Two rainy nights during the Big Glen Burnie Carnival last summer, plummeting returns on investments and the need for repairs to its building have forced the Glen Burnie Improvement Association to cut its budget and eliminate some contributions it has made for 30 years.
The Glen Burnie Volunteer Fire Department, the Glen Burnie Health Center Association and North Arundel Hospital won't get any money from the association this year, Kathy DeGrange, the group's treasurer, said yesterday.
Last year, the local volunteer fire company and the hospital received $2,500 each, and the health center received $1,000.
The decisions to cut or eliminate donations were difficult for the eight-person budget committee, said Ms. DeGrange.
"The budget committee worked very, very hard, and they tried to be sensitive to the needs of the association and the community," she said.
The committee checked with the affected groups before it made a final budget decision, she said.
Kevin Murnane, a spokesman for North Arundel Hospital, estimated that the association has contributed more than $150,00 to the hospital since 1964, enabling it to buy coronary equipment and furniture for patients' rooms.
"They've done so much for community groups, and their work is appreciated," he said. "We're very sympathetic to what they're going through."
Ms. DeGrange said the hospital and other groups or institutions can apply for money from the association's $1,300 general-contributions fund if they need help.
The association's budget dropped from $185,000 in 1993 to $148,000 in 1994 and has fallen to $142,000 for next year. The association's fiscal year corresponds to the calendar year.
Revenue from the carnival, which makes up nearly 70 percent of the group's budget, dropped from $91,400 last year to about $87,000 this year, Ms. DeGrange said. Meanwhile, interest rates on certificates of deposit have declined, Ms. DeGrange said.
The association also has set aside $10,000 to cover expenses from a suit a previous insurer filed against it to settle a dispute over premiums the association owes.
In addition, members are considering whether to cut back on their newsletter to reduce mailing costs and to spend less on their sidewalk repair program, Ms. DeGrange said.