By Teresa McMinn
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND, Md. — Allegany County officials have offered to rehire six EMS crew members they laid off in August due to a budget deficit.
County administrator Jason Bennett announced the news Tuesday at a State of the County meeting.
Roughly 50 people were at the event, which was hosted by the county’s Chamber of Commerce and held at Allegany College of Maryland.
Bennett said he’s waiting to hear from the medics regarding the offer.
“I think ... they’ll all be back,” he said.
The summer layoffs resulted from a $2 million budget shortfall in the local Department of Emergency Services, which contributed to the county’s more than $13 million budget deficit.
Ever since, negotiations have been ongoing between county officials and the International Association of Firefighters Local 1715, which represents dozens of DES employees.
Earlier this month, county officials said James Pyles retired as director of DES.
Bennett Tuesday outlined various aspects of the county’s financial status.
“Education makes up the biggest piece,” he said of the budget.
Public safety, which includes the sheriff’s department and detention center, is second in the demand for funding, Bennett said, and added the county also supports public works, general government and recreation departments.
Due to financial constraints, the county has frozen its hiring practices, he said.
“That creates difficulties,” Bennett said, and added the move was “a necessity.”
The county runs Allegany Transit, which will receive fewer federal and state dollars in the budget, he said, and talked of potential ways to improve the transportation network that includes some lines with fewer than five riders.
“Our system doesn’t run terribly efficiently,” Bennett said. “We have to solve that problem somehow, some way.”
In terms of appropriations, Bennett said money is given to organizations including local fire companies, the Human Resources Development Commission, the health department and the library system.
Commissioners had a “tough task” in making budget cuts this year, he said, and added they “tried to be fair.”
“All of these organizations are important to us,” said David Caporale, president of the county’s board of commissioners.
Real and personal property taxes make up the county’s largest chunk of revenue, Bennett said.
Income tax revenue has dropped, he said, and suggested the state’s $15 minimum wage has caused local employers to reduce weekly worker hours.
The county’s cut of a local resident’s lottery winning two years ago provided $15 million in revenue, but that later resulted in reduced state aid, Bennett said.
Any revenue gains the county has incurred are weighed against inflation, he said.
“Everything is through the roof today,” Bennett said of rising costs and expenses. He talked of area residents who work for pay that’s well below a living wage.
County officials are working to bring more jobs with adequate pay to the area, he said.
Local projects that could produce income and jobs in the future include the proposed river park in Cumberland, Bennett said, and added county officials hope to secure financial help from the state.
“We need more funding,” he said.
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