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At the Oxford Commissioner's Meeting Tuesday, June 10, during the budget proposal for next year was discussed and the topic of town donations to non-profit organizations was addressed. The town is currently, like most small towns, having to make tough decisions regarding town expenditures for the upcoming year.
The meeting began with debate of various budget resolutions, but one of the most energetic discussions centered around the town's donations to non-profit organizations operating in the town including the Oxford Community Center and the Oxford Museum.
Commissioner Katrina Greer reminded everyone that currently the town has no deficit, but also has no room for extra expenditures in the budget, particularly since the town does NOT have a Capitol funding plan to provide for infrastructure repairs nor flood mitigation. This means that expensive projects like repairing the town's water tower, removing remaining lead water pipes in some areas of town, or providing protection from flooding in many areas of town are not in the budget. The $100,000 remaining in the stormwater management plan has already been spent.
The town currently has $3 million dollars in emergency funds set aside for operating expenses for 9-10 months in case of a disaster such as a hurricane, fire, etc. This is a minimal amount according to the recommendations of the Government Finance Officers of America. (Government Finance Officers Association) This is money that should only be used in those situations. And, unlike a business or non-profit who may have assets to cover one building in those cases, Oxford's funds would have to cover and entire town of over 500 residents.
Town Manager Holly Wahl reviewed possible cuts in the town budget including cutting approximately $62,000 in donations to non-profits.
Greer highlighted the fact that the town currently gives approximately $62, 000 dollars to non-profits/events such as the Oxford Community Center, the Oxford Museum, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Oxford Museum, the Gordon Graves Scholarship, the Douglass Hanks Restoration Fund, the Oxford Fireworks, Oxford Day and the Oxford Business Association. She recommended that all of these donations be eliminated except for $500 to the Graves scholarship and $2000 to the Hanks fund. Oxford Day would be moved to the Parks and Recreation category of the town's budget.
This, along with holding off on hiring a third police officer, would allow the town approximately to keep $300,000 for building the Capital funds. Greer said they currently have no one who has applied for the police position so that could be an additional savings and a surplus. She also said that if they don't cut spending, the town will have to raise taxes, which she doesn't want to do.
She reiterated that there are hard choices that need to be made.
Greer also stated that towns like St. Michaels have taken any surplus in their budget and put it in a fund to mitigate flooding in their town.
"If we don't put money towards flooding, all of our property values are going to go down. We probably all know that there are at least three homes that sold recently because of repeat flooding. It will affect even people like me who are sitting on a landfill four feet up. All of our property values will suffer. So it is imperative, we have to start funding capital projects. This is a hard decision, it's not pretty."
Greer went on to say that no amount of fees, grants, etc. would get us the $250,000 that could help build the Capital plan funding and that these hard choices need to be made.
Tom Costigan disputed Greer saying that building these funds "on the backs of groups like the Oxford Community Center or the Oxford Museum is just unacceptable. These are the things that make Oxford, Oxford so I think there are other ways that we can find money. I'm opposed to this."
When Greer asked Costigan, " How are we going to find the money?" his answer was "that's our town manager's job." People in the crowd gasped and exclaimed, "are you kidding?" and "that's your responsibility as Commissioner!" Costigan is currently running for re-election against challenger Dave Donovan.
Neither Commissioner Bell nor Tom Costigan wanted to go along with those cuts.
When it comes to funding the Capital Funds "on the backs of groups like the Oxford Community Center and the Oxford Museum," it is important to know the financial status of those groups including their assets on hand. For that, we went to the most recent IRS records. (Filings for 2024 were not available)
Museum Board member Brian Wells, whose wife Julie Wells is the Executive Director of the Museum, stated that when journalist Scott Rensberger reported they had a endowment of around $800,000 Rensberger was wrong. Here is the federal report from the Oxford Museum. The first document is the full report. Below it we highlight their assets:
Below are the pages highlighting assets and revenues for the Oxford Museum:
Perhaps Mr. Wells was not aware of this report.
This is the link to the Museum's Board of Directors: Officers and Board of Directors – The Oxford Museum
After Wells finished, Liza Ledford, the Executive Director of the Oxford Community Center spoke to the Commissioners regarding her organization's need for the town's donations. Liza has an annual salary of $84,000. Here is their IRS report (Again, we have highlighted Assets and Revenue):
A close up view of the Oxford Community Center Revenues and Assets:
It is interesting that the two organizations share board members, particularly Brian and Julie Wells. Brian is the President of the Oxford Community Center Board.
Judge for yourselves as to whether the town's donation to either group will make or break them. Oxford Resident Chris Maynard said that she didn't see it was a choice of either funding these groups or they close. She didn't see that anyone in the town would allow that to happen. She also said that if the town cut funding, these organizations would find a way to survive. She lauded the great things these organizations do and said if the town cuts contributions more individuals will need to contribute. She also suggested the groups could conduct capital campaigns. In that way, the people who use these institutions can raise funds instead of forcing the funding on people who do not use them by raising everyone's taxes.
Commissioner Tom Costigan said that Oxford wouldn't be Oxford without these non-profits. He must not realize that Oxford was Oxford LONG BEFORE these non-profits came on the scene. My husband, who grew up here, will tell you watermen, working class people and families made Oxford, Oxford. Oxford means so many different things to so many different people.
And for those who choose to turn a blind eye to the flooding and infrastructure issues in town, shame on you. I guess it isn't your home or business so who cares, right?
Mr. Costigan should remember that Oxford won't be Oxford if a huge population of the town have their homes destroyed by flooding, sell their homes and move away, or if the infrastructure fails because the town government didn't dedicate funding to their primary responsibilities: providing water, sewer, roads, trash collection, police protection, basic services and prevention of destruction by flood waters.
We certainly won't need any community center, museum, or business association if that happens. There will be NO Oxford left.
Perhaps our commissioners should remember that they were elected to serve and to do what is best for all of us, not just a few. If they allow us the opportunity, we will all work TOGETHER to keep the non-profits alive by volunteering and donating. And we will support developing a fund to remedy and prevent flooding with our tax dollars.
Video of Meeting Below:
Stream Video - Town Hall Streams
EXTRA NOTE: Talbot County Government does not give donations to non-profits. St. Michaels only supports one, their business council.
