The first of two public hearings, hosted by the Harford County Council, on the proposed budget for fiscal 2017, lasted 12 minutes Thursday evening.
The council is hosting a second and final hearing, scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) at C. Milton Wright High School. After that, the council's next step will be in June, when members could amend the budget before they vote on it.
Five people spoke during Thursday's hearing that started at 7 p.m. in the Aberdeen High School auditorium.
The speakers focused on the need to continue to fund public libraries and their many helpful community programs, recreation center improvements and the school system.
After the last person who had signed up to speak, Harford County Education Association President Ryan Burbey, finished his statement, Council President Richard Slutzky asked if anyone else in the audience wanted to speak.
No one else came forward, and Slutzky adjourned the meeting – it was 7:12 p.m.
"It's sad, and it's their budget," Councilman Curtis Beulah said of the low turnout from county residents.
Beulah, who is serving his second year on the council, said public hearings on the fiscal 2016 budget last spring were also short – he recalled the first hearing at Joppatowne High School lasted 15 minutes, and the second hearing at Harford Community College lasted 18.
"Five people spoke each time," Beulah said.
Harford County Executive Barry Glassman has developed a $735.1 million budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The county executive has put forth a $655.1 million operating budget and an $80.04 million capital budget. The total budget is $1.57 million more than the current fiscal year, and it includes funds for a 3 percent merit-based salary increase for county employees, supplemental salary increases on top of the 3 percent base raise for Harford County Sheriff's Office personnel and an increase in funding for Harford County Public Schools to support salary increases for teachers.
Glassman does not plan to increase the property tax rate.
Councilman Mike Perrone said he did not expect a large turnout Thursday since the next budget is not as controversial as past budgets that did not meet the needs of various constituencies, such as not including money for county employee or teacher salary increases.
"Knowing that there really doesn't seem to be anything going on in the county that is causing a lot of angst or controversy, I didn't expect to see too large a turnout," Perrone said.
Burbey, who leads Harford County's teachers' union and talks often about the need for increasing teacher pay to meet their contractually-obligated annual salary steps, encouraged the council to continue to "dedicate funds to our teachers and public servants."
"I think the county executive is doing a pretty good job," Burbey said after the hearing. "Nothing's ever going to be perfect, but they're doing a pretty good job with what they have."
Edgewood resident Michael O'Hern sought county money to install 300 feet of fencing along the rear of the Edgewood Recreation Center property.
O'Hern, who is a member of the Edgewood Recreation Council, said the fence would help protect children on the playground, keep those same children out of the nearby woods and keep pedestrians from cutting across the property at the intersection of Brookside Drive and Watergate Court.
"It won't be really obtrusive," he said after the hearing.
O'Hern stressed there have not been any incidents yet in which youths have been harmed, and the fence is meant to provide additional protection for children while at the recreation center.
"This is a proactive type of thing," he said.