thursday,march 21, 2013 - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

COUNTY
NEWS
The County Times
Thursday, March 21, 2013 4
Sheriff, Libraries, Schools Receive
Funding Increases
By Alex Panos
Staff Writer
The Board of County Commissioners continued to hammer
out the budget this week, and are likely to award 5 percent
increases to the Sheriff’s office and the public library to the budget
in fiscal year 2014, and a 3 percent increase to public schools.
After originally debating over a 5 percent increase for the
school system, the board changed their stance – by a vote of 3-2
– to increase the school budget by 3 percent, adding $1.6 million
to the budget surplus.
The addition puts the total budget surplus at just over $3.9
million.
Commissioner Cynthia Jones feels the county must be
conservative with the budget now, because with sequestration
on the horizon it is important to be prepared for the next several
years.
“We don’t know enough to make projections like that,”
Jones said.
Jones, and commissioners Dan Morris and president Francis
“Jack” Russell opposed a $4 million increase to the school
budget, while Larry Jarboe and Todd Morgan said for now they
could support the 5 percent increase.
Morgan wanted time to review the requests from the
Board of Education and have an opportunity to “play with the
numbers.”
As it stands now, the schools are likely to receive around
$2.4 million; Superintendent Michael Martirano originally requested
$6.2 million in funding from the county.
The school system will likely have to renegotiate with the
teacher’s unions, because their tentative agreement relies on
$3.5 million in county funds, according to Greg Nourse, assistant
superintendent of finance.
If they don’t receive more than the 3 percent increase,
they will eliminate the proposed nine teachers, National Flight
Academy instructor and 10 security assistants Martirano had
hoped for in the original budget.
Nourse added, the school system will begin forming a
new plan in the coming weeks, noting they are in “wait and see
mode.”
Martirano, who wants to put school resource officers at
each elementary school, told the board he is open to implementing
the officers over time instead of all at once.
Jones feels sequestration is going to cause many families
to relocate out of St. Mary’s County, while Jarboe feels parents
will find ways to save money by relocating children from private
schools into the public system.
Morris believes parents will not relocate children from
private schools, but will instead save money by avoiding restaurants
and retail shops.
The Sheriff’s office will enjoy a $1.5 million increase from
last year if the budget is approved.
School Resource Officers will be added to two middle
schools, and Sheriff Timothy Cameron will only be permitted
to promote half of the employees he requested.
The increase in funding will allow the libraries to open the
Lexington Park Library on Sundays.
According to Library Director Kathleen Reif, when the
library had to close on Sundays in 2012 they experienced a decrease
in checkouts by the same number of Sunday’s checkout
number in 2011.
Instead of picking another day to go to the library, people
simply weren’t going, she said.
“It’s very rewarding that they [county commissioners] recognize
this is a service that needs to come back,” Reif said.
Rescue Tax is going to increase by .3 cents per $100 assessment
for Hollywood and Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squads
– from .8 cents to 1.1 cents at Ridge and 1.1 cents to 1.4 cents in
Hollywood.
By a 3-2 vote during the work session, the commissioners
decided to renovate the jail instead of building an expansion to
it.
For now county employees are scheduled to receive two
step pay raises, although the board has yet to discuss the issue.
Jones expects some discussions to take place in the near
future.
According to Morris, among things being considered are
the number of steps, cost of living and stipends for high-ranking
employees.
At one point during the meeting, Jones noted Jarboe is voting
for 5 percent increases in the budget now, particularly to the
schools, libraries and the Sheriff’s office, but he has a history of
electing not to sign the budget.
Jarboe countered, “I’ve voted for the budget more times
than I’ve not over the last 12 years.”
The budget will be approved next week and go to public
hearing on April 30 at Chopticon High School. The hearing will
begin at 6:30 p.m.
alexpanos@countytimes.net
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