Danielle Mitchell, Assistant Deputy County Attorney, was joined by Joseph Green of G.S. Proctor & Associates to hold the first legislative update of the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session. During the state legislative session, commissioners will receive regular updates on bills submitted as a part of the Charles County state legislative package and bills that could have significant impacts on the county.

Briefings

• Jacob Dyer, Acting Director of Fiscal and Administrative Services, and TaTanya Bowman, Assistant Chief of Budget, briefed commissioners on Proposed Bill 2025-01: Charles County Government Bond Authority. The bill, if passed, would authorize a new bond authority of $375 million. The amount is based on currently existing projects and planned projects for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. Commissioners unanimously voted to introduce the bill and schedule a public hearing for Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 at 6 p.m.
• Deborah Hall, Acting County Administrator; Alexis Blackwell, Director; and Megan Donnick, Deputy Director of the Department of Human Resources, discussed the Employee Holiday Leave Calendar.

Charles County staff were surveyed for requests on county holiday policies. From the survey, human resources staff recommended that for Major holidays (except Christmas and Thanksgiving), the county would observe either the Monday directly prior or the Friday directly following the holiday.

Thanksgiving and Christmas had separate recommendations:

• • Thanksgiving
    • Close full day Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
  • Christmas Eve
    • Close at noon if Christmas Eve falls on a weekday (Tuesday through Friday).
    • Close full day if Christmas Eve is on Monday.
  • Day After Christmas
    • Close full day for the day after Christmas if Christmas day falls Monday through Thursday.

Staff also presented recommendations for three new holiday observances: Easter Monday, Eid al-Adha, and Eid al-Fitr. Commissioners then voted 2-1 to approve the 2025 employee leave calendar with amendments to give additional holidays for Super Bowl Monday and a give Thursday off for any holiday that falls on a Wednesday.

• Commissioners received a briefing on a request to approve an agreement for a tax-exempt loan for a fire truck for the Bryans Road Fire Department. Commissioners voted unanimously to introduce the bill and schedule a public hearing for Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 at 6 p.m.

• Amy Blessinger, Planner III, and Charles Rice, Planning Director, held a briefing on Proposed Bill 2025-02: Zoning Text Amendment 23-179 Multifamily Uses and Infill Development in the Residential Office (RO) Zone. The bill would allow the development of multifamily residential units with conditions in the Residential Office zone around Crain Highway and Old Washington Road. Commissioners voted to introduce the bill and scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 6 p.m.
• Jenifer Ellin, Acting Deputy County Administrator; Bill Kidwell, Chief Information Officer; and Matt Jacobson, Network Specialist III, briefed commissioners on Rural Broadband Task Force activities. The presentation included an update on grant-based broadband infrastructure grant projects to expand broadband access in the county. The update also included information on the County’s long driveway grant program which is still accepting applications from residents. 
• Doria Fleisher, Assistant Chief of Media Services, and Kayla Hunt, Communications and Engagement Specialist, reviewed the 2024 Citizens Academy Spring and Fall Cohorts. 39 residents from areas including Bryans Road, Newburg, and Waldorf participated in the two cohorts with curriculums that included presentations from Charles County Government departments and divisions, introductions to partner agencies, and field trips to unique locations around the county.  Both cohorts completed class projects on improving community engagement in county government. Recommendations from these projects included the creation of an annual Community Guide and the establishment of a Citizens Academy Ambassador Commission.
• Britta Hertling, Chief of Capital Services; Brian Kagarise, Assistant Chief of Capital Services; and Candis Stretcher, Capital Services Project Manager II, presented a Capital Service Update, which included updates on the Western Parkway and La Plata Library update projects.
• Commissioners discussed a potential adjustment to the county code related to Contributions Made by the County to Pension Plans. Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling (District 1) requested the topic to codify protections for employee pensions. Jacob Dyer, Acting Director of Fiscal and Administrative Services, discussed determining the contributions for the county employee and sheriff’s office pension plans. Commissioners were advised to allow for pension committees to have flexibility in determining the contribution with the consultant to ensure a balanced budget.

 

Public Hearings

Commissioners held a public hearing on Proposed Bill 2024-17: Operation of Golf Carts on Cobb Island. Following the hearing, the Commissioners adopted the bill, which becomes effective February 28, 2025. The bill amends Chapter 276 of the Charles County Code to allow the use of golf carts between dawn and dusk on County roads located on Cobb Island when operated by a licensed driver.  The Commissioners were granted the power to create the golf cart regulation via the passage of House Bill 43 during the 2024 Maryland General Assembly Session.

Commissioners also unanimously rejected Bill 2024-18: Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 23-181 Restaurant, Fast Food, and Drive Through with Direct Access to a Public Road in Core Employment/Residential (CER)Zone. If passed, the bill would allow for a drive-through restaurant with direct access to the public road in the development zone along Billingsley Road and Maryland 210 if a special exception is obtained for the establishment.

Proclamations

Commissioners recognized the following proclamations for the month of January:

• 2025-01 National Mentoring Month
• 2025-02 National Pan-Hellenic Council Recognition Month
• 2025-03 National School Choice Week
• 2025-04 Catholic Schools Week
• 2025-05 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Beyond

 

Approval Items

Commissioners approved:

·       A budget transfer request of $172,160 to cover the purchase of a gearbox for a reactor at the Mattawoman Waste Water Treatment Plant.

·       A change order of $520,228.02 to provide additional funding to cover the costs for unit quantity increase for the flow monitoring activities for the Mattawoman inflow and infiltration Project.

• The Commissioners approved the final document Indenture Docket 250 Villages at Swan Point following the Work Session that was held December 3, 2024. The process for the amendment first came before the Planning Commission in 2023, with a public hearing held on July 17, 2023. County Commissioners originally held a public hearing on the matter in May 2024. During the work session on December 3, 2024, Heather Kelley, Planning Supervisor, and Charles Rice, Planning Director discussed several amendments to the original proposal. The Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposal with staff’s recommended changes.  

·       A modification to the Billingsley Road access management table.

·       A letter of support for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom applications for Friendship Farm Park and Stagg Hall for official designation.

Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 7-1-1 (Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258).

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