After recently preparing and presenting one last budget for Talbot County Council, Angela Lane of Easton has retired from her position as Talbot County’s Finance Director after 30 years as a public servant.
Lane, who is a graduate of the University of Maryland College Park and the University of Madrid in Madrid, Spain, started her accounting career in private industry. In 1987, she took a position with local government, working as Director of Administrative Services for the Talbot County Health Department. In 1991, she was hired as a Fiscal Analyst for the Talbot County Government, working as the County’s liaison between auditors and the County Finance Office and playing a key role in the annual budget process. She became Director of Finance for Talbot County in 2000, only the second person in the position, and worked in this job for the rest of her career, except for a brief job in the private sector from 2004 to 2009. She is also a 2002 graduate of Shore Leadership.
Although Angela is remembered for her incredible skills in creating budgets and preparing for audits, she views her most recent accomplishment of working with the Property Tax Referendum Committee in 2019 and 2020 on ballot questions to deal with property tax revenue constraints as the most rewarding part of her career. The ballot questions passed in November 2020 to modify the Tax Cap, allowing the County Council to add an additional cent ($0.01) to the property tax rate every year for the next 5 fiscal years beginning July 1, 2021.
“Thanks to the support of County citizens through passage of the ballot questions, the County will be able to address some of our most critical issues like law enforcement, emergency services, roads infrastructure, as well as several capital projects for the schools, Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Medical Services, the Talbot County Health Department, and the Talbot County Free Library,” Lane recalls.
“Most significant to me, however, was the process of the community coming together on this committee to frame the issue for the ballot in a way that the public could understand the County’s needs. I was particularly proud to work with a range of representatives from our towns, schools, public safety, and veteran constituencies as we disseminated the information to citizens across the County. We came together around a common cause.”
Throughout her distinguished career, Lane enjoyed working with all the departments of Talbot County Government, as well as other governmental and nonprofit agencies, to help deliver the best services to the community.
“It has been a great place to work and it’s never been boring. I was here when the County formed its Advanced Life Support services and look how far Emergency Services has come since then,” she adds.
She also has pride in leaving the County in excellent fiscal health, including its high bond rating which was upgraded during her tenure; unqualified audit opinions; and strong fiscal reserves to maintain stability during an economic downturn or crisis like the pandemic.
“Talbot County is poised for the future. The County Council and staff have been good stewards of the taxpayer dollars, operating under conservative fiscal policies, while delivering necessary and important services to our citizens. I will miss the process of putting together the budget and getting the audit done – I really liked those parts of my work,” she states.
“Angela has been an incredible asset to Talbot County. Her fiscal expertise and wisdom in the areas of budget and audit have been extraordinary and we were blessed to have her with us for these past 30 years. She worked well with staff in creating a cooperative environment and a positive atmosphere for getting County initiatives funded and implemented. She will be missed by us all,” comments Clay Stamp, County Manager for Talbot County Government.
Lane states that she is confident in her successor Joye Nagle, who brings years of experience to the job of Finance Director. “She will be great in carrying forth the efforts of the Finance Office and I am thrilled she has joined the team,” Lane adds.
As far as her future plans. She quips, “I look forward to traveling and pursuing some part-time work, but mostly, enjoying some time off.”
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