On Tuesday, September 12, Commissioners received a briefing from Associate County Attorney Danielle Mitchell on the healthy meals for children bill, which includes what it would accomplish, defines what a healthy meal consists of, and outlines the implementation, enforcement, and effective dates for the bill. A request to introduce a draft healthy children’s meals legislation and to set a public hearing on Bill 2023-09 was made and scheduled for October 24, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

 

Briefings

• Director of Human Resources, Alexis Blackwell presented a briefing to Commissioners on Charles County Government holiday pay policies. She reviewed the county’s current practices, and how departments compensate employees who are required to work on holidays to provide essential services including emergency response, utilities operations, and recreation center staffing. A proposed holiday pay compensation adjustment was presented, and a summary of the net fiscal impacts was shared.
• Maryland Legal Aid Executive Director, Vicki Schultz presented a briefing to Commissioners on the Maryland Legal Aid scope of services, which include seeking to assist clients in resolving their most fundamental problems. These services include helping clients preserve and access safe and affordable housing, maintain custody of their children and to be safe from domestic violence, in addition to helping increase economic security, removing barriers to employment, accessing critical income support, and helping the most vulnerable in the community such as children and seniors.

 

Rescheduled Agenda Items:

• A briefing from County Attorney Danielle Mitchell on Senate Bill 291 Budget and Taxation Appropriations.
• A briefing on the communications and engagement update and proposed request for proposal for Charter Board support by Chief of Media Services, Jennifer Harris.
• A work session on the Bryans Road Sub Area Plan from Acting Planning Director Charles Rice.

Public Hearings
Commissioners held a public hearing on Wednesday, September 13 on the 2024 State Legislative Proposals from members of the community. Click here to view the submitted legislative proposals.

Approval Items
Commissioners approved:

• A budget amendment request of $64,790 to re-appropriate FY 2023 funding to the FY 2024 budget to complete the Countywide TMDL Stormwater Implementation Plan.
• A budget change request for $2 Million for the Board of Education FY 2024 for Charles County Public Schools. The Superintendent requests this inter-category budget transfer of $2.0 Million in accordance with Education Article 5-105 to support various administrative services and resources for Charles County Public Schools.
• A lease agreement between the College of Southern Maryland and the Charles County Commissioners to use space located at 5825 Radio Station Road, La Plata Maryland for transportation training programs.
• A public transit service agreement with the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) for VanGO to operate public transit services according to the map provided, between CSM campuses including CSM Regional Hughesville Campus and CSM La Plata Campus.
• The Charles County Government Commissioner Standard Operating Policy, titled Commissioner’s Pre-Hearing Invocation, to clarify the parameters within which an invocation may occur during a public hearing.
• The draft of the Board of County Commissioners 2024 Session Calendar.
• Additional County-Designated Holidays for the following dates: Wednesday, November 22, 2023; Friday, December 22, 2023; Tuesday, December 26, 2023; Tuesday, January 2, 2024; and Monday, February 12, 2024.
• A memorandum of agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for Mallows Bay, with the purpose of transferring funds to Charles County to construct a field operations building at Friendship Farm Park to support on-water and in-community engagement activities at Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary (MPNMS).
• A memorandum of agreement and letter of support for the Maryland Solar for All statewide Grant Application to be submitted by the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which, if awarded, will ensure that thousands of low income households in the state obtain access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy, but also will establish replicable processes to facilitate future targeted investments in clean energy.
• A lease amendment for the Hospice of Charles County, which has now merged with and will be known as Hospice of the Chesapeake.

Action on Boards, Committees, and Commissions

Commissioners took the following actions:
 

Liquor Board

• Appointed Dorothy Brawner as the District 4 Representative and Tamika Simmons as an At-Large Member.

Commission for Veteran’s Affairs

• Reappointed Kabir Tompkins and Joan Sabree and appointed Kelly Kester, Julie Bryson, Ramona Jones, and Lawrence Moses.

Board of Appeals

• Reappointed Cynthia Ybanez-Casares as an At-Large Member and appointed Timothy Treanor as an Alternate Member.

Commission for Women

• Appointed LaTisha Henderson, Lisa Elliott, Nicole Evans, Tamara Franklin-Gibbs, and Kawona Johnson.

 

Proclamations

Commissioners issued the following proclamations:

• National Preparedness Month – September 2023
• National Recovery Month – September 2023
• National Sickle Cell Awareness Month – September 2023
• National Hispanic Heritage Month – September 15-October 15, 2023
• National Suicide Prevention Week – September 10-16, 2023
• Direct Support Professionals’ Week – September 10-16, 2023
• Constitution Week – September 17-23, 2023
• Diaper Need Awareness Week – September 18-24, 2023
• Car Free Day – September 22, 2023
• Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Day – September 23, 2023

 

Viewing option of the meeting and the Commissioner Listening Session: Click Here

 

Next Commissioners Session: September 19-20, 2023

 

Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.