[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6249899,"mediaKeyId","3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551","parentId",3204532,"title","Kent County commissioners trim operating lines, back incremental EMS hires and approve targeted capital items as they balance budget","audioSeconds",5650,"startMs",3055000,"endMs",8705000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551&start=3055&end=8705","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551/thumbnail_3055000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6249899/Kent-County/Maryland/Kent-County-commissioners-trim-operating-lines-back-incremental-EMS-hires-and-approve-targeted-capital-items-as-they-balance-budget","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249899-65bd34146637aba335589bae2eb575ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158192&Signature=ejfTZsfeFJJJG4Daol7kps0eKtOloGrArPsZy7aEySsqt4PydV6Se9jhugbXNa3cDm34YA08Bxn~Qj0~Y3siWMb-okGmFG7K3z8FnwvCYCwL5WuFUd4LO2KG-KrrAySpJ-p~3usefYPqhQl4sqCA31DfJvlwTetUJF583tFV8ykA6A8L~OAh7-uV929Y13JIiAjjGkcHUgyZwcseHYohztC1POoiUUcUlFgYs1jnnkfEuGLdbnZrPPZunjIIt8XI71uZ8MybLtIZA77LFA7T1BH5RCKY22HJEcgnNF2IRwJHbrp-~JOFEByOR3LYYfGQ8Mo-SIAhuIUU0zRZEuEgGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kent County, MD","date","2025-05-07T00:31:00.047Z","article","County commissioners and staff spent several hours reviewing line‑by‑line operating projections, salary scenarios and capital requests as part of this year’s budget deliberations. After staff re‑projected nine‑month running rates and discussed department requests, the panel agreed on a set of adjustments intended to balance the FY‑26 draft budget.

Pat, the county budget staff member who led the review, summarized a set of operating reductions based on updated nine‑month run rates; staff recommended taking roughly $166,000 from projected FY‑26 operating figures after department conversations. Pat also presented salary‑increase options that totaled $629,027 in the draft; the group left a 4% across‑the‑board increase in the draft budget (the county will finalize the exact method during adoption). “If you want to think about it, the dollars are in the budget, so it's not going to affect the budget on any basis,” Pat said while offering more time for commissioners to decide the mechanics of the raise.

Commissioners discussed a multi‑year plan for EMT and paramedic positions in Betterton. Pete (county EMS/operations staff) and Chief Quinn explained that four positions had been planned as a build‑out. Commissioners agreed to fund two positions now and to prioritize the remaining two next year; one commissioner described an incremental approach as “probably the most prudent way to do it” to ensure coverage while staying within the fiscal envelope.

On capital and one‑time purchases, commissioners approved purchasing a $35,000 mobile generator that the town of Galena requested and that county staff said would be available countywide on a trailer. Dan, a public works official, said the county already maintains annual service contracts for similar equipment and could provide maintenance if housed appropriately. The generator was assigned to the county’s building maintenance/public works function.

The commissioners also discussed the county’s relationship with the Humane Society and approved purchasing one pickup truck for the Humane Society while planning to donate a soon‑to‑be‑replaced county pickup to that organization. County fleet staff said a currently available F‑350 in reasonable condition is expected to have a resale value in the $12,000–$15,000 range when turned in to the fleet vendor; the county will provide the vehicle and the Humane Society will fund any bed/cap outfitting.

On calendars and process, commissioners and staff reviewed the possible timing for raising local income or water/sewer rates; county staff noted the last day for a county income tax‑rate change for FY‑26 was mid‑May and recommended any revenue earmarks (for example, for the middle‑school project) be specified for public clarity. In the working budget the county left a 4% water and sewer increase in place and discussed a possible 1% additional increase but had not adopted it.

Other operating items resolved or advanced included keeping in the budget a contingency allocation that can be used for recurring items if a hire fills mid‑year, and leaving in a modest amount for employee appreciation programs while deferring exact program design to staff. County staff also flagged a possible adjustment to the county detention‑center per‑diem for federal inmates; the county will follow up with Captain Wallace and the detention center on the US Marshals per‑diem rates and cost impacts.

Overall, Pat reported the line‑by‑line review produced more than the needed reductions to balance the budget, and commissioners decided to advance the draft to next‑step budget actions with the understanding several capital items will be finalized next week.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05.06.25 Budget Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Kent County commissioners reviewed operating projections and budget requests and agreed to fund two of four planned EMT positions this year, purchase a mobile generator for countywide emergency use, buy one pickup for the Humane Society and keep a 4% across‑the‑board salary increase in the draft budget.","taxTitle","Kent County, Maryland","taxId",69327,"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},6249902,"Kent County Public Schools requests $300,000 from commissioners to avoid additional layoffs; superintendent cites 224-student loss",385,795000,1180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551&start=795&end=1180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551/thumbnail_795000.jpg","/articles/6249902/Kent-County/Maryland/Kent-County-Public-Schools-requests-300000-from-commissioners-to-avoid-additional-layoffs-superintendent-cites-224-student-loss","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249902-1e30931f56495aa3c17c503ee9ec4c0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158192&Signature=Zv3UiEgFi~guMi-z4O6q~l69qx4GXZfWgJWduf4T7Mjl8aIAizlccokYqUn6k6yMeOdegjavThiu75siyhZH7ve1yknVLHm7t9OXzq2aObU9Ez1ILFyHi~ehtb3jene2rMJS73HniddFkkI87VbdRDZyHqEuM34EH8IpbLsuAGt~D~mZDDdL2390H2VZD8uSKv-x5BXZSMiDaE81BRazVVVyxUjp4x6VOCSD1lsTOIFmwzu4Brw1KKSZbNIII2u~rUP1NWaDpSc9-er6fgL67Pny8qtZfIjoghuum~1337PDAiKL5M7uMJ3KyjqOUC5psUtVZvfT-2rDpllIS1Yfzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kent County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. McComas asked the Kent County Commissioners for $300,000 in additional county support above the local share, saying the funds would help keep roughly six support‑staff positions funded for one additional year while the district gives notice to other employees whose positions will be eliminated.

“During the last five years alone, we've lost 224 students,” Dr. McComas told commissioners, explaining that the district used federal emergency grant funds during the pandemic to stabilize staffing and that those grants have now expired. “Those grant funds were meant to stabilize school systems, to keep teachers … and those grant funds are gone now, and now it's time for us to right‑size.”

Dr. McComas and school board representatives explained the staffing math: the district needs to reduce a total of 44 positions between now and next year. Through attrition, the district has absorbed roughly 28 of those reductions so far; the remaining positions will be eliminated with 12 months' notice so affected employees have time to seek other jobs. The superintendent said the requested $300,000 would preserve approximately six support positions for one year and allow that transition timeline to proceed.

The superintendent and board members attributed much of the shortfall to a combination of lower post‑pandemic enrollment and the exhaustion of ESSER emergency grant funding that had subsidized salaries and other costs. Speakers noted that some pandemic grants (referred to at the meeting as ESSER 2 and ESSER 3) supported tutoring, instructional materials, temporary positions and health‑related staffing that masked what the district now faces in recurring costs.

Commissioners and other officials signaled support for the request during the budget discussion. Commissioner Alvarez told the superintendent he had planned to adhere strictly to the county’s funding “blueprint” but that, after hearing the superintendent, he would support the district’s plan. Commissioner Price also expressed support, and one county official said, “we will authorize 300,000 to address the current deficit,” indicating inclusion of the amount in the county’s budget deliberations.

Speakers at the meeting also discussed the state’s Blueprint education funding mandate and projections for Kent County, which were described to commissioners in broad terms. The commissioners were told the county’s current required contribution under the Blueprint approach was about $815,000 for the year; speakers said Department of Legislative Services projections show the county’s obligation could rise to between $1.7 million and $2.5 million in future years depending on implementation and enrollment trends. Superintendents statewide are pursuing advocacy and implementation‑change proposals with the governor and legislature, the superintendent said.

Several commissioners and the superintendent urged continued regional advocacy to seek changes in how the Blueprint is implemented, arguing local economies and small districts face different constraints than larger systems. The superintendent also committed to returning to the commissioners with student achievement data once the state releases it in late summer.

No formal roll-call vote on the superintendent’s request appeared in the transcript; county budget staff incorporated the $300,000 figure into the budget deliberations that followed.","Superintendent Dr. McComas asked the Kent County Commissioners for an additional $300,000 above the local share to extend support for roughly six staff positions for one year and to give 12 months' notice to other affected employees as the district 'rightsizes' after pandemic-era enrollment declines and the end of emergency grant funding.",{"_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},6249907,"Kent County Library asks commissioners for modest budget bump, $70,000 one-time funds for cameras and furnishings",670,0,670000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551&start=0&end=670","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204532-28839c7cd4641c93aa5f85418454a551/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6249907/Kent-County/Maryland/Kent-County-Library-asks-commissioners-for-modest-budget-bump-70000-one-time-funds-for-cameras-and-furnishings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249907-c9528034798d0d3f53ca9e1a369507c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158192&Signature=DrCPW9QVoCTjLOdX3M~uQVUPnlGfTDYj8Cfbi9c0j1EB6p5IPIiiFnpWx-6e1ApnKQMr6s0M4jinSOUNBzrUajM7s8uYwYySL3fCteueNKbnrEQnMlFeRsaVDwJWY80~vQKHs5fBiCpb0-wjs9BtRPy6tmaceJQ6Lm1MCLJRFsIxoFcamoYcCjjpysy1juTvQCNRMOj9M2NB7mBhKEVtIIMzxIX0A7d71Hgaj~jorClAGHUVKNq4GxcJIP10VRZ~tKq9ctUlIccml9tzZFy3IHCOM~Pn3U82WtiGnF9RI6KrEvY17rf~beFHUG4E5fWkFpPoK2nz5zw0CiZcetPByQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A library representative asked the Kent County Commissioners for a budget increase this year that is “only, less than $100,000 more than it was last year,” and a $70,000 one-time appropriation to replace security cameras and make a handful of interior and technology improvements.

The request, presented to the commissioners in a slide packet, listed the library system’s recurring operating breakdown as $760,000 for staff salaries, $230,000 for staff benefits and $231,850 for operating expenses. The speaker said the $70,000 one-time request would fund a cloud‑backed camera system, a new circulation desk for the Chestertown branch, meeting-room audiovisual upgrades, additional seating and improved signage.

The library representative said the system recorded about 3,000 program visitors between July of last year and April of this year, with roughly half of those visits in Chestertown and the remainder split between the Galena and Rock Hall branches and off‑site locations such as schools. “Our programming efforts are very successful, countywide,” the presenter said, noting strong attendance among babies, toddlers and adults and lower participation among teens.

Security and evidence retention were described as a principal reason for the one-time camera purchase. The presenter said their current system sometimes deletes footage because of limited local storage; a cloud option would “give us at least 30 days retention, which Chief Dixon tells us will be sufficient.” The packet listed a locally recommended VivaTech (VivoTech) camera package at about $15,000 as a one‑time purchase; an alternative cloud system trialed by the library vendor was listed at roughly $24,000 but was described as having higher ongoing costs.

On circulation-desk improvements, the presenter said the current desk in Chestertown offers poor sight lines and limited accessibility. Relocating the desk would “provide better safety and security for all involved” and better serve patrons with mobility issues. The library is also asking to replace an aging meeting‑room projector and to buy more flexible seating for events.

The presenter said library staff retention is currently strong and credited benefits for that retention, adding that pay at Kent County starts lower than on some Eastern Shore peers such as Queen Anne’s County and that the library is “trying to make some effort to try to bridge that gap a little bit.” The speaker asked that benefits not be cut as a way to save money, saying reduced coverage would increase turnover.

The library noted renovations are underway at the Hearst House, with bids out and an expected completion date by December 2025 and occupancy by January 2026. The presenter described the Hearst House as a potential meeting or training space and said the library may seek outside grants or foundation help to enclose the front patio to increase usable space.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about line items. A county staff member confirmed the $70,029 listed in the slides covered the new camera system; the presenter confirmed the front-desk work would be the primary use of the rest of the one‑time money, with some smaller purchases (seating, projector) included. The presentation closed with the presenter thanking the county and the Friends of the Library for continued support.

The library presentation will be included in the county’s budget deliberations for final action.","A library representative told Kent County commissioners the county system is requesting slightly under $100,000 more than last year and $70,000 in one-time funds to replace security cameras, relocate the Chestertown circulation desk and upgrade meeting-room technology.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kent County commissioners trim operating lines, back incremental EMS hires and approve targeted capital items as they balance budget

Kent County Public Schools requests $300,000 from commissioners to avoid additional layoffs; superintendent cites 224-student loss

Kent County Library asks commissioners for modest budget bump, $70,000 one-time funds for cameras and furnishings