LEONARDTOWN — The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County began their June 9 meeting with a joint session with the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
The session was held at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. Discussion topics included the 2026 NAS PAX Airshow, the Intergovernmental Support Agreement, an update on the St. Mary’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan, the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, Encroachment and Air Installations Compatible Use Zones, the YMCA and Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration.
NAS Patuxent River serves as a major economic driver in St. Mary’s County. The annual Airshow draws significant visitors and supports local businesses. The Intergovernmental Support Agreement facilitates cooperation on shared services.
The St. Mary’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan update addresses long-term land use, growth and compatibility with the base. The Defense Community Infrastructure Program provides grants for projects that support military installations. Encroachment and Air Installations Compatible Use Zones guide development to maintain operational readiness.
The Commissioners reconvened at 11 a.m. for their regular business meeting. They approved the consent agenda, which included appointments to county boards, committees and commissions. Proclamations recognized World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and National Certified Nursing Assistants Week.
The 2026 Safety Matters Employee Awards were presented to Mia Gayle of Land Use and Growth Management, Lee Milburn of Emergency Services, Brandon Ballew of Recreation and Parks and Christopher Lengle of Recreation and Parks.
On main agenda items, the Commissioners approved the Board of Education’s FY2027 budget and quarterly payment of the county portion, totaling $145,893,800 distributed in four equal installments. They also approved a request to schedule a public hearing on July 14 for an ordinance establishing the St. Mary’s County Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund.
This fund would allocate cannabis-related funding received from the state. To date, the county has set aside $1,542,136.62 for this purpose. The proposed process would allow nonprofits to apply, with funds required to support low-income communities and serve as supplemental rather than replacement funding. These are one-time, non-recurring funds.
During County Administrator Time, the Commissioners reviewed future meeting agendas. There will be no meeting on June 16 due to the Juneteenth holiday. They approved the Boys & Girls Club’s lease of the Carver Recreation Center.
They approved a FY2026 Defense Community Infrastructure Program grant application for the Willows Road sidewalk and Tulagi Place Road extension/roundabout projects. They approved a Memorandum of Agreement with the College of Southern Maryland for Small Business Development Center services, a program in existence since 1997.
They approved the FY2027 Memorandum of Understanding with Visit St. Mary’s MD providing $500,521 from accommodation taxes. They approved the transfer of $5,503,161 of private activity bond allocation authority back to the state Department of Housing and Community Development. This represents borrowing authority the county is not utilizing.
They approved a resolution amending the Length of Service Awards Program to increase the benefit from $300 per month to $500 per month for personnel age 60 with 20 years of qualifying service. They approved a corrective revenue ordinance adjusting the service charge for semiannual property tax payments to 1.122 percent.
They approved the assignment of Crown Castle sublease interests back to the company, concluding a long-standing settlement agreement that included revenue sharing and ends on July 1, 2026.
The meeting concluded with Commissioner Time and a closed session on personnel and litigation strategy. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 23 at 9 a.m. in the Chesapeake Building. Meetings are open to the public and available on SMCG TV Channel 95 or YouTube.
