Today’s meeting began with the Invocation and Pledge followed by the approval of the Consent Agenda. We then presented proclamations for National Public Works Week and National Emergency Medical Services Week.
After that we reconvened as the Board of Health for a presentation from Dr. Brewster. She spoke about the current COVID levels in our county and the nation and about vaccine status. We also discussed the start of “tick season” and tick-born illnesses.
Reconvening as the Board of Commissioners, we moved into County Administrator time and the first item of business was review of upcoming meeting agendas. Second we approved the grant application for the FY2023 Heroin Coordinator Program for the Sheriff’s Office for $57,912 (with $13,169 of County funding). Third we approved the grant application for the FY2023 Police Recruitment and Retention grant for $62,234 (no county match required). Fourth we approved contributing $15,000 to a feasibility study for a Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry Project—I voted against this because I do not see the feasibility for St. Mary’s County in this study. Fifth we received an informational brief on the Snow Hill Park Master Plan. Sixth we approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the County and the Country Lakes Homeowners Association—this is a renewal/update of the existing MOU that has been in place since 2012 and allows for use of athletic fields and courts in exchange for appropriate maintenance. Our last item of business was approval of a resolution authorizing the sale and issuance of $30 million of General Obligation Bonds. The funds from this sale will be used for a variety of capital improvement projects, including Roadway and Safety Improvements, School infrastructure and upgrades, and several facility improvements—all of these projects were previously approved in the budget, the bond sale is only taking place once we are ready to use the funding.
Next we had a slightly atypical schedule for our morning meetings. We held Commissioner Time (I spoke about the Second District Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad Installation Dinner). We then approved a name change for the North County Farmers Market to The Barns at New Market. We entered Closed Session to discuss Real Property and Personnel. After Closed Session we reentered Open Session for a Public Hearing on a Zoning Amendment that would allow residents in the Critical Area to apply for a variance in order to construct a swimming pool. We had no speakers.
We will reconvene this afternoon for our Final Budget Work Session for the FY2023 budget. After our last decisions are made today we will approve the budget next week.
