On Tuesday, Nov. 28, Commissioners held a discussion with leaders from the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism regarding aquatics use of the College of Southern Maryland’s (CSM) swimming pool at the La Plata campus. Director Kelli Beavers and Deputy Director Sam Drury provided an overview of current aquatics facilities in Charles County, an assessment of future aquatics needs, and the costs associated with renovating and operating CSM’s swimming pool. The proposed use does not meet the community’s needs and the cost does not fit within the current Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget.

Staff proposed that the Commissioners consider during the FY25-FY29 CIP budget process for funding to be moved up to construct a multi-generational recreation facility that includes aquatics, with initial funding to be allocated in fiscal year 2025. Commissioners directed staff to prepare a letter to the state delegation summarizing the challenges associated with renovating and operating the CSM pool, and stating a preference for construction of a multi-generational recreational facility that includes aquatics into the project.

Briefings

• Planning and Growth Management staff provided a briefing to Commissioners on a zoning text amendment in the watershed conservation district zone for the addition of an independent living senior housing complex as a permitted use. Commissioners approved a request to introduce Bill 2023-13 and Zoning Text Amendment 22-73. and scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, January 9, 2023, at 6 p.m.
• Staff presented a draft bill that would clarify the definition of appointed positions in the Sheriff’s Office to exclude them from the merit system. A fiscal note from the Sheriff’s Office was provided to confirm that this change would have no impact on the budget or operations of the Sheriff’s Office. Commissioners approved a request to introduce Bill 2023-14, and scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, January 9, 2023, at 6 p.m.
• Members of the Civitan club presented a briefing on their organization, which provides assistance to vulnerable populations in the community. They provided an overview of its history, its national support for individuals with developmental disabilities, and the local service projects they have hosted.

 

Public Hearings

Commissioners held a public hearing and voted to approve a zoning map amendment (Bill 2023-11) for Dash-In Food Stores, Inc., located at 3620 Mattawoman-Beantown Road in Waldorf. The amendment rezones 1.748 acres of a split zoned 3.02-acre property, identified as Parcel 50-R, from Rural Conservation (RC) to Community Commercial (CC) for zoning consistency on the entirety of the parcel.

Commissioners also held a public hearing on draft legislation (Bill 2023-12) for the removal of an elected county commissioner. The draft legislation requires a sustained finding, by a state or federal court, of workplace misconduct and a violation of the code of ethics. Prior to any vote for removal, a public hearing must be held on the matter. If there is a unanimous vote to remove by all the Commissioners who are not subject to the finding of workplace misconduct, it shall take effect immediately and be followed by the appointment by the Governor to fill the vacancy according to the local government article of the annotated code of Maryland. Commissioners voted 3-1 to keep the record open for 90 days, after which Commissioners will schedule a work session on the draft legislation. 

Approval Items
Commissioners approved:

• A budget amendment increase of $264,286 to set up an overtime budget in a special revenue fund for the Charles County Sheriff’s Office to provide enhanced security at Charles County Public Schools. 
• Two Charles County Board of Education requests. An inter-category transfer of $605,000 to pay for various needs and a budget amendment increase of $22.4 million to fund open purchase orders from the previous fiscal year that will be paid in the current fiscal year.
• The allocation of $1,000 from the Community Support Fund to sponsor the 29^th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast.
• A letter of commitment to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and a letter of commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to support the Charles County Resilience Authority’s grant proposal to design a living shoreline at the County owned property that is being developed as Pope’s Creek Waterfront Park.
• A letter of commitment to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and a letter of commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to support the Charles County Resilience Authority’s grant proposal for the “Concrete to Green Stormwater Pocket Park Project” at the Elite Gymnastics Recreational Center.
• A letter of commitment to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and a letter of commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to support the Charles County Resilience Authority’s grant proposal to design green infrastructure stormwater drainage improvements for the East Waldorf Residential Neighborhood.

 

Action on Boards and Commissions

Commissioners took the following actions on appointments to Boards and Commissions:

• Reappointed Semia Hackett as a member to the Planning Commission
• Reappointed Marian Ashton and Zebenoise Knapp and appoint Kathryn Young, Eliecer Olivares, Jacqueline Marshall, and Tenisha Magee as members to the Board of Social Services
• Appointed Dennis Tomlinson as a Citizen Member to the Board of Fire and Rescue
• Appointed William Jackson as the retiree member to the Sheriff’s Office Retirement Plan Committee (SORP)
• Appointed Sarah Hazeltine as a member of Ethics Commission

Commissioners also took action on Commissioner Committee assignment for 2024, which can be viewed in the agenda packet.

Recognitions
Commissioners recognized employees who achieved milestones in years of service to the county and announced the Top Performer awards for the second and third quarter of 2023. You can view the photos of these recognitions here.

 

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

 

Next Commissioners Session: Dec. 5-6, 2023

 

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