AGENDA MAY21,2024 PUBLIC HEARING 7:00 p.m. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR SOMERSET COUNTY 11916 Somerset Avenue Room 111/Meeting Room Princess Anne, MD 21853 Ms. Faith Redmon, Finance Director Proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. The Board of County Commissioners is not considering a property tax rate increase. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR SOMERSET COUNTY MAY21,2024 PUBLIC HEARING Proposed FY2025 Budget At7:00 p.m., in the Meeting Room oft the County Commissioners Office, Commissioner President Charles Laird, declared al Public Hearing open regarding Somerset County's Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Also, in attendance were Commissioner Vice-President Randy Laird, Commissioner Eldon Willing, Commissioner Darryl Webster, Commissioner Craig N. Mathies, Sr., County Administrator-Clers, Ralphl D. Taylor; Finance Director, Deputy Administrator Erest J.Leatherbury. Jr., Ms. Faith Redmond Finance Director, Internal Auditor, Sharon Muir, Executive Aide, Lory E. Ebron, and Executive Secretary Kim Lopez. Mr. Taylor began by reading thel Notice of Public Hearing into record as follows: Notice isl hereby given that thel Board of County Commissioners willl hold al Public PUBLICHEARING PROPOSED Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Tuesday, May21,2024 at7:00P.M. In the County Commissioners Meeting Room Somerset County Office Complex, Room 111 11916 Somerset Avenue Princess Anne, Maryland 21853 Fair Summary Hearing on: Thej purpose of the public hearing is to consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget, and proposed fees, rates, and charges. The Board of County Commissioners is not considering a Ther meeting willl bel heldi in-persont tor receive public comment. Individuals wishingt to make oral or written comments are encouraged to attend thel hearing. Anyone wishing to testify willl be allowed to speak inj person. The proposed FY25 budget willl be made available onl May 21, 2024 through June 3, 2024, during regular office hours, weekdays 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., for public viewing at the Office oft the Somerset County Commissioners, Room 111, Somerset County Office Complex, 11916 Somerset Avenue, Princess Anne, Maryland; and online at on the county's property tax rate increase. website: www.somersetmlus BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR SOMERSET COUNTY Ralph D. Taylor County Administrator Mr. Taylor then welcomed thosei in attendance tot this year' 's Budget Hearing for FY 2025. Copies of the proposed budget were made available to those attending. The Notice of Public Hearing had been published in the May 8, 2024 and May 15, 2024 editions of the County Times to announce thel hearing tonight. Thep purpose of tonight'sl hearing was tor receive public comment on the FY25 proposed budget. Thel Budget, being discussed tonight, is the estimated income and planned expenditures as discussed by the Board through today, May 21, 2024. Final deliberation on the Budget will continue until Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., (the regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners), at which timet the tax rate for FY 2025 willl bes set. Thej procedure for the hearing was explained, and anyone wishing to make comments willl be asked to come forward, state their name and address, and present their testimony. Written comments ont the proposed budget willl be accepted until Monday, June 3,2 2024. Next Ms. Redmond, Finance Director, introduced herself, and proceeded to present the Itis proposed tor retain the current real property tax rate for FY2025 at $1.00 The County will expect ani increase ini real property tax revenue inl FY25 due to increases in assessments from SDAT, estimated at 11.77% Personal Property tax revenue is down from! last year by approximately. 3.4% Thel Disparity Grant calculated byt the State ofl Maryland is down by 5.34% $8.2 Millioni int total Capital Projects is proposed There are no capital projects budgeted for the Board of Education in FY25, for the Total appropriation approved for County Roads is $4.141 Million (decrease from last $3.2 Million of General Fund willl be used tol balance the budget Total revenue from Real and Railroad taxes for FY25i is $1.7 Million Total revenue from Property" Taxes for FY25i is $21,296,605 comparedt to Other significant revenues from all sources total $56,051,832 for FY25 Expenditures totai $56,051,832 for FY25 Board of Education expenditures totaled $10,797,067 following FY25 Budget Highlights inl her PowerPoint presentation as follows: fourth year in arow year) $19,868,944 last year President Charles Laird asked ifi there was anyone present wishing to speak. Mr. Robert McIntyre, 28101 Mt. Vernon Road, Princess Anne Maryland came forward. First, Mr. McIntyre explained he had ani injury 4-5 weeks ago requiring ambulance services, asking about 911 being down for two and al halfr months. Mr. Taylor advised that they have been working out of thel back up center and! have been dispatching calls fromt there. Mr. McIntyre asked what happens ifthel back up center goes down. Mr. Taylor stated he would have to check into that question. Mr. McIntyre feels that the 911 call center should be aj priority, questioning ift there is a rainy-day fund to tap into. Secondly Mr. McIntyre stated he asked the Roads Department to do stuff on! Polks Road two years agot that hasn'tb been touched; stating! hel had to call threet times tol have graffiti removed from ther road. Hea also discussed the danger oft ther roadi int the winter when conditions are icy notingt that ther road is a connection between Wicomico and Somerset counties. Thirdly, Mr. McIntyre called the office to obtain a copy of the proposed budget before the meeting and was told it would be handed out during the meeting, which gives him no time tor review itb before the meeting. Next, Mr. John Barnette, 13250 Pruitt Lane, Princess Annel Maryland came forward. Mr. Barnette asked about any appropriations made regarding the implementation of a EMS Plan, presented a year ago. Ms. Muir noted that the salary for the supervisor hire is under succession planning. Mr. Barnette questioned why therei is no reference tot thei implementation plan, or capital investment shown. He feels months havel been wasted, asking what the! hold upi is. President Laird explained that money is in the budget tol hiret the EMS Supervisor, and when the person is hired, the county will move forward with capital. It was noted that legislation was required to be submitted to allow thel hire, and the Governor just signed the bill authorizing the county tol hire for this position last week that will allow the county to move forward. It was noted by Mr. Barnette, who served on the EMS Advisory Council, that they will work with the hire on the plan. Vice President Randy Laird advised that language added as an amendment to the bill tol help fund the new department was not added by our legislators as it was felt that adding the amendment to the bill may hinder the passage of thel bill. Mr. Barnette expressed concern about the length of time that has passed since the sole applicant placed his application, advising he knows thei man, and he may no longer bei interested. He also questioned why the job description was changed to require residencyi in the county for atl least 61 months in order to apply. Hes stated that requirement was not in the job description submitted byt the Advisory Council. He advised that the applicant would be thel best person here int the county in our lifetime, who is looking for a career position. With no further business, Mr. Taylor advised that written comment will be taken for 10 days, or until. June 3, 2024 at4 4:30 pm. President Charles Laird declared thej public hearing closed at7:21 pm. Respectfully Submitted: Lory E. Ebron Executive Aide Approved By: Chobd Board of County Commissioners For Somerset County