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DENTON – The role of Caroline Department of Emergency Services got very personal as the County Commissioners proclaimed May 18-24 Emergency Medical Services Week.
That’s because within minutes county emergency personnel were on the scene of a serious traffic accident to rescue Deputy County Administrator Daniel Fox and his toddler son following a head-on crash about 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. Fox was not at fault.
And witnessing the first responders in action was County Commissioner Frank Bartz, who came up on the accident shortly after it happened on State Route 313 three miles north of Denton.
“There was no hitches,” Bartz said. “They were so professional. They’re just a class act and do just a great job. And unfortunately, I got to see it firsthand.”
“Everyone that I speak to around the county sings the praises of EMS here,” Commission President Travis Breeding said. “I will put our staff up against anyone else in the country.”
Commission Vice President Larry Porter read the proclamation which praises “the members of Caroline County emergency medical services teams (who) are ready to provide lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”
Paramedics and EMTs “respond day and night in all conditions to provide medical care, calm in the midst of chaos,” said Emergency Services Division Chief Kathy Jo Marvel. “Often they're the first to arrive and the last to leave. They work tirelessly to preserve life, ease pain and bring reassurance to those in crisis. This week reminds them of the extraordinary commitment that they make, not just to the profession but to every person that they serve. Their work often goes unseen, but its impact is deeply felt to the public.”
“I think you do an absolutely incredible job,” Porter said. To Fox he said, “And from a personal note from us, let us say how good it is to see you sitting there. We’re very blessed.”
“Very happy to be here, and very thankful of our EMS and Sheriff's Office for being there for me and my family,” Fox said.
The Commissioners also proclaimed May 18-24 National Public Works Week and welcomed Department of Public Works Director Robin Eaton with a few members of his roads division team.
Breeding read the proclamation recognizing the 65th anniversary of the annual week that celebrates the “dedicated efforts of public works professionals … who are responsible for rebuilding, improving, and protecting our nation’s transportation, water supply, water treatment and solid waste systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential for our citizens.”
The Commissioners thanked the department for their dedication. “I've had a good number of people who have made positive comments,” Porter said.
Performance bond waived for Martin’s House & Barn
All three Commissioners waived a performance bond estimated at $20,000, an amount that would have strained the finances and possibly limited the ability of Martin’s House & Barn to serve the poor.
Executive Director Deborah Vornbrock and Caroline County resident Mark Callahan, treasurer of the board of directors and longtime supporter of the nonprofit organization near Ridgely, asked the Commissioners for the waiver.
Vornbrock explained that the organization is a “frontline service provider” for the county and expressed “gratitude for the county's continued partnership and support in our efforts of over 40 years to continue the legacy of the Benedictine Sisters to serve Caroline County's most vulnerable residents.”
Vornbrock also provided statistics to illustrate the organization’s impact. During the 2023-2024 fiscal year “Martin's House & Barn provided over 10,000 bed nights of emergency shelter, with 60% of those served being children on any given night … 63% of those bed nights were provided to Caroline County residents,” she said. “Our food pantry distributed nearly 125,000 pounds of food, translating to more than 101,000 meals for Caroline County residents, the food pantry is almost exclusively 100% for Caroline County residents, due to some of the federal and state guidelines that we’re asked to follow.”
A performance bond would protect the county from liability if Martin’s House & Barn’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development paid through the county were to be in default or if the state called it back. The requested CDBG grant is a salary grant, Callahan said.
“We're a proven organization, we've got deep roots in the community, we’ve been here for a long time, we're not going anywhere,” Callahan said. “A performance bond definitely adds unnecessary strain to our cash flow.”
Fox said Martin’s House & Barn’s “track record has been stellar.” In light of that record and “long term relationship, Porter said he would support the waiver “in this particular case” and offered the motion that was approved unanimously.
“Deb does a wonderful job. That whole crew out there works so hard; they're overworked and under-appreciated,” Callahan told the Caroline Review following the vote. “So, to see a little appreciation coming from the County Commissioners is wonderful.”
“(The bond is) just more money that we can put towards the program and that we don't have to put towards the overhead of insuring this,” Vornbrock said.
Proposed FY26 budget nears adoption
Fox shared some positive news about two state decisions concerning income tax and the disparity grant affecting the county’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget.
A version of Gov. Wes Moore’s income tax legislation passed “but not to the full extent of the over $1 million loss that we were initially seeing and had in the budget,” Fox said. “We show a loss of about $200,000 instead of the $1.1 million that we initially expected.
Additionally, Fox said the disparity grant benefiting poorer Maryland counties was adjusted in Caroline’s favor.
“For any county that falls under 75% of the state average disparity grant formula, the state provides a catch-up that essentially makes you whole up to 75% of the state average,” Fox said. “The legislators decided to put a bill through that would, for one time this year, actually make that gap whole up to 90%. So there are five counties that are receiving additional disparity grant funding in this year, Caroline County being one of them.”
Breeding cautioned that $600,000 extra in disparity grant money should be seen as “one-time money, because the disparity grant is more than likely to revert back to 75% next year.”
Both the income tax adjustment and the disparity grant increase put money back in the county’s pocket, and Fox and Grant Coordinator Stacy Seward made suggestions to try and “make whole some projects that were initially cut down,” Fox said.
Those projects include Department of Public Works’ tarring and chipping for $1.5 million, hot mix patching overlay for $2 million. and tree trimming for $100,000. Chesapeake College’s Queen Anne Tech Building allocation is back up to the full $2.7 million. The Commissioners decided to set aside $980,000 for an anticipated radio system upgrade for the Department of Emergency Services.
The budget is scheduled for final adoption at the Commissioners’ June 10 meeting.
