LEONARDTOWN, MD – In an extensive business meeting, the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) set several new initiatives in motion, impacting departments across the board from finance to recreation. The meeting, held in Leonardtown, Maryland, started with a routine invocation and the pledge, then segued into the approval of the consent agenda.
Honoring the nation’s natural beauty and local produce, the Commissioners began with proclamations for National Parks & Recreation Month and Maryland Buy Local Week. These acknowledgments reflect the Commissioners’ ongoing commitment to celebrating the county’s outdoor spaces and bolstering the local economy.
The Commissioners also received the St. Mary’s County Library’s semi-annual brief, providing an update on the library’s activities and developments. Following this, they assented to a request from the Department of Finance for a public hearing about potential amendments to the St. Mary’s County Energy and Fuel Tax Ordinance.
The commissioners approved various inter-departmental agreements and grant programs during the County Administrator’s time. The significant approvals included a bundled contract with Axon Enterprises for Body Worn Cameras and Tasers for the Department of Finance, as well as an agreement between the Sheriff’s Office and St. Mary’s County Health Department for several programs including STOP, Five County, Jail Based Medication Assisted Treatment, and the Maryland Community Justice Treatment Program. They also greenlighted grants for School Resource Officers/Adequate Coverage and the Heroin Coordinator Program.
Further approvals were issued for the State’s Attorney’s Office to accept the FY2024 Program Incentive Grant Fund Program Award and the Gun Violence Reduction Grant Award, demonstrating the county’s focus on law enforcement and public safety. A Memorandum of Understanding was sanctioned between the Department of Emergency Services and the CSMC Ambulance and Rescue Squad Association, Inc.
On the recreational front, the commissioners gave the green light to the Department of Recreation & Parks for the Program Open Space 2027 and the Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan. Also approved were the Department of Economic Development’s FY2024 Fee-In-Lieu amounts for transferable development rights and the Department of Finance’s timeline for the sale and issuance of general obligation bonds for $30 million.
The meeting rounded out with approvals for the Department of Aging & Human Services’ Senior Care grant application, the Level One Screen, and the SHIIP grant application.
As the meeting drew to a close, the CSMC announced a forthcoming Public Forum slated for this evening, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. The forum will be held in the CSMC meeting room in the Chesapeake Building, located at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown.
The next business meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25 at 9 a.m., also in the CSMC meeting room in the Chesapeake Building. CSMC decisions and related public documents are on the county government website’s BoardDocs. For those unable to attend, the meetings can be viewed live Tuesday mornings on SMCG Channel 95, or replayed Friday at 6:30 p.m. They are also available for on-demand viewing on the St. Mary’s County Government YouTube Channel.
