Today we started off with a joint meeting with the Board of Education. Superintendent Smith presented an overview of COVID, BroadBand expansion, enrollment and bus driver funding. We discussed Capital Improvement Projects, Turf Fields and Recreation and Parks partnership, and the Maryland Blueprint for Education. We approved a categorical budget amendment for the Board of Education that will provide supplemental funds (a bonus of $5000 this school year and $5000 next school year) to school bus drivers utilizing the ESSER II grant funding.
We reconvened for our regular business meeting and led the Invocation and Pledge. We approved the Consent Agenda, which included a letter to the Southern Maryland Agriculture Development Commission (SMADC) about the Regional Agriculture Center (RAC), a letter to the Board of Elections officially recognizing the new name of the Armory building as the “The St. Mary’s County Board of Elections,” a letter to Senator Cardin requesting guidance on Congressional Earmarks for the YMCA building, and a letter of support for grant funds for the Health Department’s Behavioral Health Hub.
We then presented a commendation for Robert W Johnston’s Retirement.
Moving into our Main Agenda items, we approved an ordinance to repeal and reenact the St. Mary’s County Electrical Codes Ordinance—I was initially opposed to the plan that had been presented, but the plan has been revised to not require Master Electricians to pay a registration fee on top of the required state license fee. Next we approved a request for a morning public hearing to amend the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for Solar Major and Solar Minor—our current zoning does not lay out requirements for solar sites. This has no impact on rooftop residential solar installations.
Moving into County Administrator time, our first item was review of upcoming meeting agendas. Second we approved the FY2022 Alcohol Retailer ID Education Agreement grant for $10,000 for the Sheriff’s Office (no county match required). Third we approved using $130,000 from the Commissioner’s Reserve to outfit two county owned vehicles as medic vehicles. Our final item of business was acceptance of roads into the County Roadway Network: Woodside Court, a section of Pegg Road, Elizabeth Hill Street, and Tennyhill Street.
During Commissioner Time I spoke about Christmas on the Square in Leonardtown, the new Valley Lee Fire Department and Rescue Squad building, and Giving Tuesday. After Commissioner Time we entered into Closed Session to discuss Personnel. We reentered Open Session to approve ending the Jurisdictional Medical Director’s contract.
