4/12/2006

Towns and OPA present 2007 ‘wish list’ to commissioners
By Bob Lassahn

Each of the five Worcester County towns and the unincorporated area of Ocean Pines Association (OPA) were provided an opportunity to present their FY2007 budget requests before the commissioners during the April 5 meeting of the board. Each participant had previously submitted a request in writing, but the annual pilgrimage to Snow Hill allows the elected officials from the various subdivisions to plead their respective causes and hopefully glean some extra county dollars for various projects or causes important to them.

The funds being sought are in addition to shared revenues such as food/room taxes and a state aid pass through to each of the fire companies. The total placed by all the participants before the commissioners for consideration currently stands at about $12.6 million and is considerably more than the total of just under $6 million actually granted to the towns in FY2006.

Ocean City has requested slightly over $2.4 million including street grants, a transportation grant supporting the park and ride shuttle, $300,000 for tourism marketing and $100,000 for downtown redevelopment. There are also monies included for police aid, fire grants and beach maintenance.

Berlin tops the totals with a request for nearly $3.8 million and includes some funding to complete their storm water analysis project. Pocomoke City requests a total of almost $3.7 million, while Snow Hill seeks the lowest among the towns with a total just over $1 million.

As a homeowners association and ineligible for a number of the grant categories, OPA requests $220,000 in police aid. When added to the street, fire and ambulance grants normally provided by the county the total in the OPA column approaches $1.3 million.

During their upcoming budget deliberations the commissioners will be taking a hard look at the priorities presented by the towns and OPA, and just how much money the county will be able to provide. With requested monies at a near 100 percent increase over the FY2006 amount actually granted it appears that significant trimming will likely occur.