There was some positive financial information shared with the public during last weekâs Calvert commissioners meeting; however, in light of the negative impact COVID-19 is having on citizens and the local business community, the board received the news with a grain of salt.
In early February, county government will finalize numbers for its recommended budget for fiscal 2022, which begins July 1, 2021.
Tim Hayden, finance and budget director, reported on Dec. 15 that Calvert ended fiscal 2020 âwith an unaudited surplus of $10 million.â
The commissioners had reduced the countyâs property tax rate from $0.937 per $100 of assessed value to $0.932 per $100. The current plan is to reduce the rate even more in fiscal 2022 to $0.927 per $100.
Budget for new Solomons, St Leonard firehouses mulled somdnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from somdnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By the end of 2021, Calvert government officials are hoping the unserved will finally be served.
On Tuesday, Dec. 15, the county commissioners took action to begin the process of bringing cable internet service from the countyâs lone provider, Comcast, to every home in Calvert within 300 feet of rights of way.
The actions came after a public hearing held during the boardâs weekly meeting.
Linda Vassallo, county governmentâs deputy administrator, conceded that while the goal is to make access feasible for every household in Calvert, there may still be residences staff may be unaware of who have not been contacted.
Even in third-world countries, mobility is an issue.
A Rockville-based nonprofit called Bikes for the World is on a mission to aid low-income individuals in developing countries by providing bicycles. In Calvert County, a retired public school administrator is spearheading the drive to collect the two-wheelers that other people plan to discard.
âI have been associated with the organization known as Bikes for the World since 2008 when I coordinated a large collection event in Calvert County,â Ted Haynie of Solomons said. âWe collected over 700 bikes. Bikes for the World ships them to partners in developing countries where these castoff items literally become game and life-changers for the recipients, providing transportation where none existed.â