Board of Town Commissioners

MINUTES BEL AIR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION MEETING APRIL 24, 2025 The Board of Commissioners Budget Work Session Mee�ng was held on April 24, 2025, at 4:30 pm. PRESENT: Commissioner Paula S. Etting, Chair Commissioner Mary F. Chance Commissioner James B. Rutledge, III Commissioner Jakob D. Taylor IN ATTENDANCE: Edward Hopkins, Town Administrator Michael Krantz, Director of HR & Administration Lisa Moody, Director of Finance Kevin Small, Director of Planning Jane Sudbrink, Recording Secretary ABSENT: Commissioner Steven T. Chizmar I. CALL TO ORDER Chair E�ng called the mee�ng to order at 4:30 pm and read the roll call of commissioners. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Chance mo�oned to approve the agenda. Commissioner Taylor seconded the mo�on. Mr. Krantz asked for a vote on the agenda. Ayes: Commissioners Rutledge, Taylor, Chance, E�ng. Nays: None. Mo�on carried 4–0. III. FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET DISCUSSION A. Presenta�ons 1. The Historical Society of Harford County Chris Pots, Director, thanked the commissioners for their support. She summarized ac�vi�es of the historical society that highlight its con�nued growth and development. These ac�vi�es include the restora�on of the headquarters, the restora�on of the architecturally significant north wall of the Hayes House, and restora�on of the lobby at headquarters, which will house the museum. Ms. Pots described the museum and said it will serve as a locus of tourism for the county. Ms. Pots described the society’s work for the recent Bush Declara�on celebra�on and provided metrics to indicate the high number of people who came into town for the celebra�on. Ms. Pots noted that this is the inten�on of the society, to develop programs that are educa�onal and entertaining while at the same �me bringing people to the town. George Harrison, Volunteer, said the museum will be the “crown jewel” of the historical society. He reported that it is only 20% done because it takes �me to populate the ar�facts. He said the goal is to make Bel Air the focus point of history for the county and the museum will encourage that goal. 1  Ms. Pots said it is the mission of the historical society to protect and preserve the history of the county by improving the headquarters, holding historical events, and serving as a repository of ar�facts at the headquarters. Ms. Pots stressed that the cataloging and care of the ar�facts is all done by volunteers, which fosters a sense of community and pride. Commissioner Taylor commented that it was a privilege to present a proclama�on on behalf of Bel Air for the Bush Declara�on celebra�on. He said the mission of the historical society is so important to the town and county, and he was glad to con�nue funding at the $5,000 dona�on level. Chair E�ng said she appreciated the tour of the renova�on of the headquarters. Commissioners Rutledge and Chance also expressed their apprecia�on for the historical society. 2. Boys & Girls Club Derek DeWit, Chief Execu�ve Officer, described how the Bel Air branch is running. He said the recent hiring of Katherine Buterfield as the director has been a good change. He noted that at the beginning of the school year atendance was around 40 children, but since her hiring 75 to 100 children atend the program. He expressed his apprecia�on for the con�nued partnerships with local, county, and state law enforcement. Mr. DeWit then described in detail the summer enrichment program, an 8-week summer camp. Mr. DeWit said the summer program does not have scholarships through the state, so he con�nues to look for scholarship funding and to target families that need the program on an annual basis. He also detailed that the club con�nues to expand, and it is now in Queen Anne’s County. Mr. DeWit said the club serves 750 children a day and 4,000 kids a year. Mr. DeWit then answered various ques�ons from the commissioners regarding the program and the summer camp. He explained the use of the skate park to Commissioner Chance. He described in detail the summer camp and its ac�vi�es for Chair E�ng, including that the camp serves 80 to 100 children weekly. He noted that although the Boys & Girls Club is not a “daycare,” the reality is that the program does provide youth development programming and runs licensed daycare services at the schools. B. Con�nued Detailed Review of General Fund Expenditures 1. Planning Department Mr. Small reported that his requests for funding for travel/training/memberships and boards and commissions are at the same levels as last fiscal year. He then referenced a slide show to present on requested funds for Planning Department projects. Mr. Small requested $3,000 for Rockfield Gardens to add and replace vegeta�on and to install markers. For the farmer’s market, Mr. Small requested $3,000 as he did last year. He noted that the farmer’s market board is looking at providing tables and chairs for dining. Mr. Small discussed the sec�on �tled Traffic Review Studies. He said there is an addi�onal study in this account for Howard Park to ascertain where drivers are going to and coming from when they cut through that neighborhood. Mr. Small explained for Commissioner Taylor that the study will dovetail with another traffic study that was done in this neighborhood in 2001. He said those recommended improvements were not completed. He said speed humps may be moved or added depending on where drivers are going. Mr. Small discussed the town boundary plan for $25,000. He said a recent study determined that there are ten areas in town that should be examined to close town boundaries so as not to have enclaves 2 or exclaves. He said that technically having these enclaves/exclaves is not legal and most likely occurred through mistakes in surveying. Mr. Small said the purpose of the cost is to have a surveyor review the past study and have a �tle examiner make sure that this informa�on is actually correct. Mr. Small noted that this is not a requirement to be done this year, but it would be good to complete it. He referenced a handout to visually explain to the commissioners each of the ten areas in ques�on. He noted that having these areas creates issues for future annexa�ons and that some of them are por�ons of town streets that should be in the town. Mr. Small said con�nued research may reveal that some of these areas are actually in the town a�er all. He said it will be an incremental process that will examine the status of each property and who owns it. Commissioner Taylor asked how the enclaves that are county-owned impact the town’s property tax. Mr. Small was unsure and was cau�ous about approaching property owners. Commissioner Taylor speculated that there must be case law precedent related to taxes and suggested researching this area first. Mr. Small agreed. Commissioner Taylor stated that it is very important to clean up the town’s boundaries but said Ms. Thompson should conduct legal research first. Ms. Moody noted that generally the assessment office goes back three years but these areas in ques�on could be extenua�ng circumstances. Mr. Small said only a few of the areas are on private property and the rest are on public property. Mr. Small next discussed the budget of $73,000 for the Bike/Ped Plan implementa�on by showing two maps. He said the plan proposes to put bike lanes on Boulton Street, funding to be provided by the Harford Mall developers as part of their required improvements. He highlighted the road por�ons that the town will do to complete the bike lanes. He said these bike lanes are part of an overall planned system of bike lanes that will connect through Kelly Fields and the Ma & Pa Trail. Commissioner Taylor asked about the developer requirement. Mr. Small said the town will require the Phase 2 developers of the Harford Mall to make changes on Boulton Street that will improve traffic flow. Commissioner Taylor ques�oned how bike lanes would improve traffic flow. Mr. Small said the areas on Boulton that have two lanes will create space for the bike lane. In addi�on, narrowing the roads will make drivers go more slowly. Mr. Small explained that these bike lane addi�ons and road improvements were authorized by the Planning Commission. He also noted that the developer cannot get occupancy approval un�l the work is done; work is projected to begin in early 2026. Mr. Small then provided details for Commissioner Taylor about how staff and the Planning Commission determined to add bike lanes. He noted that they looked at capacity in this area, which is determined by intersec�ons not the roadway itself. He said the impetus was to create connec�ons to Gateway Drive, the Ma & Pa Trail, and the county’s future bike lanes on Tollgate Road. He said the developer will also have to also install medians to prevent wrong turns. He told Commissioner Taylor that safety measures were required to be installed at all intersec�ons where pedestrians or cyclists would cross Route 24 and he described the crossings in detail. Commissioner Taylor said he is not in favor of bike lanes. Chair E�ng asked about the width of the bike lanes. Mr. Small said they will be at a minimum of 8 feet wide, as required. He told Chair E�ng that lane width on Boulton Street will be reduced to 11 feet from its original 12 feet. She expressed concern about having 249 apartments with reduced lane size. Mr. Small said the lane will be 15 feet from curb to curb. He explained that reducing lane size does not affect capacity. Delays occur at signalized intersec�ons. Chair E�ng was s�ll concerned about a �ghter lane. Mr. Small countered that 11 feet is acceptable if you want to slow down traffic. He said the wider the lane, the faster the cars. 3  Mr. Small moved on to the proposed bike lanes on MacPhail Road, which is another developer- funded improvement. He said the town will be responsible for the por�on of bike lane that is east of Route 24 on MacPhail Road. Mr. Small said the hospital is responsible for these lanes and this decision was made four years ago when the cancer and surg center were developed. He told Commissioner Taylor that the �meline for these bike lanes is rela�vely quick because the development has already been completed. Mr. Small then explained for Commissioner Taylor the share-the-road markings that run through town to divert bike traffic from Bond and Main Streets and toward des�na�ons. Commissioner Taylor said he is concerned about the addi�on of bike lanes in both of the proposed areas as it relates to motorists, which is the main mode of transporta�on in town. Mr. Small cau�oned that if the commissioners choose not to fund these improvements, the developers will put in a 15-foot lane, which will increase speed on Boulton Street. Commissioner Taylor asked how the commissioners would waive the Planning Commission’s prior approval. Mr. Small said the “town” would have to go in front of the Planning Commission to declare that it does not want to fund the bike lanes at this �me. Mr. Small said that the town could require a bond for this work if there was a poten�al to put in the bike lanes in the future. Mr. Hopkins said he did not understand the reluctance for bike lanes. Commissioner Taylor said he is skep�cal of installing bike lanes on larger roads. Chair E�ng agreed and said it is easy for a motorist to forget the lanes are there and motorists do not like to travel on �ght lanes. She told Mr. Hopkins she would prefer to have cyclists ride with the cars so a car could move around the cyclist. Commissioner Chance disagreed. She said that in her opinion, a cyclist riding with cars in the same lane is more dangerous. She said if you install a bike lane, you must educate drivers and get them accustomed to the bike lanes. She said wider lanes also induce faster vehicle speeds. Commissioner Taylor asked about data on cyclists that currently use the bike routes. Mr. Small said he does not have that data. Commissioner Taylor said invi�ng more bike traffic in these busy areas worsens the experience of motorists. He said he is in support of bike trails, but only in areas where the bike infrastructure does not conflict with cars. He noted that the roads are built primarily for motorists and there are risks when the roads become overcrowded. Chair E�ng said that she would also like to see cyclist data. Mr. Small noted that the Bike/Ped Plan addresses connec�vity, specifically how can the town safely connect different des�na�on points. He said the town has an excep�onal, safe, visible pedestrian network, but the bike network is poor. Commissioner Taylor said he is in favor of recrea�onal infrastructure for bikes but he struggles with a transporta�onal network. Commissioner Rutledge asked for more details about the funding for the mall project. Mr. Small explained that the developers will s�ll have to add a lane to slow traffic, but the town could make changes to this lane in the future, not this fiscal year. He explained for Commissioner Rutledge in detail the bike paths and share-the-road areas. He said the money in the budget is for the town’s por�on of the bike lanes. In answer to Chair E�ng, Mr. Small said the Harford Mall developers are moving slowly and will probably not pick up the pace un�l Phase 3 rolls out. Commissioner Rutledge asked if it would be possible to “punt” this funding since the town cannot spend it un�l the developers do their part. He said it is not an “up or down vote,” rather it is just being put aside for the �me being. He said the hospital bike lanes will happen this year so the commissioners 4 must decide whether to approve $20,000 for bike lane extensions by the hospital and around to Atwood Road. Ms. Moody confirmed that the commissioners could s�ll approve the money for the mall bike lanes and the money would remain in the budget un�l it is spent. She said the money ($40,000) could be removed en�rely from that fund this year and spent elsewhere. She confirmed that the money is from current year revenues. Mr. Small discussed other items in this fund like replacement of the Williams Street kiosk graphics ($1,000), and a trail from Giles Street to Maitland Street ($10,000). Mr. Small said the impetus for this trail is to create a connec�on from Rockfield Park to downtown Main Street. He said the trail would be a sidewalk connec�on and not a shared-use path. Mr. Small said three residen�al proper�es would be poten�ally impacted by this pathway. He said these homeowners already experience drainage issues so work in this area could be integrated with the pathway comple�on. Commissioner Taylor asked if pedestrians could just use streets instead. Mr. Hopkins said schoolchildren could also use these pathways. Chair E�ng and Commissioner Taylor both agreed that it would be best to contact the homeowners first before agreeing to fund this pathway. Mr. Small also discussed research money ($2,000) for a trail from Linwood Avenue to the ballfields at Rockfield Park. He said construc�on of this trail would require an easement from the archdiocese, which may be difficult. Chair E�ng suggested contac�ng John Carroll School first to find out whether they are interested before the money is allocated. Mr. Small agreed and said he would also need Ms. Thompson’s assistance regarding the easement. Mr. Hopkins said construc�on of these trails would allow a person to walk from Linwood to Giles to Powell to Main without being on streets that are heavy with traffic. Commissioner Taylor said he supports this concept. Mr. Small next discussed improvements to Alice Anne Park at $130,000. He said a fitness cluster will be installed, as well as a paved connec�on from the fitness cluster to Lester Way. He said the cluster is geared to seniors and adults. In addi�on, Upper Chesapeake will also be installing its own fitness cluster. Mr. Small said the cluster will cost $100,000, the paved trail $25,000, and the ameni�es $5,000. He an�cipates a large amount of funding will come from grants and poten�al donors, although the town will have to provide matching monies. Ms. Moody clarified that $90,000 comes from a corresponding grant. The remaining $40,000 will hopefully come from other grant-funded sources, requiring the town to only pay upwards of $25,000. She said this informa�on was received today so she will add an amendment to the budget. Mr. Small discussed Burns Alley improvements even though they are not in this fiscal year’s budget. He said the improvements for Phase 1 would increase aesthe�cs and add landscaping. In Phase 2, there would be a partnership with the sheriff’s office and the Odd Fellows to build sidewalks. Mr. Small said he is asking for $50,000 to replace the Planning Department vehicle. Mr. Small said it is a 2015 model that has had some wear and tear, including rust. He noted that the vehicle replacement is the lowest priority on his list. Chair E�ng said that the vehicle only has 55,000 miles on it and she, personally, would not replace a vehicle with such low mileage. Mr. Small explained his daily use of this vehicle and the need for a hatchback to haul Planning Department items. He said he is not pressing for replacement, but he wanted to make the commissioners aware of the situa�on. Ms. Moody clarified that if the commissioners decide against funding for a new vehicle, they would not be able to spend the $50,000 somewhere else in the budget. In fact, she said there would be a net loss of $8,000 and the money would go back to the capital reserve. 5  Ms. Moody clarified for Commissioner Taylor that the town is taking a net transfer out of $758,000 from the capital reserve. She said the transfer in is $20,000. Commissioner Taylor confirmed the total net as $738,000. Ms. Moody said she will have an update on the capital reserve balance and the balances for the last three years at next Tuesday’s work session. 2. Finance Ms. Moody said the finance budget for FY26 decreased less than $1,000 from last fiscal year. She provided some highlights. For travel/training/memberships, she said this cost has increased to $6,337 because of the increase in costs of memberships, atendance at conferences, etc. She said that as a CPA, she must con�nue her educa�on and atend ethics training. Ms. Moody said the audit cost will be $20,669, which will be the FY25 audit. She said the GASB pension valua�on and the OPEB actuarial valua�on have been in the budget since the incep�on of the pensions. Ms. Moody said the supplies budget is the main reason for the budget’s decrease. She said this budget tends to fluctuate yearly depending on the amount of bulk supplies needed. Ms. Moody said the processing fees of $4,178 covers the town’s outsourcing. Chair E�ng asked about the cost of $5,018 for banking fees. Ms. Moody replied that the town is charged numerous banking fees. She said much of these fees are in place to protect the town from fraud. 3. Benefits/Miscellaneous/Debt Service Ms. Moody used the Finance Department to explain benefits in general. She pointed out the social security payment and the medical insurance payment, the rate of which increased 1% for FY26. Ms. Moody detailed the town’s contribu�on to the medical plan. She pointed out the dental insurance, the rate of which decreased by 1% as did vision insurance. Ms. Moody said the town has a disability insurance contract with LGIT. She said there was no rate increase, and the contract was renewed un�l June 2026. Ms. Moody then explained the pension plans and life insurance, also a contract through LGIT with no rate increase this year. Ms. Moody explained the resident rebate throughout the different departments. She also discussed deferred compensa�on, and said the town ins�tuted a match to convince employees to be a part of the deferred compensa�on. She said the town proposes to increase this benefit for the first �me in ten years. The town contribu�on will increase from $30 to $40. Employees must increase the minimum contribu�on from $45 to $50. Ms. Moody informed Commissioner Taylor that 88% of employees par�cipate. Ms. Moody said the worker’s compensa�on modifica�on rate decreased from a 1.36 premium to 1.00. Ms. Moody then referred to more informa�on on benefits. She said the budgeted numbers are educated es�mates based on history. She noted that some of the funds in this area may become available because two public works employees opted out of benefits. She explained the addi�onal worker’s compensa�on costs and then moved on to OPEB, healthcare for re�rees at $68,488. She said that being a part of OPEB saves the town money in the long run because money is set aside for the healthcare of future re�rees. She said staff is recommending the town increase this budget by 3%. She said this percentage has not been increased in five or six years. Ms. Moody said the OPEB valua�on in June 30, 2025, will determine what the town needs to contribute for the next two years. The money budgeted in this account is an es�mate based on valua�on. 6  Ms. Moody moved on to the miscellaneous category. She said this category includes general insurance, which had a rate increase of 5.7%. Also in this category is the employee recogni�on, the wellness program, the safety/atendance program, volunteer recogni�on, and contribu�on/dona�ons. Ms. Moody noted that the historical society tradi�onally asks for $1,000 for snow removal, but did not do so this year. Commissioners agreed to con�nue with the $1,000 snow removal. She also noted that the Harford County Educa�on Founda�on requested $2,500 and the dona�on is $1,000. Ms. Moody said that Chief Moore and Mr. Hopkins requested to include $1,000 for the fire police to use for equipment and gear as a way of thanking them for their service. Commissioners all agreed with this contribu�on. Under “Other” Ms. Moody included ASCAP, BMI licenses, a new AED device, and other unexpected expenses ($1,596). She said this category also includes the 2.9% COLA, changes to the pay scales, and revised merits. Ms. Moody said that the town is 19.9% behind with CPI increases from 1986 to 2025. She detailed the concentra�on of years for Commissioner Taylor when the town was par�cularly lacking and noted various circumstances that affected those years. She said she does not want the town to get further behind. For debt service, Ms. Moody said no new debt was incurred in 2025. She said the low rates con�nue so the budget remains the same. She said two debts are for equipment and vehicles. One will be paid off in FY27 and the other in FY28. She said the JCI final payment will be in 2032 and the town hall renova�on final payment will be in 2051. A. Compensa�on Program Mr. Krantz presented on the classifica�on and compensa�on plan and the personnel table regarding the proposed updates and corresponding compensa�on schedules. Mr. Krantz explained the impetus for these changes. He said that the previous ranking plan was outdated and the Public Works Department con�nues to experience high turnover. Mr. Krantz said these changes will fix misalignments in compensa�on. He said there are revisions in the classifica�on ranking plan that reassign posi�ons to appropriate grades within the revised pay schedules. Mr. Krantz said the classifica�on policy remains largely unchanged except for updated class specifica�ons and some posi�on reassignment. Mr. Krantz said the changes to the original 19-step pay schedule include amended classes and grades, a new classifica�on ranking plan, new class specifica�ons, and a revised classified posi�ons and personnel table. He said 7 new steps were added with 0.5% merit increases designed to retain long- serving employees at the top of the scale. He said the impact on employees’ pay is approximately a 3.99% pay increase, with the range from 2.97% for most to 6.93% at the high end. He said the highest adjustments target public works posi�ons. In par�cular, Mr. Krantz said the hourly wage will increase from $17.67 to $18.89, before applying the COLA increase. Mr. Krantz provided background on the need to incen�vize the Public Works Department. He said that in FY23 a 4% raise was ins�tuted for the public works employees on a separate pay plan but this effort s�ll fell short of market compe��veness. He noted that this new pay schedule structure also brings the town administrator’s posi�on into the fold. Mr. Krantz said the police pay schedule was overhauled in FY22 and is separate from this pay plan. He said it will have a 17-step pay schedule for FY26 with a 1% pay schedule adjustment, merit steps, COLA, and a 1% longevity bonus for officers at the top of the pay scale. 7  Mr. Krantz concluded that these changes finalize the compensa�on alignment, update the outdated classifica�on language, reinforce equity in pay structure, and aid in the goal of atrac�ng and retaining qualified employees. Mr. Krantz discussed with Commissioner Taylor the importance of inves�ng in the public works employees and the value of their skills to the town. Mr. Krantz explained that this compensa�on plan is a comple�on of the process begun in FY22 for both the public works and the police departments. Commissioner Taylor applauded staff for their work, which shows the priority in town is delivering excellent service to its ci�zens. He then ques�oned how these pay scale changes will be funded. Ms. Moody said $313,000 will be come from the unassigned fund, whereas the COLA and merit increases will come from current revenues. Commissioner Taylor asked how the town will con�nue to fund these increases since a significant por�on is coming from the unassigned fund. Ms. Moody explained how she factored these increases into the budget and felt the town will be “ in good shape moving forward.” She noted that the town has done a similar process in the past for pay adjustments. She explained why she is “comfortable with that number” and noted significant factors in the decision, such as revenues were higher while expenses were less this year and that the town has an aging workforce. Ms. Moody predicted there will be turnover in the next five years at the higher end of the pay scale across all departments resul�ng in salary and benefits savings. She assured Commissioner Taylor that in the short- term, i.e., FY27 and FY28, she does not foresee an inability to fund other priori�es because of these pay scale changes. Ms. Moody and Mr. Krantz explained that these pay scale transi�ons and realignment are a one-�me cost only for this year. Commissioners and Ms. Moody applied examples to determine how these costs will work in the future and that the town will not spend $313,000 next year. Commissioner Taylor said he is s�ll hampered by the fact that everyone’s salary will have increased for next year and ques�oned where the funding will come from. Ms. Moody replied that it will come from current year revenues. Commissioner Rutledge said the town is taking on an overhead commitment with this first raise, permanently and in perpetuity, and asked Ms. Moody if she is confident that the town will be able to cover this overhead with current year revenues in the future. Ms. Moody replied in the affirma�ve. She described how the town is now being proac�ve financially as compared to the past, such as using the capital and leave payout reserves while con�nuing to do capital projects. She said she an�cipates re�rements in the next five years. Moreover, she said income taxes and real estate revenues remain consistent and there is no reason for this situa�on to change. She stated this expense would not be in the budget if she did not feel comfortable with it. Mr. Krantz thanked the commissioners for the fiscally conserva�ve mindset and appreciated their ques�ons and concerns. Commissioner Rutledge said he was persuaded that the town needs this pay increase to remain compe��ve. He said that reten�on of employees is crucial because it is much more costly to con�nuously hire and train new people. Commissioner Chance agreed with his sen�ments. Ms. Moody noted that the Verkada system ($226,000) is also coming out of current year revenues, as well as $167,000 for town building projects. Commissioner Taylor felt reassured when he determined that although the town is encumbering a larger percentage of current year revenues this year, a significant number of capital projects can be shi�ed to the capital reserve. He noted that it is important to support the employees and said, “our priori�es are sound and our means of achieving our priori�es are sound.” Chair E�ng was relieved by this conclusion because she had been concerned about being able to pay the employees at this new level next year. 8 C. Discussion by Commissioners on Budget Issues Ms. Moody referred to her handout that addressed commissioners’ ques�ons on the Verkada system. She said the town will purchase a 5-year service plan, which includes all so�ware updates at no addi�onal cost. The town will use Verizon at a savings of $17,000 over the 5-year period. She explained how the system remains secure and Verkada does not use or sell data; the data are only accessible to the Police Department unless it chooses to share the data. Commissioner Taylor asked for more informa�on. Specifically, what is the yearly subscrip�on cost, opera�ng expenses, and does the ini�al cost of $226,000 include the 5-year plan and installa�on. He also asked if this dollar figure changes depending on the amount of cameras. Commissioner Taylor asked about how to guarantee that surveillance will not be in neighborhoods or into par�cular houses. Mr. Hopkins replied that cameras will be installed in high-the� areas, in areas that have large-scale events, in parks, and around cri�cal infrastructure. Mr. Hopkins said that for neighborhoods that back up to parks, the camera will not focus on that par�cular neighborhood. He said the specific areas for installa�on have not been finalized. Commissioner Rutledge said the overall value of this system outweighs the incidental effects, par�cularly because the town houses county and state buildings. He felt the system is a “well- thought-out policing tool.” Mr. Hopkins said he understands the sensi�vity of this subject—that people want protec�on along with their freedom. He recommended a closed session to discuss the cameras in detail and to demonstrate their capabili�es. Commissioners agreed to this sugges�on. Mr. Hopkins noted that access to the cameras will be restricted to only certain police officers. Ms. Moody discussed addi�ons to the outstanding budget items list. She said Ms. Thompson will review case law to determine the impact of the town boundary plan before this line item is approved. Ms. Moody said commissioners would like data on cyclists using town roads. She said commissioners ques�oned whether the Tollgate to Gateway bike path at a cost of $40,000 could be postponed un�l FY27. Ms. Moody said commissioners requested that the homeowners bordering the proposed Giles to Maitland trail be contacted. She said they also requested that the John Carroll School be contacted regarding interest in the Linwood to Rockfield Park trail. She said the town match for Alice Anne Park will be $25,000, another issue to be addressed. The vehicle for the Planning Department should also be discussed. She stated that commissioners have already decided to contribute $1,000 to the fire police and $1,000 to the historical society for snow removal. She concluded with their addi�onal queries regarding the Verkada system. Ms. Moody asked if the commissioners had a range for the increase to the fire company. She posited that increases of $25,000 yearly might be possible. Commissioner Taylor said there is not a consensus on reaching $275,000 but there is a consensus on reaching the low $200,000s this year. Chair E�ng agreed saying this increase can be jus�fied because the fire company is providing an essen�al service. Commissioner Rutledge also agreed. He noted that the fire company is in a state of flux regarding the county’s posi�on on the volunteer fire companies and it is prudent not to overcommit taxpayer dollars. Ms. Moody clarified that the commissioners are recommending a $30,000 increase for FY26. Commissioner Taylor confirmed that this increase indicates that the town is not commi�ng to the proposed pay plan but is doing all it can and will reevaluate next year. Mr. Hopkins said the fire company is providing a valuable municipal service and said he would like to meet with its representa�ves twice a year to discuss progress. Commissioner Chance agreed and said that the presenta�on was not sufficient to inform the commissioners on the fire company’s issues. 9  Ms. Moody informed Commissioner Rutledge that the Pennsylvania Avenue free-parking lot will be discussed on May 13 under the parking fund. Commissioner Rutledge said he supported keeping that lot as free parking. Ms. Moody said the parking fund con�nues to lose money every year and adding meters to this lot would cut the loss in half. IV. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Rutledge mo�oned to adjourn the mee�ng. Commissioner Taylor seconded the mo�on. All in favor. The mee�ng adjourned at 8:42 pm. APPROVED: May 5, 2025 Signature on file _____________ Paula S. E�ng, Chair Board of Town Commissioners Signature on file_____________ Michael L. Krantz, Town Clerk 10