EDA, Fire & Rescue, and Building Inspections Present FY-27 Departmental Budget Requests to Board of Supervisors

On Friday, March 6, at 2 p.m. at the Warren County Government Center (WCGC), the county’s elected officials gathered for another Fiscal-Year 2027 Budget Work Session. This one, despite an absence of public attendees, was of some public interest. That interest was due particularly to the included departments, the Economic Development Authority (EDA, FR-WC EDA), and Fire & Rescue (F&R) Emergency Services, as well as between those two, the County’s less generally discussed Building Inspection Department.

First up was current EDA Board Chairman Rob MacDougall, followed by County Building Inspector David Beahm, and finally F&R Chief James Bonzano and Assistant Chief Gerry Maiatico. Both of the latter were sporting their impressive departmental uniforms, possibly to underscore their seriousness in presenting departmental needs and funding. Their attire drew an opening comment from Board Chairman Cheryl Cullers (00:57:08) linked video mark.

The supervisors were one short for a while on March 6, with Richard Jamieson arriving a bit late for the Friday, 2 p.m. budget work session. Below, F+R Chief Bonazano and Assistant Chief Maiatico were in official duty uniforms for their FY-27 budget presentation. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

All three departmental reps presented detailed analyses of their Budget Requests for Fiscal Year 2027, particularly for Fire & Rescue, overdue asset replacements, and staffing upgrades to attract and retain viable applicants for key positions.

In the County Board of Supervisors Work Session video, EDA Board Chairman MacDougall is welcomed to the podium at the 00:00:06-second video mark. MacDougall’s overview of the EDA in the aftermath of the circa-2014 to 2018 FR/WC EDA “financial scandal”, including the criminal prosecution and convictions of former EDA Executive Director Jennifer McDonald, deals with the evolution of the current situation into separate County and Town EDAs.

Current EDA Board Chairman Rob MacDougall opened the trio of departmental budget presentations to an empty room, save 4 of the 5 supervisors at their dias and some staff at the back of the room. But don’t feel bad, Rob, the public seating portion of the room stayed that way for the entirety of the 2-hour-9-minute work session.

MacDougall has spearheaded the discussion of reuniting the now-separate EDAs into a single entity with a common purpose and developmental goals, rather than approaching overlapping initiatives related to economic development and Tourism encouragement from separate municipal perspectives.

For details on these three departmental presentations, the County work session video is available for reference. As noted above, MacDougall begins those presentations at the 00:00:06-second video mark. His presentation and exchanges with board members continue to the 00:34:17 video mark.

Building Inspections Director David Beahm begins at the 00:34:21 video mark and continues to the 00:56:36 video mark.

David Beahm takes his turn on the County Building Inspections portion of the work session. Below, additional staff arrived as the work session progressed.

And Fire & Rescue’s Chief Bonazano and Assistant Chief Maiatico’s presentation and interactions with the board start at the 00:56:41 video mark and continue for just over an hour to the 01:57:23 video mark.

The board then adds discussion of the crucial Fire & Rescue Department operational funding and methods to achieve it from the 01:57:23 mark to 01:59:06 mark, with a response from Chief Bonzano at 02:01:00 to 2:02:00 marks, and additional conversation by the supervisors and Interim County Administrator David Martin to the video’s conclusion at the 02:09:43 mark.

The entire board was present for the bulk of the work session. Below, the full board listens as Fire & Rescue officials make the case for needed and overdue adjustments to operational asset replacements and staffing upgrades. The final shot below is of Interim County Administrator David Martin, who credited staff for bringing him up to speed on most budget variables. He said he will be ready to present a budget overview on March 17.

Watch the Board of Supervisors Budget Session of March 6, 2026.