SALISBURY – Requests to maintain school and library funding highlighted a public hearing on Wicomico County’s proposed budget this week.
On Wednesday, the Wicomico County Council held a public hearing on County Executive Bob Culver’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2021.
“The primary focus of this budget is to effectively address Wicomico County’s core service needs: public safety and health, education, and infrastructure,” Culver wrote in his budget message. “Recognizing that our citizens’ household and business finances are being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and likely will be for the foreseeable future, my proposed budget calls for no increase in either the real or personal property tax rates. However, the budget does address the most pressing needs in the aforementioned categories, continues my practice of providing efficient and cost-effective operation of our County departments, and calls for reasonable utilization of our fund balance.”
Last month, Culver presented the public with a proposed budget of $153,250,029. Major expenses in this year’s spending plan include $57.6 million for the Wicomico County Board of Education, $18 million for the department of corrections, $13 million for the sheriff’s office and $9.1 million for the roads division.
Roughly 80% of the county’s budget is earmarked for education, health and public safety.
Superintendent Donna Hanlin told the council this week the school system was able to fund its strategic goals for fiscal year 2021 without requesting additional funding above maintenance of effort (MOE).
“This year’s request for only maintenance of effort was done so first knowing that we could continue the implementation of imagine 2022, but also in the interest of being a good community partner and understanding the needs of the county and other entities in our community,” she said.
Hanlin noted that the school system also had submitted a list of nonrecurring funding requests to the county for consideration.
“We ask that you consider funding those facility and safety requests that do not impact maintenance of effort,” she said.
Hanlin said the hope was that maintaining its MOE request would allow the county to increase its capital improvement plan (CIP) funding for the Mardela Middle and High School renovation project.
“I can assure you of the board’s and my unwavering commitment to the Mardela community and this project,” she said, “and to that end we stand ready to provide any information that we can that would be helpful to you in future work sessions.”
Eileen Johnson, a representative for the advocacy group Push4Education, urged the county this week to support Mardela Middle and High. For the second year in a row, the school project has been removed from the CIP.
“Once again we call on the county executive to meet with the board of education and the council to make it happen …,” she said. “The state will show up if the county shows their commitment.”
In January, Culver removed the Mardela project from the county’s CIP after learning the state deferred its planning approval. Resident Michelle Wright said the county needed to show its commitment to the project.
“I don’t understand why we have to fight and battle to get our schools up to date, when really they are the backbone of our county,” she told the council this week.
Wright noted that the executive’s budget included $125,000 plus benefits for a new chief financial officer position. She said she would rather see that money put into the Mardela renovation project.
Resident Darren Lombardo said he was concerned with the school system’s one-time requests for computers, equipment and fencing. He asked for more information.
“In order to justify this request the information should be readily available to the public,” he said.
Wicomico Public Library Executive Director Ashley Teagle encouraged the council this week to maintain funding for the library system. As county residents stay at home during the COVID-19 crisis, she said library has proved to be an invaluable source of information and activities.
“Between fiscal years 2008 and 2009, circulation at the library went up nearly 10%,” she said. “During a difficult time when households had to make sacrifices, 16% of our customers renewed their library cards, and our program attendance went up 38% as customers sought free resources, activities and information. I am anticipating a similar pattern of increased usage of the public library during and following this pandemic.”
This year’s $153 million spending plan represents a $2.18 million, or 1.45%, increase from last year’s revised budget.
The coming year’s budget proposes a 16.5% increase in health insurance premiums and 5% salary increase for eligible employees. It also proposes a property tax rate of .9286.
“This tax rate is higher than the constant yield rate, so a public hearing is required by state law,” Council Administrator Laura Hurley said. “That will be held at the next council meeting on Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m.”
