LIVE from Town Hall: Town Budget Proposed to Increase by $360K, Employees Could Get Pay Increases

8:15 p.m. The meeting is in commissioner comments.

Edward Hopkins deferred.

Robert Preston praised Kite Day.

Robert Reier deferred.

Hanley announced that Bel Air varsity lacrosse beat Towson. He probably means girls since his daughter plays. He then thanked Carey for clarifying the public comment portion of the meeting.

Carey laughed and called Hanley out for "running to the media" and adjourned the meeting.

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8:13 p.m. Adolf gave extensive commentary on the budget before giving way to Tony Passarro.

"I'd like to take the opportunity to congratulate you guys," Passarro said to the board for clarifying the public comment misconception. "I just wish Washington ran as well as you gentleman do."

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8:05 p.m. Town citizen Greg Adolf is speaking during the public hearing. He is asking how he can receive a copy of the budget.

Adolf is now speaking about the public hearing. He says he has trouble finding the link on the website, though it has been available for past meetings.

"I think there's kind of been an expansion in the website and I think that's a wonderful thing," he said.

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8:02 p.m. The budget has been unanimously received by the commissioners for review. See public hearing dates below.

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8:01 p.m. The commissioners are expected to adopt a tentative budget at the next meeting in two weeks.

Public hearings will be held April 18 and May 16.

"We're only required to have one public hearing but we have two," Schlehr said.

The budget has to be passed by June 1 and will become effective July 1.

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8 p.m. Special revenue, parking and sewer fund have all gone up, but the general operating fund is decreasing by $98,000.

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7:57 p.m. Some other notable changes:

• $133,000 increase in state shared income tax
• $21,000 in public works fee revenue due to anticipated new developments
• $54,000 decrease in planning department funds
• $206,000 elimination of police funds ($150,000 due to unexpected retirements, more than $30,000 more due to a one-time purchase in fiscal year 2011) 

There are no employee merit increases, but there is a 1.5 percent COLA increase.

There is a $0.08 cost of living increase for citizens to treat sewers. (A 1.6 percent increase.)

For the second consecutive year, the has not requested an increase above the $154,000 it receives.

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7:49 p.m. Town Administrator Chris Schlehr is presenting his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. The total is $14,798,209—$362,013 more than last year.

"Overall, fiscal year '12 is flat," Schlehr said. "There won't be any change in services."

Property tax revenues are expected to drop from $7.1 million to $6.5 million.

"While our total budget [increased], our general operating fund ... is lower than last fiscal year by $98,054," Schlehr said. "The difference is going to be in the parking fund, the sewer fund and the general operating fund."

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7:43 p.m. Director of Public Works Randy Robertson presented an amendment to the Bulk Sewer Rate for the town. It was unanimously accepted.

The cost to the town will now be $2.42 for each 1,000 gallons of sewage treated. It was a rate of $2.81 in the previous fiscal year. The Biological Nutrient Removal fee will be $0.16 per 1,000 gallons of sewage treated. Last year it was $0.18 per 1,000 gallons of sewage treated.

"We're being asked to accept the addendum to the sewer service agreement based on the numbers that are provided by the county and reviewed by [Robertson's] staff," Carey said.

The agreement does not affect the cost of citzens' taxes.

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7:40 p.m. "If a homeless person walks in here, as far as I'm concerned they have a right to speak," Hanley said.

Hanley believes that the policy excludes a number of citizens being able to speak before the vote.

These are the three groups ordered:

• Residents of the town
• Taxpayers of the town (primarily non-resident business owners)
• All others in attendance 

"Everyone is going to be allowed to speak," Carey said.

Carey has now made a motion to clarify the hearing policy, which reflects the above list. It was unanimously passed.

Hanley was concerned that there was a fourth group that would not be allowed to speak.

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7:35 p.m. Carey is stating that there have been misunderstandings in the new public hearing policy.

"Everyone's voice is going to be heard," he said. The new policy will allow town citizens to speak first, though no one will be denied to speak.

Carey said the town has never denied anyone public comment, and Commissioner Terence Hanley agreed that no one has been denied in the past.

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7:33 p.m. Chairman of the Board of Commissioners David Carey is proclaiming April 16 the town's sixth annual "Kite Day" in Bel Air. The event will take place in .

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7:29 p.m. , but one of the more important issues of the year is set to be introduced—the fiscal year 2012 budget. Town Administrator Chris Schlehr is expected to unveil his proposal to the Board of Commissioners, who did not receive an advance copy.

Patch was also denied an advance copy of the budget.

Schlehr has said he in property tax revenue compared to the current fiscal year.