Commissioners of St. Mary’s County approved the 2025 Nuisance Flood Plan and several intergovernmental agreements during their Oct. 28, 2025, business meeting, capping a day that included a joint session with the Board of Education and recognitions for long-term county contributors.
The session followed a morning joint meeting with the Board of Education at 251 Byrd Drive, where officials discussed school safety enhancements, Blueprint for Maryland’s Future implementation and fiscal year 2026 budget previews. The Blueprint, a state initiative allocating $3.8 billion for education through 2032, requires local matches for prekindergarten and teacher salary increases, with St. Mary’s anticipating $8 million in county contributions next year. Safety topics covered resource officer deployments at seven high schools and vulnerability assessments for entry points, informed by a 2024 state audit that identified 15 gaps countywide. Boundary adjustments emerged from enrollment data showing 2,200 new students since 2020 due to residential growth in Lexington Park and California areas.
At 1:30 p.m., the commissioners gathered in the Chesapeake Building at 41770 Baldridge St. for their regular meeting. Pastor James McDonald of Leonardtown United Methodist Church delivered the invocation, and Commissioner Eric Colvin led the Pledge of Allegiance. The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, covering $3.8 million in expenditures for utilities and supplies, plus three hires in the planning department.
Proclamations highlighted October observances. Breast Cancer Awareness Month drew attention to screening programs at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, where 120 mammograms occur monthly; the county’s incidence rate stands at 125 cases per 100,000 women, below the state average of 140. World Sustainability Day tied into the county’s 2023 Climate Action Plan, which has reduced emissions 12 percent through LED streetlight conversions and composting at transfer stations. National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month supported 10 new public AED installations, including at Piney Point Park and the Leonardtown Wharf, backed by a $45,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Health. These units, equipped with voice prompts for lay rescuers, align with American Heart Association guidelines aiming for 70 percent bystander use in cardiac events.
Service awards followed. Sarah Fitzgerald earned praise for two decades volunteering with the Home-Delivered Meals Program under the Department of Aging and Human Services. The initiative, serving 140 clients weekly with meals meeting USDA standards, relies on 25 drivers covering routes from Charlotte Hall to St. George Island. Fitzgerald’s 4,000 deliveries have supported seniors amid a 15 percent rise in program enrollment since 2020. Capt. Bonnie Payne retired after 25 years at the Detention and Rehabilitation Center, where she supervised 200 inmates and trained corrections staff on de-escalation techniques. Her leadership implemented body camera policies in 2022, enhancing accountability per Maryland Public Information Act requirements.
County Administrator Scott Ostrow outlined five actions during his segment. Agendas for future meetings received review, scheduling a Nov. 12 town hall on economic development. The board greenlit a memorandum of understanding for computer-aided dispatch integration with Calvert County, streamlining 911 responses across the border via shared software from Hexagon. Implementation starts Dec. 1, 2025, cutting transfer delays from 45 to 15 seconds based on simulations.
A memorandum of agreement with MedStar Health Inc. authorized air medical landings at county facilities, including the Hollywood Airport helipad and soccer fields in Great Mills. The pact, renewable every five years, outlines noise mitigation and fuel provisions for 50 annual transports, mostly for trauma cases from Route 4 crashes.
Commissioners passed a resolution for $900,000 in five-year financing from First American Equipment Finance at 3.5 percent interest. Proceeds fund 12 vehicles for public works and IT upgrades for cybersecurity, compliant with county debt caps under the 2006 charter.
The 2025 Nuisance Flood Plan update addressed 11 high-risk zones, incorporating NOAA data projecting 18-inch sea level rise by 2050. Measures include $1.2 million for permeable pavements in Piney Point and living shorelines at Coles Point, seeking FEMA matching funds. The plan revises the 2020 version after 22 flood events in 2024, affecting 150 homes.
Commissioner Time closed the meeting with updates: President James Guy on farmland preservation grants protecting 500 acres; Colvin on workforce training partnerships with College of Southern Maryland; Hewitt on harbor dredging bids; and Ostrow on recreation expansions. Colvin later shared meeting highlights on his Facebook page, emphasizing collaborative progress on flood resilience and public health.
Public access includes live streams on Channel 95 and YouTube, with BoardDocs archiving votes and minutes under the Open Meetings Act.
Next meeting: Nov. 4, 2025, at 9 a.m., with a 6:30 p.m. forum, both at the Chesapeake Building.
