Tough Budget, Tough Decisions
Announced Due to inaction by
the Maryland General Assembly and the almost certain
guarantee of teachers pensions being permanently shifted to
local governments, the Board of Commissioners of Allegany
County has no choice but to evaluate the operation and
organization of County government, and downsize.As publicly reported during recent budget workshops
by County staff, this will require that County department
heads work immediately to explore ways of providing basic
public services with fewer employees now and in the future.
The State will convene a special session on May
14. This may help soften the blow short term with the likely
reinstatement of the County’s full disparity grant. The
greatest concern for the County however, is the implications
of covering the cost of teachers pensions which the
CountyCommissioners will be
required to fund long term.
“In order for us to weather the storm now and in the future,
painful decisions need to be made,” commented Michael W.
McKay, Board President. As
such County staff has been directed to eliminate ten
positions to save an estimated $475,000 for the upcoming FY
2013 budget.
“We are asking our department heads for a lot and at
this time the Board of Commissioners must demonstrate the
same kind of sacrifice and leadership that it is asking of
others,” added McKay. As
such, the Board of County Commissioners has decided to
eliminate the position/department of Clerk to the
CountyCommissioners effective July 1, 2012. The
formal duties prescribed by CountyCode will be assumed by the CountyAdministrator.
Clerical duties previously assigned to the Clerk will be
distributed among other county staff.
The County will also
consolidate two management positions into one within the
County’s Roads Division.Further reductions for the next fiscal year will
include positions in Public Works and the Division of Public
Safety.The
County will not move forward with filling vacant positions
in the Departments of Emergency Services, Finance, Planning,
and Public Works. The County’s Department of Human Resources
and Personnel Services is working proactively with
department heads and their employees regarding these
difficult decisions.
“At this point, we are dealing with ten positions,
several of which are currently vacant,” stated County
Administrator David A. Eberly. “Depending upon additional
state action or inaction, we could be discussing an
additional 15 positions.Most of these positions will require layoffs if we
need to go there,” Eberly concluded.Delfest At the Allegany County Fairgrounds Living bluegrass legend Del McCoury performs at DelFest at
the Allegany County Fairgrounds this Memorial Day Weekend.Read More.
ALLEGANYCOUNTYFY
2013 BUDGET This is
Allegany County Government’s budget schedule for FY
2013 (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013) as of May 10, 2012
according to Director of Finance Jason M. Bennett, C.P.A..
This is an update to all previous schedules. A special session of the
General Assembly is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 14.
The Allegany County Commissioners,
Michael W. McKay, Creade V. Brodie, Jr., and William R. Valentine,
invite the general public to attend all budget events.
They are held at the
AlleganyCountyOfficeBuilding, 701 Kelly Road,
Cumberland.
Budget Schedule
Thursday, May 17, 2012, 3:00 p.m. Budget Workshop
Thursday, May 31, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Presentation:
Five Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget
Preliminary Budget Presentation
Thursday,
June 7, 2012, 5:00 p.m.
Budget Hearing Thursday, June 14, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Budget
Review: Public Input
Thursday, June 28, 2012, 5:00
p.m. Budget Adoption and Setting the Levy
Informational Event: HVAC Rebates and Incentives Seminar At the request of Potomac Edison Company and to help
citizens and stakeholders,
Allegany County Government
is announcing a seminar.This pertains to
rebates for commercial, industrial, government,
not-for-profit, and institutional customers. The informational event will be held on
Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at Allegany College of Maryland
– Continuing Education Building, 12401 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
For additional information contact Celia Salgado,
e-mail:
salgadoc@saic.com,
telephone: 212-946-2846. The website is
www.energysaveMD.com /Event Invitation /Quick
Reference GuideProperty Tax Assessment Appeals Board
The Allegany County Commissioners, Michael W. McKay,
Creade V. Brodie, and William R. Valentine, have been
notified by the Governor’s Office to seek nominees for
the Allegany County Property Tax Assessment Appeals
Board. Biographical
Information Forms are available in the County
Commissioner’s Office. In
accordance with the State Ethics Commission members of
the Assessment Appeals Board may not be actively engaged
in real estate sales or appraisal. There are also
limitations which apply to employment in local or state
government. Individuals who are interested in nomination
to this Board should contact the
CountyCommissioner’s Office.
Call 301-777-5911 or e-mail.Animal Control Board Positions The Allegany County
Commissioners, Michael W. McKay, Creade V. Brodie, and
William R. Valentine, are responsible for appointing
individuals to serve on the Allegany County Animal
Control Board. The Animal Control Board serves in an
advisory capacity to the Allegany County Commissioners
in all matters pertaining to the welfare of domestic
animals in AlleganyCounty.
This is a volunteer position and the terms begin on July
1, 2012. The Allegany County
Commissioners directed Richard L. DeVore, Director of
the Department of Emergency Services, and Karl A.
Brubaker, Animal Shelter Manager, to initiate the
process by speaking with interested individuals.
Prospective board
members should contact Mr. DeVore, 301-876-9155 X100 or
ddevore@allconet.org, to express their interest. This board has seven members. Five members are
appointed by the Allegany County Commissioners. Of the
five appointed members, one is to be a local
veterinarian and one is to be a representative of a
local humane society. There are two ex officio members:
the local Health Officer (or designee) and the Allegany
County Sheriff (or designee). For the initial
appointment, three members are appointed for a two year
term and two members are appointed for a one year term. The Allegany County Animal Shelter’s website is
http://ashelterofhope.com.BartonBridge
Project:
Potomac Hollow Road
Over Moores
Run Public Informational Meeting
The Allegany County Commissioners, Michael W. McKay,
Creade V. Brodie, Jr., and William R. Valentine, have
scheduled a public informational meeting. The topic is
the bridge replacement project on Potomac Hollow Road over Moores Run just
east of the Town of
Barton. Community members and
interested individuals are invited and encouraged to
attend on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Barton Town
Hall, 19018 Legislative Road, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30
p.m. Barton. No formal presentation will be
given. Individuals may arrive at any time to discuss the
project with personnel from the Allegany County
Department of Public Works.
Read More
Allegany County Commissioners, Michael W. McKay and
William R. Valentine, present 60 smoke detectors to
Deputy Chief State Fire Marshall Jason M. Mowbray.
Emergency
Services Purchases Smoke Detectors
The Allegany County Department of Emergency Services
has purchased sixty smoke detectors available for free
distribution to any county resident who cannot afford to
purchase this life-saving safety item. These smoke detectors
have a ten year lithium battery.These
smoke detectors will be distributed by the Office of the
State Fire Marshall, Western Regional Office. Jason M.
Mowbray serves as the Deputy Chief State Fire Marshall here.
Personnel from the State Fire Marshall’s Office will also do
installation, free of charge, for any individual who is not
physically able to do so. For the additional information
contact this office at 301-729-5021. With
this purchase, Allegany County Commissioners, Michael W.
McKay, Creade V. Brodie, Jr., and William R. Valentine, have
matched a similar endeavor. The Cumberland Firefighters
Local 1715 recently gave the Cumberland Fire Department
sixty smoke detectors for free distribution.AlleganyCountyLocalLand
Preservation, Parks and Recreation Update 2012 Read More
Georges Creek Region Comprehensive Plan Significant Changes have been made
to Chapters 7,12,and 14 The Planning and Zoning
Commission has scheduled a public hearing for approval of
this plan for 7PM, May 2, 2012 - Room 101 of the Allegany
County Complex.
Hamilton Relay Adds New Employee Positions - Expanding
Workforce Frostburg, MD - Hamilton Relay , a
leading Telecommunications Relay and Captioned Telephone
services provider, announced today that it is expanding its
workforce and hiring for new positions at its Frostburg,
Maryland center. A long-time provider of captioned
telephone services, Hamilton Relay recently began processing
this special call type from its own relay centers.
Hamilton Relay has already expanded its Nebraska and
Louisiana centers and now has plans to add another 44
workstations to its center in Frostburg, Maryland.
Read More
Applications for the Captioning Assistant positions can be
completed online at
www.workforhamilton.com, or at the Frostburg Center
located at 1 Science Park in the Frostburg Business Park.
For more information, contact Human Resources via email at
hr@HamiltonTel.com
or call 301-689-5195.CHANGE OF HOURS OF OPERATION
The Allegany County
Department of Public Works operates four refuse solid waste
collection areas: at the Mountainview Landfill, 13300 New Georges Creek Road SW,
Frostburg, as well as in Flintstone, Little Orleans, and
Oldtown.All
four sites have recently initiated new hours.
Frostburg: 13300
New Georges
Creek Road SW
(Mountainview Landfill)
IMPORTANT: Allegany County Government
operates a drop off refuse site that is separate from the Mountainview Landfill
operation. Terry
A. Bennett, Allegany County Public Works, may be contacted
at 301-777-5933 Ext. 210 and terry.bennett@allconet.org to
answer any questions regarding the drop off refuse site. The
Mountainview Landfill is privately owned and operated by
Waste Management and may be contacted at 301-463-3373.
Allegany
County
Government: Drop Off Refuse Site at Mountainview Landfill
Cumberland Area Schools: Allegany County 2012 Capital
Improvement Program Michael W. McKay, President of
the Board of Commissioners, has written to Dr. David Cox,
Superintendent of Schools.President McKay announced and read this letter at the
Allegany County Commissioners Public Business Meeting on
June 2, 2011. Read More
Brian McCormick, a Professional Engineer in the Department of Public
Works, presents the Allegany County Solid Waste Management Plan to the
County Commissioners. The Homeowner's TaxCredit Program Learn More /
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