH THEM, BUT ALSO THEN BEING ABLE TO, TO USE THAT CLINIC TO, TO OFFER SOME OF THAT LOW COST TO PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO COME GET LOWER COST, YOU KNOW, CARE FOR THEIR PETS WOULD REDUCE, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME OF THEIR COSTS AS WELL.
[American Legion Post #29 - Bike Show]
I THINK I'M JUST GIVING YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE THE BUDGET GETS WAY OUT.I MEAN, WE'RE STARTING NOW. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S KATHY AND KENDRA BOTH KNOW IT'S NOT DECIDED TODAY, SO YOU HAVE TO COME UP. I'M JUST GIVING YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO PRESENT LATER ON.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD BUDGET ROUNDTABLE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. NICE MEETING YOU.
THANKS. NICE MEETING YOU AS WELL. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP, WE HAVE JAMIE BEECHEY, DIRECTOR OF RECREATION AND PARKS, WITH A DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED FEE INCREASES AT CHOPTANK MARINA.
GOOD MORNING JAMIE. SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR MONEY.
THAT'S A BONUS [LAUGHTER] THIS MORNING DURING BUDGET SEASON.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I BELIEVE YOU ALL RECEIVED THE INFORMATION THAT I SENT OVER.
AND AS WE ARE NEARING THE HOME STRETCH OF COMPLETING THE $3.2 MILLION RENOVATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EVEN LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT, NUMBER ONE, ENSURING THE SUSTAINABILITY AND VIABILITY, EXCUSE ME, OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND THAT THE MARINA SITS IN AND MAKING SURE THAT.
AIR CONDITIONER. OH, I WAS LIKE. IT WAS DANNY.
[LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THE SAME THING. WAS IT MY TIME ALREADY? [LAUGHTER] THAT WAS FUNNY.
AND THAT'S HOW IT DOES EXIST. NOW THE FEES HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
WE ANNUALLY PROBABLY NET ABOUT $7,000 IN REVENUE ON TOP OF EXPENSES.
BUT WE DID RECENTLY, OR WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF USING SOME OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND TO MATCH THE DNR FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE AWARDED US FOR CONSTRUCTION.
TYPICALLY, THE BIGGEST COSTS COME UP FOR US ARE ABANDONED BOATS.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
THE ONE YEAR THAT WE DID HAVE BOATS THAT WE HAD TO REMOVE ON OUR OWN IT WAS A LITTLE OVER $9,000 TO, TO GET THOSE OUT. SO MY PROPOSAL, I MEAN, IDEALLY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS 5% PLUS A $75 UTILITY CHARGE. EVERY SLIP WILL HAVE WATER AND ITS OWN ELECTRIC RIGHT TO IT.
WE USED TO METER SOME OF THE SLIPS AND NOT ALL OF THEM.
SO EVERYBODY SORT OF HAD THE PROVISION OF ELECTRIC WITHOUT NECESSARILY PAYING FOR IT.
IDEALLY WE WOULD, WOULD DO THE 5% AND $75. I WOULD CONCEDE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE IF IT'S YOUR WISH, BECAUSE WE HAVE INCONVENIENCED THE CURRENT SLIP USERS THE PAST TWO YEARS BY MAKING THEM GET THEIR BOATS OUT.
[00:25:01]
THAT THE CONCESSION FOR THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE THEY JUST PAY THE ELECTRIC CHARGE AND NEW USERS GET THE INCREASE AND WE INCREASE FOR EVERYBODY NEXT YEAR. BUT REALLY I'M JUST HERE TO SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.WITHIN THE SPREADSHEET THAT I PRESENTED TO YOU.
MY THOUGHT IS I JUST I NEED TO. REDO IT. RIGHT? AND THEN SAY, HEY, WELL, WE'RE REDOING THIS NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO UP THE FEE ON YOU, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING MORE INTENTIONALLY WHEN WE DID IT WAS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE, FOR THE CONSTITUENTS LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INVESTING HERE.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DIVERTED THAT MONEY THERE TO GO THAT WAY, IT'S SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO.
YOU KNOW, FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, IT'S OUR ONLY MARINA THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I KIND OF WAS. I WASN'T REALLY LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, UP ANY FEE.
JUST A SENSE OF JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING OUR COMMUNITY BETTER AT THE MOMENT.
YOU KNOW? I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. WITH YOU.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE SUSTAINABLE.
WE YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T. I UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE, NOT A GRAND INCREASE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, BE ABLE TO TAKE, HAVE THAT SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT TAXPAYER CONTRIBUTION.
RIGHT. TALK ABOUT WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT FUND LOCAL MATCH WHERE THE FUND COMES FROM.
HOW MUCH IT REQUIRES LOCAL MATCH? SO WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT.
[American Legion Post #29 - Turkey Shoot]
JUST RECENTLY REDID THEIR ALLOCATION ALLOTMENT.IT USED TO BE YOU COULD GET $250,000 WITH NO MATCH.
AND THIS IS DNR THIS. THIS IS NOW IN PREVIOUS YEARS YOU COULDN'T STACK IT, SO WE COULDN'T SAY IN YEAR FIVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE $125,000.
AND WE'RE. I'M SORRY, MATH BRAIN MATH. WE CAN'T STACK THE $250,000 TO GET TO $125,000,000 TO DO ONE BIG PROJECT. YOU HAD A PROJECT, PROJECT IT. SO WE COULD ALWAYS TAKE LITTLE BITES OUT OF THE ELEPHANT, WHICH WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DONE OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I'LL SEPARATE THAT BY SAYING DREDGING IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
THERE'S IT'S WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT, BUT DREDGING IS 100% FUNDED.
IF THEY IF THEY AGREE THAT YOUR PROJECT NEEDS TO BE DREDGED.
SO THE WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FOR BOAT RAMP IMPROVEMENTS, MARINA IMPROVEMENTS, SHORELINE RESTORATION THAT WAS UP TO $250,000 THAT THAT DOLLAR FIGURE HAS BEEN INCREASED TO $500,000 FOR PROJECTS.
SO ANY TYPE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS I FEEL LIKE COULD BE COVERED UNDER WATER.
WITHOUT A MATCH? WITHOUT A MATCH. OKAY. ANYTHING ABOVE $500,000 THEN WOULD REQUIRE A 50% MATCH.
OKAY. SO AND THAT COMES OUT. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THAT FUNDING COMES FROM? THAT IS TAX. BOAT TAX SALES. SALES TAX ON BOATS. OKAY. SO THAT FUNDS APPARENTLY IS DOING WELL IF THEY HAVE INCREASED.
IN FACT EVEN MID-STREAM THIS THIS YEAR WITH OUR PROJECT AS IT, AS IT SORT OF WENT UP IN COST, THEY WERE ABLE TO DESIGNATE SOME UNALLOCATED FUNDS TO US.
AND I KNOW RECENTLY THEY DID THE SAME FOR THE TOWN OF GREENSBORO.
THEY HAD SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR THEIR ROADWAY FOR $75,000, AND THEY WENT BACK AND SAID, HEY, CAN WE DO A LITTLE BIT MORE? SO THEY'RE VERY AMENABLE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THE, THE FUEL TANK IS THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE FUEL TANK IS ACTUALLY IN THERE.
SO THEY DID LET US STACK IN THAT CASE. OKAY. COMMISSIONER PORTER.
YEAH. THIS SUBJECT CAME TO MY ATTENTION SUNDAY MORNING.
ABOUT THE FEES. I'M NOT GOING TO BE A BIG FAN OF INCREASING FEES WHILE WE'VE INCONVENIENCED PEOPLE.
[Administration]
DONE. ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THERE THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS.SO YOU COULD SAY THAT WE SPENT THE MONEY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SPENT IN THE PAST.
[Three- Year Administrative Authorization Recurring Temporary Extension of Licensed Premise Area]
SO I'M NOT GOING TO I'M NOT INTERESTED IN INCREASING FEES AT THIS POINT.SO WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE. ANTICIPATE THAT THE WORK WILL BE COMPLETED?
[00:30:06]
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DELAYS WITH ICE AND.ACTUALLY I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THEY RAN THE UTILITIES IN THE CENTER PIER.
THEY REJECT THE CENTER PIER. SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IS DUE 2/15.
I WOULD HAVE SAID A MONTH AGO I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT COULD HAPPEN.
JUST ENSURING THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING, THAT IT'S DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND MAKING SURE THAT ANY OF THE ENGINEER PUNCH LIST ITEMS ARE, ARE TAKEN CARE OF. OKAY. SO WE SHOULD HAVE BOAT OWNERS BACK IN ON TIME.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT WITH ICE AND WEATHER.
I MEAN, IT'S. IT I WILL SAY IT SHOCKS ME THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THIS WEATHER.
AND AS I LOOK BACK AT THE WEATHER THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WEREN'T WORKING.
SO I, I'M VERY PLEASED BY THE PROGRESS THAT HAS HAPPENED DOWN THERE.
SO I WOULD. COULD I ENTERTAIN THAT THE ELECTRIC $75 THAT WE IMPOSE THAT UTILITY FEE? AND NOT RAISE THE FEES FOR THE MARINA? THAT WILL OFFSET THE AT LEAST IN THEORY, THE OFFSET. I WON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEW ELECTRIC COSTS ARE OBVIOUSLY UNTIL WE RUN THEM FOR A SEASON.
BUT THAT IS A THAT IS A NICETY THAT WE DO PROVIDE TO ALL OF OUR BOAT SLIP USERS.
AND THAT $75 WILL COVER WHAT TRADITIONAL COSTS OF THE ELECTRIC ARE.
OUR UTILITIES ARE AT THE MARINA. CAN THE BOAT SLIP PERSON HAVE THE OPTION TO USE THE ELECTRIC OR NO? IT'S LIKE THEY'RE LIKE, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF YOUR NEIGHBOR IF YOUR NEIGHBOR PAID FOR THEIR ELECTRIC AND YOU DIDN'T AND THEY WEREN'T THERE, YOU COULD PLUG LIKE I CAN'T MANAGE THAT.
NO WAY. YEAH. YEAH. WE. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS.
I CAN TURN YOUR SLIP OFF, BUT I CAN'T KEEP YOU FROM USE YOUR NEIGHBOR.
YEAH. AND I'M NOT ACCUSING ANYBODY OF DOING ANYTHING NEFARIOUS, YOU KNOW, IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY.
RIGHT. WHAT'D YOU DO FOR ONE, YOU HAVE TO DO FOR ALL.
KIND OF YEAH. I UNDERSTAND AND MAINTAIN. WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S ANY WAY YOU CAN LET IT SLIDE THIS YEAR AND THEN REEVALUATE IT NEXT YEAR TO SEE WHAT THE COST WILL BE. OKAY. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU COULD DO? WELL, I CAN I CAN DO ANYTHING YOU GENTLEMEN ASK ME TO DO.
BUT I WANT TO BE FAIR. I JUST WANT TO BE FAIR.
I MEAN, LIKE, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LIKE, YOU CAN SIT HERE AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN $75.
WE'RE JUST PROPOSING $75. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHERE IT MIGHT NOT BE $75. IT MIGHT BE $50. YOU KNOW? THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT. HOW ARE YOU GOING FOR THE ELECTRIC NOW OR HOW WERE WE PREVIOUSLY DOING IT, JAMIE? THEY WERE PULLING THE METER NUMBERS AND AND AND SENDING THE BILLS TO THE TO THE OWNERS THAT HAD THEM.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY OF SHUTTING ANY OF THE OTHER ELECTRIC OFF, SO I WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING.
WELL, MOST OF THEM ARE SMALL. I MEAN, I CAN YOU CAN LOOK AT ALL OF THEM. MOST OF THEM DON'T HAVE ELECTRICAL HOOKUPS. THE ONLY THING YOU WOULD USE THE ELECTRIC FOR WOULD BE THE ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
NOW, THE BIGGER YEAH. DO HAVE YOU KNOW, CONNECTIONS. SO.
MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO GET THE WORK COMPLETED AND REEVALUATED AT THAT POINT.
THAT'S WHAT I THAT'S MY YEAR AND WE STILL HAVE THE WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
[00:35:02]
THIS POSITIVE ABOUT THE OUTCOME. RIGHT. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE LITTLE WORK THAT MAY LINGER AFTER MARCH 15TH, PRIOR TO APRIL 1ST, WHICH WOULD BE OUR START DATE EVEN AFTER THAT DATE, THOSE LITTLE ITEM PUNCH LIST ITEMS COULD BE DONE WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR IN THEIR SPOTS. WHAT'S THE DATE WHERE THEY CAN'T DISTURB THE RIVER BOTTOM ANYMORE? IS IT THE END OF FEBRUARY? THEY'VE GOT TO BE DONE DRIVING SHEETS AND PILES BY MARCH 1ST MARCH 15TH. OH, SO IT'S UP TILL MARCH 15TH. YEAH.WE'D START. WE'D WE TALK ABOUT FEBRUARY 15TH BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, THEN IT GETS PUSHED.
OKAY. BEYOND. WELL THEY'RE. YEAH. THEY CAN'T.
THEY CAN'T DRIVE. THEY CAN'T BE ANYTHING AFTER MARCH 15TH THEY'VE GOT TO WAIT ALL THE WAY UNTIL JUNE. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE DONE WITH ALL OF THAT.
RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HE CONTENDS THAT THAT ALL THE PILE DRIVING WILL BE DONE BY FEBRUARY 15TH.
OKAY. SO? OKAY. WELL HOPEFULLY IT IS BECAUSE THE ABOVE WATER STUFF CAN BE CAN ALL BE DONE THAT'S CORRECT. IT CAN BE IT CAN RUN OVER. SO OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. WELL I THINK THE DIRECTION IS BECAUSE WE'VE INCONVENIENCED.
WE'LL JUST LEAVE IT LEAVE THE FEES THE SAME. I, YOU KNOW, I THINK A REASONABLE INCREASE MAYBE NEXT YEAR STARTING AFTER THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE GO 5% A YEAR OR SOMETHING TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH BECAUSE IT'S BEEN.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME IT WAS RAISED? IT WAS 2001.
SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE. YEAH. WE I MEAN, WE ARE VERY I'LL SAY COMPETITIVE MEANING WE, WE DON'T GOUGE PEOPLE FOR USE OF THE MARINA AND THAT'S NOT OUR INTENTION.
RIGHT. AND IT'LL GET US A GOOD SEASON. TO SEE WHAT THE ELECTRIC COSTS ARE.
OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ELECTRIC COSTS ARE AND HOW WE WANT TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT BUT.
IS THERE IS THERE ANY HESITATION IF I LET THEM KNOW THAT JUST WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT HERE, IN TERMS OF LIKE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, THANKING EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND, AND LOOKING AT THE, AT THE UTILITY FEES.
AND THAT MAY BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE THAT WE HAVE.
YEAH. AND MAYBE DIRECT STAFF TO KEEP AN EYE ON HOW MANY CONNECTIONS LIKE DURING THIS KEEP AN EYE ON YOU KNOW WHEN THERE WHEN WE DO HAVE THE MARINA STAFF TO DO A SURVEY MAYBE OF WHAT BOATS ARE CONNECTED.
YEAH. IF THEY'RE NOT BEING CHARGED THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO TELL YOU EVEN.
YEAH. YEAH. SO OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH SOUNDS GOOD. THANKS, JAMIE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JAMIE. YEAH.
NO, NO, IT'S NOT FROM BIG BROTHER. SHE. SHE'S UPSTAIRS OKAY GRANTS COORDINATOR. SO MUCH MORE THAN GRANTS COORDINATOR, BUT.
[American Legion Post #29 - Three-Year Turkey Shoot Extension of Premise Area Approval]
[LAUGHTER]. VERY MUCH SO. CAN WE ADD SOMETHING TO HER TITLE? [LAUGHTER] AUDIT SPECIALIST. BUDGET SPECIALIST.2ND QUARTER BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORT. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
STACY AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES OF YOUR MORNING JUST TO REVIEW OUR 2ND QUARTER BUDGET PERFORMANCE REPORT AND WHERE WE ARE FINISHING THE HALFWAY MARK THROUGH THE YEAR. SO I BELIEVE A COPY OF THE REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN YOUR GREEN FOLDERS AND HANDOUT.
SO IF YOU WANT, I THINK I'LL GO OVER THE REVENUE AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STACY TO GO OVER EXPENSES AS WE'RE TALKING, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE STOP US AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE OR HAVE FLAGGED IN YOUR REPORT ON.
SO WITH REAL PROPERTY, WE'RE AT 94%. BUT ONE OF THE LARGER NUMBERS IN THERE IS UTILITIES.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S 54% COLLECTION ON THAT.
WE BILL, AS WE GET THE REPORTS FROM THE STATE.
SO IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE THAT NUMBER LOWER AND NOT IN THE SAME PACE AS RURAL PROPERTY.
AND THAT KIND OF DRAGS DOWN THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
BUT IN COMPARISON WITH OUR TYPICAL YEARS, EVERYTHING IS REALLY ONLINE.
DROPPING DOWN TO INCOME TAX, OUR SECOND LARGEST FUNDING SOURCE FOR COUNTY GENERAL FUND.
[00:40:04]
YOU CAN SEE WE'RE AT 32%. AGAIN, THIS IS A SPORADIC FUNDED.THERE ACTUALLY IS A SCHEDULE OVER THE 12 MONTHS.
EVERYTHING COMES IN THIS SECOND PART OF THE YEAR.
[Board Administrator Report]
AND STACY AND I ARE REALLY CURIOUS HOW WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THE YEAR OUT, ESPECIALLY WITH BUILDING OUR FY 27 BUDGET AND KNOWING SOME OF THESE LARGER PAYMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING, WHAT THEY'RE TRENDING AND MAKING A REAL EDUCATED GUESSTIMATE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET BASED OFF OF THAT.SO NEXT, OTHER LOCAL TAXES, WHICH IS OUR MOBILE HOME RECORDATION.
AND THEN NEW FOR THIS YEAR IS THE CANNABIS SALES AND USE TAX.
SO THAT ONE'S REALLY SMALL. AND YOU SEE WE DON'T HAVE A LINE ITEM BUDGET FOR THAT.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THAT. THERE'S A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF SALES TAX THAT COMES TO THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE TOWN OF FEDERALSBURG, FOR ON SITE SALES.
THAT MONEY IS SEPARATE FROM THE CRF MONEY THAT WE GET FOR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT.
THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST STRAIGHT SALES AND USE TAX.
WE RECEIVED OUR 1ST QUARTER OF THAT. 50% GOES TO FEDERALSBURG, 50% COMES TO US.
NOW THAT WE'VE STARTED TO RECEIVE THAT, AND WE'VE COMMUNICATED THIS WITH FEDERALSBURG AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S IN THAT LINE ITEM IS TRENDING.
WELL, IF ANYTHING, A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS EXPECTED.
HIGHWAY USER THAT NUMBER IS PROVIDED BY THE STATE.
SO BUDGETING ABOUT $1.5 MILLION. WE'RE AT $302,000 RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST A SLOW PAID LINE. LICENSE PERMITS. MOST OF THE LICENSING AND PERMITS ARE SEASONAL, DEPENDING ON WHEN THE RENEWALS ARE. BUT SOME OF THEM ARE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF THE SOLAR PROJECTS APPLYING IN COUNTY AND EVEN THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THEY HAVE LARGER FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROJECTS IF THEY'RE DOING RESUBMITTAL AS THE BOARD IMPLEMENTED ADDITIONAL FEES FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S REALLY DRIVING UP THAT LINE.
THIS IS SOMETHING CRYSTAL AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY ACTUALLY, AND TRYING TO ALIGN A LITTLE BETTER FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING AND TRY TO HONE IN ON WHAT THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE JUMPING DOWN TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THREE LINE ITEMS THERE.
AND SO FAR WE'VE TAKEN IN $199 FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND GRANTS AS THE YEARS HAVE GONE ON [LAUGHTER] AND MY TENURE HERE AT THE COUNTY, THIS NUMBER HAS GONE DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN AND IT HAS LAGGED.
WE JUST GOT PAID A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR ALL OF OUR BILLING LAST FISCAL YEAR.
SO I IMAGINE WE WILL BE ON THE SAME VERY DELAYED SCHEDULE OF TRYING TO GET FY 26'S MONEY.
STATE GOVERNMENT. A LOT OF THESE ARE GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR PROGRAMS, WHETHER THEY ARE THROUGH THE CIRCUIT COURT SYSTEM, WHETHER THEY ARE ASSISTANCE FOR POLICE PROTECTION, FIRE AND AMBULANCE GRANT.
WE HAVE CRITICAL AREA. EACH ONE OF THOSE HAS THEIR OWN TEMPO AND PACE OF HOW THEY PAY.
YOU'LL SEE SOME ARE AT 50% BECAUSE THEY PAY EVERY QUARTER.
SOME ARE AT 100 BECAUSE WE GET IT ONE TIME IN THE YEAR.
OTHERS ARE AT ZERO BECAUSE WE ACCUMULATE THE EXPENSES OVER THE YEAR AND WE BILL AT THE END OF JUNE.
[Inspector Report - None]
BUT FROM WHAT STACY AND I HAVE LOOKED THROUGH, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE ON PACE WITH WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE BILLING FOR THE ONES THAT NEED THE ADDITIONAL QUARTERS.
SKIP THROUGH OTHER GRANTS. REALLY THE SAME STORY.
THOSE ARE BILLED QUARTERLY, SO YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE 25% RECEIVED.
SO VERY TYPICAL TO SEE ONLY 25% RECOGNIZED IN REVENUE AS OF THE END OF DECEMBER.
[00:45:03]
WHETHER IT'S MOSQUITO SPRAYING, JOHNSON REPAIR AND THEN OTHERS ARE EVERY QUARTER ONCE A MONTH.SO WE LOOK AT THAT, TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY SHOULD BE TRACKING.
AND SO FAR NOTHING IS REALLY THROWING US OFF AT THE MOMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE BUDGETED ABOUT $2.2 MILLION.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THAT'S A GOOD THING. WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER WE CAN GET OFF OF THE INTEREST RATES.
WE ALSO HAVE THE MID SHORE 2 COUNTY HOST FEE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S ABOUT 27% REVENUE IN THERE.
WE HAVE BILLED FOR THE 1ST QUARTER. WE HAVE ALSO BILLED FOR THE 2ND QUARTER.
SO VERY TYPICAL. THAT'S AT 25%. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST TRANSFERS IN.
SOME OF THEM DO HAVE SMALL ENTRIES THAT OCCUR DURING THE YEAR AT THE END OF THE QUARTER. SO NOT UNCOMMON THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE AT 0% FOR SOME OF THE LINES, OR 22% OR 44%. JUST DEPENDS ON THE RELATION WITH THE FUND THAT IT'S TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM AND UNDERSTANDING WHEN THOSE EXPENSES OCCUR TO TRANSFER. SO ALL IN ALL, WE'VE TAKEN IN ABOUT $48,424,000 FOR THE YEAR.
[Meeting Adjourns]
WE'RE AT 61%, WHICH IS OVER THE 50% MARK FOR HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.BUT A LOT OF THAT IS DRIVEN BY THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT COME IN THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE YEAR.
SO I THINK WHEN STACY GOES OVER EXPENSES YOU'LL START TO SEE WHERE OUR TYPICAL PACE IS.
THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, WE TAKE IN A LOT OF REVENUE, AND THEN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR WE SPEND A LOT OF THAT MONEY DOWN AND KIND OF MEET AT A ZERO BY THE END OF JUNE. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.
BUT IF NOT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STACY TO GO OVER EXPENSES.
SO DANNY, THE SOLAR POWER GENERATION. YES, SIR.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX THAT WE COLLECT IS SHOWN UNDER UTILITIES.
CORRECT? SO PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, IT WAS REALLY ONLY THE UTILITY PROVIDERS PAYING INTO THAT BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
SO WE IN OUR BUDGET SHEETS ACTUALLY HAVE BROKEN THOSE APART NOW AND ARE GOING TO DISCLOSE THE SEPARATED AMOUNTS SO WE CAN TRACK THOSE SEPARATELY BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE, IN OUR MIND STILL BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BUT GENERATED FROM TWO SEPARATE SOURCES.
RIGHT, RIGHT. REGULATED UTILITIES AND THEN PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
OVER YOUR SHOULDER. YEP. THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT TO COME ONLINE OUTSIDE OF WRIGLEY.
YES. SO LIKE I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PLANNING AND CODES AND FINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPOSITION OF THAT TAX IS, IS DONE.
YEAH. IT'S A IT'S A UNIQUE PROCESS FOR RECOGNIZING THAT TAX AND WHEN THE BILL SHOULD BE GOING OUT.
SO JUST TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO WITH THE PROJECT OUTSIDE OF RIDGELY THEY WILL GO ONLINE AT SOME POINT AND PLANNING CODES WILL BE MADE AWARE THAT. WILL WE BE MADE AWARE? I GUESS, WHEN THEY GET A FINAL.
AT THAT POINT THEY'LL BE READY TO BE ALONE SO THE PROCESS TO TRIGGER US TO SEND THEM A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILL IS WHEN THEY FILE THEIR TAXES WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND. SO THEY WILL HAVE TO FILE. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING THE FORM NAME.
IT'S LIKE A IT'S SOMETHING G AND ESSENTIALLY IS A UTILITY AND ELECTRIC ASSET FORM.
RIGHT. WHERE THEY ARE REPORTING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT, THE VALUE OF ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY PUT ON SITE SDAT TAKES THAT VALUES THE EQUIPMENT FROM THAT REPORT AND THEN SENDS US AN ACCESSIBLE BASE TO PUT THE TAX ON.
SO I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE ABOUT THE OTHER PROJECT THAT IS IN COUNTY.
THAT ENTITY WENT THREE YEARS WITHOUT FILING THOSE CORRECTED REPORTS.
WE GOT UP WITH THE STATE, SAID, HEY, WE KNOW THIS IS LIVE.
WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BILL FOR THIS. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO SEND IT? THAT TRIGGERED A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SDAT THAT BUSINESS.
[00:50:03]
THEY RECONCILED. SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO BE THE WATCH GUARD.YEAH. SO I THINK FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE PROJECT OUTSIDE OF RIDGELEY WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHEN THAT COMPLETION OCCURS SO WE CAN TRIGGER OUR THOUGHT PROCESS TO START CHECKING WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY CHECK WITH THE ENTITY TO FILE THEIR.
CORRECT. BUT YOUR UNDERSTANDING IF IT CAME ONLINE NOW.
YEP. THE TAX WOULDN'T START UNTIL JULY 1ST. CORRECT.
YES. AND I'M TRYING TO THEY WOULDN'T PAY ANY TAX UNTIL JULY 1ST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR? IT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR SDAT. AND WHEN THEY VALUE AND RECOGNIZE THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ASK, BUT WE'VE NEVER GONE THROUGH THE TEMPO OF BILLING WITH THAT WITH THEM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I SAY, OTHER THAN THE ONE WE HAVE ON RELIANCE ROAD, THAT'S THE FIRST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD IN THE COUNTY.
RIGHT. SO SOME OF THIS, I THINK IS NEW AT THE STATE LEVEL AND KIND OF NEW FOR US TRACKING.
SO, YES. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF PERMIT, YOU KNOW, INSPECTION, KNOWING WHEN IT COMES ONLINE WITH IF IT'S WITHIN A MUNICIPALITY. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE MUNICIPALITIES ARE ALSO REPORTING TO US, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE ISSUING, YOU KNOW, FINAL INSPECTIONS.
YEAH THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NICOLE, OUR TAX MANAGER AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
SHE'S THE ONE WHO REALLY TRACKS AND INTERACTS WITH THE STATE THROUGH ALL THESE BILLINGS.
SO WE TYPICALLY SEND OUT A LETTER ASKING THEM ABOUT TAX RATES, TAX SALE.
AND THIS YEAR WE'VE STARTED CRAFTING LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR REPORTS TO THE STATE, ALLOWING THEM TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ISSUING PERMITS SO THEY CAN THEN TRACK AS WELL.
SO. OKAY. DEFINITELY SOMETHING ON OUR RADAR. ALL RIGHT.
SOUNDS GOOD. THAT'S ALL I HAD. DO YOU GOT ANYTHING ON REVENUE? REVENUE. DISPARITY GRANT IS GOING TO BE A. HOT TOPIC? HOT TOPIC YEAH. SO THAT IS WITHOUT DIVING COMPLETELY INTO OUR FY 27 GOVERNOR'S BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT STACY AND I WENT DOWN AND LOOKED.
AND WE DO HAVE A PROJECTED $772,000 CUT IN THE DISPARITY GRANT AND THE WAY THAT THE GOVERNOR IS LOOKING TO FUND IT IN THE CURRENT BUDGET. SO THAT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO OUR, OUR BUDGET AND.
THAT THAT NUMBER JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE MORE WEALTHY THE COUNTY BECOMES, THE BETTER JOB THAT OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM DOES IN EDUCATING AND CREATING, YOU KNOW, HIGHER EARNERS OR THE MORE HIGHER EARNERS THAT MOVE INTO THIS COUNTY. WILL REDUCE THAT DISPARITY GRANT SO.
IT DOES. BY FORMULA. IT IS A MECHANISM THAT BRINGS CAROLINE COUNTY BACK UP TO WITHIN 25% OF THE STATE AVERAGE INCOME PER CAPITA. BASICALLY, THAT'S THE VERY SIMPLIFIED EXPLANATION OF THE FORM.
SO IT GETS US WHEN 25% OF THE STATE AVERAGE. YEAH.
THEY SAY THIS IS THE 75% BENCHMARK OF THAT AVERAGE.
THIS IS WHAT THE AVERAGE PER CAPITA COUNTY RESIDENT IN MARYLAND IS WORTH.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU WITHIN 25%. WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU TO 75.
SO YOU HAVE THE SCENARIO WHERE IF THE COUNTY IS GETTING WEALTHIER BY FORMULA, WE CLOSE THAT GAP, OR IF THE STATE GETS POORER OR WEALTHIER, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY CREATING THAT PER CAPITA GRANT.
I MEAN YEAH, THE INCREASE IN INCOME TAX MEANS YOU'RE COLLECTING MORE FOR THE WEALTH.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT IN SOME COUNTIES ONE PERSON MOVING IN OR OUT CAN AFFECT THE DISPARITY GRANT.
[00:55:06]
PAYOUTS, REALLY THROWING THAT NUMBER OFF. SO IT'S A IT'S AN INTERESTING FORMULA.AND DEFINITELY ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE GO AND LOOK AT WHENEVER THE BUDGET GETS RELEASED SO.
SO I DON'T THINK. THEY'VE DONE I'M GOING TO SAY I DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM WEIRD, UNIQUE THINGS.
OVER THE YEARS SINCE, I'VE SEEN WHERE THEY HOLD HARMLESS OR THEY JUST COPY EVERYBODY ACROSS.
SO THEY SO EITHER THEY'VE BEEN HELD HARMLESS OR SOMETHING.
I MEAN, IT'S THE EXACT SAME NUMBER. THERE IS A HISTORICAL FLAW TO THAT NUMBER, WHICH WE AT ONE POINT WERE BACK IN THE OUR 2.7% INCOME TAX DAYS. AND MY GUESS, AND I DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS IS I THINK THEY ARE AT THAT FLOOR THEY CAN TAKE THE ADVANTAGE OF SEPARATING THAT GAP.
BUT THEY WOULD NEVER GO BELOW OR WERE ABOVE OUR FLOOR.
YEAH. SO. BUT YEAH. YEAH. AS LONG AS THE FORMULA DOESN'T CHANGE.
I MEAN, IF WE. I MEAN, IF THE OUTCOME OF THE FORMULA IS THAT WE'RE, THAT CAROLINE COUNTY IS BECOMING MORE WEALTHIER IN COMPARISON TO THE STATE, AND THEY CAN JUSTIFY A REDUCTION IN THE DISPARITY GRANT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T I DON'T SEE WHERE THERE'S MUCH WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NOT ANY MANIPULATION OF THE FORMULA TO DISPROPORTIONATELY HURT US.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'VE GOT TO KEEP AN EYE ON. AND AS OF YESTERDAY OR LAST FRIDAY, I HAVE YET TO SEE THE FULL FORMULA PUBLISHED.
SO WHENEVER WE SEE IT, WE CAN SHARE IT WITH THE GROUP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? NOPE. NOPE.
SPENDING. FLOOR IS YOURS. [LAUGHTER]. I DO HAVE TO GIVE THE DEPARTMENT'S CREDIT.
THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF STAYING WITHIN THEIR MEANS AND STAYING AROUND THE 50% FOR THE QUARTER.
SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO DISCUSS HERE THIS MORNING.
BUT WE'LL START ON PAGE TWO WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.
THEY ARE SLIGHTLY UNDER THE 50%. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE ONLY AT 38%.
BUT THAT WAS DUE TO THE WAY WE BUDGETED FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THEM ARE WITHIN 3% OF 50%.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO COVER EACH OF THOSE THAT ARE WITHIN REASON THERE.
SO EXPENSES DON'T MATCH REVENUE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE JUST BILLING FOR THAT 2ND QUARTER.
CIRCUIT COURT IS ALSO WITHIN 50% AS WELL. AS WE GET TO PAGE FIVE YOU CAN SEE ELECTIONS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, WE HAVE THE ELECTION IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR WITH EARLY VOTING IN MAY AND STUFF TOO.
SO YOU'LL SEE MORE EXPENSES IN THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER FOR ELECTIONS TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
IT CAME IN ABOUT $3,500 OVER WHAT WE INITIALLY BUDGETED FOR THAT.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR REQUIRED REPORTING.
SO CERTAIN YEARS WE DON'T HAVE TO DO SINGLE AUDITS.
AND DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WE GET FROM CERTAIN SOURCES, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT SERVICE AND FILE.
SO IT'S $3,500. BUT THE SINGLE AUDIT ITSELF IS LIKE FIVE GRAND OR SO.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S THE TRIGGER WITH THIS YEAR BEING OVER.
YOU CAN SEE, LIKE I SAID, IN OFFICE, THE LAW WE'RE OVER THE 50% THERE.
WE DISCUSSED THIS YESTERDAY WITH MR. STEWART ABOUT COVERING ADS FOR LEGISLATIVE AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS NOW, OF COMING OUT OF THAT BUDGET THERE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE OVER IN THAT LINE ITEM THERE. BUT WE'VE DISCUSSED IT AND KNOW WHY THAT IS HAPPENING AT THIS POINT.
AND LOOKING TO CORRECT IT INSTEAD OF. CORRECT.
CORRECT SPLITS BETWEEN THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE WHO WAS PAYING FOR ADS.
YEAH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE IN THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS HOW I.
YEAH, WE'RE FINE. IF IF THAT'S HOW WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS PLACED OVER THERE WELL, IT'S LEGISLATION IN MANY CASES THAT WE'RE PUSHING OR REQUESTING.
I THINK THIS IS THE EXACT CONVERSATION WE HAD YESTERDAY.
[01:00:03]
YEAH. YEP. WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ALIGNS WITH THAT.YEP. OKAY. THEN WE HEAD DOWN TO HR, WHICH IS RIGHT ON TRACK.
PLANNING AND CODES IS SLIGHTLY UNDER THERE BUT WITHIN TRACK.
GENERAL SERVICES IS OUR NEXT BIG ONE. THOSE ARE A ONE TIME EXPENSES.
ALL OF OUR INSURANCES, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE PAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ALREADY AT 94%, BECAUSE WE PAY A LOT OF THOSE IN JULY UPFRONT ONE TIME COSTS.
AND YOU WILL SEE NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO LEGIT AND THEY'RE PROJECTING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 10% TO 13% INCREASE ON THOSE INSURANCE POLICIES FOR AUTO PROPERTY LIABILITY, HAZARD, YOU NAME IT. SO SO WHAT'S OTHER SERVICES, WHAT'S OTHER EXPENSES.
SO THAT THIS YEAR WAS A UNIQUE ONE. WE HAVE A A SOFTWARE THAT IS TRYING TO THINK WHAT THE THE COMPANY IS CALLED. I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON IT, BUT IT IS ALL THE FORMS AND SIGNATURE SOFTWARE THAT ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS HAVE ACCESS TO.
THAT WAS NOT INSIDE OF THE GENERAL SERVICE BUDGET.
BUT AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WITH ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS REALLY HAVING ACCESS AND THE ABILITY TO USE IT WE DIDN'T WANT TO PING IT TO JUST FINANCE OR JUST RECREATION AND PARKS. SO WE PUT IT IN GENERAL SERVICE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BUDGET FOR.
BUT IT WAS REALLY JUST MORE OF A REALIGNMENT OF WHERE THAT SHOULD GO.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. OKAY. GOING THROUGH IT AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THEY'RE ALL WELL WITHIN 50% THERE. SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND ORIGINALLY CONTRACT PATROL.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE GET REIMBURSED FOR.
SO THEY'RE RIGHT ON TRACK THERE. AND THEN WE GET FOR RIDGELY AND FEDERALSBURG.
YOU KNOW, WE GET REIMBURSED FOR THOSE DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.
GOING TO PAGE TEN FIRE COMPANIES, YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE ONLY AT 4%.
THAT IS BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE THEIR FUNDING IN JANUARY.
SO THE AIM OF STATE FUNDS CAME THROUGH ALONG WITH THE COUNTY FIRE AND AMBULANCE FUNDS.
SO THEY ALL HAVE RECEIVED THOSE FUNDS IN JANUARY.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 3RD QUARTER, THAT WILL BRING THEM BACK UP TO BEING BACK ON TRACK THERE WITH THAT, CORRECTIONS AND ANIMAL CONTROL ARE ALL WITHIN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
EMS. OUR NEXT SERVICES THERE YOU CAN SEE ADMINISTRATION IS WITHIN 5% THERE.
WE GET REIMBURSED FOR THOSE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'VE 70% OF THAT LINE ITEM ALREADY, BUT WE WILL GET FULLY REIMBURSED FOR THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
TO WATCH THAT OUT. EMS IS RIGHT ON TRACK AS WELL.
AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS TOO. HUMANE SOCIETY IS A QUARTERLY REIMBURSEMENT, SO THEY'RE AT 50%, AS WE SHOULD BE AFTER QUARTER TWO. AS YOU CAN SEE, LIQUOR LICENSING IS AT 47%.
SO ALONG WITH GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND TRACK THEIR TWO NEXT BIG ONE IS PUBLIC WORKS.
YOU CAN SEE UNDER CENTRAL SHOP. OVERTIME IS SLIGHTLY OVER AND AUTO INSURANCE WHICH IS THROWING THEY'RE OFF SLIGHTLY AUTO INSURANCE IS BECAUSE WE HAD AN OVERLAP. THEY GOT NEW VEHICLES.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT IS SLIGHTLY OVER UNDER CENTRAL SHOP, THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY ARE RIGHT ON TRACK AS OF NOW.
ROADS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS ARE TRACKING AS 50% AS WELL.
SO THEY ARE WITHIN 50% ALONG WITH ON PAGE 16, SOCIAL SERVICES AND EDUCATION.
AND ALL THOSE ARE QUARTERLY DISBURSEMENTS AS WELL.
NEXT RECREATION AND PARKS, 47% FOR BOTH OF THEM.
SO THEY'RE TRACKING WELL THROUGH THE 2ND QUARTER.
SO THEY'RE ON TRACK AT 50% AS WELL. YOU CAN SEE DEBT SERVICES.
WE PAY ALL THAT UPFRONT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE 100% FOR THE YEAR AS WE PAY THOSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO GETTING TO THE BOTTOM DOLLAR, AS YOU CAN SEE, DANNY POINTED OUT REVENUE WAS AT $48,424.
[01:05:07]
AND EXPENSES ARE AT $34,594 THROUGH THE 2ND QUARTER.SO WE'RE STILL $12,834 TO THE GOOD AT THIS POINT, WHICH, LIKE WE SAID, AS WE START BALANCING EXPENSES WITH THE UPFRONT REVENUES RECEIVED TO BEGIN THE YEAR, THIS WILL SLOWLY START TO EVEN OUT AS WE GET INTO THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER DOWN TO A BALANCE OF ZERO.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, A LOT OF PAGES.
AND I TRY NOT TO BORE YOU WITH A LOT OF THINGS, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH ANYTHING.
YOU GOT ANYTHING COMMISSIONER PORTER? NO? OKAY THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANK THE DEPARTMENTS FOR DOING A GOOD JOB OF STAYING ON THEIR BUDGETS. YEAH.
SO, ALL IN ALL, THE MAGIC NUMBER HERE IS 50%.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SO TYPICALLY SO. YES.
YEAH. I WILL SAY IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS BUDGETS.
ALREADY. THIS IS UNDER SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL. PAGE 14.
IS THAT. THAT'S JUST FROM THE COLLECTION STATIONS? SO WE'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION OR HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE LANDFILL COST.
SO SOLID WASTE IS THE STAFFING AT THE HODO ANY OF THE THIRD PARTY MONITORING THAT MES DOES ALL THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING IN REGARD TO LANDFILL, THE CLOSED LANDFILL DENTON, AS WELL AS THE HODO SITES.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, WE HAVE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THAT WAS BUDGETED AT $101,000 AND SOME CHANGE, BUT WE'VE ONLY SPENT 1785 OUT OF THAT. OKAY. MAYBE BEING CODED TO THE WRONG.
SO IN A DISCUSSION WITH ROBIN AT ONE POINT, I BELIEVE EVERYTHING, IN OUR OPINION SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT AS THE REGIONAL LANDFILL COST AND PUT IN AS ONE LINE ITEM. SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TRACK IT ON THE ONE, AND WE'LL CORRECT IT AND RIGHT SIZE IT IN THE BUDGET.
BUT IDEALLY IT'S THOSE TWO LINES. SO BY PERCENTAGE, YES THAT ONE IS 126%.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER BARTZ. NO. I'M GOOD.
SO I'LL JUST END WITH BUDGETS FOR FY 2027. WE'RE ALL DUE YESTERDAY TO STACY AND I.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO AGAIN TAKE ALL OF OUR NOTES AND ALIGNMENT THAT WE'RE NOTICING FOR 26, WORKING THAT INTO 27, AS WELL AS GOING THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET AND TRYING TO TAKE ANY OF THE ITEMS THERE THAT WE KNOW WILL IMPACT US.
IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION. WE SHOULD BE BACK IN, I THINK, TWO WEEKS START THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO HAVE PATIENCE WITH US OVER PROBABLY THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE UP PROBABLY MOST OF OUR TIME GOING THROUGH BUDGET.
GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO. GIVE COMMISSIONER PORTER AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK HERE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS? NO. ANYTHING ON THERE? NO. OKAY. WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO MOVED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. OKAY. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
[01:10:04]
BUT I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT A GREAT JOB ALL OF OUR ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL DID DURING THE SNOWSTORM.SO WE'VE HAD WE HAD A SHORT DEBRIEFING MEETING, AND DANNY AND I ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM AND GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL IMPACTS.
TOWARDS THAT END, WE ALSO IN, AS PART OF OUR DEBRIEFING, UPDATED OUR EMERGENCY EVENT PROCEDURES WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND LEADING THE WAY ON THAT.
AND WE HAD A VERY SHORT MEETING WITH OTHER AGENCIES THAT WOULD BE WOULD NEED, EXCUSE ME, WOULD NEED TO BE PART OF EMERGENCY COORDINATION AS WELL AS OUR INTERNAL AGENCIES. SO I THINK THE MEETING WAS REALLY GOOD.
IT WAS VERY SHORT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY EVENTS AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TRACK TO HAVE REALLY GOOD COORDINATION BEFORE SNOW EVENTS OR ANY OTHER EMERGENCY EVENTS. SO I THINK SPEAKING TO EVERYBODY WHO ATTENDED THAT SHORT ZOOM MEETING, THEY WERE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT EFFORT AND I THINK IT'LL BE GOOD GOING FORWARD.
SO A VERY SHORT UPDATE ON THE DETENTION CENTER WORK.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE THAT ALONG SLOWLY. MOSTLY BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL HURRY SINCE THE FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE TO US YET, AND WE HAVE KIND OF A TIMELINE AHEAD OF US ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.
DEPUTY WARDEN DIXON HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET SOME CLARITY FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND ON THE FUNDING AND THE SPECIFIC TIMING, AS WELL AS THE UPDATED PROCEDURES. THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE ALLUDED TO THE UPDATED PROCEDURES, BUT DID NOT ACTUALLY SHARE ALL OF THEM WITH US IN ANY KIND OF WRITING FORMAT.
HAVE ANY OF THOSE OTHER FIRMS WE'VE TALKED TO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST? HAVE THEY GOT BACK? THERE ARE SOME? YES I HAVE TWO MEETINGS TO SCHEDULE WITH THE TWO THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH AND THEY BOTH ARE INTERESTED IN PUTTING A PROPOSAL AND WE SENT THEM ALL. ALL OF THEM HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION? NOT YET? NOT YET OKAY. THEY JUST GOT BACK SAYING THAT THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET AND DISCUSS IT.
BUT WE I HAD SUGGESTED THAT, AND THEN I THINK MR. STROLLO WAS PROBABLY CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO MEET.
YEAH, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, SO MAYBE WE PUSH THAT OFF UNTIL NEXT WEEK.
YEAH, YEAH, LET'S DO THAT. I WILL DO THAT. THIS WILL COME UP AGAIN.
BUT JUST AS AN FYI, WE ARE DOING THE COFFEE WITH THE COUNTY AGAIN WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ON MARCH 30TH. ALL OF THE YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TYPICALLY WILL ATTEND THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT THIS YEAR.
THE POINT IS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES ON A MORE INFORMAL BASIS, ALLOW THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE A MEET AND GREET.
AND DANNY, IF YOU COULD COME UP, I KNOW, I KNOW, STUART AND DANNY BOTH HAVE UPDATES TO GIVE YOU.
I WILL SAY. DANNY, GIVE THE UPDATE. I THINK IT'S PART OF HIS UPDATE, SO.
YEAH, DEFINITELY. SO WE'RE NOW AT WHAT? FEBRUARY 3RD.
SO A COUPLE IMPORTANT DATES THROUGH THE PROCESS HAVE PASSED SINCE WE LAST MET.
SO JUST PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE. SO IF YOU RECALL BACK ON DECEMBER 30TH, WE HAD SENT OUT OUR ROFP TO OVER THE 3000 EMAILS OF ENTITIES OR INDIVIDUALS IN, I'M ASSUMING, THE STATE OF MARYLAND, THAT THE STATE REQUIRED US TO OFFER THIS RIGHT OF FIRST PURCHASE TOO. THE 30 DAY WINDOW FOR THAT HAS CLOSED TO THAT ENDED JANUARY 29TH.
WE DIDN'T GET ANY? ASK A QUESTION, BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE A AN OFFER WITH A DEPOSIT TO QUALIFY.
[01:15:05]
DURING THE 30 DAYS. SO NOT TO STEAL STEWART'S THUNDER, BUT THAT TRIGGERS ESSENTIALLY TWO THINGS.ONE IS THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE FROM DHCD.
SO STEWART HAS THE DRAFT HAS SENT THAT TO DHCD.
SO AS OF TODAY, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REPLY OR EMAIL BACK FROM DHCD AND US GETTING BACK OUR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE ESSENTIALLY THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED THIS 30 DAY WINDOW IN PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE COMMUNICATED. I SAY WE STEWART HAS COMMUNICATED THIS WITH THE BUYER.
HOW LONG? 45 DAYS. 45 DAYS. OKAY, SO THEY WILL HAVE 45 DAYS.
I KNOW THEY HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN DOING APPRAISAL SURVEYS FROM THEIR SIDE.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME WE'VE PINGED THEM? ARE WE? WE JUST SENT IT TO THEM? I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
WHEN THAT WAS SENT TO THEM. IT. I SENT IT EVEN BEFORE THE END OF THE DEADLINE.
I SENT IT OVER TO THEM ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28TH IN THE MORNING AND.
5 OR 6 DAYS. YEAH. OKAY. SINCE THEN WELL, WE'LL GO AFTER THEM TODAY.
YEAH. JUST NICELY. I MEAN, THEY HAVEN'T HAD IT THAT LONG. NO, NO.
OKAY. SO WITH THAT TOO, IT ALSO PROVIDES THE WINDOW THAT TENANTS CAN FILL OUT APPLICATIONS TO RECEIVE A ONE YEAR LEASE EXTENSION. SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT WITH THE TENANTS THAT FILLED OUT THEIR PAPERWORK.
AND PROBABLY WILL BE ENGAGING WITH EAST COAST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TO FINALIZE THE ACTUAL LEASE DOCUMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO ALONG AND HAVE FOR THOSE EXTENSIONS AND THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY CAN GET AS WELL, IF THEY CHOOSE TO SIGN THE ONE PAGE APPLICATION.
SO HAVE WE BEEN MONITORING, MONITORING, OR ARE WE CONFIDENT THAT THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN MONITORING THE VACANT UNITS DURING THIS COLD PERIOD. I'M GOING TO GO WITH A YES, BECAUSE THEY'VE I HAVE HAD A COUPLE INTERACTIONS WITH THEM ABOUT FROZEN PIPES, ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY'VE HAD ISSUES WITH.
SO THEY ARE NOTIFYING ME WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S PIPES, WHETHER IT'S SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACTORS, STUFF LIKE THAT. YEAH.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE FROM MY SIDE, I'VE PROBABLY TALKED WITH THEM MORE OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS AND EVEN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO THAN WE'VE HAD IN A WHILE. SO YEAH. OKAY.
SO NO BROKEN PIPES, NO WATER DAMAGE. OH, NO, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE INCIDENTS OF THAT.
I THINK THEY HAD A UNIT THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO RELOCATE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN IT TO ONE OF THE OTHER VACANT UNITS BECAUSE IT HAD A BROKEN PIPE AND HAD RUN DOWN INTO THEIR UNIT AND STUFF. SO WE ARE DEALING WITH SOME OF THOSE SITUATIONS.
OKAY ALL RIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO DANCE UP AND DOWN YET.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT GOT THE COUNTY INTO THE RENTAL BUSINESS, NO MATTER HOW IT WAS SOLD TO THEM. DID A PRETTY GOOD IN SERVICE TO THIS BOARD ANYWAY.
AND I THINK THIS WILL BE QUITE THE ACCOMPLISHMENT SHOULD IT HAPPEN.
AND WE'RE CLOSE. SO I WANT TO COMMEND EVERYONE FOR GETTING US THIS FAR.
KEEP OUR FOOT DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL HERE AND LET'S GET THIS DONE.
YES. I THINK WE ALL AGREE. I SECOND THAT MOTION [LAUGHTER]. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T AND I KNOW IT'S TAKING A LOT OF YOUR TIME WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET A BUDGET PUT TOGETHER.
[01:20:03]
AND SO WE DO APPRECIATE THAT DANNY SO. THANK YOU.YEP. GOT ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER PORTER. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER OPEN DISCUSSION PERIOD.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THE PASSING OF FORMER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ED RICHARDS. ED PASSED AWAY IN THE END OF JANUARY, AND I KNEW IT PRETTY WELL. HE WAS A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR 25 YEARS.
THAT'S A LONG STRETCH. AND HE ABSOLUTELY HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THIS COUNTY, ON THE POLICIES AND OPERATIONS OF THIS COUNTY. AND THE INTERESTING THING WAS THAT AFTER ED RETIRED AS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, HE THEN DID WENT TO WORK WITH THE PEACE CORPS AND SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME IN OTHER COUNTRIES HELPING THEM. SO IT WAS A VERY IMPRESSIVE GUY.
AND HE'LL BE HE'LL BE MISSED. HE REALLY WAS. 25 YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO BE TO BE AN ADMINISTRATOR ANYWHERE BUT TO BE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE COUNTY. AND HE REALLY A LOT OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND THINGS THAT WE DO TODAY, I THINK, WERE ESTABLISHED BY HIM AND REALLY PUT INTO PLACE.
SO WE YOU KNOW, OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY.
AND I THINK HE WAS THE SECOND ADMINISTRATOR THAT THE COUNTY EVER HAD, I THINK SO. I BELIEVE HE WAS THE. I JUST WANT TO MENTION VERY, VERY BRIEFLY RHODES ROBIN.
THANK YOU. I I'M KNOCKING ON EVERYTHING I CAN FIND.
HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD A WHOLE LOT. EXCEPT GOOD, GOOD.
REPORTS ABOUT RHODES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS FOR AND EVERYONE FOR GETTING THAT DONE.
I WANT TO MENTION WE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT A CRITICAL AREAS COMMISSION REPLACEMENT FOR ME.
AND I BELIEVE KATHLEEN HAS INDICATED FOR SOME REASON WHY SHE WANTS TO BE ON THERE.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO START THE PROCESS THERE.
IT IS A SENATORIAL APPOINTMENT, SO I KNOW THERE'S THERE'S A PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH, AND I THINK YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT. SO I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT HERE ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
IT'S BEEN A ALREADY BEEN A VERY BUSY TIME. THE, THE INDICATION FROM THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES PEOPLE, MACO PEOPLE IS THE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED OR, OR DROPPED SO FAR, THE VOLUME HAS BEEN LIGHT.
AND TO THEM, THAT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN. THAT MEANS THAT THE HEAVY STUFF IS GOING TO COME AT THE END, AT THE DEADLINE. WE ARE MEETING AND.
IT'S A LOT OF A LOT OF TIME. I WILL NOTE AT OUR JANUARY 28TH MEETING THEY NORMALLY HAVE DEPARTMENT STATE, STATE REPRESENTATIVES SPEAK AT OUR MEETINGS, AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL EQUITY DIRECTOR REGARDING CANNABIS. SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, WHICH I TOOK TO LET THEM KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, DISAPPOINTED WE ARE IN THE, IN THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO AND THE LACK OF RESPONSE FROM THEIR AGENCY. SOME OTHER COUNTIES ALSO CHIMED IN WITH THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ABOUT $800,000 SITTING HERE THAT WE CAN'T SPEND BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO SPEND IT, AND THAT'S THE POINT THAT I TRIED TO MAKE TO THEM.
RIGHT? THERE WAS A BILL INTRODUCED BY SENATOR WASHINGTON WHO WANTED TO KIND OF RESTRUCTURE AGAIN, WHO THE HOW THE MONEY WAS HANDLED AND WHO THE REPORTS WENT TO.
[01:25:03]
I DON'T CARE WHO THE REPORTS GO TO, WE JUST NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SPEND THE MONEY.THAT'S THE PROBLEM. AND, YOU KNOW I DIDN'T I DIDN'T WANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL AND I WASN'T, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET THEM KNOW SHE WAS AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I HAD THE DATES THAT YOU HAD PROVIDED ME, THAT WE HAD CONTACTED THEM WITH A PROMISE TO DO THIS AND BUT HAVEN'T DONE WE HAVEN'T THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT.
THERE IS AN INTERESTING BILL. HOUSE BILL 460, WHICH IS A A CHANGE FROM SOLAR BEING ALLOWED ON 5% OF THE PRIORITY PRESERVATION AREA TO 2%.
SO WE SUPPORT THAT BILL, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GO ANYWHERE.
THEY DON'T EITHER. SO BUT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING BILL.
AND AS WE GO I WILL, YOU KNOW, TRY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THESE BILLS.
WE'RE REALLY RIGHT NOW IN THE IN THE PROCESS OF JUST GOING, GOING THROUGH THEM AND GETTING A SYNOPSIS OF THEM EACH, EACH DAY AS THEY'RE BEING DROPPED. THE AS WE AS AS I'M SURE MOST OF YOU KNOW, THE VOTE ON REDISTRICTING WAS HELD. I THINK THAT WAS HOUSE BILL 488 WHICH WOULD BASICALLY, IN MY OPINION, IT'S JUST MY OPINION. WOULD DISENFRANCHISE THE EASTERN SHORE FROM VOTING.
IT WAS VOTED ON PARTY LINES. AND IT WAS SICKENING TO ME TO LISTEN TO THE TESTIMONY FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE KIND OF SAYING, WELL, THE EASTERN SHORE NEEDS TO COME TO THE MIDDLE AND FIGHT THIS ADMINISTRATION.
I MEAN, THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH VOTING FOR OUR REPRESENTATION.
THIS IS A SHOT AT THE ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
AND THEY I DON'T THINK ANYBODY TRIED TO HIDE THAT.
SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO? BASICALLY NOT MUCH, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT IT.
THE INDICATION THAT I HAVE IS THAT THAT THE BILL WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE SENATE.
I HAVE NO IDEA. I HAVE NO FAITH, HONESTLY, IN THE SENATE ANY MORE THAN I DO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES THE, OUR, OUR DELEGATION, I THINK, PRESENTED A PRETTY STRONG CASE.
THEY WORKED VERY HARD. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU GO LOOK AT THE VOTER BOARD, WHICH YOU CAN GO ON FACEBOOK AND ABOUT EVERY OTHER POST SHOWS YOU THE BOARD OF HOW YOU KNOW, HOW THIS WAS VOTED ON. IT WAS STRICTLY PARTY LINES.
AND THE MAP THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
AND SO IT'S THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. BUDGET INFORMATION.
TOTAL BUDGET WAS $70.8 BILLION. AND IT WAS DRIVEN, YOU KNOW, LARGELY BY BY EDUCATION, FEDERAL FUNDS, FUNDS WERE FLAT. IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A $200 MILLION SHIFT FROM STATE TO COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH. AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DONE YET.
SO A LOT OF DETAILS TO BE HASHED OUT, BUT I JUST, I DON'T I THINK THIS IS A TO ME IS A IS A TYPICAL ELECTION YEAR BUDGET WHERE THINGS ARE TRIED TO BE MADE TO LOOK AS GOOD AS THEY CAN.
BUT I THINK THE PROJECTION AT THE END OF THE NEXT TERM, THE COMING TERM, WHICH WOULD BE 2030, IS THAT RIGHT? WOULD BE IS A $4 BILLION DEFICIT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE RESOLVED AND WORKED ON.
AND IT'LL PROBABLY BE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
NOT THIS YEAR. SO I WILL, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO TRY TO GIVE US AS MUCH OF AN UPDATE AS I CAN.
AGAIN, IT'S PRETTY EARLY. WE WILL BE GOING OVER WEDNESDAY.
OR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING OR NOT. BUT WE'LL BE GOING OVER WEDNESDAY TO MEET IN PERSON, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK BETTER THAN SITTING ON A ZOOM CALL WITH CALLS GOING IN AND OUT AND PEOPLE NOT REALIZING THEY'RE MUTED AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
[01:30:03]
THE DEADLINE FOR BILL FOR HOUSE BILLS IS TODAY, I THINK.SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TODAY. BUT THAT'S THE, THE REPORT THAT I'VE GOT.
AND AGAIN, IF, IF YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CANNABIS.
AS I EXPLAINED TO THEM, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WHO KNOW ABOUT THIS MONEY, AND THEY'RE COMING AND ASKING US TO YOU, AND THEY THINK WE'RE KIND OF HOLDING ON TO IT.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE. THE CASE IS I DON'T THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO START ALLOCATING MONEY AND THEN COME BACK AND HAVE SOMEONE FROM THAT OFFICE SAY, OH, YOU DIDN'T SPEND IT IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND YOU GOT TO PAY IT BACK. NOT DOING THAT.
THEY NEED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO US ABOUT WHERE, WHERE AND HOW IT CAN BE SPENT.
I THINK THAT MESSAGE GOT ACROSS, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THE WHAT THE FOLLOW UP WAS.
SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU.
YOU'RE SO VERY INFORMATIVE. AND WITH THE DETAILS AND ALL.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU. MAKE IT EASY FOR ME ANYWAY TO UNDERSTAND IT.
THANK YOU, ROBIN AND SHERIFF BAKER AND DS, ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK OVER THE STORM.
I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I HAD A LOT OF GOOD COMPLIMENTS.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET A FEW NEGATIVES, BUT I THINK THE OVERWHELMING.
IT WAS GREAT. GREAT JOB. SO THANK YOU. ME AND COMMISSIONER PORTER, WE ATTENDED, I THINK.
I DON'T THINK WE SPOKE. WE DID THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CEREMONY.
THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED. WE HAD THE GOALS FOR FIREMAN'S BANQUET AS WELL.
AND LAST WEEK WAS THE FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT.
SO IT WAS ALL WELL, WELL RECEIVED, WELL ATTENDED.
AND IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT JOB DONE BY EVERYBODY.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I GOT. OKAY. SO ORIGINALLY WE HAD SCHEDULED A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BURN BAN, AND I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER REAL QUICK. I KNOW WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION YESTERDAY STEWART.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE AN OPEN MEETING THAT BOTH OF THESE GUYS ARE ON BOARD.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING ANY STATE FIRE CODE.
THERE'S TWO MAIN THINGS THAT AT LEAST I WANT, WHICH IS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DID AFTER OUR DISCUSSION YESTERDAY, BASICALLY, I THINK MR. BARROLL FOUND SOMETHING THAT SAID, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BURN ALLOWED TO BURN TRASH IN CAROLINE COUNTY IF YOU'RE 200FT AWAY FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.
BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S BEEN PREEMPTED BY OTHER STATE LAW OR AT LEAST REGULATION.
RIGHT? IT'S PRETTY SAFE BECAUSE IF YOU GOOGLE IT, IT SAYS, NO, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BURN TRASH IN [LAUGHTER] CAROLINE COUNTY. SO AI SAYS YOU CAN'T. SO YOU MUST HAVE FOUND SOMETHING THAT EVEN AI CAN'T FIND.
AND THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU CAN'T BE BURNING SOMETHING THAT HAS GREATER THAN 40% OPACITY, OPAQUENESS, OPACITY, LIKE TIRES OR THINGS LIKE THAT SO.
AND NOW THAT PROBABLY IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE STATE FIRE PREVENTION CODE [LAUGHTER].
RIGHT. IT'S AN OVERSIGHT. NO ONE WHEN THEY ADOPTED THOSE CODES, THEY DIDN'T GO BACK AND SEARCH EXISTING COUNTY SPECIFIC AREAS THAT THAT MAY HAVE PERMITTED IT. RIGHT. YES. SO I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS LIKE THE LEAVES, I THERE ARE AREAS WHERE I WOULD SAY I DON'T DOUBT THAT THE STATE PROBABLY GOES FURTHER THAN I WOULD LIKE TO GO.
LIKE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BURN YARD WASTE, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WE DON'T REALLY RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS AROUND THAT ISSUE, SO I DON'T REALLY FEEL IT NECESSARY FOR US TO DELVE INTO ALL THOSE NUANCES. THAT THE TWO MAIN THINGS THAT I AM AFTER.
AND AGAIN, IF IT TAKES, IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL, WE JUST NEED TO KNOW SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION FOR NEXT SESSION WITH OUR LEGISLATURE, LEGISLATOR REPRESENTATIVES.
[01:35:02]
THAT THAT WE CAN DO THAT, BUT I DON'T BURNING TRASH.I JUST WANT PLANNING AND CODES OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT, ISSUE THE CITATION, AND IF WE CAN DO SO, HAVE THE STATE'S ATTORNEY HANDLE THE ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT? OF WHATEVER THAT FINE IS. SO RIGHT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT, RIGHT? YEAH.
A BURN BARREL. RIGHT. THEY PROBABLY BURNED THEIR TRASH IN A BARREL.
BUT, I MEAN, WE DON'T WANT CONTROLLED BURNINGS TO TURN INTO UNCONTROLLED BURNINGS.
RIGHT, MATT? THAT'S THE PROBLEM. AND WE DON'T WANT TO YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY DO ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HURT OUR NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? I THINK YEAH, I AGREE, I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT A BOOK WRITTEN ABOUT THIS.
WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE GOT TO DO YEP. OKAY. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING LEADS INTO AS SOON AS SOMEBODY SEES SOMEBODY, YOU'LL HAVE YOU'LL BE BOMBARDED WITH PHONE CALLS AS SOON AS THEY SEEN A FIRE OR SOMETHING OR, YOU KNOW. I JUST WANT A SIMPLE PROCESS. I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THREE DIFFERENT COUNTY AGENCIES AND A QUASI STATE AGENCY AND NOBODY KNOWS WHO IS ISSUING THE CITATION, AND NOBODY KNOWS WHO'S DOING THE ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE RUNNING INTO NOW.
IS IT IS IT, YOU KNOW, SOME AG AT, AT MDE OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? THAT'S NO. WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY SIMPLE, YOU KNOW, LAID OUT PROCESS THAT WE AS MUCH CONTROL LOCALLY AS WE CAN HAVE.
WE NEED TO IMPOSE THAT CONTROL OVER THIS SIMPLE ISSUE.
I DID RECEIVE A EMAIL FROM DOCTOR COPPERSMITH AT CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE THAT HE IS STILL SEARCHING OR I GUESS, ASKING US TO APPOINT A REPLACEMENT FOR MR. NAGEL, WHO GOT THE JOB.
I GUESS IS WHAT? FINANCE DIRECTOR? YEAH JUST PUT OUT THAT WE'RE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR.
AND MAYBE YOU COULD REACH OUT TO DOCTOR COPPERSMITH AND GET A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT.
WHAT THAT ROLE ENTAILS. SO WE CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THE ADVERTISEMENT.
SO PEOPLE WHO APPLY KNOW WHAT THE MEETING REQUIREMENTS ARE.
I GUESS, I MEAN, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THING TO DO.
29TH SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE KEVIN ATTICKS CALLED ME TO INFORM ME OF THE AVIAN FLU OUTBREAK IN THE COUNTY. HE ASKED ME TO PLEASE KEEP THE LOCATION CONFIDENTIAL.
THEY DON'T WANT ANY MORE ATTENTION BROUGHT TO THESE SITES THAN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
SO I BELIEVE WE ARE. THE COUNTY IS AWARE OF THE LOCATION.
DOES KNOW YOU KNOW WHERE THIS EVENT HAS OCCURRED.
JUST ASK ANY MEDIA OUTLETS OR GENERAL PUBLIC WHO MAY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE IT IS TO TRY TO KEEP THAT CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SPREAD THAT LOCATION. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE ONE OF THESE NOW, LATER IN THE WINTER, AS MIGRATORY WATERFOWL MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE COUNTY. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, REMIND THE POULTRY GROWERS IN THE COUNTY TO BE DILIGENT ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY'RE STERILIZING THEIR FEET AND ANY TOOLS OR EQUIPMENT THAT THEY TAKE INTO THE HOUSES, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN MIGRATORY GEESE AND WATERFOWL ARE IN THE AREA AND POSSIBLY TRANSMITTING THE AVIAN FLU.
I THINK IT IS A VERY PAINFUL FINANCIAL IMPOSITION ON THE GROWERS.
RIGHT? YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GET HIT. WELL, IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY IN THAT THEY, THEY HAD.
THEY MAKE AN AREA. SO IF YOU HAVE ONE HOUSE FARM THAT HAS IT, THEN THEY, QUARANTINE LIKE MAYBE IT MIGHT BE A FIVE MILE RADIUS OR SOMETHING.
YEAH. AND SOMETIMES THEY LIFT IT, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, THE SEVERITY OF IT.
[01:40:03]
BUT THE ACTUAL OWNER, THE GROWER PROCESS YEAH. I MEAN, THEY CAN'T HAVE FLOCKS FOR A YEAR.UP TO A YEAR? AND I'M ASSUMING THE COMPOSTING PROCESS, THEY COMPOST INSIDE THE HOUSES IS OCCURRING NOW.
SO YOU KNOW, JUST A REMINDER TO THE CITIZENRY, YOU KNOW, TO BE CAREFUL THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH THOSE MIGRATORY WATERFOWL AROUND SO. I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
SO YOU GUYS GOOD? WITH THAT, WE WOULD THEN HAVE OUR CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
I DO NOT SEE ANYONE. WE DO HAVE AN ADVERTISING SCHEDULED CLOSED SESSION UNDER MARYLAND CODE GENERAL PROVISIONS 3-305B10 TO DISCUSS PUBLIC SECURITY. IF THE PUBLIC BODY DETERMINES THAT THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION WOULD CONSTITUTE A RISK TO THE PUBLIC OR TO PUBLIC SECURITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING COURTHOUSE SECURITY.
SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ENTER INTO THAT CLOSED SESSION.
SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND. NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.
COMMISSIONER PORTER. AYE. COMMISSIONER BREEDING.
AYE. COMMISSIONER BARTZ. AYE. AND WE WILL TAKE A RECESS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.