Westminster, MD, Tuesday, March 5, 2024 – This morning, Mr. Ted Zaleski, Director of Management and Budget, presented the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Overview to the Carroll County Board of Commissioners (BOC) during Open Session.

The FY25 Budget Overview is derived from hundreds of staff hours during which staff review prior budgets, meet with agency and department leaders, follow trends in the real estate market, income taxes, recordation and filing fees, and a whole host of other activities to ensure that the recommended budget is based on the best, most accurate, and up-to-date information available.

Mr. Zaleski began the presentation with several core messages: after several good years, the revenue outlook for Carroll County and the State has weakened; the county is still overcommitted; and that Blueprint is a dark cloud hanging over the county’s plan. He then revealed a thorough and detailed presentation of the FY2025 budget. The entire Budget Overview presentation can be viewed on the county website.

Throughout March, April, and May, a series of budget meetings will be held to develop and adopt the final budget.  The current schedule, which is subject to change, is noted below. 

On March 19th, the Recommended Budget will be presented to the BOC.  Then the board will meet with any agency requesting funding not included in the Recommended Budget.   Below is the list of meetings as they are currently scheduled:

Agency Meetings with Commissioners:
Tuesday, March 26th
Thursday, March 28th  

After the commissioners meet with agencies, the board will begin discussing the budget options amongst themselves to create a proposed budget.  The Proposed Budget Work Sessions will begin on April 2nd. 

Once the Proposed Budget is agreed upon by a majority of the commissioners, a release of the FY25 Proposed Budget is planned for Tuesday, April 23rd.

Director Zaleski will then hold a series of community meetings to review and explain the Proposed Budget.  These meetings are currently scheduled as follows:

Budget Community Presentations:
Wednesday, April 24th           7:00 pm                      Eldersburg Library
Thursday, April 25th               7:00 pm                      Mount Airy Library
Monday, April 29th                 7:00 pm                      Exploration Commons (Westminster)
Tuesday, April 30th                 7:00 pm                      Taneytown Library
Wednesday, May 1st               7:00 pm                      North Carroll Library

A Budget Public Hearing is scheduled to be held on Monday, May 6, 2024, at 7:00 pm. at the Carroll Arts Center located at 91 W. Main Street in Westminster. More information will be provided closer to the date.

Additional Budget Work Sessions may be held by the commissioners to make any modifications to the proposed budget based on the information received during the Budget Public Hearing.  These work sessions are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th, and Thursday, May 16th.

The FY2025 budget adoption is planned for Tuesday, May 21st.

Updated information can be viewed on the Bureau of Budget webpage as it becomes available: https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/government/directory/management-budget/bureau-of-budget/.  Comments and questions can be submitted via the webpage or can be sent to Director Ted Zaleski at tzaleski@carrollcountymd.gov at any time.

These sessions are in person and open to the public, will be televised on Channel 24, and streamed live on the county website.  All meetings will be held in the County Office Building, 225 N. Center Street, Westminster, MD 21157, unless otherwise noted. Meeting times and places are subject to change, so please check the county website or call 410-386-2400 to confirm.

Meetings are available for viewing on the county meeting portal and the county YouTube channel. In addition, all meetings will be replayed on Comcast Channel 24.