Board of County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is  Wednesday, May 6, 2026, and welcome to the   fiscal year 2027 proposed budget public hearing  for Carol County, Maryland. As we always do,   we'll begin with the pledge of allegiance  and a moment of silent reflection. for joining us this evening. I'll call to order  the public hearing. Uh we're very grateful to have   all of you with us and I hope that everybody  is doing well. My name is Joe Vigliotti,   commissioner from district 1 and currently  president of the board of commissioners. I'm   joined by all four of my friends this evening.  We have Commissioner Michael Garin from District   4 and vice president of the board. We have  Commissioner Kenny Kyler from District 2,   Commissioner Tom Gordon from District 3, and  Commissioner Susan Krebs from District 5. Our   role here tonight is to hear what you have to say  about the budget we've been working on for the   last couple of months. If you like it or dislike  it, if you support or oppose certain parts of it,   or whether there's something you think we could  add or consider, we want to hear it. We're also   joined by members of our Department of Management  and Budget, as well as our department director,   Ted Zeleleski, to whom I will now turn things  over. Ted. Hey, I'm Ted Zeleleski, but I guess   that's not necessary now. Um, welcome to the  FY27 proposed budget hearing. Uh, this hearing is   being broadcast live in the Carol County YouTube  channel and will be recorded. The proposed budget   is available on the county website and there's  a spot where you can click to send comments or  

questions on the budget. uh between recorded  meetings on the budget and the budget itself,   information is available for you to develop  educated and informed positions on the proposed   budget. I encourage each to take advantage of the  information the commissioners have made available.   The commissioners are scheduled to hold a budget  work session on May 12th during which they may   consider potential changes to the proposed budget.  The commissioners will adopt the budget on May the   21st at 9:00 in the morning. Right in front of  me, we have a sign language interpreter. I have   to do a bunch of numbers later and every year  I say I will try and talk slowly, but everybody   reminds me that I end up talking fast. The hearing  tonight addresses the following. the operating   and capital budgets, our six enterprise funds,  that's solid waste, water and sewer, septage,   firearms, airport and fiber network, pension  trust funds, grant fund, special revenue funds,   other post-employment benefits fund, the LOSAP  fund, and proposed water and sewer rates. Let   me take a minute to describe how things will work  this evening. Uh if you would like to speak and   you haven't already. You should go out to the  lobby and fill fill out one of these cards.   There are people out there to help. There are two  microphones up front. I'll call out five names. If   those five people could make their way toward one  of those microphones, uh then each speaker will   have three minutes to make their comments.  There'll be a timer up on the screen here. We ask you to respect the time limit so we  can keep moving through the evening. And this   is just a suggestion, but I would like to suggest  if somebody has made the points you want to make,   there's nothing wrong with simply saying I agree  with what that person said and uh keep moving on.  

Uh the commissioners will get the idea that  you are for or against a particular idea. I   know we're sometimes dealing with issues that  can lead to passionate and emotional responses.   I encourage you to share your passion  with the commissioners, but please be   civil and respectful to the board of county  commissioners and to the other speakers. Now,   a summary of the budgets that have been proposed  for FY27. The operating budget 645,54,190. Capital fund 221,856,1 Grant Fund 28,239,980. The utilities enterprise fund $18,310,599. The solid waste enterprise fund 17,663,150. OPED fund 3,85,000 special  revenue funds 16,336,250 the pension fund 14,128,770 the airport enterprise fund $1,375,690 the Septage Enterprise Fund 916,000  the Firearms Enterprise Fund $37,830. Fiber network enterprise fund $761,870 and LOSAP $660,000 for a total  of $969, I mean $145,330.

Now I have to read you something  that the state tells us say it. So   if you don't like this, it's not my fault. FY27-01 county 27 rates charge per quarter $145 usage rates 0 to 1000 gall 129973 101 to 30,000 gallons 1332  and 1663 over 30,000 gallons   1375 and 1794. Uh the usage rates are  build per thousand gallons per quarter.   Now I'm going to call out the first five  names. If you could please come up to   one of the microphones. Butch Brooks,  Jason Psyduck, Michael Buts, Gary Toth, and T. Johnson. Go ahead. First off, I'd say uh Commissioner  Vigilotti, fellow commissioners, thank you for   allowing us to come in. Have a couple minutes  to say thank you. I don't I know that you don't   always hear thank you, but uh as the executive  director for the Veterans Independence Project,  

it means a lot that the confidence you're placing  in us to assist us with funding so that we can   continue the mission of doing what we do for  veterans. I know you're going to hear from several   veterans tonight who um have received services  andor have just been a part of some of that. And   it's not always that um you guys have a lot of uh  things to consider what you do with the money and   it means a lot to place that trust in us knowing  that we're going to be insured to uh continue the   mission of helping fellow veterans throughout  this county. So I just want to say thank you. My name is TJ Johnson. I'm 79 years old and  I'm a Vietnam veteran. And I just want to   say I appreciate giving the way you give this  money to the VIP and I think that the VIP is   the greatest thing that ever hit Carol County for  helping veterans. I was 55 years old and I didn't   know anything about this. And I walked over there  one day and they got me everything I needed. And   uh I can't say enough good about him  and I volunteer over there every day   and I'll be there to the day I can't  walk anymore. Thank you very much. Hi, I'm uh Butch Brooks. Uh I didn't know I could  get any benefits or anything until I got to CCVIP.   And uh I'd like to thank all of you for everything  you've done for us and that appreciate it. Good afternoon commissioners. Uh I'm  Michael Buts. I do volunteer work at CCVIP,   but I I can say since four and a half years ago,  CC VIP thanks to you all have given me a phrase.  

I have no fear of the future and no pain of  the past anymore. They came to me. I went   to them and they they they was able to help  a person that's suffering from cancer. When   I had to increase my medicine in 2021, they was  able to do things that Virginia, Washington DC,   and Martinsburg, West Virginia could not do. And  through them, I suggest that that that office is   very grateful for everything you guys can do to  continue them going. I'm going to stay there until   I die to help them out, and I appreciate all  the help you've given them. Thank you so much. Yeah, my name is uh Gary Toth and uh I can't thank  you all for enough for what you've done for us and   uh just being at the uh CCVIP. The  camaraderie is unbelievable because   a lot of these guys went through the same  things that the other ones went through. So,   they know what we're talking about when  we talk to one another. And uh like I say,   I I I I don't miss a meeting and uh well, I  think one of the reasons is too is they make   me feel really really really smart. Okay. But uh  I thank you all so very much. Okay. Okay. Next   five names. Aaron Bara, Vincent Periconee,  Josh Wilhid, Andrea Burler, and Gary Foot. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Aaron Bara  and um I've been with CCVIP now for well over a   year. I'm go to all the meetings every month and  um I'm usually one of the only females, but it's  

like being in a room of fourth grade boys. Sorry.  Which I adore. Um see, because of your funding   for CCVIP, this allows us to continue getting the  services that they offer. You've got counseling.   You've got helping us with our um disability  ratings with the VA and everything else under   the sun that we can think of as veterans that we  need. We know that we can go to them and they've   got their doors open because of funding that you  have provided as well. I greatly thank you for   that. I've never had friends before. I'm just that  way. I've always kept my head down and did what I   needed to do. But I never had friends. I not only  have friends, but I have brothers. So, thank you. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Vincent  Perticone, Tony Town. I'm here because I think   the Lord wants us all to show how grateful we  are to those of you who voted to support CCVIP. You have heart when you do that. You understand  what veterans are about. We love each other. We   love all of our veterans. We give our hearts to  them, our time, and we got their backs. There are   many veterans, as you know, suicidal, homeless,  no benefits. Well, you're a part of that,   helping us get the benefits. I want to emphasize  something here. be very brief, but do you know the   Holy Bible talks about veterans? Um, Bible verses  are often used to honor veterans that emphasize   sacrifice, courage, and service, such as John  15:13. Greater love has no one than this that  

someone laid down his life for his friends. I'm a  veteran that was within seconds of losing my life.   and Joshua 1:9, be strong and courageous. The Lord  your God is with you wherever you go. And I would   like to share something about what is a veteran. A  veteran, whether discharged, active, active duty,   discharged, retired, or reserve, is someone who  at one point in his life wrote a blank check may   pay payable to the United States of America for  an amount up to and including his life. That is   honor. And there are way too many people, as  you may know today, that no longer understand   that fact. But we believe that you do. And we  thank you. We're here because without us and   those of you who served and all of our military,  this arena right here would be empty. Thank you. I am here I am here to speak about something  that goes beyond numbers on a spreadsheet.   It's about accountability, trust, and real  world consequences of the decisions made   by the people in this room. Last year during  the FY26 budget cycle, members of the public   urged this body to provide additional funding  to for CCPS even though the waiver was granted. This is seen in the public hearing itself when  no less than 11 members of the public spoke in  

favor of additional funding being added to  the current proposed budget at the time.   This request was denied largely on the basis of  that the available funds in FY26 were considered   one time or nonrecurring and therefore too risky  to commit. As a result, approximately 18 1,850   teachers, just teachers, not educators, in our  school system have had their scheduled interview   raises delayed by at least 6 months. Let's be  clear about what that means. For a tier 1 teacher,   moving from the interval 10 to interval 11, delay  translates to about $1,200 in lost income across   the district. That's roughly $2.2 million, but  never made it into our local economy. Money   that would have been supported families, small  businesses, and the broader community, as well as   honestly would have increased the revenue back to  the county. Now, as we review the numbers in FY27,   we see something deeply concerning. The projected  revenue for FY26 was not just slightly off. It   was off by more than $66 million. Instead  of anticipated decline predict predicted by   the county budget office, the county experienced  over 11% growth. This is not a minor forecasting   year. This is a systematic failure in budget  estimation. And it raises the critical question,   if the county had the capacity all along, why are  teachers to one have to bear the burden of this   miscalculation? Because make no mistake, this  wasn't just a delay. It was forced educators,   many of whom already operate on tight margins,  to absorb financial strain due to the decisions   based on inaccurate predictions. Today,  I'm asking for two things. First,   that this body acknowledge the impact of these  forecasting errors, not on abstract terms, but  

how it affects the real people in our community.  And second, that we place stronger accountability   in measures that ensure repeated mis estimations  of this scale. Do not continue without review,   transparency, or correction. When predictions  are wrong by tens of millions of dollars,   the consequences are not theoretical.  They are up in the classroom, households,   and across the community. We owe it to everyone  in the public to do better. I yield my time back. Good evening, county Good evening, county  commissioners. My name is Gary Foot from   Westminster, and I would like to point out that  the United States has recently been spending $1   billion a day on armaments used for destroying the  Middle East. Why bring this up at a county budget   hearing? Because this is why we can't have nice  things. Carol Countyy's share of that money. Well,   for starters, we wouldn't have to argue  anymore about funding outdoor school.   $20 million for fire and EMS. I think that it  would cover it. And maybe there'd even be enough   left over to make sure our employee contracts  are fully funded. What did we get instead?   A country in the Middle East supposedly bombed  back to the stone age. Really? Who voted for that?   Let's talk about affordability. I realize it is  easier to blame Annapolis, but let's start talking   about some things we can do here as a county  to help ourselves. I rode my bike here tonight   because that represents $12,000 per year my wife  and I save because we don't need an extra car.   That is not counting the high blood pressure  um medication I don't need to buy. How about  

some investment in infrastructure so  more people could do that? You could   start with a bike rack right outside the  art center. It was cold and rainy today,   but the sun will come out eventually. And when  it does, the county will be losing money because   we don't have solar panels in place to take  advantage. For the last three years, the cheapest   way to make electricity has been to point a solar  panel at the sun. What are we waiting for? Yes,   let's get busy because we're wasting daylight.  Finally, I'd like to give a shout out to the   organization in this county doing a better job  of addressing affordability than probably anyone   else. And that would be our library system. They  offer thousands of dollars of service per person   per year to anyone who walks through the door.  Of course, wouldn't it be nice if we had better   public transport so more people could get there?  Books I didn't have to buy. Movies I didn't have   to pay to see. Hobbies I didn't even know I'd  like. And I'm just getting started with the   list. The possibilities are limited only by our  imagination. Please continue your support and   if possible increase it. It will be money well  spent. And if for some reason someone has the   nerve to suggest a budget cut, do your best  Nancy Reagan uh impersonation, just say no. Good evening. My name is Andrea and I'm  the executive director of the library.   That was not planned. By the way, thank you for  your continued support of the Carol County Public   Library. On behalf of the board of trustees,  the staff, and the thousands of residents who  

use our libraries every day, I want to express  our sincere appreciation for the inclusion of   the libraries request in the proposed county  budget. The 9 and a half% operating increase   will allow us to continue to provide the high  level of service that our community expects while   investing in the people who make that service  possible through meaningful wage increases.   The inclusion of the three new staff positions  recognizes both the growth of our community and   the increasing demand for library services across  the county and the addition of the new Eldersburg   branch library project to the capital budget  is an important investment in the future of   the Freedom District and Carol County as a whole.  The current branch has served the community well   for decades and your decision to include this  project in the capital budget means this part of   Carol County will have a larger, more flexible  facility it needs. We are grateful that the   proposed budget reflects an understanding of the  crucial role that the library plays in education,   workforce development, early literacy, technology  access, and in community connections. As you move   forward toward the final adoption of the budget  later this month, we respectfully ask that   these investments remain in place so that we can  continue to build on the success of our community   that that on the success that our community has  come to expect from Carol County Public Library.   Thank you for the continued partnership between  Carol County government and its library. The   next five names, Cindy Porter, Lisa Mazano,  Rick Glass, Jordan Bird, and Sharon Wilhyde. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Cindy  Porter and first off I am also an Army veteran.   So want to thank you for the support for their  veterans in Carol County, but I'm here tonight  

as a staff member in Carol County Public Schools.  I am a special education par profofessional in my   27th year in Carol County Public Schools. This  is also my fourth year as president of CASE,   the Carol Association of School Employees,  representing close to a thousand staff members   working in our school system as assistants and  clericals throughout Carol County. This in being   my fourth year, I wanted to bring to the attention  of everyone in this room, including you, that I   think there's a general misunderstanding of what  it takes to educate students in today's society.   Many of us still have an understanding of what  school was like 20 years ago. When I started   as a special education pair professional back  in the late 90s, my job was totally different   than it is now. We have students coming to us  now with more drastic and intensive needs than   ever before. And the reason I say that there's a  misunderstanding is because Carol County is coming   to an important juncture. if we're not already.  We are an aging in place county and that means,   you know, people love the rural nature of our  county and also the agricultural nature and   the small town atmosphere that our county offers  its residents. But at the same time, our school   system seems to come in under attack every year by  members of our county and residents of our county   for the asks that we make. I just want to say  representing the people in my bargaining unit who   work with the neediest students in our county  that people need to understand and hopefully   realize that there are people working with  these students who aren't making a living wage.   last year after two increases in my contract at  the end of the the fiscal year at the end of the  

the calendar year according to the IRS in my 27th  year I still made under $40,000 and I'm trying to   live on that as a single person. I would love  to live in Carol County. I my heart is here.   my oldest child and my grandchildren are here  and but that wasn't possible because when I   was looking for someplace to live a year and  a half ago, rooms for rent in our county were   going 700 to $1,100 a month and that was rooms  not apartments. So affordability is an issue,   but also people in our our county have come to  board of education meetings when budgets are   put forth to the residents and to the county  and talk about, well, we can get rid of these   people. We can get rid of these people. They  obviously don't have an understanding of what   people in my bargaining unit do. And I just  wanted to give that to more people because   I have people who won't sub for me because of the  intensity of the students I work with. Thank you. My name is Rick Glass, owner and operator of  Canicares, the only nonprofit in Carol County   focused on cannabis education. I want to take a  few minutes to talk about something that should   not be political or controversial, and that  is education. Whether you support cannabis   legalization or oppose it, I think we can all  agree on one thing. Education reduces harm,   improves public safety, and helps prevent  negative outcomes. Cannabis is now legal in   Maryland for adults, and House Bill 797 recently  passed, allowing firefighters and certain first   responders to legally consume medical cannabis  under Maryland law. That is a major policy   shift. When laws change, education has to follow.  Ignoring cannabis use does not make it disappear.   It increases the chances of misinformation,  unsafe storage, impaired driving, accidental  

ingestion by children, or people using products  without understanding dosing interactions or   risks. Education is not encouragement. We teach  alcohol safety, firearm safety, and prescription   medication safety because informed people make  safer decisions. Cannabis should be approached   the same way. Many people, including seniors,  veterans, parents, and professionals, are already   using or considering cannabis. Regardless of  why, they deserve accurate information instead   of stigma or internet miss. House Bill 797 does  not allow firefighters to work impaired. But   it does mean we need better conversations about  workplace safety, responsible use, proper dosing,   and the differences between use and impairment.  Education helps parents safely store products.   Education helps reduce impaired driving. Education  helps seniors understand dosing. And education   helps veterans understand risks and benefits.  And education helps create a safer and healthier   community overall. Right now, many people are  learning about cannabis through social media   or trial and error. That should concern all of us.  That is why I believe that not only in this budget   cycle, but in future budget cycles as well, a  portion of funds should be invested into cannabis   education and public safety outreach. Carol  County has an opportunity to lead by supporting   evidence-based cannabis education, community  outreach, and public safety campaigns. Again,   this is not about telling people they should  use cannabis. It's about recognizing reality   and making sure our community has the  tools to navigate it safely because no   matter where you stand on cannabis, education  will always be safer than ignorance. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Jordan  Bird. Um I'm the president of the Winfield Rec   Council um here in southern Carroll County. Um  obviously we're a small rural county um compared   to some of our neighboring counties. Um and I've  been told that this year some additional funds  

have been set aside for Rex and Park which is  fantastic news. Um, but I am having a hard time   clearly understanding how these funds will be  equitably managed across all the rec councils   and what if any timeline there is to manage  those. Um, I'm not sure if anybody knows this   um, but the national recreations for park  and recreation and parks association says   that the median operating spending is $103 per  capita. Carol County spends $26 per resident   um on recre and culture utilizing less than half  of 1% of the county budget. Most, if not all,   of youth athletics and field maintenance in  our county is managed and supported by an all   volunteer rec council instead of direct county  operations. We're one of the only counties in   the state of Maryland that does that. Um this  keeps the spending low on paper for the county.   Um, but it also makes the rec councils absorb  most of the operational budgets and burdens. Our   field development is sluggish and our facility  modernization is almost non-existent. With the   state of volunteering significantly  declining in our country as a whole,   it's hard to see this model to continue to support  the citizens of Carol County in the future. We   understand that the project open space money is  there to offset some of these burdens. However,   it is allocated between our municipalities here  in Carroll County and self-help with a majority   of it not going to the rec councils who need  it the most. It appears that 2.9 million is   being allocated for our sports complex which is  mainly used for adult sports leagues. No offense,   I am an adult. Um, but this facility is far away  from the most populated parts of the county and  

as staff it has a staffed employee where the other  facilities are fully managed by all volunteer rec   councils. The facility is asking for an absorbent  amount of money for recreation vehicles over   $40,000. Must be a fancy one. Um, and it's one of  the only places that's lit in the county, minus   two other parks. Over the past few weeks, I've  been taking uh some time to go over the county   budget and SIPs, and I'm trying to understand  where the money from the last SIPs from 2019   and 2020 were to go for Crimold Park and some of  the other facilities in the county. Um, at the end   of the day, I understand it's a budget meeting.  It's not my intention to bash the county, but I   really do think that you need to spend some more  time and money on parks and wrecks. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. Uh, my name is Lisa  Misano and I am a resident of Carroll County for   18 years. I'm also a candidate for the BOE. My  husband and I chose this community in which to   raise our family. Our three children attend public  schools. I wish to extend a sincere thank you for   including the increased CCPS funding that was  requested by the board of education in this   year's county budget. I am also very grateful for  you to commit for the commitment to Liberty High   School modernization as part of the county's  capital plan. Recently, my schedule has been   jam-packed with end of the school year activities,  causing me to reflect on the importance of our   public schools in our communities. April and  May host a flurry of band, orchestra, theater,  

and chorus concerts for all of our young,  talented musicians and actors. There are also   the bustling athletic competitions as families  and friends cheer on our dedicated athletes.   Parents descend on our elementary schools for  playds and class picnics to watch their kids   participate with their classmates in friendly  games and ma and races that are a right of   passage of childhood. As I attended several  concerts and yesterday's county track meet,   I reflected on the pride that our communities take  in our schools. Our families pour time, energy,   money, and their hearts into our children and  value their educational opportunities. Our schools   are the epicenter for our communities and build a  sense of connection and belonging. It is critical   that we continue to build and enhance these  connections to keep Carroll County a close-knit,   vibrant, and successful community. Carol County  cares for one another, steps up and volunteers   to help neighbors in need, and remains a  wonderful place to live and raise a family.   With that benefit that our school communities  provide also comes a shared responsibility,   a responsibility of our county as a whole to take  pride in and provide adequately for our schools.   We expect the same dedication that our families  provide to our school community to be reflected   in our county's care of our school system. I  am encouraged and thankful for the commitment   to additional funding for CCPS next year and for  including the modernization of Liberty High School   in the capital plan. Tackling the highest priority  school building modernization is a big step   forward in addressing needed capital improvements.  These commitments show progress on developing a   long-term plan to meet the needs of CCPS, but  we still have work to do. I appreciate your  

commitment and recognition that these investments  in our public schools are crucial to our   communities, our young people, and the future of  Carol County. Thank you very much for your time. Good evening. My name is Sharon Wilhyde. Um, I  have two kind of parts to what I wanted to say.   Um, first, in the world of special education,  I'm a special educator. The law states that   parents are entitled to receive a copy of  their children's individualized education   plan or IEP 5 days before the IEP meeting. It  gives the parents time to review the document   and develop questions and be able to be a part  of the team. As elected officials, you are part   of the team with the community that is all here  to speak tonight. So, I have a question. Why is   the budget document released the day after the  budget tour that doesn't allow all members of   the team to review the necessary information to  make an informed decision? The community had it,   let's say, 5 days to go along with the IEP law.  five days before there might be more community   involvement at the budget tour meetings at the  library to be able to discuss what is in the   budget. Um the second part I wanted to say was  although the county commissioners funded the   board of education requested which thank you for  providing that additional funding just know that   that proposed budget still eliminates 15 FTE  positions. So there are still 15 positions that   are being eliminated. They are saying that it is  being phased out with people who are retiring or   are leaving the system. But that still means there  will be 15 less educators in the school system.   What kind of impact is that going to have on our  students and our community? We are still 24th out   of 24 in the state per pupil funding. And I know  it's a combination between the local and the state   funding, but the wealthier counties in the state  make up the difference from the state funding. We   are one of the more wealthier counties. We're not  the wealthiest, but one of the more wealthiers.  

The best investment you can make in any  community is the school system. Strong,   well-funded schools create an educated, safer,  and more profitable community. The community   speaks out year after year for additional  funding for our schools. Our schools should   be a place of strength and reliability,  not constantly on the chopping block.   It's not sustainable. We need to invest in our  schools to invest in our community. Thank you.   The last names Jim Kernan, Edward  Lindamman, and Michael McCrady. Evening, commissioners. Um, I'm a Marine Corps  vet. I'm going to do a double thank you here.   First, thank you for supporting VIP. Um,  VIP does a little more than I think than   American Legion and the other organizations.  Um, they provide a place for veterans to meet,   but most of them have a bar and whatnot. And VIP  does not have that. They have a we call it a day   room. It's a little more family oriented. has  sofas and chairs, provides coffee and whatnot. So,   it's a little more more comforting and a  little more, you know, have conversation   without loud noise and everything. So, it's a  more intimate type setting. Guys can really relax   and be themselves and have good camaraderie with  their vets. So, like to thank you for supporting   us on that. Um, and then I'd also like to  thank you for supporting the library. Um,  

many of couple of us are here are members of the  Finsburg Veterans Book Club. Couple of you were   at the 10-year anniversary that we s celebrated  last month or two months ago, I think. But like to   thank you for your support on that and just like  to thank you to continue to support our veterans. Good evening, commissioners. Uh thank you for  past and present support. Uh I'm a veteran also.   Uh I struck out to different organizations  to see what benefits I could qualify for.   uh medical medical and with uh prescriptions and  Carol County Veterans Independence Project has far   exceeded that. uh being also being a nonprofit.  A lot of these other entities uh uh have a uh   uh uh request that you if you make any  if you get any compensation money for say   uh they require uh a percentage of that for  their services where VIP is strictly volunteer   uh uh like I said uh nonprofit. Uh I'm an active  member there. Uh I I like love the camaraderie.   Uh we support other veterans on our own time  in the in the community. Uh uh we've started   an ambassador program coming up, I believe, uh  for for for promoting uh uh uh awareness for   other vets that don't know about it. I didn't  know myself when I was qualified for anything   when I got out. I just went out the door and that  was it. You with no information on anything. So,  

I appreciate your uh thoughts and further  supporting this program. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me here today. I'm a  veteran too and a combat veteran fighting cancer.   I went to your Car County Senior Center and  got denied uh access to benefits through their   uh employment. And I think you'd be better spent  your money with the VIP instead of Carroll County   Senior Center because it's it's just a polling  that you got to play with games with the people.   And if you want to play games, fine. But you  playing games with people with cancer. And I have   it. It took me years to get back my benefits. The  VIP behind me stood up, gave me my benefits back,   and I'm fighting nonhen lymphoma stage three.  And the Carol County deny me, and they told me   not to come there anymore. So, you want to uh do  something about the budget, take it away from them   and give it to the VIP. Thank you. That's all  of our cards, commissioners. All right. Thank   you very much, Ted. Um, thank you everybody again  for joining us this evening. Uh, you know, we are   incredibly grateful again to you for your time and  to have shared your thoughts with us regarding the   FY27 proposed budget. Uh, please do continue to be  in touch with us regarding the budget as we move   forward into the final two weeks of the process.  Again, thank you for everything this evening. And   uh, so being said, we need a motion to close the  public hearing this evening and to adjurnn. So   move. We have a motion. Do we have a second?  Second. We have a motion and a second. All  

those in favor? All right. All those opposed. We  are adjourned. Thank you everybody. Thank you.