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Chesapeake Beach, MD – The controversy regarding budget cuts imperiling funds needed to hold events related to Christmas and Easter weighed heavy on the minds of Chesapeake Beach residents attending the town’s October meeting. The Oct. 15 town council meeting allowed citizens a chance to sound off and included two controversial votes.
The end result appears to mean a slightly dimmer Yuletide season for the bayside town but also produced optimism that two special events will be held after municipal leaders declared they would have to be cancelled due to underfunding.
During the nearly two-hour meeting, Town Council Vice President Patrick “Irish” Mahoney introduced his “Santa Claus Ordinance,” which would appropriate $7,250 from the town’s unallocated general fund reserve to the general funds for special events. The ordinance will be voted on next month and during the meeting Mahoney declared he currently has the votes to get the measure passed. That announcement drew applause from town residents attending the meeting.
In a letter Mahoney distributed to the local media and town residents, he called the two events—the Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Easter Festival—“family-oriented events.”
A vote on an emergency ordinance to increase the budget allocation for town-sponsored Christmas lighting failed when five of the six councilmembers present were not unanimous in their decision. Councilman Jeff Krahling voted opposed to the emergency ordinance—proposed by Councilman Robert Carpenter—to appropriate $25,000 from the general fund reserve for lighting.
Carpenter said the aim of the added funding was “so we can have some of the look we’ve had in the past.”
“It’s very important to our local businesses,” said Councilman Stewart Cumbo of the town’s elaborate Christmas light display.
“We are a small town,” said resident Lynda Streigel. “This is something other communities don’t have.”
Before the final vote was taken Cumbo moved to amend the ordinance to increase the allocation to $37,000. Krahling and Councilwoman Dr. Valerie Beaudin voted opposed to the amendment.
“Be flexible, don’t dig your heels in,” Mahoney advised the other councilmembers. “Do what’s best for the town. We’re tweaking a budget that has millions and millions in reserve.”
When the vote on the originally proposed emergency ordinance was acted on and failed to gain unanimous approval, Mayor Bruce Wahl announced the motion had been killed. That prompted a few cries of “bah-humbug” from the audience.
Prior to the votes, Krahling affirmed the town does not have “a line-item budget.” At the end of the meeting he suggested Wahl had the authority to restore the special events cuts without council action.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com