Annapolis Finance Committee Meeting: Fund Transfer Approved on April 13, 2026
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Annapolis Finance Committee Special Meeting Summary – April 13, 2026
The Finance Committee of the City of Annapolis held a special meeting on April 13, 2026, at 6:04 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting, called by Alderman Huntley, focused on approving the agenda, minutes from the previous meeting, and a single fund transfer (FT-10-26) to reallocate debt service savings to fund a Deputy Chief of Staff position. Alderwoman O'Neill arrived at 6:08 PM. The meeting adjourned at 6:09 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda: Alderman Thorp moved to approve the special meeting agenda; seconded and carried on a voice vote.
- Approval of Minutes (FC 4.1.26): Alderman Thorp moved to approve the minutes from the regular meeting on April 1, 2026; seconded and carried on a voice vote. (Alderwoman O'Neill arrived at 6:08 PM, after this vote.)
Discussion Items
- Fund Transfer FT-10-26 – Debt Services to Mayor’s Salaries and Benefits ($36,300): This budget revision transfers $36,300 in appropriations from the Nonallocated Debt Service account (unused debt interest savings) to the Mayor’s Office Salaries and Benefits account to fund a Deputy Chief of Staff position through the end of FY26 (June 30, 2026). Alderman Thorp moved to recommend FT-10-26 favorably. He emphasized that the transfer follows the city’s transparency process and is a unique situation because the budget for the next fiscal year was to be presented later that evening. He noted that while the position had been debated significantly, the fund transfer simply moves money to pay the employee once hired. Alderman Huntley supported the transfer, stating it uses savings without taking from other priorities and helps deliver on customer service. Alderwoman O'Neill had no comment. The motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote by all three present members (Huntley, O'Neill, Thorp).
Key Outcomes
- FT-10-26 Approved: The committee unanimously voted to recommend favorable approval of Fund Transfer FT-10-26 to the full City Council. Transfer: $36,300 from Nonallocated Debt Service to Mayor’s Office Salaries and Benefits for a Deputy Chief of Staff position through June 30, 2026. Vote: 3-0 (voice vote). No public testimony or objections were recorded.
Note: The meeting was called to order at 6:04 PM, and Alderwoman O'Neill arrived at 6:08 PM. The meeting adjourned at 6:09 PM. No finance director update was provided, though normally scheduled.
Meeting Transcript
April 13th, 2026. At this time, I'll start with a roll call. Alderman Thorpe. Present. Alderman Huntley is present. That gives us a quorum. Uh Alderman Woman O'Neill should be here any moment. And uh first item on the agenda is approval of the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda as written? So moved. I will second the motion. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. And next up is approval of the minutes from our last meeting, which is what day, Ms. Jackson? Four one twenty-six. On the April first. April, yeah, April 1st uh meeting. Uh is there a motion to approve the meeting minutes from April 1st? So moved. Thank you. I'll second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Beautiful. That was quick. Uh only item on our agenda today besides those is FT 1026. 10, right? 10. FT 1026, uh, which is allocating a little bit of unused debt service funding that we're not going to need by the end of FY26. Back to the mayor's office. This is to cover the deputy chief of staff position through the end of this fiscal year. Uh at this time, I will I don't know. Does the chief of staff want to say anything on this? Or you good? No, you're good. All right, Alderman Thorpe. Anything you want to say on it? Yeah, I'd like to say a couple things. One, this follows the process, which I think is a very good indication to the public uh of the transparency of their government. Uh when there's a a fund uh an expense like this to come through the finance committee to the city council to approve it uh as for a process, and I I applaud that that uh requirement and I applaud the the uh the mayor's office for pursuing it. Um this is somewhat of a unique situation, and that we're gonna get a budget today for next year. Right. Um, but this by code is required to be done in order to fund the deputy chief of staff through the end of the fiscal year being June 30th of 2026. Um we've had tr uh significant discussion about the job, and in this case, as compared to when we debate the budget, and the budget funds things that the city council may or may not want to do. In this case, it's kind of the opposite in that we've debated significantly uh the position, and now we just need to move the funds uh over to uh ensure that when the person's hired uh that the city's able to pay them. So uh with that said, Mr. Chairman, um uh I move that we we uh approve the fund transfer. Wonderful. Well, yeah, I think uh I'm always reminded we make a favorable recommendation.
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