We began our meeting today with the Invocation and Pledge followed by the approval of the Consent Agenda. We then held the annual recognition for citizen members of Boards, Committees and Commissions—the names of all of the members were read aloud and they will receive certificates of appreciation.
Moving into our Main Agenda items, we began by approving a Public Hearing on March 1st at 6:30 pm for the state mandated Police Accountability Board and the Administrative Charing Committee. We also approved a MORNING Public Hearing to authorize $4 million supplemental appropriation for FY2022 grant funds that will be received this year.
Next we heard Legislative Updates from our County Attorney’s office. We approved the following letters of support:
- SB 337/HB 144 – Motor Fuel Tax Rates – sponsored by Delegate Morgan, this bill would repeal the Consumer Price Index adjustment that is automatically added to the gas tax
- HB 602 – Sotterley Plantation Grant
- SB 567 – Agricultural Use Assessment Improvements
- HB 562 – Right to Repair Farm Equipment
We also approved a letter of opposition to HB 226/SB 577 – Use of Video Recording Devices in Self-Contained Special Education Classrooms. This was not a unanimous vote, 3-2. I voted against this letter of opposition because I feel that special needs children are an especially vulnerable population and extra measures to ensure their safety are a good idea.
Entering County Administrator time, our first item of business was review of upcoming draft meeting agendas. Second we approved a Program Open Space application for athletic field lights at Dorsey Park. Our final item of business was to repeal Resolution 2020-33 and dissolve the Youth Advisory Committee. We greatly appreciate all who have served on that committee, but we’ve been unable to recruit new members or maintain at quorum at meetings so the recommendation to us was to end the committee.
During Commissioner Time I congratulated the Leonardtown High School Swim Team on being both Girls and Boys SMAC champions! We all spoke about the recent tragic suicides from the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge—if you are struggling with depression or hopelessness, reach out for help. If you know someone struggling, be sure that they have the support systems they need. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline phone number is 800-273-8255; make use of it if you need it.
We then entered into Closed Session to discuss Personnel. We will have a Joint Meeting tomorrow (Wednesday, February 9th) with the Commissioners from Calvert and Charles Counties at 4:30 pm. The meeting will be held virtually, but it will be streamed online and viewable on Cable Channel 95.
#CommissionerUpdate
