September 28, 2021 Commissioner Update:
Today we started off with the Invocation and Pledge followed by the approval of the Consent Agenda. We also presented a proclamation for World Architecture Day and a commendation to Paul Reed Jr. for his retirement after 31 years with St. Mary’s County. Congratulations!
Next we held a Public Hearing on Repealing the Solar Moratorium Ordinance – No one spoke.
We then adjourned as the Board of Commissioners and reconvened as the Board of Health for a COVID update from Dr. Brewster. To summarize, there is a lot of transmission in St. Mary’s County but vaccines and booster doses are available.
Reconvening as the Board of Commissioners, we discussed legislative proposals and voted on which to send forward to our State delegation. We approved these proposals:
- Authorization to allow Golf Carts on county roads
- Update to the Human Relations Commission duties
- Permission for Animal Control Officers to wear Body Worn Cameras
- Authorization to do Polygraph Examinations for Paramedic, EMT and Emergency Communication Center Applicants
- Authorization to allow the auctioneer fees to be the “actual cost” for properties sold at tax sale
- Amendment to the definition of newspaper
- Authorization to set maximum rates for Motor Vehicle Towing and Immobilization on Private Property
- Term Limits for Board of Education members—this item was approved to forward to the delegation, it was not endorsed by the commissioners as a whole (although I did publicly state that I support Term Limits at all levels)
Reminder, we will have a joint meeting with our delegation on October 5th and we will discuss these proposals. The delegation will then meet privately and decide which ones they want to take to Annapolis. The General Assembly will then debate and hopefully pass these proposals. Point is, there are a lot of steps remaining before any of this comes to pass.
These proposals were withdrawn:
- Authorization to modify the Emergency Services Support Tax
- Authorization to increase the Public Accommodations (Hotel) Tax Rate
Moving into County Administrator time, the first item of business was review of upcoming Draft Agendas. Second, we approved a Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) Grant for $395,118 (County match of $169,336) for a sidewalk from Gate 1 to Gate 2 and a crosswalk across 235. Third we had a discussion with our County Attorney and Sheriff Tim Cameron regarding House Bill 670, the Police Accountability Board, Charging Board and Trial Board and the impacts of this bill on St. Mary’s County. Short summary—there are still a lot of questions to be worked out on how this new process will work and it comes with unfunded mandates from Annapolis that will cost St. Mary’s County taxpayers. Our final item of business was approval of two agreements between the county and residents who are planning to renovate/expand their piers that are within 25 feet of county property.
During Commissioner Time I talked about the 7th District Optimists’ Club Installation of Officers (Congratulations Mike Kopel and team!), the great weekend at the Fair, and the upcoming end to the Federal Government Fiscal Year. To all my co-workers and people dealing with the 9/30 madness, just a few more days!
