County Budget Update - County Departments
Commissioners Review Dept Requests
Personnel from the various county departments appeared before the Commissioners during the March 11th budget work session (BWS) to explain their FY26 budget requests. Most of the requests covered essential cost changes, or ECCs, representing new positions, vehicles, equipment, or other expenses by the department. But, the Commissioners were careful to point out the difficult nature of this year’s budget and the resulting inability for them to commit to any additional funding at the time. Too much is still unknown regarding the State’s budget process and exactly what amount in additional costs might be offloaded to the county.
Vanetta Van Cleave, Chief Finance Officer, began by reviewing where things stood explaining the expected FY26 review is $335.86M. Expenses include:
$326.2M baseline budget request, covering recurring costs
$13.1M in ECC’s for new positions, equipment, etc
$7.99M for county compensation adjustments, breakdown:
$2.35M, year 2 of 3 merit market adjustments
$1.37M for 1% cost of living adjustments
$2.49M for 2.5% merit increases
$969K for 3% market adjustment for sworn Sheriff’s Officers
$399K for a 3% market adjustment for Corrections
$142K for sworn Sheriff’s Officer rank adjustments
$73K for Corrections rank adjustments
$181K for sworn officer 2.5% top of grade stipend
$5.15M for Open Items - add’l costs expected to result from the State budget
Breakdown of pay raises from Finance Dept’s presentation
Van Cleave told the Commissioners they could save $1.895M in financing costs each year over 5 years if they use fund balance for non-recurring vehicle and equipment expenses requested at $8.2M. Expenses outlined above, less the financing costs, puts the county at a $14.86M budget deficit. This does not include additional funds requested by the Board of Education of approximately $5M.
Breakdown of shortfall from Finance Dept’s presentation.
Here is a summary of county department requests for additional funding:
Commissioners & County Administrator
New position, Video Production Manager, at $102K per year
Aging & Human Services
New position, Senior Information & Assistance Caseworks at $86K/year
New position, Senior Center Assistant, at $79K/year
Both positions were requested, and not approved, last year
County Attorney
Requested increase of $40.5K for professional services, of which $15K is to pay Bruce Bereano, county lobbyist; total would also cover an attorney for the Planning Commission, and increased cost for the Board of Appeals attorney
Economic Development
Add’l $46K for Visit St. Mary’s due to increase revenue from accommodations tax
$40K to finance development/marketing of a St. Mary’s County agriculture and seafood brand
$14K to increase hours for the part-time Market Manager at the Barns at New Market
Emergency Services
$94K for Animal Behavior Health and Enrichment Coordinator at the animal shelter
$39K for blood/chemical machine for animal shelter
$20K for a new animal shelter vehicle
$74K for an Administrative Coordinator
$301K covering four new Public Safety Call Takers
$88K covering a new Personnel Coordinator
$1.245M for system upgrades, new portable radios and pagers for EMS, Fire, and Police
Finance
$140K for new Finance Manager position
$130K for new Budget Analyst position
Human Resources
$25K to for Wellness Coordinator position conversion from part time to full time
$20K for Human Resources Assistant conversion from part time to full time
Information Technology
$106K for PC Technician II position
$114K for Programmer Analyst position
$13K each, finance payments each year over 5 years, for new IT cargo vans
$100K for Rec & Parks reservation system replacement
$55K to cover new IT positions in other departments
Public Works & Transportation
$80K for new Lead Maintenance Mechanic at Detention Center
$75K for new Maintenance Mechanic at Detention Center
$25K, finance payment each year over 5 years, for new pickup truck (total $110K)
$70K, finance payment each year over 5 years, for new pickup w/lift (total $303K)
$362K for STS bus driver contracts to match Board of Education bus contracts
$500K to cover Statewide Specialized Transportation Assistance Program going fare free (provides rides for those in need to doctors appointments, etc)
Rec & Parks
$96K for new Parks Coordinator II position
$104K for new Parks Coordinator III position
$16K, finance payment each year for 5 years, for new vehicle (total $70K)
$31K, finance payment each year for 5 years, for new truck (total $135K)
$75K for new Maintenance Crew Chief
$89K for two hourly positions for new water vessel
Commissioners will need to decide whether to use the available $15M fund balance to cover the projected shortfall in whole or in part, and from there figure out how to cover additional needs or what cuts to make. Non-profit funding set aside, to match last year, is $1.066M. County Administrator Weiskopf reported the county has received $1.4M in requests for assistance.
The recommended budget must be approved for public hearing by March 25th, with the public hearing scheduled for April 22nd, 6PM, at Leonardtown High School. Then on May 6th the Commissioners will consider feedback from the public forum, direct finance staff to make changes, and review the final budget at the end of May.
