Annapolis Finance Committee Meeting - March 18, 2026

The Finance Committee of the Annapolis City Council met on March 18, 2026, at 10:34 AM in City Council Chambers. Alderman Huntley chaired the meeting. The committee reviewed and approved routine items, discussed a comprehensive sidewalk project update, and received a finance department update. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The committee approved the minutes from the February 4, 2026, and February 18, 2026, meetings on separate voice votes. (Alderwoman O'Neill moved, seconded, carried.)
• Supplemental Appropriations (SA-14-26, SA-16-26, SA-17-26, SA-18-26, SA-19-26): All five were recommended favorably.
  • SA-14-26: Appropriates prior year fund balance for AIPPC contract services as required by City Code. Acting Finance Director Pallikal explained the fund balance was higher than estimated.
  • SA-16-26: Grant from Anne Arundel County Department of Health for APD. Police Administrative Manager Craig Medley noted the grant is typically $5,000 but this year it increased to $5,500. The committee approved without further questions.
  • SA-17-26, SA-18-26, SA-19-26: Three grants from Maryland Department of Transportation for the Transportation Department. Deputy Director Kwerku Ajimandua provided an overview, noting matching funds are covered. All approved.
• Legislation R-6-26: Authorized itinerant merchant sales in the Historic District for approved special events during calendar year 2026. Special Events Coordinator Nolan was present. Alderman Thorp moved to recommend favorably; carried. The resolution was noted as time-sensitive and will be placed on the next city council agenda.

Discussion Items

• CIP Project Update – Sidewalk Presentation (ID-30-26): Public Works Bureau Chief Betsy McKeown, Civil Engineer Alison De Matteo, and Traffic Engineer Jeff Wentz presented a detailed overview of sidewalk projects. Key points:
  • A new GIS story map on the city website highlights capital projects, including sidewalk projects, with project status, numbers, and schedules.
  • General Sidewalks: Concrete repairs follow the roads program; current work in West Annapolis (Genesee and Melrose areas).
  • Brick Sidewalks: Focus on ADA compliance, especially in the Historic District. State Circle is a priority due to active ADA users; temporary patches were provided. Conduit Street and Prince George Street are also considered, budget permitting. An ADA assessment of the downtown area is complete and will be presented to stakeholders.
  • Specific Projects:
    • Barbud Lane: Construction to begin summer 2026, completion winter 2027.
    • Bay Ridge Avenue sidewalks (west side): Feasibility design done, moving to community outreach; likely right-of-way acquisition needed.
    • Bay Ridge Avenue Bikeway: Long trail from Forest Drive to Eastport, early feasibility.
    • Cedar Park Sidewalks Phase 2 (Taylor Avenue to Farragut): Design awarded to AMT, kickoff meeting soon. Alderman Huntley expressed concern about delays (funded in FY24 but projected for FY28) and emphasized community need, referencing a past pedestrian fatality. She noted two residents expressed concerns, but one does not live on the road and the other built a fence close to the street.
    • Farragut Road: Connects Shiley Road to Cedar Park Road, part of Safe Routes to School.
    • Spa Road Sidewalks (new CIP for FY27): From Spa Road to Spa Drive, one side of road, procurement after CIP approval.
    • Spa Road (Forest Drive to Hilltop Lane): In design, next step community outreach.
    • Moyer Park Sidewalk Enhancements: Resurface trail to ADA standards, design through 2026, construction 2027.
    • Southwood: Combined stormwater and sidewalk project; community meeting held, receptive to sidewalks on Southwood, McGucky, South Virginia, and Homeland.
    • Taylor Avenue Traffic Improvements: Roundabout at police station, design procurement in progress. Cost concerns due to elevation changes; $310,000 from developer may not be sufficient. design cost estimates from two firms being compared.
    • West-East Expressway: 10-foot wide asphalt path, part of connecting communities project. Alderman Huntley raised resident concerns about widening impacting vegetation and potential for vehicle access. Traffic Engineer Wentz confirmed bollards will be installed to block vehicles. Construction begins summer 2026.
    • Hilltop Lane Connector Trail: Going to bid.
    • College Creek Connector Trail: Design, construction anticipated 2028.
  • Alderman Thorp asked about update frequency; McKeown said the story map will be updated regularly, and quarterly CIP updates from Director Vogel will cover changes. The committee agreed to rely on the story map and quarterly updates rather than separate briefs.
• Finance Department Update (ID-7-26): Acting Finance Director Joel Pallikal reported:
  • Audit: The FY2025 audit was approved by the audit committee on March 16th and will be presented to city council in April (first meeting) due to the acting city manager’s absence. The FY2026 audit will kick off in May to align with auditors’ timelines.
  • Budget: The FY2027 budget draft was presented to the mayor on March 13th; on track for April 13th delivery to council.
  • Hiring: The Finance Director position received numerous applicants; resumes are being reviewed by the acting city manager. Other vacancies (cashiers, accountants) are being filled.
  • Future Reporting: Pallikal requested feedback on what the committee wants in regular updates. Alderman Thorp asked for a consistent brief format covering trends, exceptions, and no surprises, noting that quarterly budget vs. actuals reports are helpful but the last one was Q1 FY26; Q2 is overdue. The committee agreed on quarterly briefs with bridge reporting between them for significant items.

Key Outcomes

• All supplemental appropriations and legislation were recommended favorably to the full city council.
• The committee directed Public Works to continue updating the story map as the primary source for project status and to flag milestone/budget changes for Director Vogel’s quarterly updates.
• The committee requested that the Finance Department provide a Q2 FY26 budget vs. actuals report soon and establish a standard reporting cadence with quarterly briefs and interim bridge reporting.
• The ADA study results will be presented at a stakeholder meeting; Alderman Huntley suggested potentially aligning with the mayor’s town hall on April 7th.
• The meeting adjourned at 11:29 AM.