St. Mary’s County Meeting: New Ordinances and Future Plans Approved

LEONARDTOWN, MD – The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) convened their latest business meeting, commencing with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. The session proceeded with the approval of the consent agenda, marking the start of a productive agenda.

The CSMC honored Virginia Quade and Corporal Andrew Holton, celebrating their retirements from St. Mary’s County Government. Both individuals received commendations in recognition of their dedicated service.

The main agenda included several significant actions:

1. Ordinance Repeals and Reenactments: The Commissioners approved a proposed ordinance to repeal and reenact Chapter 203, titled “Building Construction.” This move aims to update and streamline building regulations. Concurrently, they repealed Chapter 223 Article IV, which dealt with inspection fees, potentially reducing costs and simplifying processes for county residents and businesses.
2. Public Hearing on Water and Sewerage Plan: Approval was granted to schedule a public hearing for a proposed amendment to the St. Mary’s County Comprehensive Water and Sewerage Plan. This amendment is part of ongoing efforts to improve and modernize the county’s water and sewer infrastructure, ensuring sustainability and efficiency.

During County Administrator Time, several key actions were taken:

• Future Meeting Agendas: Reviewed and planned agendas for upcoming CSMC meetings.
• Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Lease: Approved the renewal and extension of the lease for the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Association, ensuring the continuation of this significant cultural and historical institution.
• Sheriff’s Office Reorganization: Authorized the reorganization of the Booking Specialist and Civilian Security Specialist positions into a new Corrections Specialist role, aimed at improving operational efficiency within the Sheriff’s Office.
• Human Resources Reorganization: Approved a reorganization and position classification for the Department of Human Resources, likely enhancing department functionality.
• Recreation and Parks Strategic Plan: Adopted the 2024 Recreation and Parks Strategic Plan, outlining future initiatives and improvements for community recreational facilities and programs.
• Maryland Agriculture Land Preservation Foundation: Approved a letter to this foundation, supporting agricultural land preservation efforts in the county.
• Health Department Lease Agreement: Approved an agreement to lease Unit H of 25470 Point Lookout Road from W.M. Davis Development at Breton Marketplace, LLC. This space will benefit the St. Mary’s County Health Department, providing necessary facilities for public health services.

The Commissioners concluded the meeting with a segment known as Commissioner Time, where individual commissioners had the opportunity to address the public and discuss various topics of interest.

The CSMC will not hold meetings on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, or Tuesday, July 9, 2024. The next business meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at 9 a.m. in the CSMC Meeting Room, located on the first floor of the Chesapeake Building at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown. Decisions and related documents from CSMC meetings can be accessed on the SMCG website via BoardDocs. Meetings are open to the public and are broadcast live on TV Channel 95 and on-demand through YouTube at www.YouTube.com/@StMarysCoGov. For further information, visit stmaryscountymd.gov.