The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County held their regular business meeting, Tuesday, January 12, 2021, in the Chesapeake Building in Leonardtown.
Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, provided the State of the College report that included information on the college’s COVID-19 response, an enrollment update and details on upcoming programs.
County Attorney David Weiskopf briefed the Commissioners on 2021 Legislative proposals. The Commissioners approved a proposed legislative bill that would give St. Mary’s County bars and restaurants a one-year waiver from paying liquor license fees and $30 million dollar bond authority. The Commissioners will send letters of support to the Delegation and the House and Senate Committees for hearings on the bills.
The Commissioners approved a request from the Department of Economic Development to support the ACT Work Ready Communities initiative. The ACT Work Ready Communities framework helps communities link workforce development to education, aligns economic development needs, and matches individuals to jobs based on skill levels.
Bob Kelly, Chief Information Officer for Information Technology, gave the Commissioners a Broadband Progress Report that summarized efforts to provide internet access to underserved areas in the county. The Commissioners also heard the results of the Broadband Assessment that surveyed businesses and households in the county. Dellicker Strategies and Lewis Strategic evaluated local internet service providers and existing services and made recommendations for continued enhancements to existing infrastructure.
The Commissioners accepted the Senior Care grant award of $126,106 on behalf of the Department of Aging & Human Services. The grant from the Maryland Department of Aging helps fund local services for people 65 years or older who may be at risk of nursing home placement and allows seniors to live with dignity and in the comfort of their own homes and at a lower cost than care at a nursing facility.
The Commissioners also accepted FY2021 Maryland Department of Transportation/Maryland Transit Administration grant agreements for $2,914,441. The funding will go toward supplementing the St. Mary’s County Transit System improvements.
The next regularly scheduled business meeting of the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County is Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. There is no Commissioner Meeting Jan. 19, 2021. Commissioner decisions and related public documents are available on the county government website in BoardDocs. St. Mary’s County 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.
