Story Category: The Bay Net Exclusives »

The St. Mary’s County Commissioners, on a 3-2 vote, retained cuts made in March to the so-called non-county agencies.  Commissioner Todd Morgan (R: 4th) made a motion Monday during a budget work session to keep the funding for the non-profit agencies at FY’ 2012 levels and Commissioner President Francis “Jack” Russell (D) supported him but the other three commissioners opposed the motion.

Representatives of a number of the agencies appeared en masse at the May 1 budget hearing to request restoration of funding. Russell said the more than $100,000 in cuts was created angst throughout the county.

Morgan argued that the small percentage of money when compared to the overall county budget was money well spent. “We have to be moving forward if we are going to stay ahead,” Morgan said.

Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R: 3rd) favors an entire revamping of the system from what he calls entitlements to performance-based grant system with the county identifying its needs and having the non-profits respond to those needs.

Jarboe wanted to know what had happened to the idea of having the county’s Human Resources Council prioritizing those needs. County Administrator John Savich said that hadn’t happened because some of the members on the council are also receiving county funding.

Commissioner Cynthia Jones (R: 1st) said in her ten years living in St. Mary’s County she has never seen a county more generous and giving. She said the current “entitlement” system has “poisoned that well” in which the county is forced to make decisions about what agencies are “good and bad.”

During the discussion, Commissioner Daniel Morris (R: 2nd) attempted to get more funding for two agencies: Catholic Charities and St. Mary’s Caring. He said those agencies provide funding for homeless sheltering for women and children and a soup kitchen for the poor. He said, “That’s my Christian belief. Pardon me if I feel that way.” Morris said monies were wasted elsewhere in the budget but the two agencies provided essential services.

Jarboe wanted to know how Morris was able to differentiate between Catholic Charities and Leah’s House, which has attempted to get on the funding list to no avail. Morris said Leah’s House was a new agency and the commissioners had voted earlier to not add any new agencies.

Then Commissioner Morgan wanted to know how Walden-Sierra and Three Oak Homeless shelter, both of which were cut, were different since both provide sheltering services. Morgan said Three Oak was a men’s shelter, to which Morgan informed him they also take in women. Morris said he did not know that.

Before the final 3-2 vote on all of the non-profits, Morris moved to provide extra funding to the two agencies, but the motion died for lack of a second.

See earlier Bay Net story on the decision in March to cut the funding: http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/26782