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Jarboe wants more input from public on MetCom projects
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009
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The St. Mary's County Metropolitan Commission already borrowed $10.6 million for upcoming projects in 2007, but came back to the county commissioners Tuesday to take some projects out and add others back in. The amount of the loan does not change, but extra projects may be funded by user fees.
It would have been a routine action by the board, but Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R) unsuccessfully sought a chance for more public input on MetCom's projects.
Some of the projects added were expanding a sewer line down Buck Hewitt and Rue Purchase Road in Great Mills, adding water storage tanks to Charlotte Hall and Wildewood and reducing the amount of stormwater from entering the sewer line that serves Piney Point.
All of the additions were items from the approved long-term MetCom budget, said Steve King, retiring director.
Jarboe said the additions come to at least $3.5 million in changes and said that county government is responsible for a balanced budget. As for MetCom's changes, he said, "Is that a correct way of accounting?"
King noted the changes were for the capital budget and not the operating budget.
Jarboe wanted to put off a decision by a week for a chance to hear public comment on the projects.
"It's been through all the public processes, it's just a matter of adjustments," said Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D).
"You had a public hearing — no one came," Jarboe told King. "A week's delay evidently won't hurt anything."
King said there were two public hearings on MetCom's building plans, which were also reviewed by the planning commission.
Elaine Kramer, chief financial officer for county government, said the action "isn't even really a budget amendment."
Jarboe moved to table the decision until next week, but got no support. The final vote to approve the changes was 4-1 with Jarboe voting no.
