Bel Air Officials Approve 2014 Fiscal Year Budget

The Bel Air Board of Commissioners Monday approved a $15 million budget for fiscal year 2014 in a unanimous vote.

The budget includes a 3 percent cost of living increase for town employees funded largely by highway user revenues—a contribution from the state level that was absent in fiscal year 2013.

“I’m glad we can provide a COLA to our employees,” Commissioner David Carey said.

Carey added that in addition to allowing for the cost of living increase, the highway user revenues made this year’s budget process easier than in years past.

The commissioners all voted in favor of the budget after a public hearing with no comment from the public.

Find live updates from the meeting below:

8:21 p.m.: The meeting is adjourned.

8:20 p.m.: Commissioner Edward Hopkins said more than 1,000 people attended the House of Cards casting call over the weekend.

8:19 p.m.: There are no comments from the public. Journalists from Patch and The Aegis are the only individuals present.

8:18 p.m.: All vote in favor and the motion carries.

8:16 p.m.: Preston moves to award a contract for $87,520 to Kay Construction to install 16 handicapped ramps in the wake of street repaving and 560 feet of sidewalk installation along Ellendale.

8:16 p.m.: All vote in favor and the motion carries.

8:14 p.m.: Commissioner Susan Burdette moves to authorize issuance and private sale of general obligation bond for inflow and infiltration and Maryland Environmental Services projects previously approved by the town.

8:13 p.m.: All vote in favor and the motion carries.

8:12 p.m.: Commissioner Robert Reier moves to approve authorization of issuance and private sale of general obligation bond to fund parking garage repairs.

8:11 p.m.: All vote in favor and the motion carries.

8:11 p.m.: “I’m glad we can provide a COLA to our employees,” Carey said. He added that getting highway user revenues back made this year’s budget process relatively easy.

8:09 p.m.: Commissioner David Carey moves to approve the final FY 2014 Budget with amendments including a traffic study for Route 1 and Route 24 and a 3 percent cost of living allowance. The money comes from additional State Highway User Revenues.

8:08 p.m.: Commissioner Robert Preston moves to approve the update to the town fire regulations. All vote in favor and the motion carries.

8:08 p.m.: There is no comment from the public and the hearing is closed.

8:08 p.m.: The special revenue budget is $575,101, Moody said.

8:03 p.m.: Town Director of Finance Lisa Moody begins outlining the special revenue fund. She says the CDBG project has about half the allotment in FY 2014 budget because it is an allotment for two as opposed to four years.

8:02 p.m.: Schlehr said he could foresee raising sewer rates in the near future because “both these funds are tight.”

7:59 p.m.: Expenditures on the parking garage are expected to remain much the same as FY 2013, with the noted exception of no routine repairs compared to the $647,465 set aside in FY 2013 for the ongoing parking garage improvement project. Total expenditures equal revenues at $480,352.

7:58 p.m.: In FY 2014, the town expects to spend no money from the parking fund on equipment and will pay about $144,927 back to the general fund, an expenditure about $35,000 lower than FY 2013.

7:55 p.m.: In the parking fund, the town anticipates collecting $20,000 less in parking meter collections and about 30,000 less in parking fines in FY 2014. The total revenues for parking fund are about $480,352.

7:49 p.m.: In the sewer fund expenditures, there is an increase in $20,000 for town operation expenses in part due to a cost of living increase and rising operational costs. The town is transferring $80,000 into a savings for future projects. This amount is double what it was in FY 2013.

7:47 p.m.: In the sewer fund revenues, there is an expected $18,500 increase in the sewer user charges.  A $66,000 grant from FEMA is a new item for the budget and will go toward installation of emergency generators. The town will contribute $88,000 toward this project. Other revenues remain much the same as the previous fiscal year.

7:45 p.m.: The real property and personal property tax rates are proposed to remain the same as FY 2013.

7:44 p.m.: Schlehr explains the budget contains four funds: The general fund, water and sewer fund, the parking fund and the special revenue fund. The total budget is a little more than $15 million.

7:43 p.m.: Town Administrator Chris Schlehr explains the charter requires a public hearing between the May 15 and 31. A budget must be adopted by June 1.

7:43 p.m.: The Tentative Fiscal Year 2014 budget hearing begins.

7:41 p.m.: There are no comments from the public. The hearing is closed.

7:39 p.m.: Since the code was last updated, sprinkler requirements were added to the national code, which the town has adopted, making the specifications in the town code redundant, Town Director of Public Works Randy Robertson said. This ordinance will delete any redundancies.

7:39 p.m.: A public hearing on a fire regulations ordinance (Ordinance 760-13) begins.

7:33 p.m.: The artwork will be on display at Shamrock Coffee for the rest of the month and then reproduced into placemats to be used at area restaurants.

7:31 p.m.: Karen Chizmar, president of the historic preservation commission, said for the past 20 years the commission has held this drawing contest. This year Homestead-Wakefield Elementary and Harford Day School fourth graders participated in the contest.

7:29 p.m.: Commissioner Robert Reier proclaims May 2013 preservation month in the Town of Bel Air and presents the winners of the Historic Preservation Commission’s poster contest.

7:28 p.m.: Mayor Edward Hopkins calls the meeting to order.

7:27 p.m.: The commissioners take their seats on the dais.