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[County Council Budget Work Session]
WE'LL, UH, GET STARTED HERE IN JUST A SECOND OR TWO.I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE AUDIO IS AUDIO IS BEING LIVE-STREAMED.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST OF OUR FOUR WORK SESSION DAYS, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND UP FIRST, UH, BE MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE THIS MORNING.
GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE THIS MORNING.
I KNOW YOU ARE ALL OUT AND ABOUT OVER THE WEEKEND.
WE'RE TRYING TO REST UP TODAY, RIGHT? SO IT'S GOOD TO SIT AND GO OVER SOME NUMBERS INSTEAD OF RUNNING AROUND.
UH, IT'S A PLEASURE FOR ME TO PRESENT YOU MY FINAL BUDGET HERE FOR THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE OVER TIME, YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF IT FOR THE LAST SEVEN, SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS.
UH, THE TURNAROUND THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IN THE COUNTY, NOT ONLY, UH, IN REVENUE AND EFFICIENCIES AND SO FORTH.
SO THIS BUDGET SORT OF THE CULMINATION OF THAT, FOR ME, IT'S BRINGING TOGETHER ALL OF THOSE, UM, ASPECTS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED AND BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT.
AND SO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, REALLY PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE BACK SOME TO THE TAXPAYERS, UH, REWARD OUR EMPLOYEES, AND REALLY SET A NEW BENCHMARK AS WE GO FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND SO I, I THINK YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
I'M NOT GOING TO BORE YOU WITH MY VIDEO PRESENTATION AGAIN, BUT YOU HAVE THE SLIDES AND, AND YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT, UM, VIDEO, BUT THE BUDGET DOES, UH, FULLY FUND EDUCATION.
AGAIN THIS YEAR, UH, FULLY PUNCHED THE LABOR CONTRACT WITH THE ASSOCIATION WITH, UH, 7% AND A STEP.
UH, I ALSO FULLY FUNDED OUR PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S UNION AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS THAT ALSO PROVIDES A 7% AND A STEP.
AND LIKEWISE, WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR, UH, I, IN THE PAST, I'VE DONE A LITTLE SPLITS WHERE WE'VE DONE MAYBE A LUMP SUM AND A PERCENTAGE THIS YEAR TO KIND OF MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES AND ALLIED AGENCIES, UH, RECEIVED A, UH, COMPARABLE RAISE.
WE DID A 7% COLA AND A 3% MERIT.
UH, AND SO THEY ARE, UH, TREATED ACROSS THE BUDGET, UH, WITH EQUITY, UH, ACROSS THE, ALL OUR ALLIED AGENCIES.
AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE STILL ARE FUNDING ABOUT $33 MILLION ABOVE MAINTENANCE EFFORT.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ONE CHART I LOVE TO SHOW, BUT WE'RE ABOVE TWO, IT'S ABOUT 2.3%, ALMOST TWO AND A HALF TIMES WHAT THE STATE GIVES US A HARPER COUNTIES FUNDING OUR PUBLIC SYSTEMS. SO WE, WE STILL, I THINK NEED TO TALK TO OUR DELEGATION AND FOLKS IN THE STATE ABOUT THE FORMULA FAIRNESS AND PROVIDING, UH, SUBURBAN COUNTIES, UH, EQUAL FUNDING THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS GET, UH, IN THE STATE.
THERE IS AN INITIAL CORWIN FUNDING.
THIS, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST PIECE OF KERWIN FOR COUNTIES IS UP, UH, FOR NATIONALLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS TO RECEIVE A 10%, UH, INCREASE IN THEIR SALARY.
THAT'S THE FIRST PHASE IN OF, UM, RESTORING AND LIFTING, UH, TEACHER SALARIES ACROSS THE STATE.
SO OUR BUDGET IT'S DEEP IN THE BOARD'S BUDGET, BUT IF SOMEONE WOULD ASK IF WE ARE FULLY FUNDING, OUR KERWIN OBLIGATION, UH, THIS YEAR IN THE BUDGET AND ON TOP OF THAT, UH, WE ARE DOING SO WELL WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX INCOME TAX REVENUE, EVEN COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A 5 CENT REDUCTION IN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE LARGEST REDUCTION IN, UH, PROPERTY TAXES IN THE COUNTY, UH, HISTORY.
I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FOLKS ALWAYS THINK WE'RE JUGGLING OR, OR, OR DOING A LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS, BUT THIS STILL LEAVES A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE THAT I'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT RETAINING 25 TO 28 MILLION.
I BELIEVE WHEN WE CLOSE THE BOOKS, IT'LL, IT'LL BE ABOVE THAT EVEN IN ADDITION TO OUR 5%, UH, RAINY DAYS.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'LL BE ANY FOR THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'LL BE NO REALLY CONCERNS FROM THE BOND RATERS AS WE CONTINUE TO PRESERVE OUR AAA BOND RATING BY HAVING A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE IN ADDITION TO OUR RAINY DAY FUND.
UH, AND SO THIS BUDGET REPRESENTS THAT I THINK THE SHADOW OVER ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, AS, AND YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THIS BETWEEN ENERGY PRICES, INFLATION, UH, CONSTRUCTION COSTS FROM SUPPLY CHAIN.
WE DO HAVE SOME INCREASED COSTS IN OUR CAPITAL COSTS, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD AND, AND, AND OUR LABOR COSTS ARE GOING UP NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S HARDER TO HIRE FOLKS, BUT ALSO, UH, WHEN COST OF LIVING IS RUNNING ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT.
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LOOK AT THE GROWTH IN THE BUDGET, UH, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE INFLATION'S RUNNING AND HOW MUCH WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOVE THAT.AND I THINK, UH, OUR NUMBERS, UH, IN THIS BUDGET ARE CONSERVATIVE AND, AND REALLY REFLECT WHERE WE ARE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, WE TOOK CARE OF A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH SOME CAPITAL THINGS.
UH, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, WE FULLY FUNDED OUR OPERATING COSTS FOR THEM, IN ADDITION TO THEIR MAINTENANCE REPAIR ITEMS THAT, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
ONE AREA YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT LARGER INCREASE IN THAT WOULD BE IN THE HARTFORD COUNTY EMS FOUNDATION.
UH, WE WERE BRINGING THEM UP TO PARODY AS CLOSE AS WE CAN WITH, UM, COUNTY PARAMEDICS THAT, SO WE DON'T START STEALING FROM EACH OTHER, UH, ON NOT STEALING, BUT REALLY RECRUITING THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE, UH, FOLKS IN THE FOUNDATION AND THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
AND IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT.
I WANT TO TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE.
A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY, UH, RETAINING AND RECRUITING FOLKS, NOT ONLY IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT EMS, BUT, UH, WE BEGIN TO SEE IT IN, UH, IN IT HR ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TOO.
SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THAT GOING FORWARD, BUT, UH, EVERYTHING'S THERE FOR YOU.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK TOO LONG.
I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU HELPING US GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO BE STRONG AND HEALTHY AND, AND A VIBRANT ECONOMY HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
NOW TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UM, WELL FIRST LET ME BE THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON A BUDGET THAT YOU PRESENTED TO US.
UM, IT HAS BEEN ALL ENCOMPASSING.
UM, YOU, YOU CONTINUE TO DO A GREAT JOB AND KEEPING US, UH, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND CONSERVATIVE AND LOOKING FOR WAYS TO STRETCH THE DOLLAR IN ANY WAY YOU CAN.
AND THROUGHOUT THE OTHER PANDEMIC THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH FOR THE FAST PAST TWO YEARS, I THINK WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE IN A WAY TO WEATHER, UH, THAT, UH, TIME, UH, MORE THAN SOME OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND NO DOUBT, I BELIEVE A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH LEADERSHIP.
SO, UH, COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HIM BACK IN FRONT OF US HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
BERRY, MR. KELLY, THEIR REPORT, THEIR REPORTS ON PAGE 76.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SPENDING AFFORDABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, THIS MORNING.
AND BEFORE I ADDRESS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE REPORT, I'D LIKE TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP, UH, TO HARFORD COUNTY.
HE SAID IT DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT THAT WE LIVE IN THE GREATEST COUNTY IN THE COUNTRY.
ALSO LIKE TO THANK FOR THEIR STRONG SUPPORT AND TREMENDOUS STEWARDSHIP OF THE COUNTY FINANCES, OUR COUNTY, EXECUTIVE BARRY GLASSMAN, AND HIS EXCELLENT STAFF, BILLY BONIFACE, CHIEF ADVISOR, ROBERT SAN LOUIS COUNTY TREASURER, RICK PERNICE, THE DEPUTY TREASURER, KIMBERLY SPENCE COUNTY BUDGET, CHIEF AND SHARON BALL WAG ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALISTS HERE TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR A JOB.
WELL DONE EXHIBITING GREAT LEADERSHIP DURING DIFFICULT TIMES WHEN WE CERTAINLY NEEDED IT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
CHARLES BANKER, JOE KELLY, WE TASTES AND GLEN ROSS, WAYNE GODDARD, AND STEVE WEISSMAN.
MY NAME IS BRIAN KELLY, AND I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THIS COUNTY.
AND I'M PROUD TO CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE AND TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS AS A FOUNDING PARTNER OF A BEL-AIR BASED WEALTH MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING FIRM WITH OVER 20 EMPLOYEES, I SHARE WITH ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, MY PRIDE IN THIS COUNTY AND MY OPTIMISM FOR ITS FUTURE, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, OUR GROUP IS CHARGED WITH PRESENTING TO THE COUNTY, EXECUTIVE AND COUNTY COUNCIL, OUR RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF OPERATING, SPENDING THE RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF NEW DEBT AND RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF UNAPPROPRIATED FUND BALANCED OR RETAINED EARNINGS.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME WAS SPENT ON DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF OPERATING FUNDS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY THE COUNTY AND THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
OF COURSE, ALTHOUGH WE WORKED VERY HARD IN ARRIVING AT OUR CONCLUSIONS WORLD, CHANGING EVENTS OF RECENT YEARS, RECENT MONTHS,
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RECENT WEEKS, RECENT HOURS REMIND US THAT PREDICTING THE FISCAL FUTURE CAN BE A VERY PERILOUS ACTIVITY.AND AS A FAMOUS ECONOMIST, JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH ONCE SAID THE ONLY FUNCTION OF ECONOMIC FORECASTING IS TO MAKE ASTROLOGY LOOK RESPECTABLE, TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION.
WE WORK TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF INCOME TAX REVENUES AND REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUES THAT WILL BE RECEIVED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, WHILE THERE ARE OTHER COMPONENTS.
THESE TWO CATEGORIES REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 89% OF THE OPERATING FUNDS.
WE ASSUME THE OTHER REVENUES WILL MIRROR THE CHANGE OCCURRING IN THESE INCOME AND REAL ESTATE TAXES.
WHILE OUR OFFICIAL CHARGE HAS BEEN TO RECOMMEND IT, A LEVEL OF OPERATING SPENDING THE COMMITTEE HAS HISTORICALLY USED A BUDGET BASED APPROACH FOR OUR ESTIMATE OF SPENDING AFFORDABILITY.
THIS APPROACH ESTIMATES A REVENUE LEVEL THAT WILL BECOME AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY, ASSUMING NO CHANGES IN TAX RATES, FEES, OR GOVERNMENT SPENDING, OTHER THAN THOSE ALREADY ENACTED THIS CONTRASTS WITH OTHER SPENDING AFFORDABILITY APPROACHES USED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, WHICH DETERMINED SPENDING LEVEL TIED TO THE CITIZEN'S ABILITY TO PAY AS IN PAST YEARS AND USING VARIOUS TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US, WE DETERMINED INCOME TAX LEVELS BASED UPON THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE CALENDAR YEAR, 2021, AND THE ATTEMPT AND AN ATTEMPT TO PROJECT THOSE INTO CALENDAR YEAR 2022 REAL ESTATE TAXES ARE DETERMINED BASED UPON INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE STATE AND OUR COUNTY TREASURER SINCE REAL ESTATE VALUE IS ASSESSED BY THE STATE AND THEN IMPLEMENTED OVER THREE YEARS, WE HAVE A FAIRLY ACCURATE LEVEL OF TAXABLE VALUE SINCE WE KNOW THE TAX RATE IN THE VALUE, OUR PROJECTION FOR REAL ESTATE TAX INCOME HAS BEEN REASONABLY ACCURATE OVER TIME.
THE COMMITTEE PROJECTED OUT THE REMAINDER OF FISCAL YEAR 22 AND DETERMINE THE NET ADJUSTED FUND BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR TO BE $620 MILLION AFTER ADJUSTING FOR A 38.6 MILLION AND APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTY NET ADJUSTED GENERAL FUND BUDGET WILL INCREASE BY 9.2%, WHICH MEANS THE COUNTY ESTIMATED REVENUE AVAILABLE WILL EQUAL 620 MILLION FOR FISCAL 2022.
THE COMMITTEE NOTED SEVERAL ITEMS. REAL ESTATE TAXES ARE ESTIMATED TO INCREASED BY 3.7% IN FISCAL YEAR 2023 REAL ESTATE VALUES CONTINUE TO SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN STRENGTH.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS INDICATED IN HIS COUNTY ADDRESS THAT HE IS EXPLORING PROPERTY TAX GOT ANY SUCH CHANGE IN THE RATE OR NEW CREDITS WOULD REDUCE THE PROJECTION INCOME TAX REVENUES WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IN THE COMMITTEE PROJECTS, AN INCOME TAX REVENUE INCREASE OF 5% FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 REVISED ESTIMATE.
NOW THIS IS DOWN 1.7% FROM THE FISCAL YEAR.
ACTUAL THIS SLIGHT DROP IN THE CURRENT YEAR IS NOT INDICATIVE OF THE ECONOMY, BUT AS A RESULT OF HOW THE COUNTY RECEIVES THE INCOME TAX REVENUE FROM THE STATE, THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OR CPI GREW AT 7% CURRENT YEAR 2021, AND ALL INDICATIONS FOR 2022 AND BEYOND, OR CONTINUING TO HAVE PRICE PRESSURES.
THE WAR ON UKRAINE IS COMPOUNDING INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.
AS SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA HAVE HELPED TO PUSH ENERGY COSTS UP INITIAL FORECAST BY ECONOMISTS THAT INFLATION WAS TRANSITORY OR TEMPORARY DUE TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS PROBABLY NOT A VALID CONCEPT.
AT THIS POINT, THE COMMITTEE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME WEIGHING THE EFFECT OF INFLATION ON COUNTY REVENUES.
ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE FEDERAL RESERVE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE INTEREST RATES OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THE DAMPENING OF MONETARY POLICY COMBINED WITH HIGHER ENERGY COSTS AND LINGERING SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES FROM COVID 19 AND GEOPOLITICAL EVENTS COULD HAVE A NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE TIGHT LABOR MARKET THAT IS FORCING UP WAGES WILL ACCELERATE INCOME TAX REVENUES.
THE COUNTY SHOULD MONITOR THESE FUTURE EVENTS AND CAREFULLY SEE HOW INFLATION DEVELOPS AND EVOLVES OVER TIME.
THE COUNTY HAS CHEESED AND RETAIN THE AAA RATING WITH ALL THREE RATING AGENCIES, WHICH CONTINUES TO BE A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT IN SUCH CHALLENGING TIMES.
AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR FUNDING NEEDS.
THE COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO AGREE WITH THE CURRENT DEBT POLICY AND APPROPRIATED FUND LEVEL OF THE COUNTY AND THE COMMITTEE DEVOTED TIME TO DISCUSSING THE DEBT POLICY AND PLAYING DEATHS DEBT ISSUANCE.
WHILE WE ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO ADVISE THE CO
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ARE NOT COMFORTABLE TO THE ADVISE THE COUNTY ON DEBT ISSUANCE.WE REVIEW THE COUNTY'S DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY, DISCUSS THE PLAN WITH COUNTY, THE COUNTY MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AND WE CONCLUDED THAT THE DEBT POLICY AND EXPECTED DEBT LOAD OF THE COUNTY ARE VERY REASONABLE.
WE APPLIED THE METRICS DESCRIBED IN THE POLICY AND COMPARED THEM TO THE ACTUAL AND PLANNED DEBT POSITION OF THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY IS IN CONFORMITY WITH THEIR DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY.
IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY AND COMMUNITY, AND FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN SUCH A WONDERFUL PROCESS.
WE TOO WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTY AND BRINGING FORTH THIS REPORT.
AND AS IN THE PAST, I WOULD ASK YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A COPY OF YOUR COMMENTS HERE TODAY FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, PLEASE.
UM, AND ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE MR. GODDARD, MR. TYSON FOR BEING IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL, ANY COMMENTS COUNSEL, MR. JANDER DENNIS.
SO DO YOU SEE, WHAT DO YOU GUYS SEE AS THE BIGGEST, THE BIGGEST MAYBE ISSUE THAT MIGHT BE FORTHCOMING IN THE NEXT YEAR AND IS ANYTHING STICK OUT PERTAINING TO PERTAINING TO OUR INCOME COMING IN? WELL, IT AS JUST A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, UH, WHICH SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD A PORTFOLIO THEORY, PROF SAID, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE PRICES ARE GOING, ASK A FARMER, DON'T ASK AN ECONOMIST.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES CONTINUE TO BE THE INFLATION, VERY ADJUSTMENTS, THE WAGES, UM, THE TIGHTNESS OF THE, OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET.
THERE'S CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE, BUT IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET, I THINK THAT BOSE PRETTY WELL FOR THE REVENUES COMING IN, UH, TO OUR COUNTY, UH, THROUGH INCOME TAXES AS AN EXAMPLE.
SO IN THE SHORT TERM, THAT TO ME, JUST AS A CITIZEN, I'D FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
JUST BECAUSE I SAW THAT, AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT, THAT THE, UH, TAX REVENUE INCREASED FROM 5%, BUT WAS DOWN 1%, 1.7% OVER ACTUAL.
SO, BUT I THINK, UM, WE'RE STILL BE FINE WITH ALL WITH THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. JANITOR, DAN AND MR. SHREDS, THE INCOME'S GOING TO BE THERE COMING IN, BUT I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS GOING TO BE WE'VE ON THE BORROWING SIDE, THE LENDING SIDE WITH OUR, WITH OUR, WITH OUR BONDS THAT'S TO ADJUST, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY TO GET RECORD LOW BORROWING POWER.
OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A TRIPLE BOND RATING COUNTY, BUT STILL THOSE RATES AREN'T GOING TO GO UP.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WHAT WE'RE READING ABOUT WITH, UH, CONSUMERS, UH, AND MORTGAGING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S TWEAKING UP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY, REALLY FAST, EVEN JUST FROM ONE ADJUSTMENT THAT THE FED MADE.
UM, I'M AMAZED AT IT WENT UP SO SIGNIFICANTLY THAT MANY BASIS POINTS ACTUALLY PERCENTAGE POINTS IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO VERY NERVOUS IF THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO DO FIVE MORE ADJUSTMENTS, IT SCARES THE HECK OUT OF ME BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE EFFECT OF JUST ONE.
AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE US PRIVATE CONSUMERS BORROW MONEY, MONEY, UH, THE COUNTY DOES TOO, AND WE'VE TAKEN GREAT ADVANTAGE OVER THE LAST, UM, SEVERAL YEARS, EVERY, EVERY, EVERY TIME WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS, LIKE HOW WE'LL NEVER BEAT THIS AGAIN, AND IT GOES LOWER.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A PRETTY SUDDEN CHANGE.
WOULDN'T YOU AGREE? SO ONE OF MY FAVORITE SAYINGS AND FINANCES IS AN ANCIENT SAYING, AND THAT IS THIS TOO SHALL PASS.
AND THAT'S REALLY APPLIES TO GOOD IN BAD TIMES.
AND I THINK INFLATION BEARS ITS WAY OUT IN BORROWING COSTS AS WELL AS ESCALATED REVENUES AND THE EFFECT IS THE REAL COST.
SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WILL BE A CHALLENGE.
I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN AWAY WITH QUITE A BIT, UH, AS FAR AS CONSUMERS, UM, I'LL SPEAK AS A CONSUMER BECAUSE I'M NOT A GOVERNMENT EXPERT, UM, AS FAR AS BORROWING TO BUY OUR HOUSES AND, AND BUILD OUT OUR OFFICE BUILDINGS, UH, AND THAT, THAT, THAT MAY HAVE CHANGED.
AND YOU'VE SEEN THE WORST BOND MARKET SINCE 1980 THIS YEAR, AS FAR AS PRICE DROPS BECAUSE OF THAT TREMENDOUS YIELD CURVE ADJUSTMENT THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UM, MR. SROS, THANK YOU, MR.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, IF I MAY, MR. KELLY, CAN I OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO THE CITIZEN BUDGET ADVISOR? JUST FOR A QUICK SECOND, ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION AND TO LET ME THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
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FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.UM, I SEE NO QUESTIONS SAID MR. KELLY, AND WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE, VERY THOUGHTFUL PROCESS.
OH, THIS IS BUDGET COUNTY EXECUTIVE BUDGET INCREASE IN 73,689.
AND, UM, YOU WILL SEE ON PAGE 1 71.
UM, THE BULK OF THAT IS FOR THREE THINGS.
IT'S FOR THE MERIT INCREASE OF 3%, UM, MERIT AND 7% COLA.
YOU WILL SEE THIS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET OF 46,252 HEALTH BENEFITS WERE ADJUSTED FOR COST INCREASE AS WELL AS STAFF OPTING FOR CHANGES AT 6,000 5 44.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WE HAD A 27 PAY.
SO, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT THROUGHOUT ALL THE BUDGETS ALSO.
UM, AND THAT IS THAT A COST FOR THAT OFFICE OF 19,004 12.
OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WERE NO OTHER CHANGES TO HIS BUDGET.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, COUNSEL, ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
IF I MAY, I, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO, UH, I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE OF YOUR BUDGET AND SPEAK TO THE WHOLE BUDGET OF HISTORIC LEVEL 1.2 BILLION.
AND AS I GO THROUGH THE BRIEF, AS I TOLD YOU AND MR. BONIFACE AND OTHERS, IT JUST STANDS OUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO PAGE 13, I THINK IT IS.
AND WE SEE ALL OF THE LINE ITEMS AND WHERE WE BUDGETED ITEMS. AND AS YOU COME DOWN THE LINE, A GREAT IMPACT ON EVERY DEPARTMENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND IF YOU WOULD, UM, MR. GLASSMAN, JUST GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS BEHIND THAT, PLEASE.
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, UM, MR. PRESIDENT OF THAT, BASICALLY A STATE AGENCY, SO WE, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY REQUESTS DURING, UH, FORMULATIONS OF BUDGET FOR AN INCREASE IN ANY OF THE AREAS.
SO, UM, THEY'RE BASICALLY STATE MOSTLY STATE EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO THAT'S THE REAL, THAT'S THE STORY BEHIND THAT? AND THEN RESPECTFULLY, UH, WE'VE SINCE HAD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SEND OVER SOME INFORMATION TO YOU AND MR. BONIFACE, AND, UH, I'M, I'M HAVE RESPECTFULLY ASKING YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AGAIN, TO SEE IF YOU CAN FIND SOME, UM, NEW FUNDING FOR EITHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OR WHERE THEY NEED TO BEST HELP, UM, TO GO THROUGH, I GUESS, TWO YEARS OF A FLAT FUNDED BUDGET.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE A STATE ENTITY, BUT IT DOES SAY HARFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND WE KNOW THAT, UH, BECAUSE WE SAID AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH, WE KNOW THAT OUR CITIZENS, IN SOME CASES, THE FIRST INTERACTION THEY HAVE WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THEY DON'T SEE A STATE ENTITY, THEY DON'T SEE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEY SEE IT AS THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, I THINK IT WOULD SPEAK VOLUMES FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT JUST LIKE YOU HAVE WITH THE, UM, STIPENDS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN IN THE PAST WERE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO STEP UP AND TRY TO HELP THEM IN OTHER WAYS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS HELPED WITH IT ISSUES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, WITH INNER GOV AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO EVEN MORE, IF YOU CAN FIND YOUR WAY TO DO THAT, I THINK THEY WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
SO WE'RE OPEN TO LOOKING AT SOME CONTRACTUAL HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH STATE AGENCIES ON THE REASON WE'RE, WE HAVE SUCH A HEALTHY COUNTY BUDGET AND ECONOMY THAT, UM, I AM RETICENT TO PICK UP STATE, UH, THINGS THE STATE SHOULD BE DOING.
WE'RE ALREADY PAYING TWO AND A HALF TIMES WHAT WE DO FOR EDUCATION.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB TO THE PANDEMIC, UH, AND THEY'VE GOTTEN SOME STATE ASSISTANCE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO LOOK AT SOME CONTRACTUAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, UM, I'M NOT SURE I'M AT THE POINT OF, YOU KNOW, PROMOTING OR ADDING PINS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH SOME CONTRACTUAL HELP.
AND SO I'M OPEN TO TAKING A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, UM, I, LIKE I SAID, I, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE SEPARATION, IF YOU WILL, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT OUR CITIZENS RELY ON US TO HELP PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES WE CAN.
AND, UM, SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO ASSIST THEM, I THINK WILL GO A GREAT WAY.
SO, UH, ANYONE ELSE, MR. WAGON, I WOULD ECHO THE SAME, UH, SAME THING AS A COUNCIL,
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PRESIDENT VINCENT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND, YOU KNOW, TH THE ISSUANCE OF PINS.UM, CERTAINLY WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST RUNNING YEAR TO YEAR ON SOME OF THIS STUFF, BECAUSE IT IS A STATE AGENCY AND, UH, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO TRY TO HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT TO, UH, UH, DEVELOP MORE EMPLOYEES, UH, TO GIVE THE CONSTITUENTS HELP AND, AND GET THINGS THROUGH A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
MY MAIN POINT WOULD BE, UM, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, WHAT DID YOU DO WITH, UM, ANY MENTAL HEALTH DOLLARS, UH, COMING THROUGH, UM, UH, FROM, FROM, UH, THE COUNTY FOR SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE ADOLESCENTS? YEAH, SO WE, UM, THANKS, COUNCILMAN WAGNER.
WE, UM, AS YOU REMEMBER IN THE SPRING, WE WORKED WITH ASHLEY AND ONE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE FUNDING IN THAT AREA.
YOU'LL SEE WITH THE, UH, KLINE FAMILY CRISIS CENTER, UH, IN ADDITION TO OUR USUAL FUNDING, YOU'LL SEE AN EXTRA ABOUT $1.2 MILLION TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, TO ASSIST, UH, UPPER CHESAPEAKE AGAIN, AND THE CRISIS CENTER WITH SOME FUNDING SHORT FALLS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, AND, UM, AND, AND KIND OF STRENGTHEN THAT MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION PIECE.
THEY ARE, UH, YOU ALSO, UM, FIND SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING WITH OUR PARTNER ADDICTION CONNECTION RESOURCE.
UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON A PEER RECOVERY STAFF AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, AND THAT'S, UH, AROUND $600,000.
YOU'LL FIND IN ADDITION TO THE FUNDING THAT WE GIVE THEM THE FUNDING THAT WE GIVE THEM, UH, FOR PARTNERSHIP IN GETTING FOLKS TO RECOVERY AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS. I'VE INCREASED THAT A LITTLE BIT TO, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID PREVIOUSLY FOR ACR TO HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT THERE, BECAUSE CERTAINLY THE YOUTH IS, IS KEY IN TRYING TO GET SOME THINGS UNDER WRAPS AND TRYING TO AVOID A FUTURE PROBLEMS AND KEEP THEM, UH, AS PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS, IF WE CAN POSSIBLY DO THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE WHATEVER YOU CAN FREE UP AND WHATEVER YOU CAN DO.
AND THAT MENTAL HEALTH PIECE FOR SAY THE UNDER 21 AGE BRACKET.
I, AND I AGREE, PARTICULARLY WITH THE PANDEMIC AND SCHOOL BEING OUT SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE KIND OF UNDER SO MUCH PRESSURE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD, WE'VE KIND OF BUNDLED ALL OUR REQUESTS ON THAT MENTAL HEALTH PIECE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING AS MUCH IN THE COUNTY ON THE COUNTY LEVEL AS WE CAN.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNSEL, MR. SRES, COULD YOU MAYBE, UH, OOPS, COULD YOU SPEAK TO, UH, HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS FUNDING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ROLLING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC NOW.
I KNOW, FORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WISE ENOUGH TO USE A LOT OF THOSE, UH, FUNDING STREAMS FOR ONE-TIME, UH, FUNDING TYPES OF THINGS, NOT OPERATIONAL, BUT I JUST KINDA THOUGHT FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC THAT MAY BE LISTENING IN, IF YOU COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT WIND FALL ANYMORE.
IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO PETER OFF AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE PULLING OUT AND GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.
I THINK ONE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER, AND YOU MENTIONED THAT WE, WE USE THAT OF COURSE, FOR OUR BROADBAND EXPANSION AND A LOT OF THE AREAS OF THE COUNTY WORKING WITH GETTING THAT RING COMPLETED AND WORKING WITH OUR, OUR, OUR PRIVATE PARTNERS TO PUSH OUT THAT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH YOUR BUDGET BOOK, YOU'LL SEE SOME ONE-TIME EXPENSES, IT'LL SAY FEDERAL, AND THAT'S BASICALLY THOSE FUNDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS GOING TO DRY UP.
WE HAVE NOT, WE'VE USED IT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD COMPLIMENT ALL OUR BUDGETS, STAFF TREASURY, UH, WITH THE KARA'S FUNDING, UH, THE, OUR FUNDING THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, THEY HAVE PASSED EVERY AUDIT AND WE'VE FOLLOWED THAT TO THE T.
SO WE, WE HAVEN'T WASTED THAT WE'VE PUT IT INTO INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT OUR, OUR BUDGET'S REALLY BUILT, UH, ON OUR INCOME TAX REVENUE AND PROPERTY TAX.
SO WE'RE NOT, WHEN YOU THINK OF THIS BUDGET AND HOW STRONG IT IS, IT'S NOT RELYING ON THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS TO A LARGE EXTENT.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE BROADBAND.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THIS DOESN'T COMPLETE IT, HOPEFULLY THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS, THIS BUDGET, UM, BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE THAT, THE FEDERAL MONEY AND, AND IT WOULD PREPARE, I MEAN, THE NICE THING IS, IS THAT WE'LL BE PREPARED IF WE, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T, BUT IF WE EVER HAVE A PANDEMIC OR A SITUATION IN THE FUTURE, THAT EVERYBODY WOULD BE HOOKED UP IF THAT WERE EVER TO HAPPEN.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S YOUR BABY TOO.
THANK YOU, MR. TROY, IS ANYONE ELSE, MR.
SO MAYBE THIS IS MORE FOR KIM AS WELL AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT CHANGES IN HERE, BUT IS IT IS THE COUNTY COST SOMEWHERE AROUND BETWEEN FIVE AND 7% INCREASE? IS THAT, OH, I MEAN, IT'S A 5% INCREASE.
IT'S BEEN A WEIRD, WEIRD COUPLE OF YEARS FOR, FOR
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HEALTH INSURANCE AND ALL BECAUSE OF PEOPLE OFFER GOING CARE DURING, DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THEN SOME OF THAT CATCHING UP AT ALL.UM, BUT A FEW YEARS AGO WE MADE THAT CHANGE TO THE CO-INSURANCE MODEL AND IT'S REALLY DONE WELL FOR THE COUNTY.
UM, AND IT IS STRANGE IN A PERIOD OF INFLATION.
OUR HEALTH INFLATION COSTS IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE REGULAR CPI.
I KNOW THAT'S A QUESTION THAT COMES UP USUALLY WITH US.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF KNOCK THAT OUT OF THE WAY NOW, ANDREW, FOR BUDGET PURPOSES, THOUGH, WE DID USE A 10% BASE BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE PUTTING A BUDGET TOGETHER, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
AND THAT ALSO HELPS YOU WITH THE CHANGES AND CORRECT.
I JUST, I MEAN, IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYBODY NOW, SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST, WE'RE JUST THROWING NUMBERS OUT AND AGAIN, WE'RE SELF-INSURED SO, SO, YOU KNOW, TO A LARGE EXTENT, IT, IT'S A, IT'S AN ESTIMATE.
AND SO WE, WE TRY TO, WE TRY TO GAUGE THAT AT ALL.
UM, AND SO, BUT IF THE PLANES COME IN HIGH, THEY COME IN HIGHER, THEY COME IN LOW WITHIN, WE DON'T PAY THEM.
I ACTUALLY DON'T GET THOSE NUMBERS.
SO ABOUT THURSDAY OR FRIDAY WHEN WE ROLL OUT THE BUDGET, WHEN I MAKE PHONE CALLS.
SO WE HAVE, WE GET AN IDEA THEN ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THOSE ACTUALS WILL BE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FAIRLY GOOD TO THANK YOU, MR. ONDECK, ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.
MR. WAGON, I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU KIND OF EXECUTIVE, JUST A CURIOSITY.
YOU, YOU WON'T BE IN THAT SEAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, UH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A CLOUD HANGING OVER OUR HEADS HERE FOR THE FUTURE, WITH KERWIN, ANY IDEA HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF THE FUNDING NEEDED FOR KERWIN AS THEY ROLL IT OUT SLOWLY AS IT'S BEEN.
BUT I KNOW THEY'RE STARTING TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD ON IT, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE INCREASES AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS A, IS ASTRONOMICAL DOLLARS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S TRICKY BECAUSE LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AND, AND THE FISCAL NOTES THAT ACCOMPANY THE KERWIN WILL ACTUALLY SHOW HARTFORD COUNTY PRETTY MUCH IN PRETTY MUCH FLAT AS FAR AS INCREASES BECAUSE WE ALREADY DO 50 CENTS ON A DOLLAR IN THAT RANGE.
SO OVER TIME IT SHOWS US, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORTA A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE, BUT NOT THAT MUCH.
I MEAN, THE GREAT UNKNOWN HERE IS, UM, THE ADDITIONAL CAPITAL COSTS ARE NOT FIGURED INTO THAT, UM, FOUR ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS FOR PRE-K ALL THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT THE LABOR COSTS WILL BE.
UH, THE, THE OTHER TRICK THERE IS THAT THOSE FORECASTS WERE MADE, UH, AT 3% INFLATION AND, UH, 2% INTEREST RATES AND STUFF.
AND, AND ALSO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INTEREST RATES IN THE MARKET, EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, YOU ALWAYS GOT TO REMEMBER WHAT KIND OF IMPACT IT HAS ON OUR PENSIONS, UH, OUR PENSION COSTS AND SO FORTH BECAUSE ZACH, IT CAN HURT, HURT YOU ON THE BACK END THERE.
UH, BUT I THINK OVERALL, WHEN YOU LOOK STILL, I FALL BACK ON THE STRENGTH OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY ON INCOME TAX REVENUE AND PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, UH, THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE, UH, TO FUND THE KERWIN, UH, PROGRAM GOING FORWARD AND DO IT.
AND, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M PLANNING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS THAT THE KERWIN STUFF MAY NOT HIT FOR SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE YOU SEE SOME OF THE LARGER INCREASES.
BUT YEAH, IT'S STILL YOU'RE RIGHT.
ANTHONY FLUID AND EVERY YEAR THE LEGISLATURE TWEAKS IT.
IN FACT, UH, IT'S HARD TO PREDICT EIGHT YEARS, WHAT THAT COSTS WOULD BE BECAUSE SAY, UH, BALTIMORE CITY, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY THIS YEAR, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST YEAR, UH, BALTIMORE CITY DOES ABOUT 20 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.
I THINK PRINCE GEORGE'S ABOUT 33 CENTS ON A DOLLAR.
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST YEAR WHERE THEY HAD TO START STEPPING UP TO INCREASE THEIR LOCAL SHARE.
UH, BUT THE LEGISLATURE IN, IN NORMAL FASHION, UH, FUNDED SOMETHING CALLED LIKE A DISPARITY GRANT AND MORE OR LESS THE STATE PAID FOR THEIR, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE STEPPING UP TO DO.
AND SO EVERY YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH THAT WHO KNOWS IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.
WE ALWAYS SAID, WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH KERWIN IF THE STATE WOULD FUND IT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
AND SO IF THE STATE CONTINUES TO DO WELL, UH, MAYBE THEY'LL BEGIN TO PICK UP MORE OF A PORTION, BUT COUNTIES KIND OF IN THE SWEET SPOT, LIKE HARTFORD COUNTY THAT DO 50 CENTS ON A DOLLAR, UH, NOT THE LARGEST HAVE PRETTY MUCH A MEAN ON ECONOMIC, UH, DISTRIBUTION, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION, WHERE WE'RE KIND OF ALWAYS THE MIDDLE CHILD TOO.
WE, WE DON'T GET THE ATTENTION OR THE STATE MONEY I THINK, AND THAT THE STATE RELIES ON US TO PAY A LARGER SHARE.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. WAGNER, MR. WAGNER, THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, KERWIN ADVISORY COMMITTEE HERE LOCALLY FOR THE COUNCIL, MR. SCHROEDER.
HE HASN'T BEEN ANY DISCUSSION WITH, UM, HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON
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THEIR OBLIGATION WITH A LONG-TERM HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR RETIREES.AND I KNEW THAT THEY HAVE A BIG AMOUNT THERE.
I DIDN'T KNOW HAVEN'T GOT INTO THEIR BUDGET TO THAT ITEM YET, BUT IT WAS PART OF THE INCREASE THAT'S GOING TO THEM GOING TO GO TOWARDS THAT OBLIGATION DOWN THE ROAD IS THAT WE, OF COURSE, WE'RE, WE'RE FULLY FUNDED ON OPEB.
THEY, AS YOU KNOW, THEY RE YOU KNOW, THEY'LL DISTRIBUTE ONCE WE GIVE HIM OUR ALLOTMENT SO HE CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
SO THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE LOCAL BOARD.
THANKS, MR. SRODES JOHN, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION IN YOUR BUDGET COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, YOU HAVE $160,000 IN GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
UM, AND THERE'S NO DETAIL AS TO WHO YOU'VE GIVEN THE MONEY TO OR WHO YOU PLAN TO.
AND I UNDERSTAND NOT NECESSARILY DESCRIBING WHO YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO AND SETTING HOPES AHEAD OF TIME.
AND THE 160,000 IS A, IS A FINE NUMBER.
IT'S BEEN THAT NUMBER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITHIN YOUR BUDGETS, BUT YET WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR, YOU HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF THAT MONEY STILL LEFT IN YOUR BUDGET.
I'M NOT A PROPONENT OF SPENDING EVERY DOLLAR, BUT $60,000 OF THAT ON AVERAGE BEING LEFT ON SPENT BEGS THE QUESTION.
ARE YOU MEETING YOUR OBJECTIVE THAT YOU HOPE TO DO WITHIN YOUR BUDGET? UH, THANK YOU, MRS. SCOTT.
I GET THAT QUESTION EVERY YEAR.
WE, UM, UH, OF COURSE, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'D BE GLAD WE GIVE THE LIST EVERY YEAR OF THE GROUPS, MANY OF THE GROUPS OR HISTORICALLY GROUPS THAT WE'VE FUNDED OR SUPPORTED THEIR BENEFITS, UH, FROM OUR PARTNERS IN MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, I'VE TRIED TO MAKE SURE WE DO A GEOGRAPHICALLY EQUAL ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND I'D BE GLAD TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
WE, WE BUDGETED FOR THAT MUCH.
I MEAN, THE YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC SLOWED SOME OF THAT DOWN.
SO WE DIDN'T, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE A LOT OF VIRTUAL EVENTS, UH, THAT WE TRIED TO ASSIST WITH.
UM, BUT WE'LL SHARE THAT LIST WITH YOU.
IT IT'S, IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE EACH YEAR.
UH, AND, AND MANY TIMES IT'S GROUPS IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT COME TO US AND WE TRY TO, WE TRY TO HELP OUT.
I ALWAYS TRY TO, UH, IF I GET A REQUEST FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER OR SOMEONE ELSE, WE, WE DO THAT, BUT IT GOES TO A LOT, ONE OF THE REASONS WE DO SO WELL IN THIS COUNTY, UH, BETWEEN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, ALL OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS, UH, AND ALL OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE BOARD IS THAT THEY ALL DO A GREAT JOB.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD FOR US TO SPONSOR AND HELP THEM OUT, UM, AT SOME OF THEIR EVENTS.
AND OF COURSE, IF I DON'T SPEND, IT GOES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.
UM, WE TRY TO REQUEST AND SPEND AS WE GO AND I KEEP AN EYE ON IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO OVERSPEND.
AND, UH, BUT WE DON'T TURN DOWN TOO MANY FOLKS THAT COME TO US.
IF IT FITS, IF IT FITS THE CATEGORY, YOU PROVIDE THE LIST WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT.
YES, JOHN, I'M GOING TO SAY, THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU WOULD PROVIDE THE LIST.
I'M LOOKING AT IT AS A CITIZEN, THE TRANSPARENCY, THERE'S REALLY NO DOCUMENT THAT GETS PUBLISHED, THAT THE CITIZENS CAN LOOK AT.
IF THEY CHOOSE TO SEE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED THEIR TAX DOLLARS, YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M YEAH, WE, WE, WE SHARE THAT LIST.
IT'S JUST HARD TO PREDICT, YOU KNOW, WHAT GROUPS WE MAY GIVE TO AND SO FORTH THIS YEAR IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT, I MENTIONED THE PANDEMIC.
SO WHEN APPLICABLE, WE GOT CARES, FUNDS OUT TO AS MANY GROUPS AS WE COULD TO, UH, CHICLET MENTAL HEALTH ADDICTIONS.
ANY OF THAT WE USE, UM, WE USE KERAS FUNDING FOR, I THINK COUNCIL WAGNER THAT WITH THE ASHLEY PROJECT IN ABERDEEN, THAT'S WHAT WE, WE DID AND SOME OF OUR OTHER GROUPS.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. SCOTT, I HEAR WHAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES SAYING.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO TO SEE THAT INFORMATION.
AND I, IF I DON'T, I'M SURE THE AVERAGE CITIZEN DAWSON, I JUST LIKE TO SEE IT ON THE WEBSITE SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU HAVE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS, THE AMOUNTS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED AND THAT KIND OF THING, OR SOMEWHERE, JUST SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU DO HAVE SOME ORGANIZATION NAMES ATTACHED AND DOLLAR FIGURES AND,
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AND ALL, BUT IT'S JUST NOT CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS HERE.I'M SURE HE'S LISTENING TO YOU AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL GET SOMETHING OUT TO US.
ANYONE ELSE, COUNSEL, YOU GOT HIM HERE.
THEY ARE ONE MONTH FOR A 60 YEAR OLD RACE YESTERDAY.
I'M FEELING IT A LITTLE BIT TOO.
UM, MR. SHREDS, I THINK THE ONE THING WITH BOTH BRANDON, A GRANT AND AID AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS IS THAT WE'RE SO LUCKY IN HARFORD COUNTY TO HAVE AMAZING PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF MANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GREAT THINGS.
AND IF THE COUNTY HAD TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, WE COULD NEVER DO IT WITH THE PASSION AND THE DEDICATION THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT CAUSE IS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ADDICTION, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THAT DATE, THEY'VE BEEN HIT AT HOME WITH THAT, AND THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
AND YOU CAN GO ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S PARKS AND REC, WHETHER IT'S, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS WITH WHATEVER IT IS.
UM, A LOT OF THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, THERE'S JUST SO MANY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE.
AND I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE HARFORD COUNTY WITHOUT IT BECAUSE I SEE THE GOOD THAT IT DOES TO, TO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS AN ARRAY OF, UH, UH, OF, OF ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT HELPS PEOPLE AND FAMILIES DEAL WITH, UM, THINGS THEY'RE AFFECTED BY.
AND THAT'S, WHAT'S MADE ME LOVE THIS JOB SO MUCH AS THE PEOPLE THAT I DEAL WITH REGULARLY AND I GET TO SEE, AND THE PEOPLE I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, AND A LOT OF THESE FOLKS ARE THE ONES LIKE ACR AND IN THESE GROUPS, UM, I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST FABULOUS.
THEY DO GREAT WORK AND WE GET A HUGE BANG FOR THE BUCK OUT OF THAT.
AND, AND SOMETIMES THE BUDGET DOESN'T GIVE ME A PEG HOLE FOR SAY LIKE AN ALPHA B HILTON OR, OR SOMETHING THAT LIKE CURTIS BIOLA, WE WANTED TO HELP WITH COUNCILMAN BEULAH WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, A PLAQUE OR IT DOESN'T FIT IN A CAPITOL.
AND IT, THAT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR THE COUNTY TO, TO HELP THEM OUT.
AND I HEAR WHAT MR. SCOTT IS SAYING, IF THERE WAS A PLACE, LIKE, I THINK YOU'D BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE DOUBLE IT? I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S HOW GOOD THESE STORIES, EACH ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAS A STORY.
AND, UM, I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MR. SCHROEDER, MR. BILL.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, JUST SAY, THANK YOU.
YOU GAVE US MUCH MORE THAN A PLATFORM.
I STARTED OUT FOR BE HILTON MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
UM, BUT ON A KIND OF OFF NOTE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO GET OFF PROBATION HERE.
IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A CALL SO WE CAN DISCUSS CITIZENS CARE, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND YOU'LL APPRECIATE THIS, THAT THAT'S ONE.
WE HAVE TO GET THE LAWYERS TO HELP US WITH IT'S IT'S A DIFFICULT, AND I THINK THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING ME A MEMO OR WORKING WITH ME ON, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OPTIONS THERE.
I TALKED TO MELISSA, SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH PETE AND THE STAFF THERE, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET A MEETING TOGETHER OR SOMETHING AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THEM GOING FORWARD.
APPRECIATE IT SAVED ME A TEXT.
AND BARRY, UH, I'M JUST GOING TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH AGAIN IN THE COUNTY AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONVERSATIONS IN REFERENCE TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I MIGHT MAKE A SUGGESTION, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE FACT, THE YEAR AFTER THE FACT OF WHERE YOU'VE GIVEN THE MONIES THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF, PERHAPS INSTEAD OF LISTING THE, THE ACTUAL PEOPLE OR DEPARTMENTS OR NON-PROFITS THAT YOU GAVE IT TO, MAYBE IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE PUBLIC FROM EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT THIS FUNDS WERE APPROPRIATED FOR THEIR USE IN THEIR AREA.
AND THAT WOULD AT LEAST GIVE THE CITIZENS A SMALLER, A SMALL GLIMPSE AS TO WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT MONEY, WHICH, WHICH I THINK IS, IS THE BOTTOM LINE QUESTION IS WHAT, WHAT WENT ON WITH THAT MONEY.
AND IF IT, AND IF IT WAS GIVEN TO THIS DISTRICT, THEN IF SOMEBODY REALLY WANTED TO KNOW, THEN THEY COULD CONTACT THAT COUNCIL PERSON AND SAY, WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THAT MONEY? AND I BOUGHT A PLAQUE, OR I, I BOUGHT A NEW FLAG FOR THE BFW OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
OUR BUDGET FOLKS WILL BE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET, BUT AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CALL ME DIRECTLY
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ON JUST, YOU KNOW, WHERE I AM, GIVE ME A CALL AND WE'LL TALK IT OVER.IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, UH, MISSED OR SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN DO, LET ME KNOW, RIGHT? YES.
DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION IS ON PAGE 180 3.
THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION HAS AN INCREASE OF 59,006 70.
AGAIN, ALL OF THIS IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES, UH, 25,000 7 53 FOR THE MERIT AND COLA, EXCUSE ME, 13 TO 64 OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WHICH YOU WILL NOTE THAT WE BUDGETED THAT THIS YEAR ON EACH INDIVIDUAL AGENCY, INSTEAD OF COMING OVER AND DOING A BUDGET TRANSFER AT THE END OF EVERY FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN HEALTH BENEFITS, AGAIN, INCREASE 3002 70 AND THE 27TH PAY IS 9,994.
THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN ANY OF THE OTHER FUNDING LEVELS THROUGHOUT HIS, THROUGHOUT THE DIRECTOR'S BUDGET.
AND WITH THAT AGAIN, GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT WITH SENTI AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M BEN LLOYD, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION LOOKING AT THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET.
THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS ABLE TO PRESENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, A BUDGET THAT FULLY FUNDS EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY, WHILE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY CUTTING TAXES IS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
IT'S THE RESULT OF A CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING APPROACH OVER THE LAST SEVEN PLUS YEARS.
AND I THINK THIS COUNCIL FOR THE PART YOU PLAYED IN APPROVING THOSE BUDGETS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE RESULT OF CONSERVATIVE SPENDING STRATEGIES WITHIN EACH OF OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
THE MANTRA OF OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SEEMS TO BE, TO SPEND DOWN FUNDS REMAINING IN ONE'S BUDGET AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO ENSURE RECEIVING FUTURE FUNDING.
THAT IS NOT HOW WE OPERATE OUR DEPARTMENTS, UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN IF A COST IS BUDGETED OR PLANNED FOR THAT, THEY SHOULD ONLY INCUR COSTS WHEN NECESSARY TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS FOR THAT OTHERWISE IMPROVE THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT PENALIZED FOR SAVING FUNDS AND SPENDING CONSERVATIVELY.
RATHER WE ENCOURAGE COST AVOIDANCE CONTRACT RENEGOTIATIONS AND EFFICIENCY MEASURES FOR THAT.
I WANT TO THANK KIM SPENCE AND OUR BUDGET TEAM OF BILL WATSON, KRISTEN SULLIVAN, AND MARLENA IRELAND, ROBBIE SANLESS AND OUR TREASURY STAFF AND KAREN MYERS AND HER TEAM AND PROCUREMENT, AS WELL AS ALL OF THOSE, WATCHING THE PURSE STRINGS WITHIN EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND FISCAL PRUDENCE, THE DIVISION OF BUDGET AND EFFICIENCY IS AT THE CORE OF THIS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR, THE OFFICE EARNED OFFICE EARNED ITS 33RD CONSECUTIVE OUTSTANDING BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS, OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
THE OTHER DIVISION THAT I DIRECTLY OVERSEE IS OF COURSE FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF ADMINISTRATION, BUILDINGS, PARKS, AND REC FACILITIES, SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES TO INCLUDE MECHANICAL REPAIR RENOVATION, CUSTODIAL SERVICES, AND CAPITAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ENSURE THESE FACILITIES ARE OPERATING SAFELY.
AND AT PEAK EFFICIENCY, I WANT TO THANK OUR CHIEF OF FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS, AARON SCHAFER, AND HER DEDICATED TEAM FOR THEIR HARD WORK, OFTEN BEHIND THE SCENES AND ENSURING THAT OUR COUNTY WORKFORCE, OUR CITIZENS AND OUR VISITORS CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS IN A SAFE AND CLEAN SETTING AND OUR, THAT OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE SPACE NEEDS ARE MET.
CERTAINLY THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE PRESENTED CHALLENGES THAT HAVE REQUIRED US TO ADAPT THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE JUST LIKE MOST OTHER LARGE ENTERPRISES.
WE TAKE PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT CLOSE COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR A SINGLE DAY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, AS OUR DEDICATED WORKFORCE, CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT OUR TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS EXPECT AND DESERVE.
AND I WANT TO THANK EACH OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR EFFORTS, AND FINALLY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT JEN DAVIS FOR KEEPING ME ON TASK AND KEEPING THE OFFICE IN ORDER.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, AND YOUR COMMENT ABOUT BEING OPEN EVERY DAY THROUGH, UH, THE PANDEMIC, UM, IS A TRUE STATEMENT.
NO DOUBT, UH, COUNSEL AS WELL.
SO, UH, COUNSEL, THIS YOUR TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND MR. LEWIS, ANYONE CITIZENS, JOHN, UM,
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HOW MANY POSITION VACANCIES DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT OR ACROSS YOUR VISION AND IN MY IN DIRECTOR'S OFFICE WITH THE ONLY TWO EMPLOYEES, BUT WITHIN THE FACILITIES AND SUCH YEAH, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY AT THE MOMENT.THERE MAY BE ONE IN FACILITIES.
THIS IS OF LOOKING BACK, BUT IN FISCAL 21, YOU HAD AN AWFUL LOT OF SALARY SAVINGS.
DID SHE HAVE WATER POSITION? AND THERE'S TWO, THERE'S TWO VACANCIES IN BUDGET AND WE THINK THERE'S ONE IN FACILITIES AT THE MOMENT.
IS THAT PRETTY NORMAL THAT YOU STAY FULLY STAFFED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? YEAH, I MEAN, RARELY DO WE HAVE MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, IT FLUCTUATES, BUT RARELY, RARELY DO WE HAVE MORE THAN MAYBE FOUR VACANCIES AT ANY ONE TIME.
UM, I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAY AND I, I SUPPORT WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT NOT FULLY SPENDING EVERYTHING THAT YOU GET AND NOT BEING PENALIZED, BUT YET WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR HISTORY ON YOUR EXPENDITURES IN CAPITAL OR IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, UM, THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY LEFTOVER EACH AT THE END OF EACH YEAR.
IS THAT BECAUSE OVER BUDGETED FOR UTILITY COSTS, IS IT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DOING CONTRACTUAL REPAIR WORK THAT SHOULD BE DONE? WHY ARE WE SEEING THESE SIGNIFICANT DOLLAR SAVINGS NOT BEING SPENT THAT YOU MEANT ANTICIPATED SPENDING, GOING INTO A BUDGET? WELL, OBVIOUSLY AS YOU KNOW, MR. SCOTT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, TO SOME DEGREE BUDGET FOR A WORST CASE SCENARIO, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS, UM, THINGS BREAK THAT YOU DON'T PLAN FOR.
AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU BUDGET ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
OBVIOUSLY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH COVID, UM, WE HAD SIGNIFICANT EXPENSES RELATED TO OFFICE CLEANING, A DEEP CLEANS OF INDIVIDUAL OFFICES.
IN INSTANCES, WHEN AN EMPLOYEE MAY, UM, HAVE BEEN POSITIVE AND SO FORTH.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS CAN FLUCTUATE AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T OPERATE AT A DEFICIT, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING AUTHORITY IN THE BUDGET TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT MAY OCCUR DURING THE YEAR.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE PROCESSES IN PLACE.
YOU HAVE MONIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER, BUT EMERGENCY SPENDING, THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THE PROCUREMENT LAW TO ALLOW FOR THAT.
UM, I JUST FIND A TROUBLESOME TO SEE, UH, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN BUDGET AND THEN NOT BE, I GET THE CONCEPT OF WHAT YOU'RE AT BECAUSE HAVING BEEN THERE, I, I GET, UH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THOSE DOLLARS COULD BE USED BY ANOTHER AGENCY, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT REQUESTED THE EXECUTIVE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I SEE THIS DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT AND LOOKING THROUGH THE BUDGET WHERE THERE ARE JUST CONTRACTUAL MONIES THAT AREN'T BEING UTILIZED.
AND IF YOU'RE COLLECTING THE MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYER, THAT MONEY OUGHT TO BE BEING UTILIZED BY SOMEBODY.
I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF THE, IF THE FUNDS AREN'T SPENT, AS, YOU KNOW, THEY GO BACK TO FUND BALANCE.
SO IT'S NOT AS IF THEY VANISHED INTO THIN AIR.
I MEAN THAT, AND THE TAXPAYERS DID PROVIDE THOSE.
AND EVENTUALLY THEY ARE UTILIZED BY COUNTY GOVERNMENT, PERHAPS NOT IN THE BUDGET YEAR IN WHICH THEY WERE ORIGINALLY BUDGETED.
AND WHEN WE DO OUR FINALES PROJECTIONS, YOU'LL, WE DO ALWAYS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE SLUDGE OF THAT.
IT'S GOING TO BE THE CAUSE OF ANYBODY'S PERSONAL BUDGET, WHATEVER YOU NEED AS YOUR ENTIRE SALARY.
VERY FEW PEOPLE SAY A FAMILY TO SPEND EVERYTHING DOWN TO LAST ADVOCATE.
AND, AND WITH THE EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT CLAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF THE COUNTY COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY SPEND UP TO THEIR APPROPRIATION LEVEL.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS OF THAT, YEAH.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THAT, THAT, THAT TIME THAT COMES INTO PLACE, PARTICULARLY AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHERE IT WAS ORDER, UM, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A BIT OF A LAG, UM, AND I'VE WORKED IN, IN NUMEROUS OTHER, OTHER JURISDICTIONS
[00:55:01]
AND YOU'RE SOME PLACES DO THINGS LIKE THEY, THEY BUDGET FOR TURNOVER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.BUT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF NOT BUDGETING FOR TURNOVER IS I THINK IT KIND OF GIVES THE CITIZENS AN IDEA OF LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT IT COSTS TO KIND OF RUN THIS BUDGET, UM, YOU KNOW, FULLY STAFFED.
AND LIKE, YOU DON'T HAVE THIS WEIRD FLUCTUATION FROM YEAR, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, UM, KIND OF, UM, THE KIND OF BUDGET GAMESMANSHIP, YOU KNOW, THIS GIVES YOU THAT GOOD BASELINE BUDGET.
AND THEN AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T FULLY SPEND ALL OF IT.
UM, AND AS RECOMMENDATION SAYS, IT DOES FALL ON THE FUND BALANCE.
WE DO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO LIKE THIS YEAR I PUT, WHEN I'M COMING UP WITH THE FUND BALANCE NUMBER, HE SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS MUCH, THIS MUCH SAVINGS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TRUE.
AND, BUT WHERE I'M LOOKING AT IS YOUR, AND I'LL PULL A NUMBER OUT OF THE AIR.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR INCREASE IN SOMETHING.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST COMPLETED YEAR, YOU HAD 300,000 LEFTOVER, IT'S LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND MORE, BUT YOU DIDN'T SPEND 300,000.
WHY NOT JUST HOLD BUDGET LINE WHERE IT IS AND ALLOW THAT TO CATCH UP AND SLIGHTLY BEFORE YOU COME BACK AND START ADDING TO SOMETHING.
YEAH, YEAH, NO, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT MR. SCOTT, AND I WILL POINT OUT THE END, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE IT TO THE BUDGET, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE DO GET REQUESTS, WHETHER THEY'RE FROM DEPARTMENTS OR OUTSIDE AGENCIES FOR INCREASES, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET TEAM IS REALLY DILIGENT ABOUT LOOKING AT PAST SPENDING AND OFTENTIMES, AND WHEN IT INCREASES REQUESTED, UM, YOU KNOW, WE MAY FLAT LINE THEM BECAUSE THEY HADN'T SPENT THAT MONEY IN THE PAST.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE IT INTO THE BUDGET BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, REQUESTED, BEEN CUT PRIOR TO THE BUDGET PRINTED.
UM, BUT WE, WE DO, WE DO LOOK AT PAST EXPENDITURES, UM, ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND, UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO NEAR THE FACILITIES IS PREPARED FOR ANYTHING BECAUSE WE NEEDED THEM THIS PAST WINTER.
SO, UM, MR. WAGNER, UM, YEAH, THIS, BECAUSE YOU ARE, UM, UH, ADMINISTRATION, I'LL ASK YOU THIS QUESTION AND YOU CAN GIVE IT TO ME FOR ALL OF HARTFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UM, THE MERIT INCREASE OF 3% OF THE COLA OF 7% WERE FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.
WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA FOR THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THAT? SO ALL EMPLOYEES, UH, RECEIVED THE COLA, THE 7%, UM, MERIT OF 3%, UM, IS FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE A, UM, MEETS EXPECTATIONS, UM, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, EVERY EMPLOYEE HAS AN, A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION EACH YEAR.
SO YOU WILL HAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS ON, ON A, ON A PIP, UM, PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MERIT OR NEW HIRE WHERE NEW HIRE LONGSTANDING EMPLOYEES TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE ALL GOTTEN THE 3%.
ALSO WITH THE, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEW NEWEST EMPLOYEE THAT WOULD GET IT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OR HAVE THE EAR OR OCTOBER, OCTOBER? UM, I THINK IT'S APTERA FROM OCTOBER BECAUSE THE EFFECTIVE DATE, I BELIEVE THIS YEAR IS JUNE 12TH, SO WE CAN GET YOU THAT EXACT DATE.
I HAD ACTUALLY HAD A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN EVEN WHEN WE WERE AT, WHEN THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT EVER HAD DISPATCH THE OTHER DAY, THERE WERE A LOT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING, WELL, LAST YEAR, SOME NEW HIRES GOT IT.
AND THEN THEY GOT ANOTHER ONE, LIKE A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER.
AND THAT UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE APPARENTLY.
I MEAN, THERE THERE'S REALLY NO WAY AROUND IT.
YOU HAVE TO PUT A DATE ON IT SO WE CAN GET YOU THAT EXACT DATE.
THANK YOU, MR. WOODS, MR. TIBBS, ALL YOUR CONTRACTOR SERVICES, UM, IS THAT BECAUSE OF NEW FACILITIES OR PEOPLE THERE, THERE WAS SIX MONTHS IN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR FOR THE NEW FLEET FACILITY AND THEN THIS YEAR WILL BE A FULL YEAR.
SO YOU WILL SEE THAT ANYONE ELSE, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD TELL HIM WITH CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, YOU HEARD OUR REQUESTS, UH, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THEY NEED THAT, THAT HELP ASAP.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO, TO MS. AUSTIN, UM, AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH STAFFING AGENCIES AND SO FORTH, SO WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH HER.
AND I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE SOME HELP WITH
[01:00:01]
SCANNING, UH, THAT THEY'RE BEHIND ON DOWN.AND THEN ALSO MAYBE IF YOU HAVE LICENSED INDIVIDUALS TO DO INSPECTIONS IN THE FIELD, I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHEN I LISTENED TO, UH, RESIDENTS AND CONTRACTORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY GET HELD UP, UH, WITH THEIR PERMITS.
UM, I THINK THERE'S TIMES WHERE THEY COULD USE THAT HELP AS WELL.
UM, IS THERE, UM, A VISION TO DO MORE AND MORE OUTSOURCING OF, OF, UH, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND TRYING TO GET MORE CONTRACTS IN, UM, FOR DIFFERENT THINGS IN GENERAL? YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AREAS, UH, WHETHER IT'S CERTAIN MAINTENANCE AREAS, UM, ALSO ON THE, UM, ENGINEERING CONSULTING SIDE OF THINGS, WHERE THERE ARE EXISTING, UH, BUSINESSES LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY THAT CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES POTENTIALLY AT, YOU KNOW, THE SAME, THE SAME LEVEL HIGH LEVEL AT, UH, AT A REDUCED COST.
THERE'S SORT OF A SHIFT OR A VISION TO TRY TO REDUCE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SIZE, SOMEWHAT AND OUTSOURCE A GOOD BIT MORE THAT FAIR TO SAY THAT'S AN ONGOING THING.
THANK YOU, MR. WAGNER, MR. ANDREW, DAN, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO WITH COUNSELING.
UH, PRESIDENT SAID ABOUT THE, UH, UH, SERVICES ABOUT, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENT INSPECTORS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE, SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM THAT THAT WOULD BE GREATLY, GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AND IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR, WE LIKE TO TRY TO AVOID ANY BOTTLENECKS IN ANY PROCESSES OF PERMITS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE'D DONE A GREAT JOB WITH OUR PERMIT CENTER ACROSS THE STREET WITH STILL AND PLANNING AND ZONING.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ABOUT WAYS WE CAN HELP THEM WITH THEIR PROCESSES.
IT IS, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PROCESS BACK AND FORTH HAS HELPED THEM SOME, BUT THEY NEED, THEY DO NEED SOME ADDITIONAL HELP.
UM, ANYONE ELSE, MR. SCHROEDER? I JUST WANT TO SAY, I LIKED THAT IDEA ABOUT THE, UM, CONTRACTING OUT ENGINEERS, BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, I GET THAT, WE ALL GET THE JOBS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN ON THERE FOR THREE, FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE WE WANT AN ENGINEER.
I DON'T EVEN THINK CHERYL BENNIGAN'S JOB BEEN FILLED AND SHE'S BEEN GONE FOR LIKE TWO YEARS AND JEFF STRAT MEYER LEFT AND YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THESE WERE, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT, UM, HAD, DID AN AMAZING JOB.
I MEAN, JEFF, UM, INCREDIBLE AND, UM, TO NOT FILL JOBS LIKE THESE, AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER ONES IN, IN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, ESPECIALLY THAT, UM, THAT MIGHT BE THE WAY TO DO IT.
AND WE HAVE CONTRACTED OUT A NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS IN MARYLAND, W AS IT RELATES TO STORM WATER AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH.
I MEAN, THERE'S LABOR SHORTAGE ANYWAY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE GETTING TO THAT LEVEL OF POSITION WITH THESE ENGINEERS, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'D HEARD ABOUT, UH, CONTRACTING THAT OUT.
HOW, HOW MANY, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO YOU HAVE ON STAFF? WE'RE OF, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ZONING SPECIFICALLY OR, OR JUST ACROSS THE BOARD FOR JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, DISABLED VEHICLES OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
SO, UM, HERE'S THREE, RIGHT? WELL, AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY PLANNING I'M SORRY, AND HOW MANY COMPLAINTS OR IF YOU KNOW, OR IF YOU CAN GET THAT INFORMATION.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, TOMORROW PLANNING AND ZONING WILL BE HERE AND I WILL TOUCH BASE WITH THE DIRECTOR AND MAKE SURE SHE'S PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THAT.
ON PAGE 1 97, BUDGET EFFICIENCIES BUDGET.
AGAIN, IT IS ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
46, 7 80 FOR THE MERIT INCREASE AND THE POLO 10,909 FOR HEALTH BENEFITS, 24,000 5 32 FOR, UM, OPEB AND THEN 24, 1 31 FOR THE 27TH PAY.
UM, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY CHANGE IN FUNDING FOR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 22.
COULDN'T EVEN GET TO THE PAGE ALL THE TIME.
WELL, CAN WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE AND YOUR OFFICE OR YOUR TEAM IS THE REAL TRUE BRAINS BEHIND THIS
[01:05:01]
BUDGET.AND SO, UH, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO TO KEEP US ON TRACK.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO KEEP IT VERY SIMPLE.
I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, BUDGET ADVISORS.
MR.
I DON'T WORK FOR JUST THIS COUNTY ON BUDGETING.
WHAT I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IS THE TRANSPARENCY THAT YOUR OFFICE PUTS OUT YEAR OVER YEAR.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO NOT SHOW THE PUBLIC.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE THAT CHANGES.
AND I'VE SEEN OTHER COUNTIES CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR.
AND IT'S, IT'S REFRESHING TO BE ABLE TO GET YOUR BUDGET BOOK AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING WITH IT RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND I THINK IT HELPS US IN THIS POSITION DOWN HERE.
AND IT REALLY DOES SHOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS PUT OUT THERE.
COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE 3D HOME.
I TELL YOU THAT EVERY YEAR I'M GETTING UP THERE, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET DAY OVER 29 ASKED ME INCENTIVE PACKAGES.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH THAT.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING FOR KIM FOR HER DEPARTMENT? I DON'T, BUT I HAVE AN ANSWER TO ANDREA'S QUESTION.
THERE'S THREE INSPECTORS AND IN ZONING, THERE'S ONE, A ZONING TECHNICIAN AND THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATOR CENTERS.
APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT, BUT WE'LL WAIT FOR IT TOMORROW.
THE NEXT DAY WE WE'RE PLAYING IN SETTINGS HERE.
I WANTED TO POINT OUT THERE WERE THREE.
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS AND THEY'RE ON PAGE 1 91.
AND I'M GOING TO SLOW YOU DOWN FOR THAT ONE.
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, FACILITIES AND OPS HAS AN INCREASE OF 8 31, 8 79.
AND STARTING ON PAGE ONE 90, WE'LL SEE PERSONAL SERVICES INCREASES 3 85 79, 200 200 50,540 IS FOR THE MERIT AND THE COLA 95,271 IS FOR THE 27TH PAY.
WE ALSO HAVE FUNDS IN THERE FOR OPEB AND PEP, UM, WHICH IS ABOUT $76,000 TOGETHER.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES DOES INCREASE 418,000.
IT'S MAINLY FOR ELECTRICITY, EATING FUEL WATER AND SEWER FEES, UM, RENOVATIONS AND REPAIRS TO OUR EXISTING BUILDINGS.
UH, OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INCREASE AND THAT'S FOR, UM, MOVING COSTS, LEAD ABATEMENT, ROOF, GUTTER, MAINTENANCE, FIRE PROTECTION, WELLS, ET CETERA.
UH, BUILDING CUSTODIAL SERVICES INCREASES 94,000 AND THEN SECURITY SYSTEMS INCREASES 30,000.
UH, ALMOST PROBABLY HALF OF THAT IS FOR THE NEW FLEET BUILDING THAT WE JUST OPENED UP LIKE ESTHER, WE DID, OR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD FUNDING IN THERE FOR SIX MONTHS THERE'S SO THIS WILL BE A FULL YEAR'S FUNDING AND SUPPLIES.
THE MATERIALS YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE, 30,500, AGAIN THAT'S FOR PAPER SUPPLIES, UNIFORM EQUIPMENT, REPAIR PARTS, AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE, AND THEN BUSINESS AND TRAVEL.
THERE'S A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE, $2,800.
AND THAT'S FOR TRAINING AS WELL AS FUEL, UM, AND MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLES.
UM, BEFORE I WANT TO GO TO HER OTHER TWO DIVISIONS ON PAGE 1 94 CENTRAL SERVICES, THEY HAVE AN INCREASED, THERE ARE 49,715.
THE BULK OF THAT IS AGAIN IN PERSONAL SERVICES FOR THE MERIT INCREASE, 26,000 9 31, 7,000 FOR OPEB, AND THEN $10,056 FOR THE 27.
AND THERE'S ONE OTHER DIVISION AND THAT IS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.
AND THEY'RE UP TOWARDS THE FRONT ON PAGE 180 5.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 2 26, 8 66.
AGAIN, THE MAIN RESULT OF THAT IS IMPERSONAL SERVICES FOR THE WAGE PACKAGE FOR AN INCREASE OF 61, 1 15.
THE WAGE PACKAGE IS 30,905 27TH.
PAY AGAIN IS 11,000 5 68 OPEB, 15,837 AND THEN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 1 65, 7 50.
THIS IS FOR CAM TAXES FOR THE CAM AND TAXES FOR THE LEASE PROPERTIES.
THE LEASES ARE NOW BACK IN THE TREASURY AGENCY OF DEBT SERVICE DO GASBY.
BUT, UM, THIS ALSO PAYS FOR, UM, HVAC MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS
[01:10:01]
THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR LEASE PROBLEMS, AS WELL AS PEST CONTROL.NO OTHER CHANGES IN THAT BUDGET WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THIS GOOD MORNING.
COUNCIL, PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS AARON SCHAFER AND I'M THE CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF FACILITY AND OPERATIONS FACILITY.
AND OPERATIONS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF ADMINISTRATION, BUILDINGS, PARKS, AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE LIBRARIES TO INCLUDE MECHANICAL REPAIR RENOVATION, CUSTODIAL SERVICES, AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ENSURE THESE FACILITIES ARE OPERATING SAFELY AT PEAK EFFICIENCY, FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 4,925 WORK ORDERS.
THIS PAST YEAR MAINTAIN 169 STRUCTURES CONSISTING OF 1.7 MILLION SQUARE FEET WITH A MAINTENANCE MECHANICAL AND CUSTODIAL STAFF OF ONLY 27 EMPLOYEES, FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY ENROLLED ANOTHER EMPLOYEE INTO THE HARFORD COUNTY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, AND ALSO CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED A BRAND NEW PURCHASING CARD SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO ENTER THEIR PURCHASES ELECTRONICALLY DIRECTLY FROM THEIR PHONES.
THIS NEW ELECTRONIC SYSTEM HAS CUT PURCHASE CARD PROCESSING TIME IN HALF FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS ALSO OVERSEES THE COUNTY WAREHOUSE SURPLUS AND INVENTORY OF 17,000 CURRENT COUNTY ASSETS.
THE WAREHOUSE AND SURPLUS PROGRAM HAS PROMOTED REUSING SURPLUS PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, INSTEAD OF PURCHASING NEW ITEMS BY REORGANIZING THE WAREHOUSE AND FOCUSING ON CUSTOMER SERVICE LAST YEAR, THE WAREHOUSE SURPLUS PROGRAM GENERATED $80,000 IN REVENUE AND HAD A COST AVOIDANCE OF FIT $48,000 TO HARFORD COUNTY.
ANOTHER NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSET WORK ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH HAS STREAMLINED ADDITION TRANSFER AND SURPLUS REQUESTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE TAGGED OVER 2000 NEW ASSETS THIS YEAR IN AUTOMATED IMPORT FUNCTION, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE, HAS ENHANCED OUR ABILITY TO ADD LARGE GROUPS OF NEWLY ACQUIRED ASSETS TO THE DATABASE AT ONCE.
THIS IS USEFUL IN ICT D E S AND HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE EQUIPMENT REFRESH PROGRAMS. WE ANTICIPATE GREATER STREAMLINING OF SURPLUS ASSET RE REUSE PROGRAM WITH ASSET WORKS IN THE COMING YEAR, ALLOWING COUNTY CUSTOMERS TO VIRTUALLY VIEW AVAILABLE ASSETS AT THE WAREHOUSE.
WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED NEW GOV DEALS, INTERNET AUCTION SITE FOR SURPLUS SALES, WHICH HAS INCREASED OUR RATE OF SALES TO OVER 90% FACILITIES AND OPERATION ALSO MANAGED AND COMPLETED SEVEN CAPITAL PROJECTS TOTALING OVER $26 MILLION AND IS IN THE DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION FEES FOR AN ADDITIONAL 15 PROJECTS.
THE DIVISION OF CENTRAL SERVICES IS ALSO MANAGED BY FACILITIES.
THIS OFFICE PROCESS OVER 630,000 PIECES OF MAIL AND ANSWERED OVER 31,000 PHONE CALLS THROUGH THE COUNTY SWITCHBOARD.
THE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO SAVE OVER $30,000 IN POSTAGE THIS YEAR BY UTILIZING CUSTOMER-BASED PRICING AND MAINTAIN CERTIFICATION FOR THE REDUCED RATE.
IN ADDITION, THE DIVISION OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IS OVERSEEN BY FACILITIES.
THIS AFFORDS OPPORTUNITIES TO MORE EFFICIENTLY UTILIZE COUNTY PROPERTY AND ASSISTANT LONG-TERM PLANNING, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, ACQUIRES SURPLUSES LEASES, AND ASSIST IN THE UTILIZATION OF REAL PROPERTY AND SERVICES, ALL COUNTIES APARTMENTS.
LAST YEAR, THE OFFICE PROCESSED OVER 260 RURAL PROPERTY ACTIONS ADMINISTERS ADMINISTERED 61 LEASES WITH A STAFF OF THREE, THE DIVISION GENERATED ABOUT $350,000 IN RENT REVENUE THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, I'M PROUD OF ALL THREE OF THESE DIVISIONS STAFF CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD PROJECTS FOR TAKING ON ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES AND STILL MAINTAINS THE SAME HIGH LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EFFICIENCY.
I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE SUCH A DEDICATED AND HARDWORKING STAFF, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED TEAMWORK AND SUCCESSES DURING THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
THANKS AARON FOR YOUR DETAILED REPORT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, IF, IF THIS QUESTION'S BEEN ANSWERED BEFORE I'M SHORT HAT OR ASKED BEFORE, BUT I'M SURE IT HAS, BUT IF YOU COULD REFRESH US THE NEW FLEET FACILITY, UH, THE COMBINED FACILITY, WHAT DO WE THINK THE SAVINGS WILL BE THERE ANNUALLY? DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY ASKED WHEN WE PRESENTED THIS TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT ONE OF THEIR BOARD MEETINGS, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRACK THAT, UM, WE DON'T KNOW DOLLARS AND CENTS RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT WE DO KNOW DEFINITELY EFFICIENCY-WISE UM, OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING RECEIVED, UM, IS, IS, IS WHAT WE'RE BANKING ON NOW.
BUT AS FAR AS DOLLARS AND CENTS ARE CONCERNED, WE'RE GOING TO TRACK THAT AS WE MOVE FULL MOVE FULL A FEW MOVE FORWARD A FULL YEAR.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FUEL PRICES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, COUNSEL, MR. WAGON.
UM, THERE'S TWO, TWO THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP.
UM, MS. SHAFFER TELL ME MOST, MOST COUNTY OWNED BUILDINGS THAT PUBLIC ENTERS AND, AND, AND, UH, ROUTINELY VISIT.
UH, MOST OF THOSE HAVE, UM, UH, CAMERAS SYSTEMS. DON'T THEY? NOT ALL OF THEM, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT MANY, MANY DO CORRECT.
UM, IS THERE, UM, WELL, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO HIT YOU UP SEPARATELY, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE IS A FACILITY THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF CHILDREN ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR THE COUNTY TO STEP UP AND PUT CAMERAS ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S IN A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISOLATED PLACE FOR THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS AND SO FORTH.
[01:15:01]
ABOUT THAT AND I DON'T SEE WHY YOU COULDN'T PROVIDE THAT JUST BECAUSE OF NEED.UH, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A PROJECT THAT'LL COST A FEW DOLLARS ON, UM, CERTAIN, UH, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
CAN WE, CAN YOU PROVIDE A LIST OF, UM, THE COUNTY HAS, UM, UH, RENTAL UNITS THAT THEY OWN AND PREDOMINANTLY THOSE RENTAL UNITS, UM, ARE SUPPLIED AT A CHEAPER RATE BECAUSE OF, UM, PEOPLE, UM, ARE PUT THERE AS, UM, UH, NOT EXACTLY CUSTODIANS, BUT, UH, SORT OF CARETAKERS.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? UM, WELL WE HAVE CARETAKERS, UM, AT, WELL, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
CARETAKERS ARE AT PARKS AND REC FACILITIES, THEIR COUNTY OR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS THROUGH OUR CUSTODIAL CONTRACT THAT ARE AT COUNTY OWNED BUILDINGS AND LEASE FACILITIES, RIGHT.
I'M LOOKING AT, UM, PARENTAL, UH, FACILITIES, HOMES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO SOME OF THEM.
CAN WE SEE A LIST OF THOSE PLEASE? AND, AND, AND, UM, UM, THE RENTS THAT ARE RECEIVED FROM THOSE PLEASE.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNSEL, MR. JAMES DANNA.
UM, SO YOU TALK FAST, SO I THOUGHT YOU DID, BUT YEAH, SHE ACTUALLY TALKS REALLY FAST.
SO, UM, ARE YOU IN CHARGE OF THESE THINGS? UM, IT IS A COMBINATION OF FACILITIES AND HR.
MINE HAS NOT WORKED AND A COUPLE OF DOORS HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT FIXED.
I KNOW MILEAGE TRIED TO GET IT FIXED, BUT IT HASN'T GOTTEN FIXED.
I CAN'T GET OUT THAT ONE DOOR.
SO PLEASE, YOU GOTTA BE A GOOD BOY, SO WHATEVER WE DO GET AFFECTS.
SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED GOVERNMENT WEBSITE, WE'RE SELLING ALL OUR SURPLUS STUFF ON THAT? YES.
CAN YOU SEND THAT TO ME? OKAY.
THAT'S ALL VEHICLES AND EVERYTHING.
NO, IT'S IT'S IT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UM, VEHICLES, THE VEHICLES GO TO AUCTION, CORRECT.
YOU'RE WEARING PATRICK THROUGH FLEET, NEW VEHICLES COMING.
AND DO WE KNOW, IS THAT YOU? OKAY.
SO BEFORE THANKING MR. GIN, JOHANNA, I WILL SAY THAT WARREN PATRICK DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB AT THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES MEETINGS WITH HIS, UH, REPORT PROBABLY GIVES THE MOST DETAILED REPORT ON EQUIPMENT FROM THE TIME IT WAS PURCHASED THE AMOUNT OF HOURS ON IT, WHAT IT'S WORTH AT AUCTION TODAY, UH, OR TRADE IN.
SO, UM, HE DOESN'T HAVE STANDING JOB MR. WOODS, THE PRESENT CURRENT OR THE OLD, UH, MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
IS THERE ANY USE OR ANYTHING PLANNED FOR THAT? NOT AT THIS TIME, THERE'S BEEN TALKS ABOUT DPW BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE IT, JUST TO STORE VEHICLES, TO GET IT OUT OF THE WEATHER.
UM, THAT PROPERTY NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.
UM, AND THERE'S NO CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND SO DPW JUST TAKE OUR LEVEL PROPERTY, EVERYTHING.
THANK YOU, MR. WOODS, MS. HERRERA.
UM, SO I HAVE A QUESTION WHEN A COUNTY OWNED BUILDING GETS A NEW ROOF OR WINDOWS REPLACED, WHO IS, IS THERE A COUNTY INSPECTOR THAT SIGNS OFF ON IT? UM, SO THAT THE CONTRACTOR BE PAID.
SO, UM, WELL, SO WE HAVE, UM, THROUGH DPW CAPITAL PROJECTS, THERE'S A PROJECT ENGINEER AND AN INSPECTOR ASSIGNED TO PROJECTS.
AND THEN ALSO FROM MY SHOP, WE HAVE PROJECT COORDINATORS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE PROJECT.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, PAYING THE CONTRACTOR, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS TYPICALLY ENTERS THE PO AGAINST THE CAPITAL, UM, ACCOUNT.
UM, AND THEN ONCE THE PROJECT IS NOT ONLY INSPECTED BY OUR DPW CAPITOL PROJECT INSPECTOR, BUT ALSO THAT THE PERMIT, ANY PERMIT THAT WAS PULLED, GOES THROUGH A FINAL INSPECTION THROUGH
AND TYPICALLY THROUGH THOSE BIGGER PROJECTS, WE'RE HAVING A PAYMENT DRAW GOING DOWN.
SO THERE IS A PROCESS AND MULTIPLE SIGNATURES GO ON THAT PROCESS.
SOME OF THESE FACTORS ARE COUNTING, CORRECT? YES.
UM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ABINGTON LIBRARY ROOF AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN, UM, IT'S BRAND NEW AND IT'S LEAKING.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE REPLACING MANY, MANY CEILING TILES BECAUSE OF THE LEAKAGE.
I KNOW THAT I KNOW I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE THAT IT'S THE ROOF THAT'S LEAKING.
WE HAD A ROOFTOP HVHC PROJECT THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THOSE TWO WE'RE.
WE'RE TRYING TO FINALIZE THAT, BUT I WILL LOOK INTO THAT AND I WILL, AND THE WINDOWS WERE LEAKING WHEN WE REPLACED THE WINDOWS THAT LEAKAGE STOPPED, BUT THERE'S ADDITIONAL LEAKAGE AND YOUR STUDY.
UM, COUNSEL, ANYONE MR. TIBBS, WHEN WE HAD A CONTRACT OUT
[01:20:01]
AND PARTS MATERIAL INCREASES LIKE IT HAS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS THERE? DO THEY HAVE TO LEAVE OR DO YOU HAVE AN X EXCALATION? UM, NO.SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE THAT HAPPEN ON, ON, IN CAPITAL AND AN OPERATING, SO IN CAPITAL, UM, WHENEVER IT IS BID, THAT'S WHAT IT IS AND THAT THEY HAVE TO STICK BY THOSE, THOSE PRICES, UM, FOR, UM, CONTRACTS THAT WE UTILIZE IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
SO OUR LABOR COSTS IS OUR LABOR COSTS CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WAS BID.
UM, AND THEN THEY CAN CHARGE FOR THE MATERIAL.
SO THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE RECEIPTS AS A TMM CONTRACT.
SO THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE US WITH RECEIPTS FOR THOSE MATERIALS.
AND TYPICALLY THEY'RE ALLOWED TO MARK UP ON THAT AND THAT'S NEGOTIATED THROUGH THE CONTRACT AS WELL.
UM, SO THE CONTRACTS THAT WE UTILIZE THROUGH OPERATING ARE MORE FOR PM AND THOSE EMERGENCY THINGS THAT WE DON'T SEE THINGS OUTSIDE OF CAPITAL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN 25 TO 30% INCREASE IN MATERIAL COSTS.
IT'S, IT'S CRAZY, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
SO WHEN WE SAY WE HAVE AT THIS, THAT BROKE AND THAT'S THE PRICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE, BECAUSE IT'S AN ACTUAL TIME, LIKE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE GETTING THE INVOICE FOR THOSE MATERIALS.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MS. SHAFFER.
WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO CALL UP GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
YOU'RE ON PAGE 3, 28 IN THOSE TWO DIVISIONS THERE.
PAGE 3 28 IS THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 85,692.
AND AS YOU WILL SEE IN BOTH OF THESE, UM, AGENCIES, UM, IT'S, IT'S ALL IN PERSONAL SERVICES.
40 3045 IS FOR THE MERIT INCREASE, HEALTH BENEFITS, 8,000 1 76 OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, 5,000 8, 29 AND THE 27TH PAY OF 20,000 1 79 ON PAGE 3 31 IS CITIZEN AFFAIRS AND AG SERVICES.
THERE'S A SLIGHT INCREASE THERE OF $19,016.
AND AGAIN, IT'S FOR THE MERIT INCREASE 9,002 70 POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH PLAN, 1005 20 HEALTH BENEFITS, UM, 2008, 28, AND THEN THE 27TH PAY OF 6,000 8 62.
AND TO GO BACK TO, I THINK IT WAS MR. WOOD'S QUESTION OCTOBER 1ST.
SO GOOD MORNING, MORGAN, MISS MONDAY, UM, PRESIDENT VINCENTE AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU BRIEFLY THIS MORNING ABOUT GOVERNMENTAL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
I DO WANT TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY GREAT STAFF WHO MAKES EVERYTHING THAT WE DO POSSIBLE.
SO BRIEFLY TO REVIEW WHAT WE DO TO OUR CITIZENS, WHERE THE FRIENDLY FACE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WE SOLVE PROBLEMS AND CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT MAKE LIFE BETTER.
IN REAL TERMS, WE RESOLVE MORE THAN 3,500 CITIZEN ISSUES LAST YEAR.
AND WE RESPONDED IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS, INCLUDING WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICACY OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
WE PRODUCED OR EDITED HUNDREDS OF PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS FOR ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING EXPLAINERS ON HOW WE FIX POTHOLES, HOW WE REVIEW DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS AND APPROPRIATELY HOW THE BUDGET IS DEVELOPED AND APPROVED.
I KNOW YOU ALL GET THAT FLOOD EVERY DAY, UH, TO INFORM OUR CITIZENS AND GIVE ACCURATE ANSWERS WITHIN 24 HOURS TO OVER A HUNDRED MEDIA INQUIRIES TO PROMOTE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY.
EACH MONTH WE PRODUCE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES E NEWSLETTER, WHICH WE HAVE GROWN TO 12,000 SUBSCRIBERS AND A MONTHLY NEWS PROGRAM THAT AIRS CONTINUOUSLY ON HARTFORD TV AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE COUNTY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
THIS YEAR, WE CREATED PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, INCLUDING PSA'S ON THE COVID VACCINE AND VIDEOS ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
THE COUNTY WEBSITE IS LIKE THE FRONT DOOR OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
MY OFFICE CONTINUOUSLY REVIEWS THE WEBSITE TO MAKE IT USER-FRIENDLY USEFUL AND ACCESSIBLE TO CITIZENS OF ALL ABILITIES.
[01:25:01]
MONTHLY TRAFFIC.AND IN FACT, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OUR ADMINISTRATION, AVERAGE UNIQUE MONTHLY VISITORS IN THE COUNTY WEBSITE HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED TO 81,000 PER MONTH TO REACH CITIZENS WHERE THEY ARE.
WE PROMOTE PRE PROMOTE COUNTY SERVICES DAILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, AND TWITTER.
OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS HAVE INCREASED BY 16% LAST YEAR.
AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE GLASSMAN ADMINISTRATION, OUR FOLLOWERS HAVE GROWN BY 500% TO 80,000.
THIS LIKELY MEANS THAT WE ARE REACHING INTO THE VAST MAJORITY OF HARTFORD COUNTIES, 96,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
WE ALSO ASSIST THE COUNTY'S COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS AND GATHER THEIR FEEDBACK FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
WE ORGANIZE COMMUNITY EVENTS, EVENTS, INCLUDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES, AWARD-WINNING VIRTUAL TOWN HALL BUDGET MEETING.
THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK IN-PERSON OUR VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR.
WE WORK WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE SUPPORT BUY LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, MANAGE AN AGGREGATE BUSINESS PROGRAM.
GRANT PROGRAM WORK CLOSELY WITH VISIT HARTFORD AND HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LAST BUT NOT LEAST AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
WE CONTINUE TO PROMOTE OUR TWO CIVILITY CAMPAIGN WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WE HOPE TO BRING BACK OUR LONGEST TABLE EVENT THIS YEAR IN PERSON, BUT UNTIL THEN WE CONTINUE TO PROMOTE RESPECT, TOLERANCE AND EMPATHY EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING THE INTERNET AND HOPEFULLY BUDGET HEARINGS.
YEAH, I LIKED THAT LAST LINE, HOPEFULLY, MS. MUMBY.
UH, CAN YOU PLEASE FORWARD YOUR COMMENTS TO MS. HARRIS FOR ME WAY WE CAN DISTRIBUTE AMONGST COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, COUNSEL, MR. WAGON ON PAGE 3 32, I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, THE 254,000 HOURS THAT'S REFERENCED THERE.
UM, IS THAT ALL, IS THAT, IS THAT ALL HOTEL TAX REVENUE MONEY? YES.
AND THOUGH PROGRAMS THAT IT GOES TO, UM, PROMOTE WOULD BE WHAT, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
WELL, A LOT OF IT IS AG AWARDS THAT GO TO SPECIFIC FARMS THAT I'M NOT REAL FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT EVERY YEAR AND THEY REQUEST WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY SEND IN INVOICES GOING TO BE REIMBURSED.
IT'S REIMBURSED, WHICH TOTAL HOTEL TAX REVENUE DO, YOU KNOW, IT'S AROUND, AROUND, AROUND AROUND 3 MILLION OR SO TOTAL, TOTAL WISE.
AND THEN IT HAS GONE DOWN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
TAKE MR. WAGNER, MR. JANITOR, DEVIN.
NICE TO SEE YOU WHEN YOU READ.
SO PROBABLY IT WAS JUST FOR ME, BUT, UH, DO YOU KNOW OF THOSE INCREASES IN PEOPLE VIEWING THE WEBSITE, IF IT'S VIA PHONE OR COMPUTERS? WE DO GET A BREAKDOWN OF THAT.
THE, ALMOST THE MAJORITY NOW ARE MOBILE PHONE.
AND, AND OUR, AND OUR WEBSITE IS MOBILE FRIENDLY.
UM, DOES IT TELL YOU WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE COUNTY OR DOES WE HAVE BREAKDOWN? WE GET, WE GET A MONTHLY BREAKDOWN OF WHERE OUR VISITORS COME FROM.
I CAN FORWARD IT TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT VERY MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. SCOTT, AND OF LOOK AT THAT.
LOOK, I HATE TO FEED THEM SOMEWHAT OF A DEAD HORSE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES HERE.
AGAIN, I YOU'VE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT AS A DEPARTMENT WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU REQUEST, AND YOU'VE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN SPENDING ABOUT A PITTANCE OF REALLY WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WISE 134,000 IS THE AMOUNT WHAT'S LEFTOVER AT THE END OF EACH YEAR IS $90,000.
IT'S THIS SAME THING THAT I KEEP SEEING DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY GETS PUT INTO A CHARACTER, BUT IT DOESN'T GET SPENT, WHICH TO ME MEANS SOMETHING ISN'T GETTING DONE THAT WAS PLANNED, UM, AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES SORT OF FOLLOWING UP ON MR. WAGNER'S THING WITH THE, UM, $254,000, THAT'S THERE.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT GETS SPENT, A LOT OF THAT STILL GOES ON, SPENT AT THE YEAR END, UM, AS A CITIZEN.
[01:30:01]
JUST GIVES ME DISTRESS THAT WE'RE PAYING DOLLARS INTO THE ORGANIZATION HERE, BUT THE ORGANIZATION ISN'T TAKING THOSE DOLLARS AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING, SPENDING EVERY DOLLAR.I KNOW THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE I KNOW IT GOES TO THE NEXT YEAR.
I, I GET ALL OF THAT, BUT IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING TO SEE MONEY THAT'S THERE THAT ORGANIZATIONS COULD USE.
AND IT ISN'T GETTING, THEY'RE MORE OF A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION.
NOW IT IS A QUESTION AND THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A DEPARTMENTAL QUESTION.
IT'S MORE OF A BUDGET QUESTION HERE.
AGAIN, I KEEP SEEING WHERE CAPITAL OUTLAY GETS DONE DURING THE YEAR, BUT AS A BUDGET DOCUMENT, I'M NOT SEEING THE CAPITAL REQUEST IN THE 50 CATEGORY FOR THOSE PURCHASES THAT GET DONE DURING THE YEAR.
UM, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, THE COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS HERE, WE'RE NOT SEEING POTENTIAL EXPENDITURES FOR ITEMS. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S FURNITURE, UM, CHAIRS, UM, COMPUTERS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT, UH, I KNOW THE VEHICLE'S THAT SEPARATE, THAT GETS BUDGETED.
I CAN SEE THOSE, THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT, BUT IT'S ALL THE LITTLE, UH, AS A COUNCILMAN PARENT USED TO, UH, GO ABOUT SMALL TOOLS, UH, TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT SEEING IT IS THAT, UH, UH, UH, I GUESS I BUDGET POLICY THE WAY THAT THE ADMINISTRATION JUST DECIDED WE'RE NOT GOING TO BUDGET CAPITAL OUTLINE OUTLAY.
WE, WE DO IF THEY, IF THERE'S A REQUEST FOR IT AND A NEED AND SO FORTH, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU SEE IT, IT'S BECAUSE A CHAIR BROKE OR A COMPUTER MONITOR AND THEY HAVE MONEY AND WE TRANSFERRED INTO THAT DEPARTMENT.
YOU WILL SEE IT IN THE LARGER DEPARTMENTS, DPW, THERE'S ALWAYS CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR PUMPS, GENERATORS, RIGHT THROUGHOUT THESE SMALL DEPARTMENTS EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING, BUT NOT VERY OFTEN.
NOW, MOST OF THE TIMES COMPUTERS ARE PICKED UP DURING COMPUTER REFRESH, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING DURING THE YEAR THAT MIGHT HAVE, YEAH.
UM, AND THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS, LET'S SAY A SPECIAL IPAD TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
THE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY.
AND IF YOU DO LOOK AROUND YOU, YOU WILL FIND IT THAT GENERALLY THE CHAIRS AND THE LIKE ARE NOT REPLACED UNTIL THEY LITERALLY FALL APART.
UM, IT'S, UH, YOU WILL NOT FIND ANY PALATIAL LEATHER, WHICH I HAD TO CHAIR THIS NICE.
I JUST HAD TO REPLACE ONE IN MY OFFICE BECAUSE SOMEONE SPILLED A WHOLE CAN OF TOMATO SOUP ON THEIR CHAIR AND WE COULD NOT GET IT OUT.
SO YOU WILL SEE A TRANSFER FOR THAT PURCHASING THE CHECK THEY ANSWER.
YOUR QUESTION WAS JUST GOTTEN.
IT WAS MORE OF A COMMENT THAT THINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC, BUT MORE IN GENERAL, THERE'S NEVER A GOOD PLACE HERE WAS THE PLACE THAT JUST KIND OF STOOD OUT TO ME.
DO WE KNOW HOW TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION? DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY ON THE AVERAGE GOES BACK INTO, UH, THE FUND BALANCE FROM CONTRACTUAL SERVICES EVERY YEAR? LIKE, UH, BASED ON, UH, CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, ESTIMATE OF WHAT THEY NEED.
I MEAN, EACH INDIVIDUAL LINE, I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT ENTIRELY
AND IT'S ONLY JUST BECAUSE IT DOES, WE, DON'T ONLY DOUBLE FILL POSITIONS.
SO IF SOMEBODY DECIDES TO LEAVE AND THEN BY THE TIME, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO GET SOMEBODY IN THERE.
AND THE LIKE, UM, SO THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIGGEST COMPONENT.
IT'S GENERALLY A COUPLE OF A PERCENT OF LIKE THE ENTIRE ENTIRE BUDGET, BUT ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CLIENTS THAT ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT SPENT.
SO WE GIVE MONEY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO LIKE THEY DON'T SPEND EVERY DOLLAR OUT OF IT, BUT THEN THEY NEED TO DO THEIR OWN FUND BALANCE.
UM, ON AVERAGE IT'S PROBABLY AROUND 10, $10 MILLION
[01:35:02]
OR SO, BUT AGAIN, WE KIND OF MAKE THAT PART OF OUR CALCULATION TO SAY, OKAY, WHEN WOULD WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IS USING FOR AS FAR AS THE FUND BALANCE.UM, AND LIKE, AND OF COURSE, IF THERE'S ANY, ANY TYPE OF, BEST OF YEARS, WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
WE'VE HAD SOME YEARS WHERE IT'S THE WORST, THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
UM, AND AGAIN, SOME OF THIS GOES TO, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH LIKE A BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.
I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH THE, UM, THE VALUE OF MONEY, BUT ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS, IT STARTS BECOMING A LOT, A LOT LESS, UM, LIKE, YES.
SO YOU ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF PERCENT OF THE, UM, OF THE BUDGET.
THAT'S NOT, THAT COULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT SPENT.
THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON, MS. HORGAN.
UM, ON PAGE 3 33 AT THE TOP, THERE'S A POSITION, UM, CHIEF CITIZENS AFFAIR AND AGRICULTURE SERVICES FROM JULY 21 THROUGH PROPOSED 23, THE SALARY HAS STAYED EXACTLY THE SAME.
IS THAT BECAUSE THAT, THAT POSITION HAS HAD THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN IT? NO, THE POSITION IS UNFILLED.
IT'S A VACANT POSITION, SO WE DON'T BUDGET FOR AN INCREASE MOST.
SO THE POSITION'S BEEN UNFILLED SINCE REALLY 2014.
UM, I DO WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR IT BEFORE MR. LLOYD LEAVES AND MS. SHAFFER LEAVES.
UH, AND MY LIE KNEW THAT YOU WILL APPRECIATE THIS AS WELL.
THE, UH, UNEXPECTED EXPENDITURES THAT YOU ALL CAME FORWARD WITH, UH, UH, THROUGH GRANT PROCESSES OR WHATEVER, TO ENHANCE, UH, THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM UPSTAIRS FOR US TO ALLOW OUR, TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB, UH, WITH VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
UH, WE, MR. WOODS, UH, HELPED MS. DIXON AND US PUT TOGETHER A MAKESHIFT, UH, CHAMBER UPSTAIRS.
IT GOT US THROUGH COVID AND, UM, WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT IS WITH WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, WHEN NEEDED TO DO ANY TYPE OF ZOOM OR VIRTUAL MEETING.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MS. MUMBY AND DON'T FORGET TO SEND THAT OVER TO MS. HARRIS, PLEASE.
SO WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE A LITTLE BIT.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A RECESS AND RECONVENE AT TWO.
THANK YOU ALL GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS AUDIO IS BEING STREAMED OUT TO THOSE INTERESTED PARTIES.
AND THIS WILL BE THE SECOND HALF OF THE FIRST DAY FOR OUR WORK SESSIONS.
UM, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND, UM, MY FAVORITE ONE, MS. DIXON, WE'LL START WITH YOU TODAY.
I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH YOUR DIVISIONS ON PAGE 5 53 IS THE COUNTY COUNCIL OFFICE COUNTY COUNCIL OFFICE INCREASES 3 81, 9 76.
AGAIN, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES FOR AN INCREASED TOTAL THERE OF FREE 35, 6 76, 1 14 4 76 IS FOR THE MERIT 7% COLA, AS WELL AS THE LEGISLATIVE INCREASES FOR COUNSELING HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASES 1 74, 3 22.
THIS ONE HERE IS, UM, THE RESULT OF THE INCREASE COST, BUT ALSO AS WELL AS THE ANTICIPATION OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NOT KNOWING WHAT BENEFIT OPTIONS THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE.
UM, POST-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH INCREASES 6,880 OPEB, 5,000 6 34, AND THE 27TH PAY IS $45,015.
CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES HERE AT 24,700, AND THAT'S AS REQUESTED BY THE COUNCIL.
UM, IT PROVIDES FOR, UM, TELEPHONE FAX SERVICE AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND SUPPLIES MATERIALS.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 11,100, AND THIS IS FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES, TRAINING AND OTHER SUPPLIES.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL IN ANTICIPATION OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEN BUSINESS AND TRAVEL 10,500 ON PAGE 5 56 IS THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY AUDITOR.
THERE'S INCREASED THERAPY, 80 1003 96.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS IMPERSONAL SERVICES.
70 1009 36 34, 5 86 IS FOR THE MERIT AND COLA 3008.
THE 27 PAY IS A COST OF 13,263, AND THEN SOME OTHER SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS FOR PENSION AND FICA CONTRACTUAL SERVICES INCREASES $10,000, AND THAT IS
[01:40:01]
ADDITIONAL FUNDS PROVIDED FOR THE FINANCIAL AUDIT ON PAGE FIVE 60 IS THE BOARD OF APPEALS AND REZONING.THERE ARE 48, 5 45 21, 7 45 IS FOR PERSONAL SERVICES.
TEN NINE SIXTY SIX IS FOR THE MERIT INCREASE 5,000 6 43 IS FOR OPEB.
AND THE 27 PAY IS 4,000 1 22 IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 26,000.
AGAIN, THIS WAS PROVIDED PER THE COUNSEL'S REQUEST FOR LEGAL SERVICES AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ON PAGE 5 63.
THIS IS THE OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL ATTORNEY VERBALS COUNCIL.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 76,000 5, 8 6 20 6,415 IS FOR PERSONAL SERVICES.
AND THEN 1 36 IS FOR HEALTH BENEFITS UNDER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THERE IS AN INCREASE THERE OF 50,000 1 71.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS PROVIDED AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL FOR LEGAL SERVICES ON PAGE 5 66 AS HARPER TV.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF $83,017.
AND AGAIN, THE BULK OF THAT IS IN PERSONAL SERVICES OR THE 8 0 66 IS FOR THE MERIT AND MERIT INCREASE IN 7% COLA, $6,646 FOR HEALTH BENEFITS AND THEN 18,002 60, EXCUSE ME, 2 68 IS FOR THE 27 TODAY IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THERE IS AN INCREASE THERE OF $3,000, AND THIS IS PROVIDED, UM, FOR WEBSITE MAINTENANCE AND SERVER COSTS AS WITH, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AT BAY.
UM, WITH ME IS CHARLIE KEARNEY, UM, THE COUNTY COUNCIL, ATTORNEY KELLY JERA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HARTFORD PD AND CRYSTAL BROOKS, UM, COUNTY AUDITOR.
UM, AS YOU'VE SEEN MOST OF THE INCREASES WE SEE IN OUR BUDGET ARE RELATED TO THE PERSONNEL SERVICES.
AS KIM EXPLAINED EVERYTHING, WE DO HAVE SOME MINOR LINE ITEM INCREASES JUST DUE TO THE UPCOMING ELECTION AND CHANGES.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE NOT ONLY IN STAFFING WITH COUNCIL, BUT POSSIBLY OTHER STAFF, SO NEEDS, MAY BE DIFFERENT IN OFFICES FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
SO WE DO HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
UM, HOWEVER, I WILL STATE THAT ON TOP OF THAT AS YEARS WE'VE SEEN AFTER WE GET SETTLED AND EVERYBODY'S IN PLACE AND HAS WHAT THEY NEED, THOSE LINE ITEMS CAN BE ADJUSTED BACK DOWN, BUT I DID MEET WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, UM, AND DISCUSS WHAT, WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED HERE TODAY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU ARE AVAILABLE, THANK YOU MS. DIXON, AND WANT TO THANK YOU.
UH, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR, UH, DUE DILIGENCE AND WORKING WITH KIM TO PUT OUR BUDGET TOGETHER, BUT ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE ATTENTION THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO THE PROCESS.
AND THE, I THINK THE SPOTLIGHT THAT YOU PUT ON THE POSSIBILITIES WITH A NEW COUNCIL COMING IN, UM, WE SAT EARLIER TODAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET AND IT BEING NEARLY 80% OF THE INCREASE IS ALL, UH, TO PERSONAL SERVICES.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS FROM MS. DIXON.
THIS IS THE WHOLE BUDGET, RIGHT? THE WHOLE YES.
I JUST, UH, I HAD A COMPLIMENT ABOUT HARTFORD TV.
UM, I'VE BEEN TUNING IN, UH, WATCHING SOME OF SPORTS ONE LINE, AND I THINK THE COVERAGE IS PHENOMENAL.
THE RESOLUTION IS CRYSTAL CLEAR.
AND, UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAN'T MAKE IT TO MY NEPHEW'S VARSITY GAMES, UM, IT'S JUST A GREAT WAY TO, TO WATCH AND COMMENTARIES GOOD.
AND LIKE I SAID, UM, EVEN HAVE SLOW MOTION.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S VERY PROFESSIONAL AND I WISH MORE GAMES WERE, WERE TELEVISED.
AND THEN OF COURSE I'LL DO IT FROM MY PHONE.
LIKE MOST PEOPLE NOT ON TV, BUT, UM, JUST WANTING TO GIVE A COMPETENT, I APPRECIATE THAT.
JUST DO WE DO 33 GAMES A YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BUDGETED TO DO.
13 FALL 10 WINTER 10 SPRING IS WHAT WE SHOOT FOR AND THEY ARE HANDS DOWN.
I THINK OUR MOST WATCHED PROGRAMMING.
YEAH, THERE IT'S VERY WELL DONE.
I'M BLOWN AWAY AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE AS MORE PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S ONLINE AND YOU CAN TUNE IN THAT MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ENHANCED, SO YOU CAN INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GAMES THAT YOU COVER.
[01:45:02]
MR. ON THE SAME THING WITH HTV, UM, CERTAINLY IN A PROGRESS AGENCY AND MORE TIMES THAN I WANT TO, BUT, UH, HTV HARTFORD TV, UM, CERTAINLY KELLY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO COME IN YOU AND THE BOARD AND EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE TRANSITION, UH, BECAUSE YOU DID IT, UH, IN A WAY THAT WASN'T VERY COSTLY AND, UH, THE RESULTS IS AS COUNCILMAN SRODES HAS MENTIONED HAVE BEEN, UH, VERY GOOD AND EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE VERY WELL PLEASED WITH IT, BUT TO KEEP YOUR BUDGET AS, AS TIGHT AND AS CLOSE AS WHAT YOU HAVE THAT'S COMMENDABLE.UM, ANYONE ELSE, JOHN? I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO SLIGHT ANYBODY.
UM, I, I HAD THE SAME COMMENT HERE WITH THE COUNCIL, UH, THAT I'VE HAD WITH THE ADMINISTRATION IN SOME OF THEIRS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE, UH, OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL ATTORNEY AND PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, THERE IS, HAS BEEN IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS ENOUGH, LEFT OVER EACH OF THOSE YEARS TO CARRY ANY INCREASE THAT YOU HAVE REQUESTED FOR THIS SEASON, UH, FOR THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, UH, HERE AGAIN, UM, IT'S A COMMON THEME THAT I, AS I'VE SAID EARLIER THIS MORNING THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND QUITE HONESTLY, EVERYTHING NOT COUNTING THE SALARY INCREASES EACH YEAR.
THERE'S BEEN 300,000 LEFTOVER IN THE OVERALL COUNCIL BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR TO COVER ANY, UH, NEEDS THAT THE FUTURE COUNCIL MAY NEED AFTER THE ELECTION.
EVEN AT LEAST I FEEL, UM, IN THAT REGARD, UM, NEF ON THAT ASPECT.
ONE QUESTION FOR THE TV SIDE LAST YEAR, I HAD, UH, INQUIRED ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAD ANY STATISTICS ON VIEWERSHIP PROVIDED TO YOU.
IS THAT STILL THE CASE THIS YEAR? WHERE HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING TOWARDS VIEWERSHIP STATISTICS? SURE.
UM, FOR OUR ON-AIR TELEVISION CHANNEL, WE ARE UNABLE TO GET RATINGS BECAUSE WE'RE A PEG CHANNEL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NIELSEN, THAT'S SOMETHING AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL FROM US, BUT WE DO TRACK MONTHLY EVERYTHING ONLINE.
SO ALL OF OUR VIEWERSHIP ONLINE IS TRACKED MONTHLY AND REPORTED TO MY BOARD.
THEN I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY NUMBERS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE FOR, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT.
THANK YOU MR. SCOTT, AND ANYONE ELSE BACK ON THAT SAME NOTE, I JUST WANTED TO JUST GIVE A COMPLIMENT THAT DON MORRISON, HE DOES THE COMMENTARY AND I THINK HE MAKES IT SPECIAL BECAUSE HE KNOWS THE HISTORY.
HE KNOWS THEIR AUNTS OR UNCLES OR GRANDPARENTS WHO ALSO PLAYED SPORTS.
LIKE IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY WELL DONE.
UM, I DO WANT TO JUST MAKE MENTION THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S BUDGET, IT'S NOT JUST THE GENTLEMEN SITTING UP HERE ON A DAY, S IT'S 28 INDIVIDUALS, IT'S ATTORNEYS, UH, OUR AUDITOR DIVISION OR CABLE TV DIVISION.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE INPUT THAT YOU GIVE US AND FOR THE, UH, COMMITMENT THAT YOU MAKE TO THE CITIZENS OF HARFORD COUNTY.
SO, AND MS. DIXON, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE YOU GO, I WOULD JUST ASK TO MR. KEARNEY OR MS. MS. BROOKS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? CRYSTAL SAYS, NO, THAT'S OKAY.
OTHER THAN THAT, I DO WANT TO THANK KIM AND HER STAFF HAS ALWAYS, BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER WHAT I DO, THAT'S FOR SURE.
CAUSE I'M ON THE PHONE WITH THEM ALL THE TIME AND JEANETTE AND, UH, HEATHER HELPED ME OUT A LOT AS WELL DURING THIS TIME THAT I CAN PUT FOCUS WHERE I NEED TO.
I LOOKED AT THE CALENDAR FEBRUARY.
DOESN'T HAVE, IT'S NOT A LEAP YEAR.
WHERE DID WE GET THE 27TH WEEK? EVERY 11 YEARS.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND MAYBE ANYBODY OUT THERE LISTENING CAN NOW UNDERSTAND THAT TOO, BECAUSE IT WASN'T EXPLAINED.
SO EVERY 11 YEARS WE GET AN EXTRA WEEK AND WE, WHILE WE'RE GOING ALONG TOO, SO THAT IT DOESN'T JUST NECESSARILY HIT THE BUDGET FROM A CASH PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY KIND OF ACCRUING THOSE DAYS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, OKAY, IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, THERE ARE TWO EXTRA DAYS.
SO WEEK WE KIND OF PULLED IT OFF, UM, AS PART OF THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE, UM, AREA.
SO THAT WAY, WHEN YOU GET THAT 27 8, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AN EVEN NUMBER OF DAYS IN YOUR LIFE, IT'S NOT AS IF LIKE YOU'RE THAT YEAR.
THERE HAS TO BE A SURROUNDS FOR CASH.
[01:50:01]
MS. DIXON.MAIN SOCIETIES NEXT THERE YOU'LL FIND THEIR FUNDING ON PAGE 7 39 ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK UNDER THE TAB THAT'S CALLED PACO NON-DEPARTMENTAL YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 225,000 FOR A TOTAL FUNDING LEVEL OF 1 MILLION, 1 75.
UM, SO YOU HAVE A PACKET IN FRONT OF YOU, YOUR RED FOLDER, WHICH HAS, UM, YOUR LETTER AND SOME BACKUP.
AND OF COURSE THE BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR FOR THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, AS WELL AS A HALF OF THE FISCAL YEAR PRIOR, WHICH IS WHEN WE PREPARED THE BUDGET.
UM, AND SOME OTHER HANDOUTS AND THINGS THAT WE TYPICALLY PROVIDE, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON AND STAY ABREAST OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE SHELTER.
UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF THOSE THINGS LINE BY LINE.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THEM.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT 2021 WAS LIKE FOR US AT THE SHELTER.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGING YEAR AFTER A, ANOTHER VERY CHALLENGING YEAR.
UM, AND WE SEE MORE CHALLENGING YEARS AHEAD TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST.
UM, CERTAINLY COSTS ARE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN NOW THAT THEY'VE GONE UP.
UM, WE ARE STILL HAVING SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING SUPPLIES AND SOMETIMES HAVING TO PURCHASE ITEMS AT A HIGHER PRICE POINT.
UM, THEN IN THE PAST, JUST IN ORDER TO HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT WE NEED, AND I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MOST BUSINESSES ARE NOT IN THE, UM, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REDUCE THEIR COSTS BECAUSE THE CONSUMERS ASK FOR THAT.
SO, UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, UM, WE DID ASK FOR AN INCREASE AGAIN THIS YEAR TO SORT OF OFFSET THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UH, WE HAVE NOT ASKED FOR AN INCREASE FOR THE PAST TWO FISCAL YEARS IN A ROW.
UM, AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED AND OF COURSE, BEQUESTS MONEY THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AS WELL, WHICH WE'VE PUT INTO INVESTMENTS AND WE ARE MANAGING, UM, WITH AN INVESTMENT FIRM.
UM, AND SO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE A FISCALLY SOUND ORGANIZATION AS BEST WE CAN BE.
WE DO HAVE SOME OPERATING CAPITAL IN RESERVES FOR EMERGENCIES, BUT NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, UM, AND SORT OF GETTING A LITTLE TASTE OF THINGS NOW, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE DIFFICULT.
FUNDRAISING OF COURSE, CONTINUES TO BE DIFFICULT AS WELL.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO START HAVING SOME FUNDRAISING EVENTS AGAIN THIS YEAR, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THEM FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS DUE TO COVID, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE LARGER EVENTS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A PLACE WHERE WE CAN DO THAT SAFELY.
AND OF COURSE, ATTENDANCE IS A BIG QUESTION, MARK.
UM, SO IT'S JUST BEEN DIFFICULT BUSINESSES.
UM, SPONSORSHIPS HAVE NOT BEEN, UM, AS FREE-FLOWING, AS THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST FOR UNDERSTANDABLE REASONS.
UM, AND OF COURSE PEOPLE HAVE NOT HAD THE MEANS TO DONATE AS MUCH AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD.
AND THAT TRICKLES DOWN EVEN TO IN KIND ITEMS, WHICH ARE SUPPLIES THAT ARE DONATED TO THE SHELTER.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT, WE'VE HAD TO EXPEND, UM, MORE, UH, ON SUPPLIES THAN IN THE PAST.
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY, UH, BUYING LIMITS AND SHORTAGES, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THE STORE TO BUY A PACK OF PAPER TOWELS FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
YOU MIGHT NORMALLY PICK UP ONE FOR THE SHELTER.
WELL GUESS WHAT? FOR A VERY LONG TIME, IT WAS ONE PER PERSON PER TRIP.
SO WE WOULD NORMALLY GET, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS DONATED WE'VE HAD TO GO OUT AND PURCHASE THEM.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE A LOT OF THE, UM, THE STRESS HAS BEEN FINANCIALLY FOR US, BUT ALL THAT SAID IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE YEAR FOR US.
SO I DID WANT TO GO OVER SOME STATISTICS QUICKLY WITH YOU, BUT ALL OF THIS IS IN YOUR PACKET, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE NOTES.
UM, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY ADOPTED OUT 231 MORE ANIMALS LAST YEAR THAN THE YEAR BEFORE WE TOOK IN ABOUT 2,196 ANIMALS, WHICH BY THE WAY, IS A 51% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN IN IN THE PAST SIX YEARS.
AND THAT IS THROUGH MANAGED INTAKE PROGRAMS, SHELTER, INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, AND WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE, UM, SPAY AND NEUTER OUTREACH.
AND ALSO OF COURSE WE'RE SPAYING AND NEUTERING ANIMALS PRIOR TO ADOPTION AT THE SHELTER AS WELL AS WE HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, SO THAT IS OF COURSE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS, UNWANTED LITTERS THAT ARE BORN INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, INCREASED OUR CAT ADOPTIONS BY 14% OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, 750 CATS AND KITTENS GOING INTO ADOPTIVE HOMES.
DOG ADOPTIONS WERE ALSO UP BY 17%.
UM, AND WE EVEN HAD A, WE HAD A, JUST A TON OF SMALL ANIMALS THAT CAME IN THIS YEAR.
AND WHEN I SAY SMALL ANIMALS, I MEAN RABBITS AND GUINEA, PIGS AND RATS AND MICE AND BIRDS, TONS OF BIRDS, A LOT OF THEM FROM ONE PARTICULAR ANIMAL CONTROL SEIZURE THAT WE TOOK IN.
[01:55:01]
UM, SO THOSE ADOPTIONS WENT UP BY 27%.UM, BUT JUST BECAUSE OF THE SHEER VOLUME OF THOSE ANIMALS THAT WE TOOK IN, AGAIN, ADDING TO OUR SORT OF UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE BUDGET FOR THE SUPPLIES THAT WE NEED BASED ON THE TYPICAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE OF PARTICULAR SPECIES WHEN WE'RE HIT WITH THESE ANIMALS, THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY ANTICIPATING.
WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY A LOT OF THINGS AND KEEP MORE THINGS IN INVENTORY THAT WE DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE TO BECAUSE THEIR NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT.
UM, SO, UM, SO JUST, UH, JUST AN ASIDE ON THAT, UM, WE REUNITED, UM, 5% MORE ANIMALS WITH THEIR FAMILIES LOST AND FOUND PETS WITH THEIR FAMILIES, UM, THAN THE PRIOR YEAR AS WELL.
UM, OF COURSE WE OFFER FREE MIFIR CHIPPING TO ANYBODY THAT IS COMING TO RECLAIM A PET FROM US.
UM, IF, IF THEY'RE STRAIGHT PET HAS ENDED UP AT OUR SHELTER, WE'LL OFFER THEM A FREE MICROCHIP AND SHOW THEM HOW TO REGISTER THAT FOR FREE AND FOR LIFE.
UM, THERE IS, UH, COMPANIES DO CHARGE FOR THAT, BUT THERE'S A FREE WAY TO DO THAT AND REGISTER IT EVEN WITH NO, ANY BRAND OF CHIP.
SO WE EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THAT AS WELL.
IT'S FOUND ANIMALS.ORG BY THE WAY IN THE RECORD.
UM, SO, UM, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN FOR EVERY HUNDRED ANIMALS THAT CAME INTO THE SHELTER, 18 OF THEM WERE TRANSFERRED TO A RESCUE PARTNER.
UM, SO THAT'S 398 ANIMALS THAT WENT TO OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, WHICH REALLY OUR RESCUE PARTNERS ARE PARAMOUNT TO OUR SUCCESS.
WE REALLY COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THEM.
SO THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A SHOUT OUT FOR ALL OF THE RESCUES IN HARFORD COUNTY.
AND BEYOND THAT PULL FROM SHELTERS LIKE OURS, BECAUSE THEY REALLY DO HELP US ERADICATE, UH, UNNECESSARY EUTHANASIA IN THE SHELTER.
UM, ONE THING I DO ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT IS, UM, WE STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS BACK YET.
UH, WE DO HAVE A NEW VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR THAT JUST STARTED RECENTLY AND SHE'S BEING TRAINED UP.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO START BRINGING BACK OUR EXISTING VOLUNTEER BASE WHO NOW NEED TO BE RETRAINED CAUSE IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AND OF COURSE SOME OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES HAVE CHANGED.
SO FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH REASONS, WE HAVE TO RETRAIN THEM.
UM, BUT AT ANY RATE, WE'VE HAD ESSENTIALLY A SMALL GROUP OF 28 VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME IN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, UM, WHO GAVE 4,019 HOURS JUST IN 2021, JUST BETWEEN THOSE 28 PEOPLE.
UM, THEY WERE HELPING WITH WALKING DOGS AND CARING FOR THE CATS AND SMALL ANIMALS DOING LAUNDRY, ANSWERING PHONES, GREETING VISITORS, DOING EVERYTHING, UM, BUT A SMALLER GROUP OF THEM THAT ARE MORE SEASONED AND CAN WORK MORE INDEPENDENTLY THAN OTHERS.
UM, WE DID 841 SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES IN 2021.
UM, THAT WAS FOR ALL SPECIES CATS, DOGS, RABBITS, GUINEA, PIGS, AND RATS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA RECENTLY, WE DID A LITTLE FAMILY OF GERBILS.
UM, AND IT'S A CUTE STORY IF YOU READ IT.
UM, BUT THAT IT DID, UH, PEOPLE REALLY WERE INTERESTED IN THAT AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAN DO THAT.
AND SO IT WAS AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE AS WELL.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE CELEBRATE, UH, 75 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY LAST YEAR WAS OUR 75TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR.
AND WE WERE VERY PROUD TO, UM, SERVE THE ANIMALS AND THE PEOPLE, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE PUT OURSELVES OUT OF BUSINESS, UM, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE SOONER THAN LATER AND WITHIN OUR LIFETIMES.
UM, THEN THE LAST THREE THINGS, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT REAL QUICK.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF US REFERRED TO RECENTLY AS THE AWARD-WINNING HUMANE SOCIETY OF HARFORD COUNTY.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE DID WIN HARFORD COUNTY'S BEST CHARITY FOR THE NINTH STREET YEAR IN A ROW, UM, BY READERS OF HARTFORD MAGAZINE, UH, WE WERE ALSO NAMED BEST LOCAL CHARITY FOR THE SIX YEAR IN A ROW BY FOLLOWERS OF HARFORD COUNTY LIVING AND, UH, CHARITY NAVIGATOR, WHICH IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT IS, UM, IT IS THE WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT EVALUATOR RATED US 100 OUT OF 100 IN THE AREA OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD, UH, HAS, WHICH BY THE WAY, ARE SITTING BACK HERE, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT.
SEE, YOU KNOW, UM, SO AT ANY RATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AS, UM, AS FISCALLY PRUDENT AS WE CAN BE.
AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE DO RELY ON, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MONEY FROM YOU GUYS AS WELL AS OUR DONORS, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING GOOD CARE OF IT AND THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN COMPLIANCE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW MANY TIMES IS GEORGE VOTED IN THAT, IN THAT PROCESS? CAUSE I KNOW HE VOTED EARLY IN AUSTIN.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, JEN, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU HAVING YOUR FUNDRAISERS THAT ARE FUN.
UH, WE ATTEND, SO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, UM, COUNSEL, MR. CHURCH.
I, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE SERVICE YOU'VE PROVIDED.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE MOVING ON AND UM, I JUST WISH YOU THE BEST IN, UH, THE FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD SOME HEALTH ISSUES IN THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF GAVE YOU PAUSE TO REALIZE, UH, WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO NEXT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, ALSO, UM, THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS,
[02:00:01]
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY TOUGH JOB AND YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND YOU WANT TO SEE THEM ALL GO TO, TO NICE HOMES AND THAT SORT OF THING.SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING NEXT TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, BUT I KNOW I'M GOING TO SAY AN ANIMAL WELFARE.
UM, BUT JUST READY TO TAKE A LITTLE STEP BACK.
THANK YOU, MR. SROS, MR. CHANDRA DENNA.
JENNIFER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
I KNOW, UH, TOWARDS YOUR FACILITY COUPLE OF TIMES, AND, UM, ART ORGANIZATION ALSO GAVE YOU SOME MONEY FROM CYA.
SO, UH, YOU DO WONDERFUL THINGS HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WEBSITE.
CAUSE I GOT A PUPPY AND I GOT TO REGISTER THE CHIP.
SO I, UH, AND THEN MAKE SURE IT PUT YOUR, PUT YOUR VET AS YOUR SECONDARY CONTACT.
CAUSE IF YOUR INFORMATION CHANGES, IT'S LESS LIKELY THAT YOUR VET'S INFORMATION WILL CHANGE AND THEY WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO MAKE YOUR VET YOUR SECONDARY.
DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH JOY A LITTLE DOG COULD I RESISTED IT NOW? UM, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT ANOTHER PUPPY, BUT THEY ARE THEY'RE LIFE-CHANGING TWO AND A HALF POUNDS.
UH, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS WE'RE GONNA, UM, RECENTLY THERE WERE SEVERAL BILLS PASSED IN ANNAPOLIS AND SIGNED, AND I'M WONDERING WHAT THE IMPACT ON THOSE BILLS HAVE DIRECTLY ON OUR HUMANE SOCIETY HERE.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO ASK THAT, BUT I ACTUALLY BROUGHT WITH ME JUST A LITTLE OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE BILLS BECAUSE THE 90 DAY SESSION REPORT JUST CAME OUT AND, UM, I GRABBED A COUPLE, UM, LITTLE SNIPPETS FROM THAT.
SO, UM, DECLINED KATZ WAS OUTLAWED.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY, PRETTY WELL TALKED ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT DOES AFFECT THE SHELTER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT BECAUSE WE GET CATS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, DECLAWED EARLIER IN LIFE.
NOW THEY DON'T ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN.
UM, WHEN CATS ARE DECLAWED, THEY MAY IMMEDIATELY, OR LATER ON IN LIFE DEVELOP BEHAVIORAL ISSUES BECAUSE THEIR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IS TAKEN AWAY, WHICH IS THEIR CLAWS.
UM, WHEN YOU HEAR DECLAW YOU THINK IT'S JUST CUTTING OFF THE CLUB, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING OFF THE, THE KNUCKLE IT'S YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING OFF THE, THE BONE AT THE FIRST KNUCKLE.
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE CATS, YOU KNOW, CLAWS ARE THEIR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
SO THEN THEY START FIGHTING AND THEN THEY GET SURRENDERED TO THE SHELTER OR THEY START HAVING ISSUES WITH THE LITTER BOX BECAUSE IT BECOMES PAINFUL ON THEIR PAWS WHEN THEY TRY TO USE IT.
SO THEY START GOING OUTSIDE OF THE LITTER BOX.
SO THEN THEY GET SURRENDERED TO THE SHELTER OR, UH, THERE'S WELL THERE'S AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THERE'S THERE'S THEY END UP AT THE SHELTER IS THE END OF THE STORY.
UM, SO THIS WILL HOPEFULLY HELP, UH, WITH, WITH THAT ISSUE.
UM, IT IS OUTLAWED IN, UM, WHERE THE SECOND STATE'S ALREADY OUTLAWED IN CALIFORNIA, BUT IT IS OUTLAWED ACROSS THE WORLD IN DIFFERENT NATIONS AS AN INHUMANE PRACTICE.
AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED PERSONALLY, I'M VERY EXCITED AS A CITIZEN OF MARYLAND, UM, THAT, THAT PASSED.
THEN THERE WAS, UH, AN EXTREME WEATHER BILL THAT ALSO PASSED, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET PAST FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
UM, AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT DEFINES WHAT EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE, WHERE SOMEONE CAN LEAVE A DOG UNATTENDED OUTDOORS.
UM, SO THAT WAS, UM, HOUSE BILL 16, UM, SENATE BILL 44, UH, BOTH OF THEM PASS OF COURSE, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSES.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU CAN, UM, YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY, UM, WHAT THEY SPECIFICALLY HAVE, BUT IT DEFINES WHAT SUITABLE SHELTER IS.
IT DEFINES WHAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S, UM, UH, THE CIVIL OFFENSE IS OUTLINED IN THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER BILL THAT HAS BEEN, UM, UH, FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET PAST WAS THE COST OF CARE BILL.
UM, THIS WILL AFFECT US SIGNIFICANTLY ACTUALLY, UM, IN SHELTERS ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, WHAT THAT DOES IS, UM, IF AN ANIMAL IS SEIZED BY AN AUTHORIZED AGENCY, THE OWNER OF THE ANIMAL FOR, WITH CAUSE, RIGHT, OF COURSE, UM, BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE OTHERWISE, BUT, UM, THE OWNER OF THE ANIMAL WOULD HAVE TO PUT UP A BOND TO CARE FOR THE ANIMAL WHILE IT'S IN THE HOLDING FACILITY, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE OUR SHELTER.
UM, AND IF THEY CAN'T DO THAT, THEN THEY HAVE TO FORFEIT OWNERSHIP OF THE ANIMAL.
UM, IF YOU MAY, YOU WILL READ IN MY LETTER TO YOU, THERE WERE SEVERAL CASES IN THE PAST YEAR ALONE WHERE ANIMALS HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR SIX MONTHS, A YEAR OR LONGER BECAUSE OF THINGS DRAGGING OUT IN COURT DUE TO COVID AND OTHER REASONS, I MEAN, IT ALREADY TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THINGS TO MOVE THE COURTS, AS YOU KNOW, UM, AND THEN WITH COVID THROWN ON AND THEN SOMEBODY DECIDES THEY WANT A JURY TRIAL, AND NOW WE'RE OVER IN CIRCUIT COURT.
AND SO IT'S A, THERE ARE SOME CASES WHERE, AND THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO RELINQUISH OWNERSHIP OF THE ANIMAL.
AND SO DURING THAT TIME, WE'RE PAYING FOR THE COST OF THAT, YOUR PAYING FOR THE COST OF THOSE ANIMALS, RIGHT.
UM, SO IF THEY, BY THE TIME THAT THAT
[02:05:01]
COURT CASE NOW THE RESTITUTION IS $60,000, WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.AND SO WE END UP, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY GO, THEY MAYBE GO TO JAIL OR THEY GET, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEY GET AND WE GET NOTHING.
WELL, THIS WILL HOPEFULLY PUT AN END TO THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S A VERY EXCITING BILL.
AND AS I SAID, IT'S BEEN NINE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THAT WENT THROUGH.
UM, THE SPAY NEUTER FUND WAS, UH, UH, EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS, WHICH IS EXCITING.
UM, WHAT THAT IS, IS THAT'S A BILL WHERE, UH, THAT'S FUNDED, UH, THROUGH, UH, PET FOOD IMPORTERS WHEN THEY IMPORT FOOD INTO THE STATE.
THERE'S A PENNY PER POUND THAT GOES INTO THIS FUND, WHICH IS ALLOCATED THROUGH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
AND IT'S A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM THAT NON-PROFITS CAN APPLY FOR, TO DO SPAY-NEUTER PROGRAMS WITHIN TARGET, ZIP CODE AREAS, DEFINED BY THEIR INCOME LEVEL.
UM, BUT IT HAS TO BE PUBLIC SERVICES.
SO WE PARTNER WITH A COUPLE AGENCIES, UH, ONE IN CECIL COUNTY, ONE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, AND ONE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, THEY WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN SPECIFIC HARFORD COUNTY ZIP CODES, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THOSE PUBLIC CLINICS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WHEREAS WE DON'T YET, HOPEFULLY, MAYBE ONE DAY.
UM, SO, UM, SO THAT THIS, UH, THE BILL EXTENDED THAT FOR 10 MORE YEARS, WHICH IS GOOD.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WAS ON DECLAW AGAIN.
SO, UM, SO THOSE ARE SORT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER BILLS OF COURSE INTRODUCED, UM, THAT WERE ANIMAL RELATED, UM, THAT DID NOT REALLY NECESSARILY GO ANYWHERE, BUT WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON THEM.
WE'LL GET THEM THROUGH EVENTUALLY.
SO WITH THE NEW BILL, UM, WHICH REGULATES THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE THE WEATHER, UM, THE DOG CAN BE SEIZED BY ANIMAL CONTROL.
UM, THAT WOULD MEAN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT SEES THE ANIMAL AND BRING IT TO YOU.
DO YOU FORESEE THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WILL BRING YOU MORE ANIMALS BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERATURE EITHER IT'S TOO HOT.
IF IT'S TOO HOT AT 32 DEGREES, IF IT'S TOO COLD, UM, I HOPE NOT.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME, UM, MITIGATION THAT WOULD HAPPEN BEFORE AN ANIMAL WOULD BE SEASONED AND BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
OF COURSE, IF THE ANIMALS IN DISTRESS ARE LEFT THERE AND THERE'S NO ONE HOME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT IF THERE'S SOMEONE HOME, HOPEFULLY THERE CAN BE A CONVERSATION AND YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
UM, IF IT IS CONSISTENTLY AN ISSUE, IF SOMEONE'S NOT THERE, YOU KNOW? YES.
THEN POTENTIALLY THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT BY AND LARGE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF, UM, ISSUES HERE IN THIS COUNTY WITH PEOPLE MISTREATING THEIR ANIMALS IN THIS WAY.
UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A LAW, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
UM, COUNSEL, ANYONE ELSE? OH, THE MR. SCOTT.
UM, I COULDN'T LOCATE YOUR FORM NINE 90.
THE LATEST I COULD WAS JUNE 20.
SO I WOULD ASSUME YOU WOULD HAVE A JUNE 21 NOW BY THIS POINT.
UM, YOU, DO YOU HAVE COPY OF IT YET? YEAH.
WE'VE, IT'S JUST BEEN FILED, UH, RECENTLY, CAN I GET AN EMAIL COPY OF THAT? SURE.
THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT, AND ANYONE ELSE, MR. HYDRO MARA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, JEN.
WE HAVE HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I'M GOING TO LET THEM SIT HERE, BUT YOU WILL FIND, UM, THEIR FUNDING ON PAGE 6, 24 FOR THEIR OPERATING AND WE FULLY FUNDED THE COLLEGE'S REQUESTS FOR AN INCREASE OF 1 MILLION 807, 4 37.
IT'S VERY GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW AND SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES, AND THEN OUR CFO, TREVOR JACKSON, WE'LL TALK NUMBERS WITH YOU.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE COLLEGE HAS BASICALLY THREE SOURCES OF REVENUE, THAT'S COUNTY FUNDING, STATE FUNDING, AND TUITION, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED.
WE'RE ALWAYS PLEASED THAT THE COUNTY CHOOSES TO SUPPORT US, UM, AND PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR US THIS YEAR.
WE DID MAKE A REQUEST FOR AN INCREASE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE BEING, UH, FOR THE RETENTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE DID WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE AN INCREASE IN WAGES, CONSISTENT WITH HCPS AND CONSISTENT WITH
[02:10:01]
THE COUNTY EMPLOYEE.SO, UH, WE DID MAKE THAT REQUEST AND IT WAS GRANTED.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING SO.
WE'RE ALSO VERY HAPPY THAT THIS YEAR, THE STATE STEPPED UP AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR, UM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CADE FORMULA WAS FULLY FUNDED.
SO, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGES HE HAD ABOUT 29% OF WHAT FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS GET.
SO THAT RESULTED IN A 21% INCREASE IN FUNDING FROM THE STATE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
OUR THIRD SOURCE IS TUITION FROM OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO WITH THE COUNTY SUPPORT, AND NOW WITH THE INCREASE IN THE STATE SUPPORT, WE DID NOT RAISE OUR TUITION, UH, WHICH WE TRIED NOT TO DO.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE A, UH, REALLY ECONOMICAL, UH, PATHWAY TO GETTING A HIGHER EDUCATION, A DIPLOMA.
AND SO BY GETTING AN INCREASED, UM, SUPPORT FROM THE STATE, WE'RE ABLE TO HOLD OUR TUITION STEADY.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WOULD, UH, TALK ABOUT IS SOME OF OUR FOCUS AREAS, ONE, MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THE ROUTE 40 CORRIDOR, OUR LEADING EDGE TRAINING CENTER.
UH, IT CONTINUES TO BE A FOCUS AREA FOR US.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME SIGNIFICANT TRAINING THERE, UH, IN THE TRADES WE'VE, UH, AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO THAT MEANS THAT STUDENTS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS DID NOT HAVE TO PAY THAT'S INTRO TO CONSTRUCTION, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATION.
WE HAVE A BACKHOE THERE, UM, A FORKLIFT, UM, AND THE, THIS EQUIPMENT IS, AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN EDGEWOOD.
SO THIS TRAINING IS, IS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'VE, UH, WE NOW HAVE A POLE BARN WITH SOME HEAVY EQUIPMENT THERE AND WE'RE ABLE TO TEACH CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER THINGS.
WE HAVE A FORKLIFT, A FORKLIFT THERE.
SO, UM, AS YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, UH, WAREHOUSING IS BIG IN THIS AREA.
SO WE'RE TEACHING FORKLIFT TRAINING AND WE ALSO HAVE SIMULATORS.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO TRAIN AT NO COST AND MAKE CONNECTIONS TO EMPLOYERS WHO NEED THESE FOLKS WITH THIS KINDS OF THESE KINDS OF SKILLS.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, UM, HTPS AND DOING A WORKFORCE YOUTH ACADEMY.
SO WE HAVE 23 SENIORS THAT ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH AN INTRO TO CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, GETTING TRAINING IN MICROSOFT OFFICE AND CYBERSECURITY THAT WILL END WITH SOME SORT OF PATIENTS, AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS AND SOFT SKILLS, THOSE SKILLS THAT EVERY EMPLOYER WANTS TO SEE TIME MANAGEMENT AND, UH, HOW TO, HOW TO SPEAK TO CUSTOMERS AND HOW TO WORK WELL WITH ONE ANOTHER.
SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH HCPS TO PROVIDE PATHWAYS, UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PATHWAYS OR WHAT WE DO, WHETHER THAT'S A PATHWAY TO A FOUR YEAR DEGREE AND THEY GET THE FIRST TWO YEARS WITH US, THAT'S KIND OF A TRADITIONAL COLLEGE PATHWAY, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT GROWING OUR PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT.
SO THAT MEANS THAT IT'S, IT'S EITHER A TWO YEAR DEGREE WITH US AS A POSSIBILITY THAT LEADS DIRECTLY INTO A TECHNICAL FIELD, OUR ASSOCIATES DEGREES, BUT IT'S ALSO SHORT TERM CERTIFICATIONS, UM, THAT ALSO LEAD DIRECTLY INTO, UH, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WHEN WE CONSIDER OUR PROGRAMMING, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COUNTY TO SEE WHAT ARE THE NEEDS, WHAT ARE THE JOBS AND HOW DO WE HELP TRAIN, PREPARE A WORKFORCE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR BUSINESS OWNERS? SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY SUPPORT.
UH, WE CONTINUE AS A COLLEGE TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE COUNTY SUPPORT AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO TREVOR TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS.
UH, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO TO JUST GO OVER OUR BUDGET PROCESS AND SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, OUR BUDGET OVERALL IS 55.8 MILLION.
THAT'S AN 8.1% INCREASE, UH, OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
UH, THAT'S PREDOMINANTLY DUE TO THE RISING COST OF LIVING AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO OFFSET THAT WITH SALARY INCREASES IN THE TWO, 6%.
AND SO WE DO APPRECIATE THE, THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY HAS PRELIMINARILY APPROVED TO THIS POINT IN TIME TO HELP OFFSET THAT FOR OUR STAFF.
UH, ALSO OUR HEALTHCARE INCREASE, UH, IS RIGHT NOW FOR THE COLLEGE AT 5% INCREASE, WE DO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSORTIUM ALONG WITH HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THE LIBRARY INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING, UH, IS IN TECHNOLOGY IN A CRM SYSTEM TO BETTER SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND TRACK THEM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
UH, ALSO IN CYBERSECURITY TO STRENGTHEN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FROM AN IT STANDPOINT AND ALSO GENERAL
[02:15:01]
TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENTS IN TERMS OF COMPUTERS, SWITCHES, AND NETWORKS ALSO INVESTING IN OUR EVENTS AND CONFERENCING AREA, AGAIN, FOCUSED ON OUR STUDENTS AND ALSO FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY.WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, INCREASE, UH, IMPROVED SOUND SYSTEM, RIGGING MOTORS FOR INSIDE OUR ARENA STAGE LIGHTS AND EVEN A VIDEO WALL.
SO THESE ARE INVESTMENTS WE'RE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UH, UH, EVENTS THAT, UH, THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE THAT, THAT COME THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND LASTLY, ONE OF OUR BIGGER, UH, INVESTMENTS IS IN AN LED LIGHTING PROGRAM THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES JUST AUTHORIZED LAST MONTH.
UM, THAT'S AN IN TO THE TUNE OF $684,000.
SO THAT WILL TAKE ALL THE, ALL THE LIGHTING THAT'S IN AND AROUND OUR FIELDS THROUGHOUT OUR CAMPUS AND OUR WALKWAYS AND THROUGHOUT OUR ARENA FITNESS CENTER.
SO THAT WILL, THAT'S A THREE-YEAR PAYBACK ON THE COLLEGE ROUGHLY, UH, TO, UH, TO SEE THOSE DOLLARS COME BACK AND REDUCE ENERGY COSTS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, UM, WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE GET FROM ALL SOURCES, STUDENTS, THE STATE AND THE COUNTY, BUT WE ALSO DO HAVE A COUPLE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACED WITH, UM, RIGHT NOW THE INTEREST INCOME WE'RE VERY RESTRICTED, SIMILAR TO PROBABLY THE COUNTY WITH WHERE WE CAN INVEST OUR FUNDS.
SO WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT AREA, THAT, THAT LINE OF REVENUE CONTINUED TO DECLINE.
UM, I ALREADY MENTIONED ABOUT THE COST OF LIVING, UH, IS, IS DIFFICULT.
WE'RE, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY OUR STAFF IS OUR, OUR GREATEST ASSET FOR BEING ABLE TO SERVE AND EDUCATE STUDENTS.
AND THEN THE INCREASE IN UTILITY COSTS, WHICH WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT AS WELL WITH THIS NEW LED LIGHTING PROGRAM.
UH, AND I JUST LIKE TO TAKE A, PROBABLY TWO MORE MINUTES AND JUST TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR CIP, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND JUST TALK ABOUT OUR CHESAPEAKE WELCOME CENTER PROJECT.
WE HAVE BEEN FACED WITH SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY CHALLENGES DUE TO SUPPLY CHAIN DUE TO THE INCREASINGLY RISING COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DEALING THIS NOW FOR EASILY A YEAR, UH, AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS AND OUR PROJECTIONS.
SO WE FULLY SUPPORT FULLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED US IN, IN STEADILY INCREASING FUNDING TOWARDS THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'RE MINDFUL OF WHAT THIS PROJECT CAN DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST STUDENTS, BUT THE COMMUNITY OVERALL, BECAUSE THERE IS A CONFERENCE CENTER ATTACHED TO THIS THAT WILL BENEFIT HARFORD COUNTY.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, THOUGH, WE ARE PROGRESSING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE ARE AT THE POINT IN THE DESIGN PROCESS WHERE WE ARE PREPARING, FINALIZING OUR DRAWINGS AND PREPARING THE BID DRAWINGS AND BID PACKETS TO GO OUT FOR BID, UH, THIS SUMMER.
AND SO WE EXPECT TO GET THOSE RESULTS AT THE LATTER PART OF SUMMER.
SO THEN WE WILL KNOW HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO BUDGET, UH, AND HOPEFULLY LET THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THE BIDDING PROCESS PLAY OUT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE THIS PROJECT THROUGH.
SO WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, UH, DR.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN ROUTE 40 CARD OR, AND DAN AT THE LEADING EDGE TRADING CENTER, AND ALSO WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON NOT RAISING TUITION, BUT IT ASKS, BEGS THE QUESTION.
UM, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO WE HAVE, UH, ENROLLED IN EITHER A FOUR YEAR COURSE OR JUST IN GENERAL AT THE COLLEGE? YEAH, WE SERVE ON THE CREDIT SIDE, TYPICALLY AROUND A LITTLE OVER 7,000 STUDENTS IN OUR TRADITIONAL CREDIT SIDE AND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT ON THE NON-CREDIT WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND SEE THE NEED FOR THE TRAINING FOR THE TRADES.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT'S EXPANDING.
HILL AT THE COLLEGE THE OTHER DAY IN REFERENCE TO SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR.
UM, MR. JANITOR DENNA, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT AT GOOD TO SEE YOU, DR.
SO AS A, AS A PROUD GRADUATE AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, I CERTAINLY COULD SAY WHAT I LEARNED THERE IN TWO YEARS REALLY HELPED ME GET THROUGH FOUR YEARS DOWN AT MARYLAND IN THE, IN THE 500 PLUS CLASSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE ACCOUNTING CLASSES.
SO WHAT I LEARNED AT HARTFORD THAT I WAS ABLE TO HOLD ON TO THAT KNOWLEDGE AND GET ME THROUGH THOSE CLASSES WITH THE TAS NOT KNOWING WORD, THEY SAID, AND THERE WAS 500, 500 PEOPLE.
SO, UM, I KNOW, UM, THE INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION JUST PARTNERED WITH THE HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND DR.
AND WE HAD WORKED WITH DR. HILL WHEN HE WAS OVER AT EDGEWOOD WITH THAT.
UM, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO, WE HAVE HARTFORD MUTUAL HERE, UM, AND IT'S A BIG PROGRAM, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING INTO THAT.
I JUST HIRED SOMEBODY FROM THE GRADUATING, FROM HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHO WAS GOING TO GO INTO A NURSING PROGRAM, BUT SHE DECIDED THAT WASN'T FOR HER, I'M GLAD TO SEE ABOUT THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS.
I WORK WITH A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT NEED THOSE PEOPLE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET THOSE TWO PEOPLE TO MERGE AND WHO I WOULD TALK TO.
[02:20:01]
BUT I KNOW A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE.SO IF I CAN GET SOMEBODY TO GET ME THAT INFORMATION, THAT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL.
UM, DO ANY OF THESE OR ANY OF THESE CLASSES TAUGHT AT NIGHT NIGHT SCHOOL FOR, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING AND THEN, OKAY, THAT'S GREAT.
MOST OF OUR CLASSES DOWN AT THE LEADING EDGE TRAINING CENTER IS IT'S EVENING BECAUSE OF THAT.
UH, SO YES, WE ABSOLUTELY REALIZE THAT WE HAVE WORKING ADULTS THAT ALSO NEED THOSE SKILLS.
AND THEN ON THE LIGHT PROJECT, IS THAT SOMETHING WHERE I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING REBATES OR THE CONTRACTORS, THESE BIG CONTRACTORS ARE LOOKING FOR THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING SUBSIDIES FROM BG AND PASSING THAT ON TO THE, TO THE COLLEGE SO THAT IT'S REDUCED COSTS, OR IS THIS JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE PAYING FOR IT DIRECTLY, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THOSE PROGRAMS? THERE ARE SOME REBATES ATTACHED TO THIS, BUT BY AND LARGE, WE ARE PUTTING WE'RE FRONTING ALL THE, ALL THE CAPITAL THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THESE LIGHTS.
SO THERE ARE SOME REBATES THAT WE'LL GET ON THE BACKEND, BUT OVERALL, IT'S GOING TO BE THESE SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS IN ENERGY COSTS THAT WE WILL LITERALLY REDUCE OUR BUDGET FOR YEARS GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THESE BIG CONTRACTORS THAT'LL COME IN AND DO THIS AND PASS THE SAVINGS OFF RIGHT AWAY.
WE'RE JUST GOING OUT TO SOMEBODY AND PURCHASING IT.
DID YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO? UM, WE DID.
SO WE ENDED UP PROCURING THIS THROUGH THE KEYSTONE PURCHASING NETWORK, WHICH IS ACTUALLY OUT OF PENNSYLVANIA.
SO THEY ARE, THEY ARE A VERY LARGE, UM, PURCHASER OF THESE LED LIGHTS IN THESE PROGRAMS. SO THEY ARE THERE, THEY'RE BASED OUT OF NORTHERN JERSEY, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE BIGGER, UH, BIGGER PARTS OF THEIR FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT BUYING POWER.
SO WE'RE GETTING THIS AT A GOOD RATE, UH, AND AGAIN, THE, THE SAVINGS THAT WILL COME WITH IT FOR THE YEARS TO COME.
AND WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT COMPANY? KEYSTONE PURCHASING NETWORK.
AND WHERE ARE THEY BASED OUT OF? UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S SOMEWHERE AROUND THE YORK AREA, BUT THEN BASED OUT OF NEW JERSEY.
THANK YOU, MR. JANITOR, DANA, ANYONE ELSE MR. SHRUBS? UM, MAINLY JUST WANTED TO SAY DITTO.
EVERYTHING WAS KINDA SAID, BUT, UM, YOU ARE A TREMENDOUS BANG FOR THE BUCK AT HCC.
I ALSO ATTENDED THERE LIKE, UH, MR. JAN GIORDANO AND, UM, GOT A GREAT EDUCATION HERE, PREPARED ME TO GO ON FROM TOWSON AND WE'VE WENT INTO CAREERS.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST A GOOD JOB.
IT'S A, IT'S A, THE CAMPUS, AS ANYBODY CAN ATTEST, IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS BACK IN LIKE 19 90, 2 95 ERA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE BIG, NICE NEW BUILDINGS, BUT, UM, I DO APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING IT TUITION, UM, FLAT THIS YEAR FOR STUDENTS.
AND IT'S NICE THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE OTHER FUNDING STREAMS. AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO PAY YOUR FACULTY AS WELL, KEEP THEM RETAINED.
WHEN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE AG PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE DOING, BARBARA COUNTY NEEDS THOSE PROGRAMS, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ONLY A FEW PEOPLE, BUT WE NEED THEIR PROGRAMS AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE DOING EVEN NOT COURSES, NOT CREDIT COURSE.
WE DO HAVE SOME DEDICATED FACULTY TO OUR AG PROGRAMMING, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE LEARY DEN ROOM.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE LEERY DOWN HERE WAS THE SUMMER HOME OF DR.
KELLY, WHO WAS ONE OF THE FOUR FOUNDING PHYSICIANS OF JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL, WHO INVENTED A LOT OF MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE STILL IN USE TODAY.
AND THE BOARD OF LEERY OF DEAD ROOM JUST VOTED AS BOARD MEMBERS FOR OUR OWN MONEY TO START A SCHOLARSHIP, UM, AVAILABLE TO NURSING STUDENTS AT THE COLLEGE SO THAT ANYBODY WHO, UM, THE CRITERIA IS NOT A LOT, YOU HAVE TO BE PASSING GRADE OBVIOUSLY, BUT TO APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP THAT WAS FULLY FUNDED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS OF DENVER.
UM, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY NONPROFIT FOR WHATEVER JOHN DRE THAT THEY, THAT MAYBE THEY COULD ALSO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THAT WOULD KEEP THE TUITION AT A REASONABLE LEVEL IN THE FUTURE.
UH, SCHOLARSHIPS ARE CERTAINLY VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR NURSING PROGRAM IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROGRAMS AND EVERYONE KNOWS THERE'S A SHORTAGE IN NURSING, UH, NURSES.
[02:25:01]
COMMITTING TO A SCHOLARSHIP.I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT PLAYED FORWARD FROM OTHER NON-PROFITS.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOU AS WELL.
WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT, MS. OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON.
HARTFORD CENTER IS ON PAGE THREE 19, AND THEY HAVE AN INCREASE OF $62,019.
IT'S OUR HONOR, ALWAYS TO PRESENT AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL, UM, AS WAS REFERENCED, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE TO OUR APPROPRIATION, WHICH WE ARE INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR AND, UH, HUMBLY REQUEST THAT IT'S APPROVED OBVIOUSLY.
AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE NEEDS OF THE HARTFORD CENTER AND WHY THAT 10% INCREASE, UM, WOULD BE SO INCREDIBLY HELPFUL IN YOUR PACKET.
YOU'LL FIND, UM, ON YOUR LEFT-HAND SIDE, SOME STATS ABOUT THE HARTFORD CENTER, UM, INCLUDING SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND I WON'T READ ALL OF THOSE TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, YOU'LL FIND A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE HARTFORD CENTER, OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT, ET CETERA, AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SAID.
AND I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT, CAUSE I, I KNOW YOU GENTLEMEN ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN HARTFORD COUNTY, ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE NATION.
UM, IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE OF TOUGH YEARS FOR THE HARTFORD CENTER.
WE ARE REALLY PROUD THAT WE NEVER CLOSED FOR A SINGLE DAY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND THAT IS IN NO, UM, NO SHORT RESPECT TO ANY, ANY OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO THIS COUNCIL, TO THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNT, THE, THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF FUNDING SUPPORT, UM, WHAT, UH, THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON FOR HIS MEMBERSHIP ON OUR BOARD AND HIS CONTINUING SUPPORT ALONG WITH ALL OF YOU.
IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING TWO YEARS, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON IN 2020, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE PPE WE'RE WE'RE.
SO BEYOND PPE AT THIS POINT, WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF PPE.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE THEIR STAFF, WE ARE IN A STAFFING CRISIS ACROSS THE NATION, BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT IN THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND I'M SURE MS. CROSS FROM THE ARC WILL, WILL ALSO PIGGYBACK ON THAT.
I PUT AT THE LAST SHEET ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, SOME, UM, ADVERTISEMENTS FOR SOME JOBS THAT ARE NOT THE HARTFORD CENTER.
THERE ARE PLACES THAT YOU CAN WORK ACROSS HARTFORD COUNTY THAT ARE PAYING CONSIDERABLY MORE, THAT ARE A LOT LESS STRESSFUL.
AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WE'RE COMPETING WITH ROYAL FARM STORE AND WE'RE COMPETING WITH AMAZON AND WE'RE COMPETING WITH, I JUST SAW A BLUE, UM, FILLER CDL DRIVER ADVERTISEMENT FOR 1807 AN HOUR.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HIRING AT.
WE WE'RE B WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO MOVE OUR WAGES TO $15 AN HOUR IN JULY.
THIS APPROPRIATION WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THAT.
WHEN I SPOKE WITH MR. GLASSMAN, UM, ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WITH REGARD TO OUR BUDGET, HIS INTENT, AND I'M ASSUMING THE COUNTY'S INTENT WAS TO ADDRESS THAT DISPARITY IN WAGES, OUR STAFF HAVE SOME OF THE HARDEST WORK.
THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO REALLY DEPEND ON THEM.
THEY DEPEND ON THE CONTINUITY.
THEY DEPEND ON THE HEART, AND IT'S NOT EASY TO WORK AT THE HARTFORD CENTER, AS IT IS NOT EASY TO WORK AT THE ARC.
THEY HAVE TO PASS DRUG SCREENINGS.
THEY HAVE TO PASS CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN COMPETENCY LEVELS.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE COMPASSION.
NOW WHILE WORKING AT ROYAL FARM STORES ALSO HAS ITS CHALLENGES.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY AS MUCH.
THAT'S REALLY HARD WHEN WE'RE COMPETING.
WHAT WE DO HAVE TO OFFER AT THE HARTFORD CENTER IS A JOB THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PR IN A PERSON'S LIFE.
A TRUE DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE.
WHAT WE'RE MOST PROUD OF AT THE HARTFORD CENTER IS THAT WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DO BUSINESS AS USUAL AND KEPT PEOPLE SAFE.
WE'VE TAKEN AND YOU CAN SEE FROM YOUR PACKET, WE'VE TAKEN OVER 2,600 COMMUNITY OUTINGS
[02:30:01]
OVER THE PAST CALENDAR YEAR.THAT'S STAGGERING, AND THAT'S A LOW NUMBER FOR US.
WE OFFER OUR INDIVIDUALS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE DIFFERENCE IS WE'VE HAD TO DECREASE OUR NUMBERS IN TERMS OF GROUP SIZES, TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
UH, AT THIS TIME OF OVER 17 INDIVIDUALS, WE HAVE 14 T WISE WHO HAVE TOURED T WISE OR TRANSITIONING YOUTH FROM JOHN ARCHER.
IF WE HAD THE STAFF, WE COULD SERVE THE PEOPLE.
AND RIGHT NOW THE CHALLENGE THAT'S, THAT'S CRUCIAL, IT'S CRITICAL IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING WAGES UP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE HIGH QUALITY STAFF AT THE HARTFORD CENTER.
AND AT PLACES LIKE THE ARC, WE ALL DO THE SAME WORK.
WE ARE, WE ARE NOT IN COMPETITION.
WE ARE VERY MUCH IN COLLABORATION, UH, IN HARFORD COUNTY.
THAT IS THE ONE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT HARFORD COUNTY IS WE ARE, WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT WORKS TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITIZENS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND WE WANT THE BEST FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES, FOR CHILDREN, WITH DISABILITIES WHO WANT THEM TO HAVE THE BEST OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT MY APPEAL TO YOU IS ABOUT TODAY IS, IS OUR WORKFORCE.
IT'S ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE AND IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER LIVING WAGES.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP.
IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER.
I JUST DROVE DOWN THE ROAD FOR 15 FOR GAS.
OUR S OUR STAFF IS STRUGGLING.
UM, WHATEVER MONIES WE HAVE AVAILABLE GO DIRECTLY TO THE STAFF THAT IS OUR PRIORITY BECAUSE THAT'S, WHO'S PROVIDING OUR SERVICES.
UM, SOME OTHER HIGHLIGHTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE OUR FUNDRAISERS THIS YEAR.
ONE VIRTUALLY WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT.
UM, I'M HOPING TO SEE SOME OF YOU OUT ON THE GOLF, ON THE GOLF COURSE.
I ALWAYS PUSH THAT EVERY YEAR.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU HAVE A COUPLE FOURSOMES AVAILABLE.
UM, LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE, UM, ALMOST $19,000, UM, DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO YOU FIGURE WHAT IT COSTS US OVER $30,000 PER PERSON PER YEAR, TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THAT GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE STATE PROVIDES THE GENEROSITY OF THE COUNTY.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THAT GAP IN SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S ALL OF OUR PRIORITY IS TO HAVE MEANINGFUL LIVES.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE, UM, WE WERE VERY ASSERTIVE IN OUR FUNDRAISING AND IN OUR GRANT SEEKING, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS, WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
WE WERE ABLE TO BE CURE, UH, OVER $800,000 THIS YEAR.
THAT REALLY HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY WITH A LOT OF THE INCREASING COSTS OF PPE AND GAS IN WAGES.
AND IN TRYING TO RECRUIT STAFF THAT HAS BEEN A COST THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD LIKE IN ANY OTHER YEAR.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO, UM, TIM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO ADD THAT I MISSED? I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU, I'M SORRY.
IN BATAGLIA ON THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, UM, SHE BRINGS ME ALONG JUST TO PASS OUT THE PACKETS, BUT GOOD JOB, RIGHT.
UM, ONE THING YOU JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT BEFORE THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC STARTED, WE WERE SUPPORTING BY THE A HUNDRED, OVER 120 INDIVIDUALS, WE'RE DOWN TO 88.
A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES ARE STILL KEEPING THEIR LOVED ONES HOME, BUT NOW THEY'RE STARTING TO LOOSEN UP.
THEY WANT TO SEND THEM BACK AND WE CAN'T BRING THEM BACK.
UM, IN ADDITION TO NEW PEOPLE WAITING, WE HAVE THESE, UH, OF FAMILIES THAT WERE WITH US FOR YEARS IN THE PAST.
AND WITHOUT STAFF, WE CAN'T BRING THEM ON.
ALL WE NEED IS LIKE ONE STAFF PERSON.
WE CAN BRING IN FIVE INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE ONE-ON-ONES WE NEED.
SO THIS MONEY WILL DEFINITELY HELP RETAIN THE PEOPLE THAT WE DO HAVE BECAUSE IT'S A SMALL POOL OF JOBS, A JOB PEOPLE OUT THERE FOR THIS, THESE POSITIONS, UH, FIND ALL THE OTHER PROVIDER FOR THE SAME POOL OF PEOPLE.
THERE'S NO NEW PEOPLE COMING IN THIS JOB.
IT'S NOT, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE SCHOOL SAID THAT PREPARE ANYONE FOR A JOB LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, THIS WOULD DEFINITELY HELP US GET OUR, GET OUR NAME OUT THERE, UM, INCREASE WAGE TO TRY TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE IT IS A REWARDING JOB.
IF ANYTHING ELSE NECESSARY, ONE TO ADD COUNCILMAN JOHNSON AND YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU.
UH, GENTLEMEN, THESE TWO RIGHT HERE AND THE ENTIRE BOW BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, SHERRY LOOKS MEAKIN, YOU KNOW, QUIET, BUT SHE IS A BULLDOG.
AND, UH, SHE REALLY GOES AFTER IT.
AND I JUST, FROM BEING THE LIAISON FOR, FOR THE COUNCIL ON, ON THE BOARD, IT HAS ENRICHED MY LIFE TREMENDOUSLY BECAUSE, UH, I SEE WHAT YOU GUYS, HOW YOU DO YOUR WORK, HOW YOU GO ABOUT YOUR WORK AND WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
[02:35:01]
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO FOR, FOR THE BUDGET, I WILL SUPPORT 100%.THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
UH, IF I MAY COUNSEL MS. SRODES, I KNOW YOU SERVED THERE FOR LAYS ON FOR YEARS, RIGHT? YOU GUYS DO DO A TREMENDOUS JOB.
OF COURSE, I'M MOST FAMILIAR WITH, UM, WHAT YOU DO UP AT HIGHLAND IS THAT'S RIGHT IN MY BACKYARD.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST, AGAIN, SUCH A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST GOOD PEOPLE ALL AROUND BOTH Y'ALL THAT WORK.
THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS, EVERYONE, YOUR CLIENTS, THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL ALSO MEN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY UP THERE.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN GINGER, DENNIS.
HOW ARE YOU? SO I'M GOING TO SEE A COUNCILMAN JOHNSON DOWN THERE ON MONDAY, MAY 9TH AT 9:00 AM, RIGHT? SHOTGUN, START THIS GULF WAR.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER EITHER RIGHT NEAR THE END, THAT OTHER ONES.
SO, UM, BUT, UH, NO, JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I, I, I KNOW, UH, I KNOW IT'S TOUGH WITH A LOT, WITH A LOT OF, UH, GETTING PEOPLE OUT THERE.
HOW ELSE CAN WE HELP YOU WITH THAT? IS THERE, AH, ANY CONNECTIONS WE CAN GET FOR, FOR GRANTS SUPPORTED OUR FUNDRAISERS? UM, I KNOW SIAM HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE, UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT TREMENDOUSLY.
I HAVE A FEW OF YOU GOLFING, UH, MAY 9TH AND, UM, JUST OUR COMMUNITY WELCOMING OUR INDIVIDUALS FOR EMPLOYMENT.
IF YOU KNOW OF ANY ORGANIZATIONS, ANY BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE, UM, OPEN TO HIRING OUR INDIVIDUALS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO WAITING TO WORK AT THE HARTFORD CENTER AND BEING THAT THERE IS A JOB SHORTAGE EVERYWHERE.
THE PEOPLE THAT, UM, PARTICIPATE AT THE HARTFORD CENTER ARE AMAZING EMPLOYEES.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY CONNECTIONS, UH, I'D LOVE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU OUT TO THE HARTFORD CENTER.
IT WILL, AS I, I THINK ANDRE WILL ATTEST TO, IT WILL CHANGE YOUR DAY.
IT WILL TRULY CHANGE YOUR DAY AND IMPOSSIBLY CHANGE YOUR VIEW ON A LOT OF THINGS.
AND, UM, I JUST, I WELCOME YOU AND WHATEVER SUPPORT YOU CAN OFFER, WE WILL GLADLY GLADLY TAKE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE, COUNCIL, PRESIDENT? I I'LL ALSO ADD THIS, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HERE AFTER I LEAVE.
UM, THEY DO FEED YOU EVERY MEETING.
AND HERE'S THE THING I'M NOT BEING COMPETITIVE, BUT I'M GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE JUST FOR A MOMENT.
OUR BOARD IS PROBABLY THE MOST FUN BOARD OF NONPROFIT BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND I W I WOULD REALLY PUT, PUT MY, MY REPUTATION ON THE LINE FOR THAT ONE.
SO PLEASE, IF, IF ANY OF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BOARD TO JOIN, UM, YOU WILL LEAVE SMILING AND FEELING LIKE YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING REALLY MEANINGFUL AND REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEY'RE SHORT MEETINGS, THEY'RE SHORT MEETINGS.
SO I'M JUST, I JUST THOUGHT I'D PUT THAT OUT THERE TO ANDRE AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO.
I THINK IF I SIGNED UP FOR ANOTHER BOARD, UH, MS. HARRIS WOULD HANG ME, MR. SHRUGS.
UM, ARE YOU HAVING A DISABILITY LUNCHEON THIS YEAR? I KNOW BECAUSE OF COVID WE HAVEN'T HAD IT IN AWHILE, BUT IT, OR IT WAS VIRTUAL, OR I WOULD THINK IT'S GOING TO BE BACK IN PERSON THIS YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE, UM, I'M CERTAINLY I, RACHEL HARBIN SITS ON OUR BOARD, UM, REPRESENTING MR. GLASSMAN.
AND I CAN NOT, I CAN ASK HER THAT, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE THE INTENTION.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THAT, IT'S REALLY A NEAT, UM, LUNCHEON WHERE WE NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE, UH, YOUR CLIENTS WHO, UH, WORK OUT IN OUR SOCIETIES AND DO AN AMAZING JOB, BUT, BUT ALSO THE EMPLOYERS THAT, UM, GO OUT AND HIRE THESE FOLKS.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE RECOGNIZE ALL OF YOU SERVICE PROVIDERS AS WELL, THAT CONNECT EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S JUST, YOU GET TO HEAR ALL THE STORIES AND YOU GET TO SEE HOW PROUD ESPECIALLY YOUR CLIENTS ARE WITH THE JOBS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND HOW MUCH THEY LOVE TO BRING HOME THAT PAYCHECK, WHICH, I MEAN, THEY JUST LOVE THEIR JOBS, EVERYTHING TO THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEAR ABOUT A STAFFING SHORTAGE EVERYWHERE AND HOW PEOPLE WILL JUST JUMP OR, YOU KNOW, NOT WORK AT ALL OR JUMP FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, BUT, AND IN YOUR CLIENT'S CASE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO STAY AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY HAPPY WITH THEM, AND THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA LIVEN UP AND BRING IN AND JUST CREATE, I THINK, UM, AN ATMOSPHERE IN YOUR OFFICE OR YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT, THAT ONLY THEY ARE GOING TO BRING.
[02:40:02]
I APPRECIATE YOUR SAYING THAT I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER.UM, LAST CALL, MR. REP, UH, THANK YOU, MR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
UH, AND THANK YOU, MS.
UH, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, RECRUITING AND HIRING IS PROBLEMATIC ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR ALL BUSINESSES, AS YOU KNOW, I GUESS JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, WHAT IS THE ENTRY-LEVEL PAY RATE THAT YOU OFFER FOR THE JOBS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF SUPPLEMENTING WITH WE'RE STARTING AT ON, WE'RE GOING TO TRY IT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AT 1450, WE'RE MOVING IT UP TO $15 AN HOUR TO START.
UM, THE AVERAGE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY WORKING THERE IS IN THE 16 TO 17,000 RANGE, BUT WE NEED TO BRING THAT UP.
YEAH, I GUESS JUST AS A FOLLOWUP TO THAT, I MEAN REALLY BY BOBBING AT 50 CENTS, IS THAT GONNA SOLVE YOUR RECRUITING PROBLEM? OKAY.
WELL, LIKE I SAY, UM, IS ALL THE COMPANY DOLLAR PROVIDER AND THE COUNTY OFFER 50 CENTS MORE, YOU KNOW, UM, WE DO HAVE THE, UH, UM, ADVANTAGE, NO OFFENSE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, UH, NIGHTS OR WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS.
SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR THINGS THAT WE, WE, WE PUSH, BUT, UM, EVEN THEN IT'S, UM, UNTIL SOMEBODY ACTUALLY SEES IT, HASN'T DONE THIS BEFORE AND THEY COME IN, THEY MIGHT LAST A WEEK OR SO, HAVE THEY EVER DONE THIS BEFORE? WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COME IN, UH, THEY START AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T WEAKENED SAID THIS.
SO WE NEED SOMEWHERE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT OF WHAT THE JOB REALLY ENTAILS BEFORE SOMEONE STARTS.
AND JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AS, AS A SOCIETY IN GENERAL IS HAVING MORE VALUE FOR THESE POSSESSIONS.
THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT THESE ARE ENTRY-LEVEL, UM, UNDERVALUED POSITIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE A TRADE PROGRAM FOR WORKING, UM, IN THE HUMANITIES FIELD FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THAT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT A SYSTEMIC CHANGE, THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD START, WOULD BE AT THE EDUCATION LEVEL AND REALLY ENTICING PEOPLE OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, GETTING HIGH SCHOOLERS TO WORK WITH ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES, TO SEE, UM, THE JOY, TO SEE THE MEANING AND TO SEE THE VALUE AS A SOCIETY FOR THESE POSSESSIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. RECORD, MR. SCOTT, UM, A COUPLE THINGS, UM, I COULDN'T LOCATE, I DON'T BELIEVE YOUR LATEST NINE 90.
IT'S A, IT SHOULD BE OUT THERE.
UM, KNEW ON THE IRS WEBSITE, IT WAS, UH, THE 2020 WAS THERE 2021 WAS SENT BACK THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, BUT THE IRS IS VERY SLOW AND PUTTING EVERYTHING UP.
THEY SAID THERE WERE ABOUT SIX TO 10 MONTHS BEHIND ON REVIEWING THEM.
IS THERE A WAY THAT I COULD GET A COPY OF THAT SENT KIM HAS MY INFORMATION.
WE CAN HAVE, UM, THAT YOU MADE A COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT FOR EACH NEW HIRE.
YOU COULD BRING FIVE CLIENTS BACK IN.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE A NEW HIRE, THEY FIND OUT WHAT THE JOB IS.
THEY GO, THIS ISN'T FOR ME AND THEY WALK AWAY.
DO YOU HAVE TO SEND THOSE FIVE PEOPLE BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES? WE TRY NOT TO, WE DON'T BRING THOSE, UM, WOULD NOT BRING THOSE NEW FIVE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND UNTIL WE'RE SURE THIS PERSON PASSES THE MUSTER, THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
UM, IT'S NOT LIKE, OKAY, YOU DO YOUR TRAINING.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HERE A WEEK OR TWO, AND WE'RE GOING TO THROW FIVE NEW PEOPLE AT YOU.
NOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO, I'LL GO THEM AND BE WITH SOMEONE ELSE FOR A FEW WEEKS, UNTIL WE'RE SURE THAT THIS PERSON CAN DO IT.
BUT IN THE CASE, UM, AT LEAST HAVE A ONE-TO-ONE.
IF WE LOSE A PERSON FOR THAT, THAT PERSON DOESN'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR FAMILY AND NOT RECEIVE SERVICES.
CAN WE DO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT IS TIM'S REFERENCING ONE-TO-ONE THAT THEIR, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, BEHAVIORAL NEEDS OR MEDICAL NEEDS ARE SO CHALLENGING THAT THEY'RE FUNDED FOR ONE STAFF TO ONE PERSON.
THOSE ARE OUR MOST CHALLENGING TO HIRE AN OF OUR WAITING LISTS.
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON OUR WAITING LIST, OUR ONE TO ONES, CAUSE THEY NEED ONE STAFF, ONE PERSON, AND THEY HAVE TO BE PRETTY SEASONED PROFESSIONALS TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND TRAVELING BY THE HARTFORD CENTER OF ALL IN 1 55.
WE DO THE AVERAGE AGE OF THAT FLEET.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING THROUGH GRANTS WITH THE MTA NEWER ONES.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF THE OLD ONES, BUT THE AVERAGE IS PROBABLY FIVE YEARS OLD.
WE'VE GOT SOME OLDER, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN SOME NEW BUSES IN THE LAST, UM, TWO TO THREE YEARS.
AND HOW MANY MILES DO YOU PUT ON A VEHICLE IN A YEAR, IN A YEAR OR THE,
[02:45:01]
UH, WELL, IT'S HARD TO KNOW, RIGHT? THE SECOND, BECAUSE THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN ATYPICAL YEARS.WE BUDGET ABOUT 200,000 IN GAS AND 200,000 IN MAINTENANCE IN TERMS OF MILES, PROBABLY THEY'RE RETIRED SOMEWHERE AROUND CLOSE TO 300,000 IN A YEAR.
THAT'S I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.
I DON'T HAVE THAT AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT, UM, WE ARE DOING ALL THE TRANSPORTATION OF PICKING UP, BRINGING TO THE CENTER AND ALL THE COMMUNITY OUTINGS.
WELL, THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION, YOUR VEHICLE COMES IN EVERY DAY ACROSS FROM MY HOME.
SO I SEE THAT CONSTANT MOVEMENT.
AND, UH, AND I GO, AS SOON AS THE LATER, THESE VEHICLES WERE OUT AND I KNOW YOU HAVE THAT LARGE FLEET, THAT'S PARKED OVER AT YOUR CENTER AND YOU SEE IT AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND WHO MAINTAINS THAT, DOES THE COUNTY HELP WITH NO, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR COME IN TO DO THAT.
AND THEY ACTUALLY COME TO THE SITE TO WORK ON THE VEHICLES AND RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OUR ATTENDANCE IS SO LOW, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO ROTATE THE VEHICLES A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE IT JUST SAYS IT'S THE SAME VEHICLE ISN'T ON THE ROAD EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW? BUT, UM, IN THE PAST, UM, WHEN WE WERE UP OVER 120 INDIVIDUALS, EVERY BUS WAS RUNNING EVERY DAY.
SO IT IS, UH, UH, MAINTAINING THEM.
I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, ONE THING THAT HAS HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY AS A GRANT CALLED 53 10, WHICH IS, UM, IT'S A MATCHING GRANT AND IT PROVIDES EVERY OTHER YEAR, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REQUEST USUALLY TWO LARGE BUSES AND MAYBE A MINIVAN OR SOME COMBINATION THEREOF.
UM, SO THAT'S, AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A, WE HAVE A MATCH.
SO WE HAVE A, UM, A BOARD DESIGNATED FUND THAT WE RAISE MONEY FOR THAT WE PUT ASIDE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT MATCH OR HEAVEN FORBID IF WE NEEDED A NEW VEHICLE, WE DO TRY TO ADD TO THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT, AND ANYONE ELSE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
NEXT? WE HAVE THE ARK NORTHERN CHESAPEAKE REGION THERE ON PAGE THREE 20.
THEIR INCREASED THIS YEAR IS 1 97, 7 80.
AND AGAIN, IT IS A 10% INCREASE OVER FY 22.
I'M NOT SURE HOW TO FOLLOW THAT, BUT I ALSO HAVE A FUN BOARD.
AND WHEN WE MEET IN PERSON, WE DO SERVE FOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT, ACTUALLY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE 10% INCREASE, UM, SHERRY HAS PRETTY MUCH SUMMARIZED ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SO HIRING, ESPECIALLY HIRING FOR ONE TO ONES.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS REALLY BEING A RESOURCE TO THOSE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE LOOKING FOR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT IS ONE AREA THAT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
BUSINESSES ARE COMING TO US, ASKING US TO FIND EMPLOYERS.
I AM, IT'S EXCITING IF YOU HEARD OF A COMPANY CALLED GXO, UM, THEY'RE OVER IN THE DISTRIBUTION PARK, UM, RIVERSIDE, I GUESS, RIGHT BEHIND US.
AND THEY JUST WON A STATE AWARD FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING WITH US.
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE HITTING THE PAPERS HERE PRETTY SOON AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ON THAT ONE, PAGER, M AND BRAY, A SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN TOWN THAT THEY'VE HIRED.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE TALK ABOUT THESE FRONTLINE TEAM MEMBERS AND WHAT THEY DO.
SHE USED TO BE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
NOW SHE HAS HER OWN BUSINESS AND REALLY WANTS TO HIRE AND CONTRIBUTE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE DISABILITY WORLD.
AND THEN THE OTHER SIGN COMPANY THERE, THEY BASICALLY QUOTED, UM, WHAT I THINK YOU SAID CHA UM, CHAD, ABOUT HOW IT, IT ACTUALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, IN THEIR WORKFORCE CULTURE, THAT IT CHANGES THEIR WORKFORCE CULTURE.
SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE TOP PRIORITIES.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA.
WHEN WE RAISE WAGES, A DOLLAR, WE PROVIDE OVER 500,000 HOURS OF WAGES AND 500,000 HOURS OF, UM, DIRECT SUPPORT IN A
[02:50:01]
YEAR.SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA WHEN I RAISE IT BY A DOLLAR OR 50 CENTS, WHAT THE COST OF THAT IS.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO FUNDRAISE.
WE DO HAVE OUR, EVENT'S GOING TO BE IN PERSON.
HOPEFULLY IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL IN OUR COUNTY, THAT WILL BE, UM, MAY 13TH, FRIDAY THE 13TH.
WE DECIDED TO JUST KIND OF GO WITH THE THEME OF WE'RE GOING TO JUST TAKE A RISK FRIDAY THE 13TH.
AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, ARE PART OF A GOLF TOURNAMENT THAT SIAM, UM, HAD TO PICK TWO.
UM, NON-PROFITS AND WE'RE ONE OF THOSE, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ON JUNE 13TH.
SO I'LL SEE SOME OF YOU THERE, WE ARE DOING A LOT OF FUNDRAISING.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY TO KEEP OUR, UM, SALARIES COMPETITIVE.
AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO INTO OUR RESERVES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A RISK WITH SOME OF THAT, BUT WE'RE DOING IT WITH OUR BOARD AND WITH OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED AND KNOWING THAT THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THE SUPPORTS HAPPEN.
WE HAVE A WAITING LIST, A HUGE WAITING LIST.
UM, WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE PRIOR TO COVID FOR OUR EMPLOYMENT TEAM, BUT IT IS OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
UM, THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE A LARGE WAITING LIST BECAUSE OF THAT ONE-TO-ONE STAFFING ISSUE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? CASTLE BUDGET ADVISOR, MR. SCOTT, LIKEWISE WITH THE, YEAH, WE, I ALMOST SAID IT ALMOST THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO, IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED SO I CAN GET YOU ONE OF THOSE AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. SHREWS? I JUST WANT TO SAY REAL QUICK.
UM, ONE OF THOSE, AND I SAW THIS, UM, SEE SHARON THERE, AND I KNOW SHE'S ADDED SO MUCH TO, UH, THE SPIRIT IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO COME UP AND THERE'S GOING TO BE HER PICTURE.
SO, UH, FROM MS. HARRISON HIGH, WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, I KNOW I DON'T ATTEND THE MEETINGS, BUT MY MINI ME DOES.
UM, IF, UH, WE CAN BE AT THE GOLF TOURNAMENT'S, WE'LL BE THERE, UH, JUST IN SUPPORT, NOT AS A GOLFER, BUT WE'LL BE THERE.
UM, DO YOU WANT ANYTHING COUNCILMAN JAMES OR DANNA? NO, SIR.
ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ELECTIONS AND WE WILL START WITH THEM ON PAGE SIX, 11.
HOW ABOUT YOU? WE'RE HANGING IN THERE.
ON PAGE ON PAGE SIX 11, THE HARTFORD BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS AN INCREASE OF 1 92, 6 64.
IT IS THE RESULT OF A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TEMPORARY SALARIES OF $2,500.
THE BULK OF IT, YOU'LL SEE DOWN TO PAYMENTS TO OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WHICH IS THE STATE AT 2 0 3, 1 74.
AND THIS IS REIMBURSEMENT TO THE STATE FOR SALARY FRINGES AND EVERY TIME, UM, AS MANDATED BY SBE ON PAGE SIX, 14 AND SIX, 15 IS ELECTION EXPENSE.
THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE OF 3 27 0 67, 90,000 IS AN INCREASE IN THEIR TEMPORARY SALARIES FOR ELECTION CHARGES AND ELECTION DAY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, $2,500 FOR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THAT'S UM, ADDITIONAL SPACE AND REAL ESTATE FOR POLLING PROPERTIES, UM, DURING 23 AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE PAYMENTS TO THE STATE, UM, INCREASES TO 19 0 70 WITH THAT GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
UM, THE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION.
THE ONE, UH, INCREASE IN THE ELECTION BUDGET WAS NOT FOR JUDGE REIMBURSEMENT.
THAT WAS THE TEMPORARY STAFFING.
AND THAT WAS DUE TO A LAW THAT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR, STATING THAT WE HAD TO SEND MAIL IN BALLOT APPLICATIONS TO EVERY REGISTERED VOTER IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
AND FOR US, THE FIRST ROUND WAS 150,000 AND CHANGE.
AND THEY'RE SENDING OUT A SUPPLEMENTAL LIST, UH, AT THE END OF THIS END OF THIS MONTH FOR, UM, THE, THE COMPETITIVE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE UNAFFILIATED AND FOR NEW RESIDENTS INTO THE COUNTY.
SO I'M ESTIMATING IT'S ANOTHER 20 TO 30,000 MORE APPLICATIONS THAT THEY'RE SENDING OUT THAT IS A TOTAL MANUAL PROCESS.
SO WE HAD TO DO THAT THIS YEAR AND WE HAD TO DO IT IN 2024.
SO THAT'S WHY THE INCREASE THERE, THE, UM, ELECTION, THE, UH, STATE MANDATED ONES.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER THAT.
A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO, UM, EQUIPMENT.
[02:55:01]
ORDER MORE EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE NO SPARES.AND THEN WITH REDISTRICTING, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
LIKE IF MORE PRECINCTS ARE GOING TO BE ADDED, OUR COUNTY HAS GROWN QUITE A BIT.
SO WE'VE HAD TO ADD MORE EQUIPMENT TO THE DIFFERENT POLLING PLACES THAT HAD THE LARGER POPULATIONS VOTING THERE.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE TO SAY ALL THE, UM, WE REALLY WANNA GET THE NITTY GRITTY OF IT.
A LOT ADMINISTRATION COSTS DOWN THE STATE SUPPLIES, TRAVEL EXPENSES.
WE PAY PART OF A REGIONAL MANAGER'S EXPENSES AS WELL.
THE, UM, I DO WANT TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE.
I'M SURE YOU ARE ALL AWARE THAT THE ELECTION DATE HAS BEEN MOVED TO JULY 19TH, WHICH IS IN A NEW FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE'VE NEVER HAD TWO ELECTIONS IN ONE FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL FOR JUDGE PAY AND YOU'LL BE SOME TRANSPORTATION COSTS.
CAUSE WE ALWAYS GET SHUTTLES FOR THE MCFAUL ACTIVITY CENTER AND WE RENT, UH, VANS TO HELP DELIVER THE EQUIPMENT AS WELL.
SO SINCE WE CAN'T ENCUMBER THOSE FUNDS, WE WON'T HAVE THE FUNDS IN THE BUDGET TO COVER THE GENERAL ELECTION EXPENSE.
UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STEPHANIE.
UM, YOU UTILIZE, UM, PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR ELECTIONS.
UM, AND THIS YEAR SCHOOL WILL NOT BE IN SESSION IN JULY AS WE WOULD BE IN.
MAY YOU PAY FOR THE USE OF THE SCHOOLS TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? NO MA'AM SO YOU DON'T PAY FOR THE, FOR THE MAY.
YOU WOULDN'T BE PAYING FOR THE JULY OR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BRING IN EXTRA PEOPLE.
WILL THAT ENCUMBER MORE EXPENSE? NO, IT WILL NOT.
IT'S IN THE LAW THAT THE EXPENSES ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, NOT THE ELECTION OFFICE.
SO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND WE'LL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE FOR CUSTODIAN AND OPEN THE SCHOOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THE ELECTION IS NOW IN JULY VERSUS WHEN THE STAFF WOULD ALREADY BE THERE.
AND ANOTHER NOTE TO THAT IS THAT WE HAD TO MOVE WHATEVER EARLY VOTING SITES FROM JARRETTSVILLE FIRE HALL, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WEDDING IN THE MIDDLE OF EARLY VOTING.
SO WE CAN'T USE THAT FACILITY AND WE ARE GOING TO THE, UH, JARRETTSVILLE ELEMENTARY.
SO THERE'LL BE EIGHT DAYS WORTH OF THE SCHOOL BEING OPEN TO US AND THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S WHAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO ABSORB THAT COST.
THIS MAY BE A QUESTION MORE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT IN THE SUMMER THEY DO A LOT OF MAINTENANCE WORK.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU AT SCHOOLS THAT THEY NORMALLY CAN'T DO WHEN THE STUDENTS ARE THERE? IS THIS GOING TO IMPACT THAT FOR THEM AT ALL? NO.
WE, WE GET WITH THEM PRIOR TO EVERY ELECTION OF FIND OUT WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE MAINTENANCE AND WE CAN USUALLY MOVE THE POLLING PLACE TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
IF THERE'S A FACILITY AVAILABLE OR THEY WORK WITH US, SOMETIMES THEY'LL DELAY THE MAINTENANCE, BUT AT THIS TIME WITH THE NEW DATE, IT'S NOT GOING TO CONFLICT WITH ANYTHING.
OKAY, GOOD, MR. TIBBS, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY THE FIRE HALLS THAT YOU RELEASED.
HAVE THEY HAS THAT RENT GOING UP?
AND IF WE USE IT FOR EARLY VOTING, IT'S $3,000.
SO THAT'S THE MONEY WE WON'T HAVE TO SPEND FOR THE FIRE HALL THIS TIME, BUT WE WILL HAVE, UH, 10 PRIVATE FACILITIES FOR THE PRIMARY AND THE GENERAL ELECTION.
AND WE'LL BE MOVING BACK TO THE FIRE HALL IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, WITH NO ONE ELSE, I GUESS THIS WILL, UH, WE'LL ADJOURN AND WE'LL RESUME TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK.