CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. — On June 12, the Chesapeake Beach Town Council approved the FY26 budget proposed by Mayor Bruce Wahl at the May 15 meeting, anticipating a surplus of approximately $700,000.
The council engaged in discussion regarding where the surplus would sit within the budget. The proposed budget ordinance called for the surplus to be applied to the utility fund, which would allow that money to be used for utility costs and some capital improvement projects.
There was some discussion of keeping the surplus in the general fund, which would allow more flexibility for the funds. The Town Council is able to revisit the budget.
Councilmember Laura Blackwelder argued that the council should find a way to infuse the surplus back into the community to help get some of the projects moving faster that had previously been discussed — such as the tennis court renovation at Beach Elementary. She also added that the council could further increase the surplus by increasing the admissions and amusement tax from 0.5% to 1%. However, this tax is written into town code and cannot be changed through a budget amendment.
In addition to approving the budget for the general fund, the town approved the mitigation fund, the water park fund, the utility fund, and the water reclamation treatment plant fund.
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This administration is a joke