May 5, 2026 | Mayor & Council: Work Session

The City of Hagerstown held a Mayor and City Council work session on May 5, 2026, focusing extensively on budget discussions, particularly related to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) fund, economic redevelopment, and enterprise funds such as the electric utility. The council reviewed federal entitlement funding allocations for CDBG programs, including commercial improvements, public services, housing rehabilitation, and administrative costs. They discussed the challenges of managing the electric utility fund, highlighting a negative cash balance and constraints imposed by the Public Service Commission on rate increases, which impact the utility's ability to cover rising capital and operational costs. Capital improvement projects for the electric fund, including meter replacements and substation upgrades, were also reviewed with associated budget figures. Additionally, the council considered reallocations of unexpended CDBG funds to cover cost overruns on park improvements and discussed summer camp funding reallocations to support youth activities. The session included updates on community volunteerism initiatives and the Field House facility operations, with no formal votes recorded but several budgetary recommendations and funding reallocations agreed upon for future action.