Westminster, MD, Tuesday, March 9, 2021 – This morning, Mr. Ted Zaleski, Director of Management and Budget, presented an overview of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget and FY 22-27 Operating Plan to the Carroll County Board of Commissioners (BOC) during a virtual Open Session. The scheduled calendar for future virtual budget meetings was also discussed.

The FY22 Budget Overview is derived from hundreds of staff hours during which staff review prior budgets, meet with agency and department leaders, follow trends in the real estate market, income taxes, recordation and filing fees and a whole host of other activities to ensure that the recommended budget is based on the best, most accurate and up-to-date information possibly available.

Mr. Zaleski began the presentation with three core messages for this year’s budget cycle: having a strong projected year-end FY21 position gives one-time opportunities; uncertainty about ongoing revenue growth and the impact of the state budget remain; and the county is fiscally overcommitted and will need to bring plans back into balance. He then revealed an overview of the FY2022 budget. The entire Budget Overview presentation can be viewed on the county website.

Throughout March, April and May, a series of virtual budget meetings will be held to develop and adopt the final budget.  Please check the county website for meeting updates and links to viewing the virtual process. On March 23^rd, the Recommended Budget will be presented to the BOC.  Then the board will meet with any agency requesting funding that wasn't included in the Recommended Budget.   Below is the list of meetings as they are currently scheduled:        

Agency Meetings with Commissioners:

Thursday, March 25^th
Tuesday, March 30^th
Thursday, April 1^st

After the commissioners meet with agencies, the board will begin discussing the budget options among themselves to create a proposed budget.  The Proposed Budget Work Sessions will begin on April 6^th. 

Once the Proposed Budget is agreed upon by a majority of the commissioners, a release of the FY22 Proposed Budget reveal will be held on Tuesday, April 27^th.

Usually, Mr. Zaleski holds a series of community meetings at the library branches to review and explain the Proposed Budget.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and continued safety precautions, these meetings will not be held. As an alternative, the county encourages all interested residents to watch the presentations online and then submit any questions or concerns directly to Director Zaleski at tzaleski@carrollcountymd.gov.

A Budget Public Hearing is scheduled to be held virtually on Tuesday, May 11^th at 7:00 pm. More information on viewing and participating in the public hearing will be provided closer to the date.

Additional Budget Work Sessions may be held by the commissioners to make any modifications to the proposed budget based on the information received during the Budget Public Hearing.  These work sessions are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 18^th and Thursday, May 20^th.

The FY2022 budget adoption is planned for Tuesday, May 25^th.

All sessions will be held virtually, televised on Channel 24 and streamed live on the county website.  Meeting dates and times are subject to change, so please check the county website or call 410-386-2400 to confirm.