'COVID-19 Is Wreaking Havoc' On Bel Air Budget: Administrator

BEL AIR, MD — The administrator for the town of Bel Air is preparing a scaled-down budget in the year ahead. Circumstances due to the new coronavirus have forced Town Administrator Jesse Bane to make significant cuts in putting together the town's FY 2021 budget.

"This budget is a moving target because of what’s going on out there with this pandemic," Bane said during a recent commissioner work session held by teleconference.

Staff reported the town was coming in $200,000 under red light camera projections, for example, since fewer people were on the road running red lights due to the governor's stay-at-home order.

"It is going to be a very lean budget," Bane said. "We have cut the budget to the bone. This one kind of cuts into the bone."

In what he called a thumbnail sketch, Bane outlined his budget priorities:

• Keeping town employees working. "I want to make sure that we don't have to lay off or furlough any of our personnel," Bane said. "We don't have enough people as it is. We can't afford to lose any."
• Holding taxes in check. "This would not be the time to increase our tax rate," Bane said.

There was a third priority, which he said he would discuss during his presentation Monday.

“COVID-19 is wreaking havoc," Bane said. He thanked the department heads for working with him to make adjustments to the numbers. He said it was unclear what the revenue streams may be that bolster the town through the public health crisis. If revenue ends up increasing, he said the town could revisit its priorities mid-year.

"Everyone had to make significant cuts, and it was not a pleasant year with the things that we had to do," Bane said. "I will make a more specific and detailed report of our actions taken to date in dealing with this pandemic at next week's town board meeting."

Bane will deliver his budget presentation Monday, April 20.

The public hearing on the town administrator's budget will be at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 20. Citizens can call 1-877-568-4106 or 312-757-3129 and enter access code 614-751-925.

People who want to submit comments can email them to boardofcommissioners@belairmd.org.