Nonprofits, volunteer fire companies and veterans services are among the areas in the budget that will likely see increased money from Carroll County government next year.
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners voted to increase nonprofit funding by 1.5 percent, spend $313,000 on new equipment for fire companies and add money to veterans services in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget deliberations Tuesday. Public safety, citizen services and nonprofits were among the areas the commissioners voted on.
All FY15 budget decisions made by the commissioners remain tentative until they officially pass the budget in May.
Nonprofit organizations
Vote: 3-2 in favor of allocating $118K of additional money to 11 nonprofits
Nonprofits partially or completely funded by the county will receive a 1.5 percent increase in funding from the county in FY15. The commissioners voted 3-2 to allocate $118,000 of additional money for the 11 nonprofits.
Commissioners Robin Bartlett Frazier and Richard Rothschild voted against the proposal to use surplus funds to cover the one-time increase.
Commissioner Doug Howard, R-District 5, originally proposed a 3 percent increase, which was countered by Rothschild, R-District 4, with a request to flat-fund the organizations. Frazier, R-District 1, and Rothschild spoke out against increasing funding to nonprofits. The commissioners originally planned to cut 3 percent in FY15.
The more the county gives to the nonprofits, the fewer citizens will give to the nonprofits, Frazier said. If the government stopped providing money, Frazier said the citizens would step up in fundraising to help cover the costs.
Howard noted that funding to nonprofits has decreased over time, but the losses have not been covered by more fundraising. Decreasing or flat-funding nonprofits could mean the organizations could match less federal and state grants and/or reduce services to residents.
The 11 nonprofits that are receiving funding from the county are The Arc Carroll County, CHANGE Inc., Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland, Mosaic Community Services, Human Services Program of Carroll County, Flying Colors of Success, Rape Crisis Intervention Services, Target Community and Educational Services and Carroll County Youth Services Bureau.
Volunteer fire companies
Vote: 5-0 in favor of allocating about $313K to fire companies for equipment
The board voted unanimously to allocate approximately $313,000 from county surplus funds to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatuses for the Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association.
Neal Roop, county liaison for CCVESA, has said the plan is to replace hundreds of breathing apparatuses over the next three years. Eight of the county's 13 volunteer fire companies are due for SCBA replacements. The breathing equipment must be replaced every 15 years, Roop said.
CCVESA asked the board for nearly $1 million over the next three years, with a cost of $313,000 in FY15, followed by $338,000 in FY16 and FY17. The commissioners only voted to give $313,000 for FY15 and did not dedicate any funds for future years.
Veterans services
Vote: 5-0 in favor of using $10K to purchase more travel vouchers, add part-time staff member
The commissioners voted unanimously to purchase $10,000 of additional Carroll Area Transit System vouchers for veterans VA hospital visits and to allocate $25,000 for an additional part-time veterans services program coordinator.
911 dispatchers
Vote: 5-0 in favor of giving $103K more in funding to pay for three new dispatchers
The Office of Public Safety will receive an additional $103,000 in FY15 to pay for three more 911 dispatchers.
Scott Campbell, administrator of the Office of Public Safety, told the commissioners earlier this month that the county's Emergency Communications Center is on pace to spend $122,000 more on overtime and $72,000 for contracted dispatch services just to properly staff the communications center in FY14.
Three more positions will help reduce the county's overtime and contracted services, Campbell has said. The positions will be paid for out of the county's operating budget.
Weed problem at Piney Run
Vote: 5-0 to set aside $125K to address invasive weed problem
The commissioners voted unanimously to set aside $125,000 in surplus funds to mow and remove hydrilla, a non-native submerged water weed, from the lake at Piney Run Park.
Jeff Degitz, director of Carroll County Department of Recreation and Parks, has told the board that it would cost anywhere from $90,000 to $135,000 annually to get rid of the harmful weed.
Carroll County Health Department
Vote: 5-0 in favor of flat-funding the department at $3.1M
The board voted unanimously to flat-fund the Carroll County Health Department at $3.1 million, instead of increasing funding $63,000, or 2 percent, as was initially proposed by staff in the budget.
The reason is because the health department is planned to get a $166,000 increase in funding from the state in FY15, according to Commissioner Haven Shoemaker, R-District 2.
