On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Jacob Dyer, Acting Director of the Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, presented a request to consider approving a higher Cost of Living Adjustment for county employees that would go into effect on Jan. 2025. The request was made due to inflation and to bring equity between county employees and partner agencies.

 A request was also made to create a $5.5 million reserve fund to replace emergency radios for the Department of Emergency Services. Commissioners approved the replacement radios reserve and the proposed salary increases of 3.5% for eligible full-time county employees and 2.5% for eligible part-time employees.

 

Briefings

• Robert Forloney, Program Officer with MD Humanities; Yvonne Medley, Founder/Executive Director, Life Journeys Writers Guild, Inc.; and Lesley Quattlebaum, Executive Director, CSM Velocity Center, held a briefing on a potential partnership with Spark! Places of Innovation. The program combines funding from the Smithsonian Institution and Maryland Humanities to create museum spaces in small towns. The Spark! Maryland Tour is scheduled to begin in Charles County May 17 – June 29, 2025, as a partnership between the College of Southern Maryland Velocity Center & Life Journeys Writers Guild, Inc. Displays during the tour will take place at the Velocity Center and other locations in the county. Commissioners gave consensus for the partnership.
• Jacob Dyer, Acting Director, and TaTanya Bowman, Assistant Chief of Budget, Department of Fiscal and Administrative Services, held a briefing on the Fiscal year 2025 general fund review for the first quarter.
• Jenifer Ellin, Acting Deputy County Administrator, and Kelli Scherer, Budget Analyst, briefed commissioners on the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The presentation also requested a transfer of $658,097 from unobligated broadband programs to surface transportation-road overlay. The transfer would satisfy a requirement that all funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024.  Commissioners approved an amended request to allot $558,097 to surface transportation and $100,000 to food insecurity.
• Johnnie Coleman, Senior Internal Auditor; Michael Pheulpin, Junior Internal Auditor; and Jenifer Ellin, Acting Deputy County Administrator, held a briefing on the Internal Audit Office. Coleman and Pheulpin then conducted their annual review of County Commissioner expenses.
• Charles Rice, Planning Director, briefed the Commissioners to clarify residential density and minimum lot size requirements within the Watershed Conservation District Zone.
• Doria Fleisher, Community Engagement Coordinator, and Jennifer Harris, Chief of Media Services, discussed County commissioners' Public Comment Sessions and Joint Town Hall Meetings. The conversation continued from the Dec. 3 meeting, which discussed the procedures for public comment sessions. Commissioners voted to eliminate public comment sessions in the months their quarterly joint town halls are scheduled and to allow each Commissioner six minutes to respond to citizen questions and concerns after each public comment session. 
• Ray Shumaker, Chief of Codes, Permits and Inspection Services; Don Litten, Building Code Official; and Jarington Bazemore, Inspections Supervisor, held a briefing on blighted property enforcement. The presentation provided an update on a recent campaign to enforce signage regulations in the county. During the sign enforcement initiative, 202 inspections were performed, with 114 cases logged. Ninety-six of those cases came into compliance, while 14 are still outstanding. The presentation also discussed what constituted a blighted property and the associated enforceable codes. Since January 21, 50 cases related to blighted buildings have been logged, with 37 resolved and 13 working toward a resolution.
• The County Commissioners held a work session on Proposed Bill 2024-06: Zoning Text Amendment 22-174 Mixed Use Zone. The bill would incorporate “housing for specific populations” and allow for commercial development to be substituted with residential development within the Mixed-Use Zone. The Commissioners passed the Bill.

 

Boards and Commissions Annual Updates

County Commissioners heard the updates from the following County Boards and Commissions:

• Business Loan Development Fund for Women, Minorities, and Veterans

 

Actions on Boards and Commissions

Commissioners took the following actions on county boards and commissions:

• Appoint Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2) to the Area Council on Aging.
• Appoint Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) to the Board of Fire and Rescue.
• Appoint Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) and Economic Development Department Staff to the Charles County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq. to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Executive Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3) to the Charles County Department of Social Services.
• Appoint Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2) and Rita Wood to the Charles County Homeless and Emergency Shelter Committee
• Appoint Christina Ledman and Michelina Coates to the Charles County Scholarship Fund, Inc.
• Appoint Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) to the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission.
• Appoint Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (District 1) to the College of Southern Maryland Advisory Council.
• Appoint Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3) to the Comcast/Verizon Negotiation Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2) and Jeffrey Barnett to the Commuter Ferry Stakeholders Group.
• Appoint Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) and Deborah Hall to the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council.
• Appoint Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3) to the Fire/EMS Scholarship Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3) to the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) to the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
• Appoint Eric Jackson to the Local Government Insurance Trust Board of Trustees.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq., and Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) to the Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B Collins II, Esq. to the Maryland Association of Counties Planning Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (District 1) and Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed.D. (District 3) to the Maryland Association of Counties Rural Counties Coalition
• Appoint Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) to the Maryland Department of Health Maryland Walkability Academy.
• Appoint Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3), and Jason Groth to the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq., Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2), and Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3) to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors.
• Appoint Kyle Redden to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee.
• Appoint Beth Groth and Noelani Brockett to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Climate, Energy, Environment Policy Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (District 1) and Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq. to the Metropolitan Washington County of Governments Food and Agriculture Regional Member (FARM) Committee.
• Appoint Michelle Lilly and Tony Rose to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Human Services Policy Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq. to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Legislative Committee.
• Appoint Jason Groth and Charles Rice to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Region Forward Coalition.
• Appoint Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D. (District 3), and Jason Groth to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II to the Naval Support Activity South Potomac Civilian-Military Community Relations Council Executive Committee.
• Appoint Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2) and Economic Development Department staff to the Naval Support Activity South Potomac Civilian-Military Community Relations Council General Meetings
• Appoint Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (District 1) and Paula Proctor to the Patuxent River Commission.
• Appoint Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II, Esq. to the Southern Maryland Tri-County Council Community Action Council Board of Directors.
• Appoint Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling to the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland Executive Board.
• Appoint Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson II (District 4) to the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland Veterans Regional Advisory Committee.

 

Approval Items

Commissioners Approved:

• A budget amendment increase of $50,000 to establish a budget for costs associated with a feasibility study for the Sports and Wellness Complex.
• A budget transfer request of $87,450 for additional technology and furniture purchases for the new Thornton Elementary School.
• A budget transfer request of $370,000 to cover additional A&E expenses for William B. Wade Elementary School Full Day Kindergarten Project.
• A budget amendment increase of $124,420 to perform a feasibility study on the La Plata Armory to be used by the Department of Emergency Services.
• A budget transfer request of $4 million to support a pending change order for the Radio Communications Systems Upgrade Project .
• A letter of support for renovations to La Plata High School, including adding a Natatorium to the facility.
• A letter of support for state legislation to address organized retail theft in Maryland.
• Adoption of the Charles County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Resolution 2024-17 Fall Water and Sewer Category Amendment Cycle.
• A request for staff to review Charles County Zoning Regulation 297-324 regarding standards for Window Signs. The request was brought by Commissioner Amanda Stewart, Ed. D., to review this section of the ordinance and recommend changes that would distinguish between requirements for signs attached to windows versus other coverings, such as tinting and shading measures to address safety, security, and climate control.
• A change order of $13.4 million.  The change order will support replacement of the county’s portable radios that supports all public safety personnel and county employees.  In addition, the change order will support the County’s Radio Communication Systems Upgrade project to include additional equipment upgrades and to pay for cost increases.  There were sufficient budget funds to cover this change order.