Westminster Maryland Mayor and Council Meeting Agenda of April 13, 2009

Westminster Mayor and Common Council Meeting Agenda of April 13, 2009

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CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND

Mayor and Common Council Meeting of April 13, 2009

1. CALL TO ORDER – 7:00 P.M.
Mayor’s Proclamation – Fair Housing Month

2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF MARCH 23, 2009

3. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:
Adoption of Ordinance No. 801 – Amendment of Water and Sewer
Chapters Regarding Rates
Adoption of Ordinance No. 802 – Amendment to Utility Fee Ordinance
Regarding Water and Sewer Rates

4. CONSENT CALENDAR:
Episcopal Housing Corporation – Loan Subordination – Thomas Beyard

5. REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR

6. REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES

7. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS (cont’d from above)
Suspend the Rules of Order and Procedure in Order to
Introduce and Adopt Ordinance No. 803 – Sale of 18B Union Street – Thomas Beyard

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
a. None as of April 9, 2009

9. NEW BUSINESS:
Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2010 – Marge Wolf

10. DEPARTMENT REPORTS

11. CITIZEN COMMENTS

12. ADJOURN
20090413 Westminster Mayor and Council Meeting

Kevin Dayhoff: www.westgov.net Westminster Maryland Online www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Share budget info online Carroll County Times Editorial for Tues., March 17, 2009

I just re-read this Carroll County Times Editorial for Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The focus of much of the conversation in the community this year is once again how “exciting” the budget process will be in Westminster this year.

In the last several years it has been the object of great secrecy, drama, and opaque politics of ginormous byzantine proportions.

To be certain the budget will once again be just as difficult as ever, yet city officials have garnered little in the way of sympathy in that the last several years the attitude of city officials has been obdurate, obstinate, boorish, mean-spirited, and adversarial. And that is just for starters…

Carroll County Times Editorial for Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Share budget info online

As Carroll’s municipal and county governments begin the process of working through the next fiscal year’s budget, utilizing their Web sites to ensure that the public has easy access to budget documents is an easy way to encourage more citizen input.

Some government bodies in Carroll do a better job than others in encouraging public participation. A few post their proposed budgets online, where residents can easily access them. Others make residents jump through hoops to get what should be a common public document.

[…]

In some cases, Carroll’s municipal officials have even actively tried to block the public from seeing budget information. [I’ll bet the editorial writer is referring to the city of Westminster – for which the budget process has been shrouded in intrigue and incompetence for the last three years…] In one case a few years back, a municipal government wouldn’t even allow residents the opportunity to see the proposed budget until the night of the public hearing on the budget. Needless to say there wasn’t much informed comment from the citizenry.

In a more recent example, a municipality kept putting off releasing the proposed budget. “We’re still making changes,” they said. Well gee, since it was a proposed budget most people would expect changes to be made. The dodge was simply a way for the government to avoid letting people know how their tax dollars were being spent until after the budget was adopted and it was too late for them to raise concerns. The economic crisis this year has everyone reeling. From the state to the county to Carroll’s municipal governments, officials everywhere are trying to figure out how to stretch tax dollars, what things can be cut and what needs to be funded.

Read the entire editorial here: Share budget info online

20090317 Share budget info online ccted

Kevin Dayhoff: www.westgov.net Westminster Maryland Online www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Statement from Governor Martin O'Malley on the Board of Revenue

Statement from Governor Martin O'Malley on the Board of Revenue Estimates

http://www.governor.maryland.gov/pressreleases/080909e.asp

BALTIMORE, MD (September 9, 2008) – Governor Martin O’Malley today issued the following statement following the Board of Revenue Estimates:

“Today, the Board of Revenue Estimates announced a budget shortfall for the current fiscal year and 2010. Given the national economic downturn, national foreclosure crisis, and the increased price of energy, gasoline and food, these revenue estimates are not unexpected; and we are preparing to bring hundreds of millions in cuts before the Board of Public Works in the coming weeks to address this challenge.”

“Given the national economy, other states are facing the same or significantly worse budget pictures. In fact, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that at least 29 states are facing a total budget shortfall of $48 billion in FY 2009.”

“In Maryland, because of the tough decisions we made to protect public education, public heath and public safety, and expand opportunity for our middle class families, we are ahead of the game. Working with the General Assembly, we have already reduced spending by $1.8 billion and taken actions to address the structural deficit that we inherited.”

“Without these actions and tough decisions, our State would be facing an estimated $2.5 billion shortfall in FY 2010. Instead, Maryland is a facing a shortfall that is significantly less that is the result of a downturn in the national economy, not structural in nature.”

“We have worked hard to restore fiscal responsibility and accountability in Maryland over these last two years.”

“In 2008 and 2009, our state budget grew by less than 4 percent annually – less than the Spending Affordability Guidelines set by the General Assembly – compared to 22 percent in the last two years of our Republican predecessors.”

“We have already cut $1.8 billion from state spending, eliminated over 700 state positions, and yes, we have asked the people of Maryland to play a role in this solution by increasing the sales tax by a penny and enacting a more progressive income tax structure. The people of Maryland will also have an opportunity to vote on a slots referendum in November that is expected to provide an additional $650 million for public education in our State.”

“As we have worked together to address the structural deficit that we inherited, we will come together in the weeks ahead to address this latest budget challenge presented to us by our national economy; and we will do so in a way that recognizes the burden and challenges faced by our middle-class families as the cost of everything continues to rise even as wages remain stagnant.”

“The investments we have fought so hard to preserve in public education, public safety, and public health are intended for one purpose only – to strengthen and grow our middle class over the long-term and create a more sustainable future for our children.”

“This has been our goal from the beginning, and it will continue to guide the actions of this Administration as we work to address this latest challenge.”

20080909 St from O’Malley on the Brd of Revenue Estimates

19470627 State Revenue Sharing

Carroll County To Received $531,108.73 Additional State Revenue Through Gov. Lane — Democratic Advocate, June 27, 1947.

With the beginning of Governor Lane's new fiscal program of July 1, Carroll County will start to receive $531,108.73 additional in State revenues annually for the cooperation of its government functions and relief of taxation at the local level.

The $532,108.73 is Carroll County's share of the $20,411,348.18 in additional State revenues to be allocated each year to the political subdivisions of Maryland.

Of the $531,108.73 increase to Carroll County, some of which will be shared by incorporated towns, $338,710.00 is for schools, bringing the total received by the County yearly from the State for this purpose to $739,087.00. The new school incentive fund adds another $42,416.00 yearly.

Additional road funds for Carroll County to be divided among Cities and incorporated towns on a mileage basis total $71,413,30, bringing the State's yearly allocation for highway purposes to $308,186.71.

Democratic Advocate, June 27, 1947.

April 1994 Capital Improvement Program City of Westminster Carroll County MD

April 1994 Capital Improvement Program City of Westminster Carroll County MD

https://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/1994/04/april-1994-capital-improvement-program.html

https://www.scribd.com/document/337286450/April-1994-Capital-Improvement-Program-City-of-Westminster-Carroll-County-MD

April 1994 Westminster Finance, Westminster Finance Bud 1994 1995, Westminster Finance Budget

https://www.scribd.com/document/337286450/April-1994-Capital-Improvement-Program-City-of-Westminster-Carroll-County-MD

  April 1994 Capital Improvement Program City of Westminster Carroll County MD by Kevin Earl Dayhoff on Scribd

Introduction

In October 1991, the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Westminster adopted an ordinance adding a new Chapter 20, entitled "Fiscal Matters" to the Westminster City Code. The ordinance provides that the fiscal year of the City shall commence July 1 of each year and end on June 30 in the following year. As part of the City's annual budget process, the Mayor in coordination with the Directors of the City's various Departments shall prepare a six-year program for capital improvements, which is to be approved by the Common Council on or about the date of budget approval. Following adoption of the Capital Improvements Program, no capital improvement project may be added to the program, unless a public hearing is held and, thereafter, a revised program is adopted by resolution of the Mayor and Common Council.

Statement of Objectives

The Capital Improvements Program is an important way of putting the City's comprehensive plan into action. It is the City's objective to coordinate the Capital Improvements Program with the City's comprehensive plan and development regulations such as zoning and subdivision ordinances. The type, scale, timing, and location of new development will affect the public costs of providing facilities and services. The Capital Improvements Program can save the City money by coordinating capital projects and through advance acquisition of land for future facilities. Public facilities also play an important role in determining when, where, and how much private sector development will occur.

The Capital Improvements Program can be thought of as the public sector's development plan, which will show

1) What capital projects and facilities will be built, repaired, replaced, or purchased;

2) Where these projects are located; and 3) when the projects are scheduled to take place.

Currently there is a growing awareness of the value of budgeting for public facilities. This is especially true since the end of federal revenue sharing in 1987 and the recent reductions in funding from the State of Maryland. The decline in intergovernmental transfers has placed greater fiscal pressure on the City of Westminster to fund capital improvements with local revenue. To the greatest extent possible, the City has tried to minimize debt financing in favor of pay-as-you-go funding of capital projects. If Westminster must borrow funds for capital improvements, bond-rating agencies have urged the City to adopt a Capital Improvements Program, which may lower finance charges paid by the City.

Capital Improvements Program Schedule

By January 15th of each year, the Mayor shall furnish the Planning and Zoning Commission a copy of the proposed six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and capital budget for its review and recommendation to the Common Council. After affording the public, an opportunity to express views on the proposed CIP, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall submit its recommendations to the Common Council on or before March 1st of each year.

On or before May 1st of each year, the Mayor and Common Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed capital budget and six-year CIP. The Common Council may increase or decrease any appropriation item in the capital budget. The capital budget, as amended, shall be approved and funds appropriated not later than May 30^th of the year in which it is submitted. Prior to June 1st of each year, the Common Council shall make tax levies deemed necessary to finance the capital budget.

General Information

Historical Capital Outlays

Capital outlay appropriations for the last six years are shown in Table 1. The historical data indicate a fairly consistent spending pattern with the exception of the $4.1 million appropriation from the City's sewer fund in FY90-91. A notable increase is also evident in the appropriations for General Government, which increased from $9,000 in FY89-90 to $863,000 in FY91-92, and then nearly doubled again in FY92-93 to $1,693,000. This increase in FY92-93 is attributed towards municipal building renovations, particularly the renovations for the building to be used by the Westminster Police Department. Historical capital expenditures will be used as a guideline in determining the reasonableness of projected capital funding levels.

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