Today was the last meeting of this board of commissioners—and it was a good meeting! Commissioner Todd Morgan, as the current Vice President of the Commissioners, chaired the meeting while Commissioner President Randy Guy was out of town. We started off with the Invocation and Pledge followed by the approval of the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda included a Land Preservation Easement Release and approval to return $35,000 of taxes incorrectly collected from Town Creek Recreation, Inc (the Town Creek Pool).
We then presented a Commendation to Sheriff Tim Cameron for his over forty-two years of service to St. Mary’s County. Thank you Sheriff Cameron!
Our one Main Agenda item was approval, with some minor amendments, of the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan Update. Thank you to all who worked to develop the updates and provide inputs!
Moving into County Administrator time, our first item of business was review of upcoming meeting agendas. Second we approved an MOU between the Sheriff’s Office and the Friends Research Institute for participation in a study titled “A Comparison of Sublingual and Extended-Release Buprenorphine for Individuals Leaving Jail.” The Sheriff’s Office Detention Center will receive $25,000 fee for being a part of this study. This study is looking at buprenorphine, a drug that is used to treat opioid addiction, and the study will last for one year. Third we approved the Day Reporting Grant from the Health Department to the Sheriff’s Office Detention Center for $343,035 for FY2023. This grant will pay for two full time positions, a Pre-Trial Services Case Coordinator and a Pre-Trial Services Case Coordinator II, plus a Contracted Mental Health Licensed Social Worker. This will assist in providing community-based services and treatment to offenders under parole/probation with the goal of reducing recidivism, jail population, and corrections related costs and improving quality of life. Fourth we approved an extension to the Temporary Access Agreement allowing the Metropolitan Commission access to county-owned property in Great Mills for the purpose of installing a well. Fifth we approved a Letter of Partnership with Verizon FIOS for the Office of Statewide Broadband Connect Maryland Network Infrastructure Grant Program. If this grant is approved at the state level, the County will partner with Verizon FIOS in building out additional broadband infrastructure to unserved areas. This is an exciting step forward in working towards additional options for our residents! Sixth we heard an update on our County EMS system and 9-1-1 Billing. Seventh we approved accepting the following roads into the County Highway Maintenance System: Tallwood Road, Leyland Street, Sawara Court, and Monterey Street. Eighth we heard our yearly presentation on the Inclement Weather and Snow & Ice Control Operational Plan. Ninth we approved a budget amendment increasing the Commissioner’s Emergency Reserve account by $694,889 due to salary savings. Our final item of business for County Administrator time was approval of Budget Amendments decreasing the FIN23 Capital Reserve by $2,015,000 and increasing the following projects: Regional Agricultural Center, Adult Detention Rehabilitation Center, Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Clements Convenience Center, and Airport Improvements.
After that we heard from the Office of the County Attorney for a presentation of 2023 Legislative Proposals.
Our last item of business was presenting Commendations to our out-going commissioners, John O’Connor and Todd Morgan. Thank you both for your years of service!
During Commissioner Time I spoke about the Kennedy Kreiger Institute opening a branch in St. Mary’s County and what a huge win that is for all of Southern Maryland (Thank you Senator Jack Bailey!). I also took some time to reflect on the last four years.
We finished the morning in Closed Session to discuss Real Property. We briefly entered back into Open Session to accept surplus property into the County’s inventory.
