County staff says latest budget addresses needs

A summary provided by the board notes the budget allocates $169 million in operating funding for Calvert public schools, which exceeds the state-mandated maintenance of effort number by approximately $9 million.

While the budget is, as it traditionally has been, heavily reliant on property and income tax revenues, the spending plan that will start July 1 is shored up by the use of over $14 million of prior year fund balance.

In their budget synopsis, county officials note a “modest” operating revenue growth of slightly less than 3%.

Malena Brookshire, the county’s chief financial officer, said the changes made in the proposed budget from the staff plan presented in March to the revised plan being presented “are not across the board” but impact “priorities,” and continue a long-term commitment to public education, public safety and “continuity in operations.”

The changes include cost-of-living adjustments for county government employees and honoring pay increases for sheriff’s office deputies as negotiated by the local fraternal order of police.

The salaries and benefits line item for the budget presented Tuesday rose 3.8% — to $98.4 million from the staff recommended budget presented in March.

“In late March and April the revenue picture became clearer,” Brookshire said, citing revised Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation data.

The budget presented in March was based on the best data available at the time and used conservative revenue assumptions, she said.

Five public comments were offered during the hearing with three presented by county commissioner candidates.

One individual up for election this year and facing no opposition, Calvert Sheriff Ricky Cox (R), thanked the commissioners for providing funding to fully staff each public school with a resource officer.

Calvert Superintendent of Schools Marcus Newsome also expressed gratitude for the added funds to hire more school resource officers as well as fund four turf fields, which will be installed at the county’s four public high schools.

Newsome, whose comments were made as part of the presentation, said the school system is facing “a lot of financial pressures,” including the ongoing mandates from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan.

The commissioners voted unanimously to leave the record open on the proposed budget through May 29 with adoption of the plan tentatively set for June 9.