[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6377607,"mediaKeyId","2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050","parentId",2138896,"title","State’s attorney seeks evidence-analyst position and funding for prosecutorial tools; commissioners approve several line items","audioSeconds",1166,"startMs",1217550,"endMs",2383680,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050&start=1217&end=2383","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050/thumbnail_1217550.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6377607/St-Marys-County/Maryland/States-attorney-seeks-evidence-analyst-position-and-funding-for-prosecutorial-tools-commissioners-approve-several-line-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377607-ad165c515d21fbaa19f56f8529161581/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154486&Signature=di4AKHbHQ3-CwC6iE-RPUOhMEwnfEzU8MwwBYGRnxO74alaVtNwjy-RDJGM2qSlE8GKX~LgWHpaf1yFcsuW2Q2gCkcYrgAwtRqHC2welw-MGa2aKdh7m6bDrnH0mi000qf3J9HZF~dPh~XTQGJd-EUWgpqhvH9s8ETxd8zSQaVxOgATdEx8gYoopn-Vt50yDsZUQONGyw1hQqs6Bs~VJqGGGqlTh4o4mHj5a9EXOw-~72giDAN6KZVJhX1AAk-WWWOJsZINDOV90bfEi6pNFO~wY3mK3f3EbeYceMIcvvDCsFdjtbnbBZFWM041Haflj82Y0kUoyLH51jQNWPATTUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County, MD","date","2025-01-22T18:44:37Z","article","The St. Mary’s County state’s attorney’s office asked commissioners on March 9 to include a new evidence-analyst position and recurring technology and reference funding in the FY22 operating budget and received tentative approval for several line items pending documentation.

Daniel White, speaking for the office, told commissioners the prosecutor’s office has seen “an enormous amount of electronic evidence” in recent years—body-camera footage, lengthy phone downloads, jail calls and hundreds of videos from private businesses and vendors—and said a dedicated evidence analyst would collect, organize and prepare that material under court rules. White described the proposed position as a technical specialist who would manage storage, chain-of-custody and the large volume of downloads now arriving in cases.

Commissioners noted the requested annual cost for a new evidence analyst was listed inconsistently (about $78,000–$84,000 in the submitted paperwork) and asked the office to clarify the exact expense. White and staff said the office has left two legal-assistant vacancies to convert them to evidence-technician roles and that some costs might be handled through internal realignments or unused fund balances.

On supplemental budget lines, commissioners agreed to include three items in the office’s budget for FY22: the DeWolf-related allocation, a Westlaw legal-reference subscription and an expense for restitution management. Commissioners and staff marked those as acceptable to move forward, while requesting clarification on recurring versus one-time costs for items such as MDEC bolt-on fees and equipment.

The MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts) prosecutor bolt-on was discussed as a $29,500 item in the backup materials; commissioners asked whether the office’s fund balance or salary savings could cover some of the requested expenses. Staff said the office had historically carried unspent funds for items such as DeWolf and that the department could realign within its existing budget if needed.

The board asked the office to return with reconciled figures for the evidence-analyst cost, clarified recurring fees for software, and a summary of the office’s available fund balance before final decisions on recurring expenditures.

No formal roll-call vote was recorded; commissioners gave the office permission to work the approved items into the baseline budget subject to the clarifications requested.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/9/2021 CSMC Budget Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","The St. Mary's County state’s attorney’s office requested a new evidence-analyst position and funding for prosecutorial software and subscriptions; commissioners asked for cost clarifications and agreed to include specific items pending that documentation.","taxTitle","St. Mary's County, Maryland","taxId",51086,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377603,"Sheriff asks for staffing increase, district-based policing and a health nurse; commissioners tell office to prioritize within set funding",5192,2423890,7616760,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050&start=2423&end=7616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050/thumbnail_2423890.jpg","/articles/6377603/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Sheriff-asks-for-staffing-increase-district-based-policing-and-a-health-nurse-commissioners-tell-office-to-prioritize-within-set-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377603-ae9a7e919a625c63a2b0f2a7c14e2531/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154486&Signature=I2h3H1uYbAFNmETGWeFkKEpemGs3J-c67wnqYDJNapH1DcJZ1Z1MG6pOEocBumwoIHahIQKRnqrZq8D4dIBmU~iqdihAhwjeAa1NTc2DapV6snZRIVYNuXKmOMLLyWW7KoZyYsTFeE9FEaGWqfDZ8L1ll4h8NXqhr2OtfThri-whcqjreNR332uothJ0RPeEvsneMAKuNtjikopryOeinERoC9JKXZGlf7tlQetA6Kn0TKNx9WeyIgndef4BMhR0L47vIwkJWT~eu1SWw28OtHwkxRbs53pIFYqSovJKuMwMJr~ey~S6hcDRIHUXReljB-3ZoJXbNvbu2Z2UdKLa4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Mary’s County sheriff and command staff outlined a broad FY22 budget request on March 9 that included more deputies and corrections officers, district-based policing, expanded traffic-safety personnel, and a community health nurse to support employee wellness and pandemic response. Commissioners asked the sheriff to prioritize requests and return with a reconciled funding plan.

The sheriff said the office seeks district-based policing—creating four district commands with assigned lieutenants, sergeants and deputies to increase supervision, reduce response times and foster community relationships. The request included two lieutenants, two sergeants and four deputies dedicated to district policing, additional deputies for a north-end cops unit, expansion of the traffic safety unit (including one sergeant) and a lieutenant for professional standards/inspections. The sheriff’s presentation also sought a permanent community health nurse (the department currently has a temporary part-time nurse), a corrections analyst, vehicle replacements and technology such as license-plate readers and a body scanner. The sheriff said the nurse has been essential during the pandemic: she coordinated vaccinations, quarantine/isolation tracking, and became a trusted resource for employee wellness and referrals.

Commissioners emphasized uncertainty about state-level police-reform legislation and its potential fiscal impact, saying they could not match every pay increase proposed elsewhere (state police and neighboring counties). The board and county staff agreed to include in the baseline the correctional-officer positions already placed in the capital-improvement program (CIP); commissioners described the 20 correctional-officer positions tied to the new detention facility as a committed item. For the remainder of the sheriff’s request, commissioners proposed a compromise funding target: send the sheriff back with a prioritized plan showing how he would allocate roughly $2.6 million (a mid-range figure arrived at during the session) or, alternately, around $3.2 million depending on how payroll and step increases are counted.

Traffic safety and automated enforcement were discussed at length. The sheriff described the county’s collision profile and argued visible traffic enforcement deters crime and reduces serious right-angle crashes; commissioners and staff discussed red-light camera feasibility, license-plate readers’ recurring costs, and the need to place traffic officers in the field rather than rely solely on automated enforcement. The board asked staff to separate CIP-committed items (the 20 correctional officers) in the sheriff’s budget presentation so future sessions do not conflate previously approved CIP costs with new operating requests.

Commissioners also agreed to begin countywide compensation planning with a 2.5% step (see separate item), and directed the sheriff to return with a reconciliation showing how he would spend the agreed funding amount, separating nonrecurring capital-equipment purchases from recurring personnel and licensing costs.","The sheriff asked commissioners for additional sworn and civilian positions, district-based policing, a permanent health nurse and equipment; commissioners told the office to prioritize and return with a reconciled plan reflecting a set funding target.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377599,"Commissioners agree to start FY22 pay planning with 2.5% step for county employees",81,3519990,3601415,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050&start=3519&end=3601","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050/thumbnail_3519990.jpg","/articles/6377599/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Commissioners-agree-to-start-FY22-pay-planning-with-25-step-for-county-employees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377599-34dc9d31771300402f8312b8e5c0e2b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154486&Signature=hLvyW~de6vR5jY8IYOLsxuOaslf1CTSp2QnlnVLcRHF8kifst307~UHyZ8iEnBIv5BV3jcroe22HX89gf1jEjhc-TnMnAgXppwJGtd3DT5a6rstuQHCSSMxOCIyaBllFNcYBTd7GwZ3EmFG1Sga5eg0vC6YboYPJ~3QVzFU1NBKw0ictCmGA~LHH5SG3O6PMNZou9yP9Avl1Cqvo-hIPBQ-EnudwfJiXpaEeBQyUBAJf75A6QMnZdeZcjvHL0-9KDUXgZ5SMlYs4gJffzMBbgJTmBtT6xg-rpRZeCZQLEgYFuBOO3e72KgtB~htbBKadDXkltXMuqvTTUFP~oPUtaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary’s County commissioners on March 9 directed staff to include a 2.5% step increase for county employees as the baseline for FY22 compensation planning.

The board discussed pay pressure from neighboring jurisdictions and the governor’s proposals but said it could not simply match higher proposed increases elsewhere without knowing state actions and the county’s fiscal capacity. Commissioners described a 2.5% step as a starting point to quantify the payroll effect while they continued budget work. County staff said a 2.5% step is approximately $750,000 on the county side and that full payroll calculations would include health-insurance and other payroll effects; commissioners asked staff to compute the equivalent figure for the Board of Education so all employers’ budgets could be compared on the same basis.

The board directed staff to include the step in the ongoing budget spreadsheet and to return with updated revenue and expenditure projections at the next work session. The directive was procedural; commissioners did not adopt a final compensation package or a negotiated increase, which would be subject to collective-bargaining terms in certain cases and school negotiations for education staff.","As part of FY22 budget deliberations, St. Mary’s County commissioners directed staff to include a 2.5% step increase (a non-negotiated step, not a negotiated COLA) for all county employees and to compute the Board of Education equivalent for budgeting purposes.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377611,"St. Mary’s County delays change to disabled-veteran property tax credit pending state data",421,167780,589615,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050&start=167&end=589","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138896-9616b4376cae4f1effe1a10f8db8d050/thumbnail_167780.jpg","/articles/6377611/St-Marys-County/Maryland/St-Marys-County-delays-change-to-disabled-veteran-property-tax-credit-pending-state-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377611-edaa414830ddb5650d87bb891886dae7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154486&Signature=ZE4Hhh5RrzK3D94ysqbBzj3TwbAcjyLlIdEbqSJhopF5n4p~RXY~UclZSy4liUaeT9uBzmHLE~-WoVfkOMHar08UXAeTREosUmajlpRyO0w11Kkrhz-BUY3R1bElKpyJoCUwLqnsTDaS9~fnF9vxJyMQdoiQr9GAp0gpw3uAVCdwBuoSczhu8yOA04il41IfjCp7XJH~MGkJ9NYACuyeuAWl4ASeucD1d10oQzAIAfootg9EessZRLPjbCluxR9-XtLuX3rsKbQiagP--YDAhu3bkP1U~b95XDY-5j9n1FirDFpG3Gz4UoAr59dt4BMiFnsnyqDxdpmf5SHSXtpAlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary’s County commissioners on March 9 deferred consideration of changes to a property tax credit for disabled veterans until county staff obtain county-specific data from Maryland Veterans Affairs.

The pause came after county budget staff reviewed the statute that defines eligibility and found limits on local discretion. “The statute defines a disabled veteran as one who has a permanent service-connected disability of at least 50%,” a staff member explained during the meeting, saying the law also prescribes a 50% credit for the class of veterans with 75%–99% service-connected disability.

The legal language limits what the county can change, staff said. Commissioners were told the county may set a lower maximum adjusted gross income threshold than $100,000, but cannot reduce the disability rating minimum below 50% or change the statutorily required credit percentage for the 75%–99% bracket. Budget staff said they have not yet received the county-specific disability-rating breakdown from Maryland Veterans Affairs and that prior federal requests for related statistics have taken about two weeks to return.

Commissioners asked staff to continue pursuing the data and to return with firm counts before deciding whether to lower the income threshold (examples discussed included $75,000) or otherwise alter eligibility. One commissioner said a better firm count of potentially eligible veterans is necessary before making any change. Staff said they have contacted state and local veterans service offices and the secretary’s office but had not yet received the requested breakdown.

The discussion covered statutory constraints, possible administrative changes the county can make (an AGI cap below $100,000), and outstanding information needs. Commissioners directed staff to bring the matter back to a future budget work session once the Maryland Veterans Affairs or the county service center provides the county-level statistics.

The action was procedural: no ordinance or vote was passed on March 9; the commission deferred a decision pending receipt of the state data.","County commissioners were told state law limits who the county can include in a disability-based property tax credit and agreed to defer any change until Maryland Veterans Affairs provides county-level data on veterans’ disability ratings and income.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State’s attorney seeks evidence-analyst position and funding for prosecutorial tools; commissioners approve several line items

Sheriff asks for staffing increase, district-based policing and a health nurse; commissioners tell office to prioritize within set funding

Commissioners agree to start FY22 pay planning with 2.5% step for county employees

St. Mary’s County delays change to disabled-veteran property tax credit pending state data