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UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.[County Council Budget Work Session]
OUR REAL THIRD, UH, BUDGET WORK SESSION TODAY.BUT IF I MAY, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP WITH SOME CONDOLENCES FOR THE DOZA FAMILY AND THE ABINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE PASSING OF, UH, MS. LINDA DOZA.
UH, IT'S A GREAT, UH, FAMILY THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO HARFORD COUNTY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AS LONG AS THE ENTIRE ABITA FIRE COMPANY.
SO, UH, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MS. HASLER.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR US HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET.
AS YOU KNOW, I CAN TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY FOR HOURS, BUT I WILL NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A REALLY LONG DAY AHEAD OF YOURSELF.
BUT FIRST, LET ME INTRODUCE A FEW FOLKS I HAVE WITH US, CHARLES ROSS CHARLES, HE'S OUR HEAD OF, UH, HR.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, DARIA PERRY, OUR COO, WE HAVE WITH US AMBER SHREDS, HER FIRST DAY BACK WITH US DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY AND DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE BETH LAPIER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES, JEN BUTTON, MY TRUSTEE, ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR, AND KEEPS ME STRAIGHT WHERE SHE TRIES TO KATHY KOK, MY FINANCE C F O.
AND OF COURSE, OUR STAR TODAY IS IBU IBU AS OUR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PUPPY, IBU.
AND HE WOKE UP FROM HIS NAP, AND IF HE GETS ANNOYING, AMBER WILL COME AND RESCUE YOU FROM HIM.
AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T GET IN MY COFFEE, EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT.
I, I CANNOT PROMISE THAT, BUT WE'LL TRY.
UH, THE LIBRARY SUBMITTED OUR FISCAL YEAR OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS TEAM, AND YOU DO HAVE A COPY.
I SENT THAT UP EARLIER A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND I WILL BE BRIEF ABOUT THE BUDGET BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT TO TALK ABOUT, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, WAGE PARITY REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY FOR LIBRARY STAFF AND TO SAY THAT OUR STAFF IS DISAPPOINTED NOT TO RECEIVE WAGE PARITY WITH THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES OR TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ONE AND A HALF AND ONE AND A HALF PERCENT SALARY INCREASE PROPOSED FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
AND I WANNA UNDERLINE THAT THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO GET WAGE PAY TO THE COUNTY LEVEL, JUST TO THE COUNTY LEVEL.
AND, UH, UM, THIS WAS A VERY BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.
A 1% INCREASE FOR THE LIBRARY STAFF IS ABOUT $148,679.
33% OF OUR LIBRARY EMPLOYEES EARN LESS THAN $29,000, AND 42% EARN LESS THAN 39,000.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND WE HAVE A LOT OF PART-TIME STAFF BECAUSE WE ARE OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK AND HOPEFULLY SOMEDAY BACK TO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
A LIVING WAGE IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY AS WE RELY ON MANY PART-TIME STAFF TO MEET THE HOURS OF OUR OPERATIONS.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAINTAIN THE POSITION OF RECRUITING AND RETAINING THE BEST LIBRARY STAFF FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS IS EVEN MORE A PRIORITY AS WE CONTINUE TO STABILIZE AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE ALSO VERY DISAPPOINTED NOT TO, TO RECEIVE THE REQUESTED PEP FUNDING OF $15,700.
NOW YOU MAY THINK, WHAT IS $15,700 COMPARED TO OUR BUDGET? IT'S A LOT.
THE LIBRARY IMPLEMENTED A PEP PROGRAM A FEW YEARS AGO MIRRORING THAT, WHICH IS OFFERED TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
ALL NEW HIRES ARE ADDED TO THE PEP PLAN, AND WE OFFERED A ONE-TIME FINANCIAL INCENTIVE LAST YEAR FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES BY IMPLEMENTING A PEP.
THE LIBRARY FUTURE OPEB LIABILITY HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY, SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.
WE ARE ALSO VERY DISAPPOINTED NOT TO RECEIVE THE 10% HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE THAT IS PROPOSED IN THE COUNTY BUDGET FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE IN THE SAME PLAN THROUGH THE CONSORTIUM AND UP TO THE RELEASE OF THE BUDGET.
WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE TO HEALTHCARE COSTS.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION TO OFFER HEALTH BENEFITS THAT MIRROR THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING OUR RETIREES WHO ARE COVERED UNDER UNITEDHEALTHCARE, WHICH IS A MAJOR SAVINGS TO BOTH THE COUNTY AND TO THE RETIREES.
OUR EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED THE SAME AS WHAT THE COUNTY HAS PROJECTED, AND WITH INFLATION CURRENTLY AT 5.3%, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE DECREASING.
WE REQUESTED CAPITAL FUNDING FOR THE BELLAIRE RENOVATION PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE PROJECT HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK WITH NO DATE.
THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE RECEIVED MARYLAND STATE LIBRARY CAPITAL GRANTS THAT THE COUNTY SUBMITTED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR MATCHING FUNDS.
WE WERE AWARDED 1.414 MILLION AND HAVE APPLIED FOR A FISCAL YEAR 24 SECOND GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 4,141,000 FOR THE BELLAIRE PROJECT.
WE HAD PLANNED TO APPLY FOR A THIRD YEAR GRANT, BUT WITHOUT CLEAR DIRECTION FROM THE COUNTY ON CAPITAL PROJECTS, IT DID NOT SEEM PRUDENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION OF THE LIBRARY FUND BALANCE AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2022.
WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE OF 12 MILLION, BUT ARE NOT PERMITTED TO USE THE AMOUNT FOR MANY ITEMS INCLUDING PREPAIDS, SUCH AS THE $211,132
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FOR THE CARE FIRST JULY BILL THAT WE PAY IN JUNE.THE HEALTHCARE CONSORTIUM FUNDS WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER AGENCIES, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION FOR THE HEALTHCARE RESERVE OR THE ENCUMBRANCES.
AND THAT IS OPEN PURCHASE ORDERS AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 22 THAT WE CARRIED INTO FISCAL YEAR 23.
THAT IS A STANDARD OPERATING BUSINESS.
THIS IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL AUDIT HOUR FUND BALANCE, AND AVAILABLE FOR FULL REVIEW BY ANYONE AT ANY TIME, LEAVING SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY SIX MILLION AS A TRUE FUND BALANCE, WHICH WE ALL ALLOCATED 5.4 MILLION TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDES THE BELLAIRE RENOVATION.
THAT MONEY IS THERE FOR THAT PROJECT, ALONG WITH OTHERS.
CONSERVATIVE SPENDING AND BUDGETING ENABLED THE LIBRARY TO SET ASIDE THESE FUNDS FOR THE LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND SUPPORTING HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THEIR PRIORITIES.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT GOOD NEWS.
OUR OUTREACH SERVICES ARE EXPANDING AS WE ARE LAUNCHING LIBRARY ON THE GO WITH THREE NEW VANS.
YES, THEY WERE BUILT IN TURKEY.
IT TOOK OVER A YEAR FOR THEM TO ARRIVE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE HERE.
TYPICAL ITEMS THAT WILL BE HOUSED ON THE VANS INCLUDE BOOKS, BASEBALL KITS, BIKES, CROQUETTES, CROQUET SETS, FISHING RODS, FOOTBALL, KICKBALL, MINIGOLF, SET, PICKLEBALL SETS, SKATEBOARD KITS, SLEDS, SOCCER BALLS, AND MORE.
WELL, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE SLEDS.
WE HAVE NOT HAD SNOW IN HOW LONG
THE NEW DARLINGTON LIBRARY OPENED AND IS UP IS AN UPCYCLED WAWA THAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED IN 96.
THE FACILITY INCLUDES THE FIRST 24 7 PICKUP MATERIALS, LOCKER SYSTEM, A TABLET TOWER FOR PERIODICAL READING, AND AN OUTDOOR PATIO AND FIREPLACE.
THE HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL ID PROJECT INITIATIVE CONTINUES AND IT ENABLES ALL STUDENTS IN HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO USE THEIR STUDENT IDS TO ACCESS HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY RESOURCES ONLINE, REMOTELY, ANYTIME, AND ANYWHERE IN ADDITION TO THE EDUCATORS AT THE SCHOOLS.
IN ADDITION, THE LIBRARY WAS HONORED TO ONCE AGAIN SPONSOR THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR PROGRAM, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WAS AN AMAZING EVENING.
THE LIST OF NONPROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE PARTNER AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR CONTINUE TO GROW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
WE FEEL IT IS PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT OUR NONPROFITS AND OUR OTHER AGENCIES OUT THERE THAT DO SUCH A GREAT JOB FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE HARVARD COUNTY CULTURAL ARTS BOARD PROVIDED $175,000 THROUGH 58 GRANTS AWARDED THROUGH FOUR PROGRAMS IN FISCAL YEAR 22, AND ARE ON TARGET FOR EXCEEDING THAT THIS YEAR, MORE THAN 414,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED OUR PROGRAMS LAST YEAR, AND WE HAVE MORE THAN 220,000 REGISTERED ACTIVE BORROWERS IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK, AND WE CELEBRATE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES THE CRITICAL RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT OUR LIBRARIES BRING TO ALL AGES, DEMOGRAPHICS, AND BACKGROUNDS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH WITH A QUOTE FROM AUTHOR AND MOVIE PERSON.
I BELIEVE HE'S MADE FILMS. NEIL GAIMAN, WHO I HAVE MET YOU SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY NICE TO A LIBRARIAN TODAY OR TOMORROW, SOMETIMES THIS WEEK ANYWAY, PROBABLY THE LIBRARIANS WOULD LIKE TEA OR CHOCOLATES AND I'M GONNA INSERT WINE.
OR A RELIABLE SOURCE OF FUNDING.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE LIBRARY AND ALL YOU DO FOR HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITIES.
SO, MARY, LET ME THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE, UH, HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS ON EVERY DAY.
UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
AND IF I CAN, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO SEND A COPY OF YOUR COMMENTS, UH, TO MS. HARRIS THIS MORNING SO SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT AMONGST THE COUNCIL.
AND WITH THAT COUNSEL, UM, MR. JERDEN, GOOD MORNING.
WHERE'S IBU? YOU TOOK HIM BACK, RIGHT? YES.
SO, UM, IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE IBU IT ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
UM, THE BELL AIR PROJECT, YOU SAID 4.1 MILLION, UM, FOR A GRANT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T USE THAT? WELL, WHERE DO WE STAND WITH THAT? DO WE, ARE WE GONNA LOSE THIS? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UH, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL ASK FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 23, WHICH WAS A LITTLE OVER 1 MILLION.
AND THEN WHATEVER WE DO RECEIVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, I'M HOPING, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, THAT WE CAN USE SOME OF THE FUNDING TOWARD THE ROOF PROJECT.
WE DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT DIRE CONDITION THE ROOF IS IN, NOT THE ELEVATORS THEY'RE BEING REPAIRED NOW, UH, OR REPLACED.
UM, BUT THE ROOF ITSELF, AND THAT'S ABOUT A 575,000 PRICE TAG.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN USE SOME OF THE FUNDING TO GO TOWARD THAT, TO SAVE THE COUNTY A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE OF IT IS, UH, IF THE MAJOR RENOVATION PROJECT DOES NOT HAPPEN WHERE WE CAN MOVE WALLS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE WILL REFRESH THE BUILDING.
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AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY.UM, BELLAIRE IS OUR FLAGSHIP BRANCH.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT IS SHOWING ITS AGE.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, AS WE SHOW OUR AGE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SHORE IT UP AND MAKE IT LOOK NICER, LITTLE BIT MORE FUNCTIONAL, BRING IT UP TO SPEED.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO DO WITH THAT MONEY.
WE HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET AN EXTENSION FOR IT THOUGH.
WHEN WAS THAT ADDITION DONE ON BEL AIR? WHAT WAS THAT? IN THE NINETIES? 96.
I, I WAS A, I WAS A NINE HOUR WEEK EMPLOYEE WHEN I STARTED, AND I STARTED RIGHT BEFORE THE PROJECT.
SO IT STARTED, WE STARTED PACKING THINGS UP, UM, PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I STARTED AT THE LIBRARY.
SO, AND IT OPENED, I BELIEVE IN 97.
AND IT IS, IT'S SEVERAL, IT'S THREE BUILDINGS, PUT TOGETHER THE NEW EDITION, NEW EDITION, UM, AND THEN A BUILDING FROM THE 47 AND THEN IN THE SIXTIES.
UM, BUT I CAN'T LOG IN RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA COMMENT ON THAT ONE.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN JENGEN.
COUNCILMAN PENMAN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM, GREAT RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, ATTRACT THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT WE NEED AND GET THESE KIDS OFF THESE GAMING SYSTEMS. SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
IN THE DIFFERENT INNOVATIVE, INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO TRY TO ATTRACT THEM.
I THINK IT'S TRAGIC THAT YOUR, UH, FUNDING WAS FLAT, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN INFLATION IS UP.
WITH INFLATION, HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOU ON JUST THE PURCHASE OF BOOKS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED? SUPPLY WISE, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER BUSINESS OR EVEN A FAMILY HOUSEHOLD, IT'S, IT'S AFFECTING US, UH, GREATLY.
UH, WE HAVE TO RETHINK AND BE VERY CAREFUL ON HOW WE SPEND OUR FUNDING FOR BOOKS, OUR DATABASES, UH, ANY OF OUR MATERIALS, EVEN OUR NONPUBLIC THINGS SUCH AS SUPPLIES THAT WE USE TO, YOU KNOW, RUN OUR BUSINESS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S JUST GONE UP SO MUCH AND, UH, I, I LISTENED TO ANBAN BASU LAST YEAR, LAST WEEK AT A FUTURES CONFERENCE.
UM, AND THE NEWS WASN'T GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE INFLATION.
IT'S DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S COMING DOWN ANYTIME SOON.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST, IT WILL HOBBLE US.
AND YOU KNOW, WE DID A COMP CLASS STUDY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I THINK IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE THE LOCKDOWN, SO WE'VE BEEN 2019.
SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THAT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY.
AND LAST YEAR WE FINALLY GOT TOO CLOSE TO BEING AT WAGE PARODY, BUT NOW WE'RE JUST GONNA FALL DOWN AGAIN.
SO IT SEEMS WE'RE IN THIS ENDLESS CYCLE.
CAUSE THAT LEADS ME INTO MY SECOND QUESTION.
I THINK I, I HEARD YOU SAY FOR A 1% PAY INCREASE, IT WOULD COST 148,000.
SO THAT BRINGS IT TO A A PERCENT AND A HALF AT 220.
AND IF THE FULL FUNNY WOULD FOR THE 3% OVER THE YEAR WOULD BE 444,000 ROUGHLY.
WHAT I DON'T HAVE IS, I'M JUST HOPING TO HAVE AN ENTIRE NUMBER WITH THAT 10% HEALTH HEALTHCARE INCREASE.
IS NOT THAT YOU HAVE IT NOW, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN GET ME THAT NUMBER? SURE.
SO I CAN SEE WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE TO PUT YOU ON PARODY WITH THE OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
I THINK WE, WE DO HAVE THAT NUMBER.
WE PUT IT IN THE BUDGET AS A, AS A PLACEHOLDER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DO OUR BUDGET WEIGH IN ADVANCE AND THAT'S THE GENERAL RULE THUMB, 10% FOR THAT.
SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TODAY.
IF NOT, I'LL SEND IT ALONG WITH THE COVER, WITH THE LETTER.
SO, AND ALSO THAT FUND BALANCE THAT YOU HAVE MM-HMM.
CAN IT BE USED FOR SALARY INCREASES THOUGH? NO, NO, NOT GENERALLY.
UNLESS IT WOULD BE A LUMP SUM.
BUT WE WOULD'VE TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE, WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, DOCUMENT IT INCREDIBLY WELL.
SO IF WE DID, THIS IS AN ONGOING EXPENSE.
WHAT WAS THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE? 12.
WE HAVE, UH, 7.5 MILLION THAT WE CAN USE.
UM, AND THEN WE ALLOCATE A 5.44 TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
KATHY, YOU DO THAT FOR ME?
AND IT ALL GETS ALLOCATED IN AUGUST OF EVERY YEAR WHEN WE SIT DOWN WITH THE AUDITORS, WE HAVE TO ALLOCATE THAT MONEY SO IT DOESN'T SIT LIKE IN A, IT'S NOT SITTING SOMEWHERE WHERE IF, IF WE DECIDE TO BUY 20 MORE IBUS, WE COULD SPEND IT.
UH, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU ALSO EVERYONE ELSE THAT LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO HARFORD COUNTY AND TO OUR CHILDREN, TO THE, OUR ADULTS ALSO.
UM, UM, UM, I, I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ONE AND A HALF AND ONE AND A HALF, UM, PERCENT INCREASE.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS EVEN TAKEN OUT THE NEXT JANUARY MAYBE.
CUZ THAT'S NOT GUARANTEED EITHER.
YOU KNOW, THAT ACCORDING TO WHAT I'VE READ.
YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON, UM, IF, UH, THE FUNDS ARE GONNA BE AVAILABLE.
AND I, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHO MAKES THAT DECISION, BUT,
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UM, I'M ALSO THE, THE, THE, UH, FUND BALANCE, UH, YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR WAGES, BUT NOW MISUNDERSTANDING.DID YOU, CAN YOU USE THAT ANY FOR HEALTHCARE? WE CANNOT USE IT FOR HEALTHCARE.
YOU, YOU HAVE A HEALTHCARE INCREASE THOUGH, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE EMPLOYEE'S PIECE, NOT THE, NOT THE COUNTY'S PIECE.
LET ME ASK MY FINANCE EXPERT
YEAH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S THE OVERALL INCREASE.
YOU MORE INCREASE IN THE, IT'S THE OVERALL INCREASE TO US.
WHAT IS THE OVERALL INCREASE? WELL, THE COUNTY PUT IN 10% AND I BELIEVE THAT'S, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S BROKEN DOWN.
MAYBE RAVI OR KIM CAN, I CAN'T ANSWER IT.
BECAUSE THERE'S NOT, BECAUSE WE DID NOT BUILD IT IN.
SO IT'S NOT IN OUR IT'S NOT IN OUR MR MS. SPENCE, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I DIDN'T SEE YOU SITTING BEHIND MR. KEARNEY.
I HOPE YOU'RE FEELING MUCH BETTER.
SO THERE'S A COURSE, THE COUNTY PAYS A PERCENT AND EMPLOYEES PAY A PERCENT.
SO YOUR PERCENT GOING TO GO UP.
YOU'RE SAYING THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY.
IS THE COUNTIES COR WELL, IF THEY ANSWER, THEY'RE REQUESTING 10% INCREASE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S WHY THEY REQUESTED IT, BUT, WELL, WHEN YOU SAY 10%, YOU KNOW, IT CAN HIT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT COULD BE 10% OF THE COUNTY'S PORTION, IT CAN 10% OF THE POLICE PORTION OR IT CAN BE 10% OF THE WHOLE PICTURE.
THE COUNTY DID NOT BUDGET AN INCREASE IN THE PREMIUM.
SO FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE IN, UM, ALL OF, ALL OF THE COUNTY BUDGETS, UM, THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN INSURANCE.
AND THERE WILL, AND THERE IS NO INCREASE THEN IF THERE'S NO INCREASE IN THE PREMIUM COST, THEN THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE, UH, EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE PORTION.
MR. SANDIS, CRACK THAT MIC OVER TO YOU, PLEASE.
THERE'S NO INCREASE IN, SO WE, WE DID NOT BUDGET A INCREASE IN THE PREMIUM COST.
SO THE BUDGETS, THE INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS DID NOT HAVE AN INCREASE IN, UM, DID NOT HAVE AN INCREASE IN INSURANCE COSTS THAT WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THERE WAS NO, IF THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN THE PREMIUM COSTS, BECAUSE THE WAY PREMIUMS WORK IS EMPLOYEES PAY 5% AND IT VARIES ON WHEN YOU WERE HIRED, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S WHETHER IT'S 10% OR 5% OR WHATEVER, THEN THERE IS NO INCREASE ON THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUM PORTION AS WELL.
SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL YEARS WHERE THE HEALTH INSURANCE WAS TO THE GOOD.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK THE APPROACH THAT, THAT THEY'RE THAT FROM THOSE, FROM THOSE PRIOR YEARS OF, OF KIND OF CONSISTENTLY BEING TO THE GOOD THAT WE COULD HOLD, HOLD THE EXPENDITURE FLAT AND NOT PASS ANYTHING ONTO, UM, UH, TO THE, TO THE EMPLOYEES.
AND SO GENERALLY THE LIBRARY I USE IS THE SAME PREMIUM RATES, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE ARE.
SO YOUR EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT SEE A HEALTH INCREASE EITHER.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE SEEN, YOU HAVE ALSO SEEN AN A, UM, UH, SEVERAL YEARS OF, OF, UM, YOU TO THE GOOD ON PREMIUMS. SO WHAT WAS THE 10%? DON'T, I'M NOT SURE COUNTY THAT THAT WAS EARLY ON IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WE JUST PLUG A NUMBER IN, BUT THEN WHEN WE FINALLY GET THE NUMBERS IN, I MEAN, WE'RE SELF-INSURED.
SO TO SOME EXTENT, I MEAN THIS IS, IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER TYPE OF, OF, OF, OF AN ESTIMATE.
UM, IF IF COSTS COME IN CONSIDERABLY HIGHER, UM, THAN OUR PREMIUM, THEN YOU, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT UP.
IF THEY COME IN LOWER, LIKE THEY HAVE IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU GET MONEY, YOU GET MONEY BACK.
THAT'S IN PART WHY YOUR FUND BALANCE HAS PROBABLY BEEN ABLE TO GROW A LITTLE BIT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
CUZ WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME GOOD YEARS.
THAT'S PART OF, PART OF, UH, PART OF THE CALCULATION.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I MEAN THESE ARE, THESE ARE ALL ESTIMATES, BUT I THINK WE HAVE MADE EFFORTS IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, UM, TO TRY TO CONTROL HEALTHCARE COSTS, UH, MOST NOTABLY MOVING FROM THE, UH, TO THE CO-INSURANCE MODEL AWAY FROM THE UM, UH, FROM THE TRADITIONAL, UH, COPAY, UH, MODEL.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS A TRUE, UM, UM, LESSENING OF OUR, OF OUR HEALTHCARE COSTS GROW.
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GOT INFLATION IN HEALTHCARE, WHICH FIVE YEARS AGO WAS WHERE ALL THE INFLATION WAS.
NOW THERE ISN'T THE INFLATION ON HEALTHCARE, SO IT'S STILL IN EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO, I'M MORE CONFUSED THAN I THINK I NEED TO, BUT IT'S OKAY.
AND I'M NEGOTIATING THIS KIND OF STUFF FOR YEARS, YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE AND, AND, UH, HOW YOU HANDLE IT, HOW IT'S SETTLED FROM THE OUTSIDE, HOW YOU DO IT INTERNALLY AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
BUT I I, I'M, I'M GETTING TWO DIFFERENT STATEMENTS HERE.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE AND HE'S SAYING THERE ISN'T.
SO CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN THO THOSE TWO THINGS TO ME? LET ME CLARIFY.
UM, THE INCREASE IS THAT THE COUNTY HAS BUDGETED 10% INCREASE FOR THAT, I GUESS THAT BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR THE COUNTY, HOW IT'S BEING USED OR SPENT? UH, IT WAS IN THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE BUDGET REPORT AND THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
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AGREE WITH ROBBIE.WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE.
SO IT, IT WAS CONFUSING TO US TO SEE THAT 10% WAS PUT INTO THE BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY.
NO, I, BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE MY ANS MY QUESTION TO ANSWER THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
WELL, I, I'M, I I CAN'T, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT'S IN THE, WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET MESSAGE.
WHAT I'M SAYING, AND WHAT KIM WAS ALSO SAYING IS THAT ON A BUDGET BASIS, WE ARE, WE DID NOT CHA INCREASE THE PREMIUM COST FOR, FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH FLOWS THROUGH TO THE EMPLOYEE SIDE.
UH, SO, AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH AON IN ORDER TO LET THEM KNOW.
AND I, I WILL SAY FOR KAISER, BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTROL KAISER CAUSE WE'RE NOT SELF-INSURED, THERE IS A PREMIUM INCREASE ON THE KAISER SIDE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY IN KAISER.
I THINK WE HAVE LIKE, LIKE A HANDFUL TOO.
UM, BUT ON THE CARE FIRST SIDE WHERE THE COUNTY IS SELF-INSURED, WE HAVE WORKED WITH CARE FIRST AND OUR HEALTH CONSULTANTS TO KEEP THOSE PREMIUMS FLAT FOR NEXT, NEXT, UH, NEXT YEAR.
AND THE LIBRARY FOLLOWS SUIT WITH, WITH THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, THERE IS NOT A INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE.
AND, UH, I'M NOT, LET ME SAY THIS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN PLAY WITH THESE NUMBERS AND THEY GET, UM, THEY GET CONFUSING.
IS YOUR MICROPHONE ON MR. CUT? WHAT'S GOING ON? I THINK, I THINK WHERE YOU SAW THE 10%.
YEAH, THAT'S FOR, UM, MEDICAL SERVICES.
THAT'S FOR PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS.
UM, PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICALS IN HRS BUDGET.
UM, LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, UH, THE, UH, THE JOB TOWN LIBRARY NEEDS HELP SAY AT LEAST, UH, IS THERE, AND YOU'RE NOT ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OR THE PARA SIDE, UH, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS.
IS THERE ANY, UH, YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE FOR, UH, UPGRADING THAT LIBRARY? UH, UM, AND WHEN AND IF AND HOW MUCH AND MAYBE ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT WAS, UH, PART OF THE, UH, RESERVE FUND THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE IS TO REFRESH THE JAPA LIBRARY AND OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE VISIT IT, UM, ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO.
AND, AND AGREED IT NEEDED, IT NEEDED SUBSTANTIAL HELP.
IS THERE ANY TIME LIMIT OR YOU'RE SEEING, UH, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND RE-LOOK AT ALL THE, THE MONEY THAT'S REMAINING TO SEE ALL THOSE PROJECTS.
SO, UM, BUT IT'S ON, IT'S DEFINITELY ON THE LIST AND IT'S PART OF OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN TOO.
IF YOU CAN KEEP ME UP TO DATE.
I'M, I KNOW I HAVE A MEETING AT THE EDGEWOOD LIBRARY ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT SIX O'CLOCK, SO I'LL CHECK THEM OUT.
I HAS SOME SPRUIKING UP TO DO TOO.
WE STRUGGLE WITH THE, UM, OUTSIDE, UH, THE GROUNDS KEEPING AT EDGEWOOD LIBRARY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A, EITHER THE, THE DIRT DOESN'T WANNA GROW ANYTHING.
UM, LOTS OF BALD SPOTS AND THINGS, BUT, UH, THE COUNTIES PARKS AND REC DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB TRYING TO KEEP THAT UP.
WELL, WE HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE, UM, SOME PEOPLE LIVING BEHIND THE, THE LIBRARY OVER THE YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM AND TRY TO GET THEM PLACES TO, TO, TO STAY VERSUS, UH, SLEEPING OUT THERE IN THE OUTSIDE AND AT THE LIBRARY.
SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES, WAYNE.
VISIT THERE TOMORROW NIGHT OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ANY INFORMATION.
MR. GINGER, UM, MARY, GO, GO BACK.
THE, UM, WHAT WOULD THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BE, UH, FOR RAISES? IF YOU GOT THE ONE AND A HALF PERCENT, WHAT WOULD THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT BE? DO YOU KNOW? UH, WELL, 1% IS 148,679.
SO LET ME ASK, UH, SO I KNOW, UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT'S TOO HARD ACCOUNTING, BUT WHAT IF YOU DID A ONE TIME BONUS, UM, AND DID IT MAYBE IN SIX MONTH INTERVALS, THEN WOULD THAT BE MUCH EASIER TO DO IT? IT HAS, IT HAS ITS PLUSES AND MINUSES.
UM, WE'VE DONE THAT PREVIOUSLY WHEN, WHEN THINGS WERE A LITTLE BIT, UM, SHORT AND WE CAN DO THAT AND WE CAN USE OUR, SOME OF OUR RESERVES FOR THAT.
SO WE HAVE SUPPLEMENTED AT SOME OF OUR COMP CLASS WITH OUR RESERVES.
UM, IT'S JUST THE DOWNSIDE TO IT IS, IT'S LIKE ANY, EVERYBODY'S HUMAN NATURE, YOU GET IT AND THEN YOU FORGET, YOU KIND OF GET IT AND IT DOESN'T GO TOWARD THEIR PENSION OR, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THAT.
THOSE NUMBERS THAT ARE REALLY CRITICAL TO A LOT OF OUR STAFF TOO.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS WE WILL GO BACK AND, AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE IN RESERVES, JUNE'S COMING UP.
SO, UM, WE CLOSE OUT THE YEAR AND THEN WE'LL KNOW WHERE WE ARE IN, IN AUGUST AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR STAFF AT THAT POINT.
SO WE'LL GO BACK AND WE ALWAYS GO BACK AND RE-LOOK AT IT.
AND THEN I, I KNOW WE HAVE TIFFANY COMING IN, SO WE'RE GONNA ASK HER ABOUT THE COST OF HEALTHCARE, WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT IS, CUZ
[00:25:01]
I KNOW IN THE SMALL MARKET, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A LOT DIFFERENT, UM, BUT I EVEN KNOW ON A LARGE MARKET, I KNOW THE COSTS HAVE GONE UP, BUT OUR PREMIUMS FROM WHAT ROBBIE'S SAYING ARE STAYING FLAT, CORRECT? YES.PREMIUM AND THAT PREMIUMS, YES.
PREMIUM FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT AND FROM A PREMIUM STANDPOINT, WE ARE, WE ARE FLAT, WE ARE ACTUAL HEALTHCARE COSTS WILL GO, IS ALWAYS DEPENDENT UPON WHAT THE ACTUAL CLAIMS ARE.
NOW ALL WE KNOW IS THAT IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN TO THE GOOD, BUT THAT IS ALWAYS THE CHALLENGE OF BEING SELF-INSURED.
BUT THE, BUT THE COST OF SERVICES HAS INCREASED.
IT'S JUST OUR CLAIMS HAVE NOT INCREASED.
SO, SO YEAH, I MEAN, HAVE HAS, HAS MEDICAL COSTS INCREASED IN INCREASED? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, BUT IT IS, IT'S, IT'S SPORADIC AND A LOT OF IT, AGAIN, DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS ON THE INDIVIDUAL BASIS, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S THE UNIQUE, LIKE NOW KAISER, THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT TRUE INSURANCE.
YOU KNOW, WE SEND THEM THE MONEY.
IF THEY'RE TO THE GOOD, THEY HAVE EXTRA MONEY.
IF THEY'RE TO THE BAD, THEY LOSE MONEY.
BUT WITH SELF INSURANCE, THIS IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS THE CHALLENGE.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN TO THE GOOD THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS FOR THAT ONE.
THANK YOU MR. JANAN AND MS. SOLES.
GOOD MORNING, MARY AND ALL YOUR STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, AS YOUR LIAISON FOR THE LIBRARIES, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, DURING TIMES, TIMES OF THE ECONOMIC DECLINE, LIBRARIES DO GET INUNDATED WITH USERS.
SO IT'S PRETTY CRITICAL THAT WE, WE DO WHAT WE NEED TO FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, I JUST HAD TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
WHO PAYS FOR THE UTILITY COSTS FOR THE LIBRARIES? THE LIBRARY PAYS FOR ALMOST ALL OUR BRAND HAVE ONE, ONE LOCATION OF COUNTY.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, STATE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO CHARGE FOR, UM, ANY OVERDUE BOOKS, AND WE DON'T WANNA PUT THOSE EXPENSES ON OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT CAN HELP WITH REVENUE WITHOUT PUTTING IT ON TO YOUR CUSTOMERS? SURE.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE KNOWN FOR BEING VERY CREATIVE ON RAISING REVENUE THAT IS PERMITTED BY STATE LAW.
AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, STATE LAW PROHIBITS MOST THINGS.
UH, WE CAN'T DO, LIKE I CANNOT CHARGE YOU TO CHECK OUT A BOOK OR A MOVIE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, USE OUR DATABASES OR ANYTHING OF, OF THAT TYPE, OUR TYPICAL RESOURCES.
AND THE STATE DID PASS A LAW, I GUESS IT WAS A YEAR AGO OR SO, PROHIBITING ANY OVERDUE FEES, FINES FOR CHILDREN'S MATERIALS.
AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT IS A CHILDREN'S MATERIAL? IS IT THE MATERIAL, IS IT LIBRARY CARD? UM, SO, UH, THE STATE, WE'RE ALL WORKING THROUGH THAT CURRENTLY.
WE'RE NOT CHARGING FOR OVERDUE MATERIALS FOR ADULT MATERIALS EITHER.
UM, HOWEVER, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO BRING IT BACK OR WE WILL HAPPILY CHARGE YOU A REPLACEMENT FEE THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO.
WE ALSO DO PASSPORT PROCESSING.
THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT REVENUE GENERATOR FOR US FOR THE PAST PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS OR SO.
WE ALSO, WE LOOKED INTO DOING THE TSA PRE, UM, BUT THE COMPANIES THAT CURRENTLY DO THAT WAS NOT HAPPY THAT LIBRARIES WERE LOOKING AT DOING IT, EVEN THOUGH WE WOULD DO A MUCH BETTER JOB.
UM, AND PEOPLE LOVE COMING TO THE LIBRARY.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR MEETING ROOMS WE CHARGE FOR, UM, YOU'RE HAPPILY YOU CAN USE OUR MEETING ROOMS THAT WE DO CHARGE A SMALL FEE FOR OUR NON-PROFITS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
SO WE CAN ALWAYS LOOK AT INCREASING THAT.
UH, WE DO CHARGE, IT IS FREE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO HAVE A LIBRARY CARD, BUT IF YOU'RE OUTTA STATE, WE CHARGE YOU A MINIMAL FEE ALSO FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PAYING TAXES IN MARYLAND.
UM, SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN GENERATE REVENUE.
WE ALSO SEEK GRANTS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT IT'S AMBER'S FIRST DAY BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ON OUR TOPIC WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IS, UH, SEEKING GRANTS BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TOO.
UM, PG E GREEN GRANT, WE'VE RECEIVED ROSEDALE, FEDERAL APG.
LOTS OF OUR PARTNERS OUT THERE HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS TO US.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE BEATING THE BUSHES ON THAT AND BEING CREATIVE.
AND WE CAN CHARGE, IF I BRING IN A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AUTHOR, LIKE A COLLEEN HOOVER, THE FOUNDATION CAN CHARGE THAT.
NOT THE LIBRARY, BUT THE FOUNDATION, KEN.
SO, AND THE GALLO, OF COURSE, IS OUR BIG, BIG FUNDRAISER FOR THOSE THINGS.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE LIBRARIES, UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING ALL THESE EXAMPLES OF PROGRAMMING.
I, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, BUT UP UNTIL THE PANDEMIC, I DIDN'T HAVE A HOME COMPUTER.
AND SO I WENT TO THE HAVE GRACE BRANCH LIBRARY AFTER WORK EVERY DAY TO DO MY GRADUATE WORK, TO DO MY LESSON PLANNING.
UM, AND I WOULD SIT THERE AND FOR HOURS ON END, I WOULD WATCH OUR LIBRARY WORKERS DO SOFT PROGRAMMING.
YOU KNOW, THE STUFF OF TEACHING SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY HOW TO USE A COMPUTER, HELPING SOMEBODY FIX THEIR RESUME, WATCHING THE 12 CHILDREN PLAYING, UH, FORTNITE IN THE LOBBY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY OUTTA TROUBLE.
YOU KNOW, UM, HELPING, HELPING A FAMILY PICK OUT A BOOK THAT'S SPECIAL FOR THEIR KID.
ALL THOSE THINGS THAT OUR LIBRARY WORKERS DO EVERY DAY.
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, I THINK PAY PARODY IS THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING TO DO ANYTHING LESS IS DISRESPECTFUL.AND I'M SORRY THAT WE'RE EVEN HAVING TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
I JUST, IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK FOR SO LITTLE MONEY OF SUCH VALUE, UM, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIVE IN A VACUUM.
UH, WE'RE SURROUNDED BY LIBRARY SYSTEMS OUTSIDE OF HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND IT'S A VERY TIGHT LABOR MARKET FOR LIBRARY WORKERS.
UM, SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY'S BUDGET LOOKS LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR? WHAT THEIR PAY INCREASES FOR STAFFING LOOKS LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR? UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS RUN THE RISK OF SOMEBODY, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WALL SEPARATING HARTFORD AND BALTIMORE COUNTY THAT WOULD KEEP SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, NO ELECTRIC COLLARS ARE ON OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, UH HA YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO WORK IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES NEXT YEAR? WELL, AS I USED TO WORK AT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, UM, WE'RE A MUCH BETTER LIBRARY SYSTEM, BUT DON'T ANYBODY SAY THAT OUTSIDE THESE WALLS MM-HMM.
I'M NOT AWARE RIGHT AT THE MOMENT.
I DO KNOW THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, JOHNNY O HAS PUT IN A VERY ROBUST BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE YEAR.
I READ THAT IN THE PAPERS, UH, PROBABLY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
UM, I DO KNOW LAST YEAR THEY RECEIVED A THREE AND 3%.
UM, SO, UH, WHERE WE RECEIVED THE 10%, WHICH WAS FABULOUS, ABOUT GETTING US UP TO CLOSE TO WAGE PARITY.
AND, UM, AND I DO KNOW THEIR BENEFITS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE EX WELL, THEY'RE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT WE PAY IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR OUR BENEFIT ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.
UM, BUT WE CAN, I CAN FIND OUT THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
I DO KNOW WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN HARFORD COUNTY THAT, UM, OUR TURNOVER RATE IS REALLY LOW COMPARED TO OTHER LIBRARY SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
MARY'S COUNTY IS AT A 35% TURNOVER RATE.
UM, AND IT'S, AND IT VARIES IN BETWEEN LIKE 9% TO THE 35%.
AND WE'RE AT 12%, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.
AND CHARLES AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN RECRUITING SO MUCH.
IF YOU REMEMBER IN FORMER YEARS, I ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WERE HOLDING A LOT OF POSITIONS TO BE FILLED.
SO ABOUT, I GUESS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE STARTED FILLING THEM, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE BUSY, WE'RE REALLY BUSY AND TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
SO, UM, I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU THOUGH.
ANYWHERE THAT SOMEBODY COULD FEEDERS REACH WITH THEIR CAR.
ANYONE? MR. ROBERT? THANK YOU.
HOW ARE YOU? UM, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE DONATION FROM THE LIBRARY TO SAR FOR THEIR NEW SAFE HOUSE.
THERE'RE GETTING READY TO GET THAT OTHER WAY.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS HERE, MAYBE CHARLES KNOWS.
BUT, UM, REGARDING, UH, EMPLOYMENT IDEA OF STARTING WAGE RATE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES ENTRY LEVEL, KIND OF YOU.
CURRENTLY OUR SALARY SCALE IS, STARTS A LITTLE BIT UNDER $15 AN HOUR.
UM, WE ARE, OUR GOAL ON OUR PRIORITY AND OUR BOARD IS FULLY SUPPORTED, THIS IS TO GET IT TO $17.
WE'RE COMPETING WITH A LOT OF OUR ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS WITH AMAZON, CHICK-FIL-A, ALL THOSE PLACES.
AUDI, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AT $17 AND WE JUST CAN'T COMPETE WITH THEM NOW.
I THINK WE'RE A MUCH NICER PLACE TO WORK, BUT STILL, REALISTICALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL COMPETING WITH NOW.
SO OUR GOAL IS 17, AND I WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BY JULY 1ST, SO WE WILL SEE.
AND YOU GAVE SOME NUMBERS FOR EARLY IN YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, FOR DIFFERENT WAGE RATES, BUT I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE AVERAGE WAGE RATE IS ACROSS THE LIBRARY, IF YOU KNOW THAT.
YOU CAN GET THAT TO US LATER IF YOU KNOW IT UNLESS YOU WANT I, I, I WILL.
KATHY, DO YOU HAVE THAT WITH YOU? YEAH, WE'LL GET IT TO YOU.
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HIRING HAS INCREASED THE BIG INITIATIVE TO HIRE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR VACANCY RATE? DO YOU KNOW? UM, I THINK WE HAVE SIX POSITIONS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT POSTED.
UM, THREE OF THEM ARE 15 HOUR POSITIONS AND THREE ARE FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
AMBER STARTED, THERE'S A BOOK AGAIN THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S DOWN FROM, I BELIEVE WE HAD 32, 35.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RESERVE FUND, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT EVERY POSITION BEFORE WE FILL IT.
WE MAKE SURE IT'S, IT'S WHAT WE NEED.
IT'S, WE MAKE SURE IT MEETS THE NEEDS OF NOT ONLY THE LIBRARY, BUT THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE CHANGING.
SO WE TAKE OUR TIME TO EVALUATE EVERY, EVEN OUR 15 HOUR POSITIONS.
UM, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF YOUR TEAM.
UM, I ALWAYS WANNA THANK EVERY
[00:35:01]
SINGLE ONE OF YOU.I'VE WORKED WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU RECENTLY, AND IT WAS A JOY.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, IT APPEARS THAT, UM, THE GOVERNOR WILL SIGN INTO EFFECT, UM, A 15 HOUR WAGE LAW, UM, EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT AT THAT PAY RATE RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO OFFER OUT OF YOUR BUDGET, WHAT, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THAT STANDARD FOR THE STATE? WE WILL HAVE NO CHOICE.
WE WILL HAVE TO FIND THAT MONEY SOMEWHERE.
SO IT MAY BE THAT ONE OF, ONE OF THE SIX POSITIONS DISAPPEARS, AND WE USE THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE, THEY'RE OUR FRONTLINE STAFF.
THOSE POSITIONS, I BELIEVE, EXCEPT FOR TWO OF THEM ARE BACK IN HEADQUARTERS.
WE, I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE.
AND KATHY IS, YOU KNOW, DOING THE NUMBERS.
SHE DOES THE NUMBERS WEEKLY TO SEE IF THIS HAPPENS.
IF INFLATION GOES UP THIS MUCH, THIS IS WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO CUT BACK.
AND THE LAST THING WE WOULD CUT BACK IS JUST LET YOU KNOW IS OUR MATERIALS, OUR BOOKS, THOSE THINGS BE, ARE CRITICAL.
UM, NOTICE WE DO NOT HAVE SUNDAY HOURS.
WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT THEM BACK SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
UM, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF OF FUNDING, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF FOR THAT.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO BRING SUNDAY HOURS BACK? IT WOULD TAKE SOME FUNDING AND I, I DON'T KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE COULD FIND THAT OUT FOR YOU.
IT'D PROBABLY BE, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE HARFORD COUNTY AND BECAUSE SUNDAY IS FAMILY TIME, WE DO PAY OUR STAFF WHO WORK SUNDAY'S TIME AND A HALF.
UM, EVEN IF THEY'RE HAVEN'T MET THE 40 HOUR ROLE, IT'S JUST FLAT TIME AND A HALF.
UM, AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW PEOPLE NEED EXTRA MONEY AND IT'S ALSO, THEY'RE GIVING THEIR FAMILY TIME UP.
MR. AND CYNTHIA, I JUST WANNA SAY ONE MORE IF I MAY.
YOU, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME CRY NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THE, I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE THE BEST STAFF AT HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND SOMETIMES WE'RE AT ODDS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY CARE SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.
AND YOU HAVE TO WORK IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY.
PEOPLE THINK WE SIT AND READ ALL DAY,
THANK GOD WE HAVE, WE RENEW IT THREE TIMES.
SO THAT'S A BLESSING FOR YOUR DIRECTOR, BUT THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEY GIVE SO MUCH.
SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS, MR. ANDES.
WELL, MARY, I WANT TO, I WANNA GO RIGHT BACK ONTO THAT TOPIC FOR YOU.
UM, I, I CAN GIVE YOU COUNCILMAN BENNETT A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON ONE OF THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
UM, ONE TO OUR NORTH HAS GIVEN OVER $192,000 IN NEW FUNDING THIS YEAR.
OPERATIONAL 4% INCREASE IN COLA.
UH, THAT COUNTY HAS ONE FIFTH OF THE BUDGET THIS COUNTY HAS.
UM, SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF 200 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND WE'RE GONNA PUT $10 MILLION IN HR FOR FUTURE 1.5 RAISES POTENTIALLY AS COUNCIL MCG GUTHRIE RE UH, REFERENCED EARLIER, THAT GIVES THE COUNTY TWO MONTHS OF REVENUE PROJECTIONS TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE.
SO INSTEAD OF POTENTIALLY THROWING THAT MONEY INTO A FUND BALANCE LATER ON, I THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL AND SOMETHING I'LL RECOMMEND SHOULD LOOK AT THAT AS SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD SEE TO COME ACROSS THIS COUNCIL AT SOME POINT MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, IF, UH, THE REVENUE IS BETTER THAN EXPECTED.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT YOUR STAFF HAS DONE, YES, THE 10% THAT CAME THROUGH LAST YEAR WAS BECAUSE OF A LOT OF YEARS OF NOT GETTING IT.
AND I THINK, THINK THAT THE, THE FASTEST WAY TO FALL BEHIND IN WAGE PARODY IS TO GIVE AND THEN STOP AND GIVE AND THEN STOP.
SO, UM, JUST TO YOUR STAFF AND TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THIS IS AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS MIND BLOWING TO THE COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THAT IS NOT IN YOUR BUDGET WHEN OTHER COUNTIES ARE WAY MORE FUNDED AT THIS POINT THAN WHERE WE ARE NOW.
SO, AND I'M SURE THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL GATHER IS GONNA SHOW THE SAME NUMBERS.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. STOVER? UM, MARY, SO I HAD, WHEN DR.
FELDER WAS SITTING THERE LAST WEEK, I HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH HER CUZ YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF IN THE FLAT FUNDING BOAT, I GUESS IT'S MORE OF A PONTOON.
UM, YOUR ALL'S CONTRIBUTION FROM THE STATE THOUGH IS FAR LESS THAN THE COLLEGE.
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET IS THAT? IT'S ABOUT BETWEEN 12, 12 AND 13% DEPENDING ON, ON THE YEAR.
AND WE WERE NOT THIS OVER, CAN YOU BRING THAT MIC TO YOU OR MAKE SURE IT'S ON PLEASE? AND WE, WE WERE NOT FORTUNATE IN ANNAPOLIS THROUGH LEGISLATION, UH, THIS YEAR FOR THE PER CAPITA INCREASE.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK NEXT YEAR.
UH, THE COLLEGE SEEMED TO DO BETTER WITH THE STATE, BUT YOU ALL ARE FLAT.
ANYONE ELSE? MARY, AS ALWAYS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTATION AND AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO COUNTY.
[00:40:01]
TO TAKE A BRIEF SECOND BEFORE WE START, UH, WITH DR.BUT YOU COULD LEAVE THE DOG WITH ME.
UM, I THINK SHE HAS TO GO BACK TO HER OWNER
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, BUT, UH, WANNA WELCOME UH, DR.
BOLSON AND, AND HIS STAFF HERE TODAY.
HIS, HIS DEDICATED TEAM HERE TODAY.
AND, UM, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SEAN.
[00:45:01]
GOOD.SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME SLIDES.
NORMALLY WE PRESENT ACTUALLY WHAT WE REQUESTED IN OUR BUDGET, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT BRIEFLY AT THE END.
BUT AS YOU GUYS ALL UNDERSTAND, WHAT WE REQUESTED IS REALLY LESSED TOPIC TODAY IN A WAY.
SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SORT OF OUR, OUR BUDGET CIRCUMSTANCES.
I'VE PRESENTED MUCH OF THIS TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT Y'ALL SEE IT.
UM, THE MOST SIMPLE SUMMARY LOOKS LIKE THE COMPUTER REFORMATTED US A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE SIM, THE SIMPLEST SUMMARY OF OUR BUDGET, 86% INSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS STUDENT FACING IS 86% OF OUR BUDGET.
11% COVERS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, 3% IS ADMINISTRATION.
DIFFERENT FORMAT AT THIS VERSION WORKS FOR YOU.
AND THEN BECAUSE THE COST OF ADMINISTRATION AND HCPS HAS, UH, BEEN QUESTIONED VIGOROUSLY, UM, OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I WANTED TO PUT THIS UP.
THIS IS FROM A REPORT POSTED ON MSTS SITE.
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THE, THE TWO MAJOR CATEGORIES MEASURED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND MID-LEVEL ADMINISTRATION.
BASICALLY ALL TYPES OF SCHOOL SYSTEM LEADERSHIP IS WRAPPED UP IN THERE.
HARFORD COUNTY IS 24TH TO 24TH AND SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE STATE AVERAGE.
UH, SO IN TERMS OF RUNNING AN EFFICIENT OPERATION, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT WE HAVE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT WE DO THAT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IDEA THAT, UM, SCHOOL FUNDING IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT'S REALLY KIND OF DRIVING, UH, INCREASED COST IN THE DISTRICT FOR OUR BUDGET.
BUT WHAT THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS, NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, WHETHER IT'S PERCENT OF HARPER COUNTY GENERAL FUNDS, UM, WITH DEBT SERVICE AND PEGO WITHOUT DEBT SERVICE AND PEGO, OR WITH, UM, NO MATTER HOW YOU MEASURE IT, THAT THE PERCENTAGE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OCCUPIES IN HARTFORD COUNTY'S BUDGET HAS GONE CONSISTENTLY DOWN.
AND OF COURSE, WITH THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, FY 24 UC, AN EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE DIP POINT BEING THAT YES, EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE.
YES, THE COST OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN GOING UP ACROSS THE STATE AND THERE'S BEEN A HUGE INVESTMENT FROM THE STATE LEVEL IN ADVANCING EDUCATION.
UM, BUT THE COST TO THIS COMMUNITY HAS GONE UP AT A LOWER RATE, UM, THAN THE REST OF THE OVERALL BUDGET IN IN HARVARD COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, LISTENING TO SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS EARLIER IN THE YEAR, IT WAS IF OUR COSTS, OUR EXPENSES WERE WHAT WAS DRIVING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WE'VE CONFRONTED IN THIS COUNTY, A ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT THE MONEY COMING INTO THE SCHOOLS, WE APPRECIATE THE INVESTMENT THIS COMMUNITY'S MADE IN EDUCATION.
I FEEL WE HAVE A VERY STRONG, UH, SYSTEM AND I THINK WE DO, UH, QUITE A LOT WITH THE MONEY WE GET.
UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE LATEST REPORT, BUT WE ARE STILL 22ND, 23RD, 24TH IN TERMS OF PER PUPIL FUNDING IN THE STATE.
AND SO AGAIN, WE ARE SPENDING LESS PER STUDENT THAN MUCH OF MARYLAND, YET WE ALWAYS OUTPERFORM THE FUNDING.
WE'RE WELL ABOVE WHERE WE RANK IN FUNDING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I NEED TO GO THROUGH ANY OF THESE IN GREAT DEPTH.
I JUST TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT AGAIN WHILE WE'VE AVERAGED, UM, NEAR 50% OVER THE LAST, WHAT'S THE 17 YEARS? UM, AGAIN, WITH THIS YEAR'S PROPOSAL, WE'RE, WE'RE WELL BELOW 50% OF COUNTY FUNDS.
THIS SLIDE AGAIN, SHOWS THE CHANGE IN REVENUE, AGAIN, INDICATING OUR COSTS HAVE GONE UP, BUT THEY'VE GONE UP COMMENSURATE WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
AND WHEN YOU SEE THE GAP, UH, AND THE PROPOSAL, UM, THIS YEAR, WE START TO SEE THAT FLAGGING INVESTMENT IN, IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMING FROM OUR COUNTY LEADERSHIP.
ONE OF THE BIG DRIVERS, CUZ I KNOW A QUESTION THAT'S COME OUT RECENTLY ALSO IS WE DID RECEIVE, UM, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE STATE AND THIS YEAR'S FUNDING.
AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH BLUEPRINT, WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE AND WE HAVE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, FROM ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY ON OUR BLUEPRINT COMMITTEES.
THESE ARE THE FOUR MAJOR WORK AREAS OF, UH, THE MARYLAND, UH, BLUEPRINT.
AND WHAT WE'VE LISTED HERE, AND I WON'T READ THEM TO YOU, BUT YOU HAVE HARD COPIES.
THESE ARE SORT OF MAJOR TO-DO ITEMS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RELATED TO THE BLUEPRINT.
I KNOW THESE ARE THINGS THAT, THAT ARE IN
[00:50:01]
THAT 400 PAGE PIECE OF LEGISLATION FROM A FEW YEARS AGO.AND IT LISTS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT WE NEED TO BE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON.
AND FRANKLY, WHILE A LOT OF MONEY HAS COME IN FROM THE STATE TO ADDRESS THE BLUEPRINT, THE MONEY FROM THE STATE AT BEST COVER 75% OF THAT TO-DO LIST.
THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE LOCAL COUNTY IS ENHANCING THEIR EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE BLUEPRINT.
AND AGAIN, THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SORT OF A CHALLENGE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
MANY DISTRICTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOW TO KEEP UP WITH THOSE COSTS.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXAMPLES OVER THE YEAR.
ONE OF THE, THE MOST OBVIOUS ONES IS THAT BY FY 25, EVERY DISTRICT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A STARTING SALARY OF $60,000 FOR THEIR TEACHERS.
UM, FOR HARFORD COUNTY TO REACH THAT NUMBER, OUR INCREASE, OUR COST OF LIVING INCREASE WOULD HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 2.4% PER YEAR JUST TO STAY ON TRACK TO HIT THAT 60,000 CUTOFF.
AS YOU'VE SEEN IN THE NEWS, SOME OF THE DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE ARE LIKELY TO HIT THAT NUMBER IF, UM, EARLY.
UH, SOME OF THEM HAVE SORT OF RAPIDLY RAMPED UP, PARTLY BECAUSE, UM, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY STATE PUSHING HIGHER SALARIES FOR TEACHERS BECAUSE WE ARE IN A NATIONWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE.
AND, UM, SO THAT HAS BEEN ACCELERATING.
BUT AGAIN, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A LIST OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NEW, UH, EXPENSES FOR US BECAUSE OF BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS.
AND AGAIN, STATE FUNDING IS ADDRESSING THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT, BUT CERTAINLY NOT ALL OF IT.
SO WHILE IT'S HARD TO BE COMING TO YOU ASKING FOR EVEN MORE, I MEAN, YOU DIDN'T PASS THE BLUEPRINT AS A COUNCIL, I'M AWARE OF THAT.
UH, THAT IS A CHALLENGE THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE FACING.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE APPEARING IN STATE LAW THAT WE'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS.
AND, UM, SO THAT INFLUENCES WHAT WE ASKED.
THESE NEXT FEW ARE JUST TABLES.
I'LL JUST INCLUDE, I MEAN, I DON'T NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THESE, THESE ARE KIND OF THE TABLE VERSION OF THE GRAPHS WE SHOWED YOU.
UM, BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN DO THE YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON TO SEE THAT AGAIN, FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS HAS STAYED CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY, BUT IN, IN, IN EVERY CASE THAT THE, THE SHARE OF THE COUNTY FUNDS HAS GONE DOWN.
AND AGAIN, THIS WAS JUST A NUMBER OF WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, UH, QUITE A BIT OF INFLATION AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO KEEP OUR, UM, FUNDING LEVEL AT LEAST KEEP UP WITH THAT BECAUSE AS WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THIS BUDGET FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UM, WERE SO MANY OF THE MAJOR ENTITIES, UH, AND I I I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT FLAT FUNDING FOR THE LIBRARIES, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR PARKS AND REC.
BECAUSE WHEN I PUT THOSE THREE TOGETHER AND, AND ATTACH THEM TO THE SCHOOLS, I MEAN, THAT'S SO MUCH OF THE WORK IN THIS COUNTY, UH, THAT WE DO TO SUPPORT CHILDREN.
AND, UM, TO SEE, I MEAN, FLAT FUNDING IN AN INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT IS A CUT NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.
AND, UM, SO SEEING THAT THE SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES, UH, MAKES ME CONCERNED FOR THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO OUR CHILDREN IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL.
AGAIN, I, I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE COUNTY REVENUE DATA.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THIS, BUT WE WANTED TO PUT IT IN THERE.
SO THIS IS NORMALLY WHERE WE SPEND MOST OF OUR PRESENTATION, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST TOUCH ON IT VERY QUICKLY.
THIS IS THE ONE PAGE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE PUT FORWARD IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET REQUEST.
UM, THE CATEGORIES YOU SEE, UM, THESE ARE THE MAJOR AREAS WHERE WE, WE WERE LOOKING TO INCREASE THE BUDGET AND, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
UM, AND IF YOU RECALL, WHAT WE SENT IN OUR LOCAL REQUEST TO, UM, TO THE COUNTY WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF THE EMPLOYEE SALARY AND WAGE PACKAGE, WHICH, UH, SHOWS HERE AS THE FIRST ITEM AT 19.158 MILLION.
UM, AND IF YOU SORT OF GO A LITTLE BIT PAST THE MIDDLE, THE INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS AND, AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES, 583,863, WHEN YOU ADD THOSE TOGETHER, THAT WAS THE TOTAL OF WHAT WE ASKED AS AN INCREASE FROM THE COUNTY.
BASICALLY THE SALARY PACKAGE, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF.
THAT REPRESENTS A STEP PLUS A 3% COLA.
AND REMEMBER I SAID WE NEED TO BE DOING A 2.4% COLA TO STAY ON TRACK WITH THE SIX.
SO THAT IS KIND OF OUR LOW NUMBER THERE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE ADDED THE, THE, THE INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS.
WE, WE'VE WAIVED THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT WE FELT THE NEED TO KIND OF ENSURE THAT THE REVENUE WAS ADDRESSED IN THE BUDGET.
IT WAS A REASON WE ASKED FOR THAT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, ENDURING ANY MAJOR CUTS, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FUND THAT, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT BRINGING BACK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A LOT TO BE SOLVED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN WITH ANY OF THESE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIND OUT WHAT THE FINAL ANSWER IS ON THE BUDGET.
[00:55:01]
I WANT TO TURN FOR A SECOND AND ALLOW MR. BROWN TO, TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CAPITAL BUDGET.UH, THERE WAS ONE SORT OF MAJOR CONCERN THAT I WANT HIM TO, TO HIGHLIGHT AND THEN WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, WITH OUR REQUEST THAT WE SUBMITTED, UH, TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UM, WE, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, ISSUES THAT WE HAD IN BEL AIR, THE HOMESTEAD WAKEFIELD PROJECT, WE PRETTY MUCH LOST A YEAR, UM, CAUSE OF THE ROAD DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWN.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE DEFERRED OUR REQUEST FOR THAT SCHOOL PROJECT ONE FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE FOCUSED OUR ATTENTION ON THAT NEXT PROJECT AT, UM, HARTFORD ACADEMY, UM, AT CAMPUS HILLS, UH, WHERE, UH, WE, WE REQUESTED THE $16 MILLION FOR, UM, PLANNING AND DESIGN FUNDING, WHICH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DID FUND.
BUT IN, UM, REVIEW OF, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S BUDGET, UH, THE PROJECT AT HARTFORD ACADEMY ISN'T BEING FUNDED TO FY 27.
AND, UM, IF YOU, UM, THOSE OF YOU WHO COULD RECALL THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY THE BOARD LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE DOING THE BALANCING ENROLLMENT, UM, THE HARTFORD ACADEMY AT CAMPUS HILLS WAS INTENDED TO ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE, UM, SPECIAL NEEDS REQUIREMENTS AT HARTFORD ACADEMY, BUT ALSO, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, WITH AROUND 550 SEATS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, TO BALANCE ENROLLMENT IN HARFORD COUNTY OR ELEMENTARY.
UM, THIS YEAR WE DID MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, UH, TO ADDRESS THE, UH, CAPACITY ISSUES SPECIFICALLY IN THE BELAIRE AREA.
UH, BUT THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DEFER THAT AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR REASONS THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED THEN.
UM, BUT WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS WITH THE FUNDING OF HARTFORD ACADEMY AND FY 27, IT SHIFTS, UM, THAT PLAN WHERE WE INTENDED TO BRING THAT SCHOOL ONLINE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR OF THE 2026 SCHOOL YEAR.
UH, BUT WITH THE FUNDING, UH, PLAN AS IT WAS PRESENTED, UH, WE WILL PRETTY MUCH BE LOOKING AT, UM, SHIFTING THAT TWO YEARS TO SCHOOL, YEAR 28.
UM, NOW I GUESS THE DOMINO EFFECT WOULD BE IN OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, THE NEXT PROJECT IS OLD POST.
SO THEN THERE WILL BE, UM, A DOMINO EFFECT WHERE ALL OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS WERE PRETTY MUCH, UM, SHIFT, UH, TWO YEARS SINCE THE, UH, STRATEGY FOR HARFORD COUNTY IS NOT TO FUND TWO SCHOOL PROJECTS AT A TIME.
UH, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, HARTFORD ACADEMY AND FY 27, WILLIAM PAER OLD POST, WHICH IS NOT IN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET, UM, BUT ONE WE THINK IT WOULD BE FY 29 AND THEN BEL AIR