The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County held their regular business meeting in the Chesapeake Building Tuesday, May 24, 2022, with the invocation and pledge, followed by approval of the consent agenda.
The Commissioners held a Public Hearing to receive comments on the Department of Land Use & Growth Management’s request to amend the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map to change the land use from Rural Preservation to Rural Commerce and to change the zoning from the Rural Preservation District to the Rural Commercial Limited zoning district for two parcels located at 26470 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville. The Commissioners will continue to accept comments on this topic until 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
Following the Public Hearing, the Commissioners recognized Safe Boating Week and National Historic Preservation Month by presenting Proclamations.
The Commissioners also recognized the recipients of the 2022 Historic Preservation Awards, including Kent Randall, Historic Preservation Service Award, Manuscript on Susquehanna Estate, Samuel Baldwin, Historic Preservation Project Award, John Hanson Briscoe Historical Project, All Saints’ Episcopal Church Restoration / All Saints’ Episcopal Church Oakley Parish, Historic Preservation Service Award, and John Richard Knott Sr. (1925-2020) with the Historic Preservation Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Commissioners accepted a grant award of $2500, on behalf of the Department of Human Resources, from the LGIT Training Grant Program to offset annual expenses for county government employee training.
The Commissioners approved request for the Circuit Court to accept the Circuit Court Security Grant Award from the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts for $3,928.86. The grant will go toward funding courthouse security improvements.
The Commissioners approved a request from the Department of Finance for seven budget amendments to increase the Recordation Tax Revenue Budget and Commissioner Emergency Reserve by $1,500,000 and then reduce the Commissioners Emergency Reserve by $1,051,402 for department shortfalls.
The Department of Public Works & Transportation received approval for a request to extend a lease agreement between the county and DMTU, LLC for five additional years for maintenance and building repairs at the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport.
The Commissioners also approved a Department of Public Works & Transportation request to receive a State Grant Award of $1,856,000 to fund the Adult Detention and Rehabilitation Center upgrade and renovation project.
The Department of Economic Development briefed the Commissioners on the status of a comprehensive county development review and approval process assessment and recommendations.
The County Attorney’s Office received Commissioner approval for a railroad right of way easement agreement between the county and 22757 Three Notch Road, LLC, doing business as Nissan of Lexington Park.
The Commissioners also approved the request from the County Attorney’s Office to amend Section 157-3 of the Code of St. Mary’s County to add an alternate member to the Economic Development Commission.
The Commissioners discussed a Plan of Action presented by the Department of Recreation & Parks to provide access to the Wellness and Aquatics Center on the Leonardtown Campus of the College of Southern Maryland for mandated annual fitness testing for St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office sworn officers.
The Commissioners approved a request from the Department of Recreation and Parks for a two-month lease extension for the Gymnastics Center located in Lexington Park.
The Commissioners approved the St. Mary’s County FY2023 General Fund Operating Budget of $324,829,819, including fees and charges, tax rates, employee compensation increases, and nonrecurring cost requests as presented by the Department of Finance.
The St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) FY2023 Capital Improvement Budget and FY2024-2028 plan received Commissioner approval.
The next Commissioner business meeting will be in the Chesapeake Building at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Because of the Memorial Day holiday, there will be no meeting Tuesday, May 31.
Commissioner decisions and related public documents are available on the county government website in BoardDocs. Commissioner Meetings may be viewed live Tuesday mornings on SMCG Channel 95 or as a replay Friday nights at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are also available for on-demand viewing on the St. Mary’s County Government YouTube Channel.
