Outreach will include materials with information on local, state, and federal resources to help businesses bring signage under compliance with local signage ordinances during a 90-day amnesty period that starts on March 1. Fines for out-of-compliance signage will be levied after the amnesty period expires on June 1.
- Danielle Mitchell, Assistant Deputy County Attorney, gave commissioners a legislative update on the 2024 Maryland General Assembly session. Commissioners gave consensus to support several bills, including a statewide bill to support legislation concerning off-road vehicles used on highways in place of a local bill submitted by the county.
- A briefing on proposed bill 2024-04, which would amend the county code to allow commissioners to adjust the fee that supports 9-1-1 operations in the county. Commissioners introduced the bill and scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
- Staff briefed the Commissioners on proposed Bill 2024-05, which would accept the Critical Area Commission’s conditional approval of Zoning Text Amendment 21-169, also known as Bill Number 2022-10. Commissioners introduced the Bill and scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
- Commissioners gave consensus on a request to authorize staff to draft legislation for consideration to establish an Industrial Development Authority to support Economic Development, Redevelopment, and Recreation projects in the county. Commissioners also consented to draft a letter of support for HB 692 – Economic Development – County & Municipality Economic Development Authority – Powers and Use of Proceeds.
Approval items
- Commissioners approved:
- A budget increase of $2,000,000 to facilitate funding provided by the design engineer to support a change order associated with the Flow Equalization Basin Wall Retrofit Project.
- A change order of $1,987,976.90 to facilitate phase 2 of the Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant Flow Equalization Basin Wall Retrofits.
- A budget transfer of $26,000 to support a federal lobbyist for Charles County.
- A contract with GS Proctor for federal lobbying services.
- A transfer of $750,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds from Surface Transportation to Non-Profit Grants to the Charles County Charitable Trust to support a Non-Profit Grant Program for Transitional Housing.
Action on Boards and Commissions
Commissioners took the following actions on appointments to Boards and Commissions:
- Appointed Granville Johnson as the Chair of the Charles County Police Accountability Board.
- Appointed Angel Riley as a Citizen Member and Tanika Whittington as an Alternate Member of the Ethics Commission.
- Reappointed Theodora Carr, Lauretta Miles, and Tiffany Brown and appointed Angel Wye as a Citizen Member, Darnelle Brown as a Citizen Member, and Jacqueline Pressey as a Senior Citizen Member to the Area Council on Aging.
- Recommended reappointment of Sam Graves to the Board of Fire and Rescue by the Governors Appointment Office.
- Recommended reappointment of Charles McClam to the Regular Member position from the Alternate Member position on the Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board by the Governors Appointment Office.
- Appointed Albert Williams as the Attorney Member, James Person as the Citizen with a Disability Member, Sequaya Tasker as the Professional in the Field of Disabilities, William Morgan as the Local Non-Profit Social Service Organization Member, and Lynn Murphy as the Citizen Member to the Adult Public Guardianship Review Board.
- Reappointed Torri Ball, D’Yana James, Nicole Evans, LaTisha Henderson, Kawona Johnson, Clarissa Stroud Kemp, La’Kenya Walter and appointed Judith Ramsey, Katrina Logan, Krystal Hall, Rosalyn Dickerson, and Shelly Williams as Citizen Members to the Commission for Women.
- Appointed Tony Cotton as a Citizen Member of the Nuisance Abatement Hearing Board.
- Appoint Suzanne Darby as the Representative of the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association to the Library Board of Trustees.
- Appointed Cathryn Szmurlo and Corey Becket as Citizen Members of the Internal Audit Oversight Committee.
Public Hearings
Commissioners held a public hearing on bill2023-15, which updates local legislation on the Maryland Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (MD PACE). The update would remove from local legislation a requirement to obtain an energy audit that demonstrates certain savings over the life of the loan. Commissioners voted to close the record and adopted the bill.
Commissioners also passed bill 2023-14, which excludes appointed positions from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Merit System and bill 2024-01, a Zoning Text Amendments concerning Cannabis Dispensaries.
Commissioners voted to keep the record open for 30 days on bill 2023-13, a Zoning Text Amendment that would allow Independent Living Senior Housing Complexes in the Watershed Conservation District.
Proclamations
Commissioners read proclamations recognizing:
- Black History Month
- Career and Technical Education Month
- National Engineers Week
- National Freedom Day
- Unclaimed Property Day
Viewing option of the meeting and the Commissioner Listening Session: Click Here
Next Commissioners Session: Feb. 27-28, 2024.
Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.
