Hughesville, MD – In past years, Charles County’s participation in helping to fund the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland has been in the six-figure range. Funding for the agency’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget, for example, was $135,000.
So imagine the surprise of Tri-County Council Executive Director John Hartline when he learned the Charles County Commissioners voted 4-1 Jan. 10 to reduce their annual share to a paltry $9,000, the minimum required by Maryland state law.
County leaders intend to take the money and expand its summer internship program and to hire an agricultural marketing specialist for the county’s Economic Development office.
Charles County Commissioner Debra Davis [D – District 2], who also sits on the Tri-County Council, when asked if she had any discussion on the county’s proposal Jan. 10 to redirect funding to county programs, was just about fit to be tied. “Loads of discussion,” she said.
Davis decried the proposal, saying the summer intern job program was set up to help kids who came from low-income families. The county’s new proposed program would place interns into positions in county government. “By placing these kids out in the community, they get real life experience they won’t get in county government,” she asserted.
Charles County Commissioners’ President Peter F. Murphy [D] countered by saying the program “doesn’t exclude anyone.”
Davis was also incredulous that the county could withdraw a substantial amount of TCC funding and not expect it to have consequences. “I just don’t think when you take away the dollars, you have a full understanding of what the unintended consequences may be,” Davis warned.
“There will be a small reduction in services,” Hartline said. “They did give us plenty of notice that they were considering this. The budget cycle is what it is, regardless of what the county’s actions are, but it will involve a change in services.”
Tri-County Council has an annual budget of approximately $5.1 million, so the overall operations will not be significantly affected, he noted. He did say that the council is not expecting similar actions from St. Mary’s or Calvert. “We’re expecting full funding,” Hartline said.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com