The Talbot County Council held a meeting on Tuesday, May 2 with Council Members Callahan, Haythe, Lesher, and Stepp in attendance. Council Member Mielke was absent.
Proclamation: Older Americans Month – May 2023 – Childlene Brooks, Manager, Brookletts Place – The Talbot County Senior Center, and Ann DeMart, Manager, Bay Hundred Senior Center, received a proclamation recognizing May 2023 as “Older Americans Month”. The proclamation specifically encouraged citizens to “build an even better community for its older residents by: not limiting its thinking about aging; exploring and combatting stereotypes; emphasizing the many positive aspects of aging; inspiring older adults to push past traditional boundaries; and embracing the diversity of our community.”
The Council thanked the senior center staff for their work on behalf of the citizens of Talbot County. “I’m just thrilled to see all that the senior centers, both of them, are doing for our senior populations here. It is good to see that participation has come back in the post-pandemic environment,” said Vice President Pete Lesher.
Brookletts Place – The Talbot County Senior Center, located in Easton, provides individuals 60 years and older opportunities for socializing, recreational fun, lifelong learning, and camaraderie among their peers. The Bay Hundred Senior Center which opened in St. Michaels in 2019, follows the same model. For more information about their programs please visit Senior | Brookletts Place: Talbot County Senior Center | Easton.
Proclamation: Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month – May 2023 – Ken Eaton, Executive Director, ABATE of Maryland and Mark Kerzner, Queen Anne’s County Representative, Mid-Shore Chapter of ABATE of Maryland, accepted a proclamation recognizing May 2023 as “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month”. The proclamation encourages all motorists and citizens to join together to improve safety and awareness on our roadways, especially as the weather gets warmer and more motorcyclists will be on roadways.
The Council held two public hearings. The first on the Constant Yield. Vice President Lesher read the following statement into the record:
The County Council, in the FY 2024 Proposed Budget, is proposing to adopt a real property tax rate of 68.20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for all properties located outside the incorporated towns. This is 2.55 cents higher than the current real property tax rate. This rate is 5.3% higher than the constant yield rate of 64.76 cents, and will generate $1,694,247 more in property tax revenues in FY 2024 from the unincorporated area of the County.
Properties located within the Incorporated Towns will again be granted a tax rate differential which sets their real property tax rates between 6.01 and 13.3 cents lower than the County rate. The County real property tax rates for properties located within the Towns are higher than the constant yield rate for the Towns.
There were no public comments offered on the Constant Yield.
The Council then held the public hearing on the FY 2024 Proposed Budget (Bill No. 1529). Details on the budget and budget process can be found on the Talbot County website at: FY 2024 Proposed Budget – Talbot County, Maryland (talbotcountymd.gov).
Other Business:
- Clay Stamp, County Manager, noted that the County has several vacancies on various boards and committees. Citizens interested in serving may contact the County Manager’s Office at 410-770-8010 or visit the County’s website.
- Brian Moore, Superintendent of Roads and County Facilities, requested Council support to award Bid No. 23-05 FURNISHING AND DELIVERY, WITH POSSIBLE APPLICATION OF CRS-2L, EMULSIFIED ASPHALT WITH POLYMER, to the low bidder, Slurry Pavers, Inc., of Richmond, VA for the unit price of $2.63/gallon delivered and $2.98/gallon delivered and applied, which will supply emulsified asphalt with polymer for seasonal road resurfacing projects. The request was approved unanimously.
- Stamp requested a Letter of Support to extend the operating dates of the Mid-Shore II Regional Landfill located in Ridgely, Maryland from 2030 to approximately 2042. Maryland Environmental Service has stated there is sufficient disposal capacity at the landfill to keep it open through approximately 2042 under existing State permits. The request was approved unanimously.
The next legislative meeting of the County Council will be held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 beginning at 6:00 p.m. At 3:30 p.m. the Council will be holding a work session with the local delegation to discuss the 2023 State legislative session. Written comments on the FY24 Proposed Budget will be accepted until Friday, May 5, 2023 at Noon.
Childlene Brooks, Manager, Brookletts Place – The Talbot County Senior Center, and Ann DeMart, Manager, Bay Hundred Senior Center, received a proclamation recognizi ng May 2023 as “Older Americans Month”.
Ken Eaton, Executive Director, ABATE of Maryland and Mark Kerzner, Queen Anne’s County Representative, Mid-Shore Chapter of ABATE of Maryland, accepted a proclamation recognizing May 2023 as “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month”.
Carol Voyles says
“68.20 cents is 2.55 cents higher than the current Real Property Tax Rate” .6820 (or 68.20 cents) is our current FY 2023 real property tax rate. and it’s “5.3 percent higher” than 64.76 cents?
Here’s the Talbot County FY 2024 Proposed Budget pdf (link below):
“Property tax revenues are projected to generate…44.1 percent of total revenues based on a Real Property Tax rate of $.7434 per $100 of assessed valuation for properties.” (or 74.34 cents)
Differentials are granted to the towns, very possibly bringing us back to .6820 ?
There’s always a Bottom Line. Our FY 2024 Proposed Budget “totals $128,849,000, representing an increase of 14.4 percent, or $16,241.621 from the FY 2023 Approved Budget.” (“$112,607,379”)
That’s a 14.4% increase, as stated in the pdf, not a 12.4% increase, Just keep that in mind. https://www.talbotcountymd.gov/uploads/File/finance/2024%20Budget/FY%202024%20Proposed%20Budget%20Workbook.pdf
Carol Voyles says
A “real property tax rate of 68.20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation is FY 2023’s rate.