gistfile1.txt

"http://PRIORITY TOPICS  FINANCING DCL—QUESTIONS ARE SURFACING.     Questions began to surface about DCL funds in January when we learned the Lake Management Office is down to just one full time staff person, a mid-level Natural Resources Planner III who earns $62,025. Revenues for 2013 were $844,082. What has happened to the balance of the funds? Where are “our” Lake Management Funds?    Barbara Beelar expressed her concern in recent Letter to the Editor. Http://friendsofdcl.org/2014/02/letter-to-the-editor-the-republican-newsletter-january-16-2014/  Background: Under the law, the Policy and Review Board “may review and advise” the DNR Secretary on budgetary matters. However, this task has been mostly overlooked since the creation of this Board. In response to recent questions, DNR provided to the PRB members a document, in anticipate of the January meeting, which was cancelled.  (link)   While we await Hoffman’s presentation on March 20, which you can hear via tele-conferencing option  if you are not in the DCL area, the following appears to be the case:  1.  Supporting State Park staff. While lake property owners believe the buffer strip permit fees  support The Lake Management Office, the document clearly show that at least since 2009, these fees have also been supporting the Maryland State Park staff and perhaps other DNR employees. 2.  Funds are not staying at the lake. Those involved in the 2000 State purchase of the lake negotiated with the State that funds generated by DCL ( buffer strip permit fees)  were to stay at the lake, to be used for lake management purposes. Yet, the 2011 expenditures data shows a transfer of $62,000 from the DCL Management Fund to the State General Fund. 3.  Transfer of funds to DNR Secretary’s Office.   Since 2009, annually at least 10% of the lake revenues go to the DNR Secretary’s Office. In 2013 of total revenues of $844,082, $114,800 went to this office.  4.  25% of funds go to County. It was also part of the deal, that the County would receive 25% of the revenues as a payment in lieu of taxes. It is important to note, the County receives about 60% of its total revenues from lake-related tax sources.   FoDCL has generated an extensive list of questions and assembled documents relevant to this investigation. We have forwarded these to PRB Chair Myerberg as items which need clarification. http://friendsofdcl.org/2014/02/fodcl-questions/"