<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0d25d691-074d-57c0-d4a6-69d58e608eb1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Town will have a budget review session at 7:30 pm tonight (Tuesday 5/31) prior to the work session. This is another opportunity for the public to ask questions and voice concerns about the FY17 budget prior to its adoption (before July 1st when the fiscal year starts). I’d like to share some of my concerns that you may not have known about:</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:20pt;margin-bottom:6pt"><span style="font-size:26.666666666666664px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Did You Know About the Town Budget?</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There’s been a 58% rise in the cost of General Government (Administration) over the past five years:</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FY12 </span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$ 693, 847</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FY13 </span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$ 800,957</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FY14 </span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$ 811,551</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FY15 </span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$ 936,810</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FY16 </span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$1,092,741 </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">FY17</span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$1,063,001</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Much of this increase is due to increased Town Hall staffing, which currently has 6 FTE positions.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">47 Total town staff by department</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> 6</span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">General Govt</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">31</span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Police</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> 9</span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Public Works</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> 1</span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Misc (Farmers Market Manager)</span><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></p><br><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:15.333333333333332px;font-family:Calibri;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$68,000 is budgeted for legal counsel in FY17 vs. $50,000 budgeted in FY16. But the actual spending projected for FY16 is $110,640, more than double what was budgeted. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In FY16, only $20,000 was spent of the $204,700 budgeted for economic development grants. The FY17 Budget reduces the amount further to $30,200. These funds target public-private projects that enhance the town’s economy. Jonathan Ebbler has posted concerns about the continuation of several of these projects he had in the pipeline.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">New for FY17: $6,500 for a Mayor & Council retreat, which is in addition to $13,500 for the annual Maryland Municipal League convention in Ocean City. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$26,000 more for the new Town Manager as compared to the current Town Administrator - this is at least twice the ‘modest’ 10% increase promoters had claimed. The executive search firm to be contracted will cost another $20,000.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$30,000 for the town’s continued accounting contract, despite the change to a Town Manager who is supposed take over more financial responsibilities (and paid more accordingly).</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">$638,536, which had been in the FY16 Capital improvement Plan (CIP) to build a new Youth and Community wing (essentially a 2nd floor onto Town Hall), has been zeroed out now that this was found to be structurally unfeasible. This project has been shelved pending future review.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13.333333333333332px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13.333333333333332px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The FY17 CIP includes facility funding to install bullet proof windows in Town Hall between visitors and town staff.</span></p></li></ul></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr">Ken Laureys<div>301-661-6682</div><div><a href="mailto:Laureys.Ken@Gmail.com" target="_blank">Laureys.Ken@Gmail.com</a></div></div></div></div>
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