LEONARDTOWN, MD (December 2, 2025) — The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County approved $10,000 in sponsorship for the 2026 Freedom Fest fireworks display and voted to support a statewide legal effort aimed at easing pressure on the county detention center during their regular Tuesday meeting.
The five-member board, meeting in the Chesapeake Building, first recognized graduates of the 2025 St. Mary’s County Government Citizens Academy and issued a proclamation designating December 2 as Southern Maryland Day of Giving in partnership with Leadership Southern Maryland.
In the only substantive actions of the morning, commissioners unanimously agreed to join an amicus brief filed by Anne Arundel County on behalf of the Maryland Correctional Administrators Association. The brief asks courts to enforce a state law requiring the Maryland Department of Health to accept custody of defendants found incompetent to stand trial within 10 days of commitment.
St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, like many local jails across Maryland, has been forced to house dozens of individuals awaiting state psychiatric beds for months and sometimes years. The backlog has strained staffing, medical resources and bed space needed for traditional pretrial detainees.
Commissioner President Randy Guy noted the issue has become a recurring budget and safety concern for the county facility on Baldridge Street in Leonardtown.
Separately, commissioners transferred $10,000 from the Commissioner’s Emergency Reserve to the County Administrator’s budget to serve as the county government’s official sponsorship of Freedom Fest, the annual Independence Day celebration held at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in Chaptico. The July 3, 2026, fireworks show draws several thousand residents from across Southern Maryland.
The brief meeting wrapped with individual commissioner remarks. Commissioner Eric Colvin highlighted the Leadership Southern Maryland Day of Giving campaign, encouraged residents to apply for the next Citizens Academy class, and promoted upcoming holiday events including the Leonardtown Tree Lighting and the Frost Fair at Historic St. Mary’s City on Saturday.
Colvin also welcomed two new Lexington Park-area businesses—Boone’s Bagels and SMASHRx—and reminded residents that the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office has increased patrols through the holiday season.
The board offered formal condolences to the family of former Commissioner Shelby Guazzo, who served from 1994 to 2002 and remained active in local Republican circles until her passing earlier this year.
All other items on the agenda were approved by consent without discussion, including prior meeting minutes and routine departmental reports.
The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County meet most Tuesdays at 9 a.m. in the Chesapeake Building at 41770 Baldridge Street. Meetings are broadcast live on Channel 95 and streamed on the county’s YouTube channel. Full agendas, supporting documents and archived video are available through BoardDocs on the county website.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9, 2025.