LEONARDTOWN, Md. — The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) convened their business meeting on April 8, 2025, starting with an invocation and pledge before approving the consent agenda. With Commissioner President Randy Guy absent, Vice-President Mike Alderson chaired the session, while Commissioner Scott Ostrow participated remotely.
The meeting opened with proclamations recognizing National Animal Control & Care Week, Week of the Young Child, National Public Health Week, and National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, highlighting community priorities. A public hearing followed on the disposition of surplus county-owned property acquired due to delinquent taxes, with one speaker voicing support.
During County Administrator Time, the commissioners addressed a packed agenda. They reviewed upcoming meeting schedules, noting no session on April 15, with the next set for April 22 at 9 a.m. in the Chesapeake Building, followed by an FY2026 Budget Public Hearing at 6:30 p.m. at Leonardtown High School. Key actions included approving a modification to the Day Reporting Grant, converting a full-time case manager position to part-time at the Sheriff’s Office, and greenlighting two FY2026 grant applications: a $398,094 Performance Incentive Grant to fund nurses for opioid treatment at the Detention Center and an $87,552 Gun Violence Reduction Grant, with a $16,006 county match, for the State’s Attorney’s Office.
The commissioners also adopted a resolution waiving landfill fees for Christmas in April projects on April 26, aiding the nonprofit’s home repair efforts. They approved a $125,000, four-year St. Jerome’s Creek Dredge Material Placement Site Easement Agreement to ensure regular dredging, vital for local waterways. Broadband expansion gained traction with letters of support for Comcast and Verizon’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant applications, potentially boosting internet access countywide.
Further actions included renewing the Joint Encroachment Mitigation and Prevention Agreement with Naval Air Station Patuxent River, approving a $555,627 FY2026 Community Partnership Agreement for the Department of Aging and Human Services (with $1,102 in county funds) to support families, and authorizing a $35,864 Senior Rides Grant with an $8,770 county match. A $40,000 budget amendment increased the Department of Aging and Human Services’ Special Events funding. The commissioners also amended the 2010 Comprehensive Plan, redesignating a property at 25741 Three Notch Road in Hollywood from Rural Preservation to Rural Commerce, shifting its zoning to Rural Commercial Limited.
A legislative update from the County Attorney’s Office followed, noting the Maryland General Assembly’s Sine Die on April 7, 2025, marked by the state’s largest tax increase ever, per Commissioner Eric Colvin’s remarks on the live YouTube stream. Most county-requested legislation, including Bond Authority for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget, passed successfully.
During Commissioner Time, Colvin highlighted community events like the RunforHospice, the “Rebels and Redcoats” event at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, and Chopticon High School’s “Shrek: The Musical” production, while addressing budget and personnel needs. The meeting closed with a session on personnel and litigation.
CSMC meetings are public, aired live on Channel 95, and available on-demand at www.youtube.com/@StMarysCoGov, with documents accessible via BoardDocs on the county website.
