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Record of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting – June 10, 2025

County Commissioners & Boards — Tuesday, June 10, 2025
BodyCalvert County, Maryland
SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards
DateTuesday, June 10, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:09:19

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:09

Good morning, one and all.

0:10

Just join me in a word of prayer.

0:12

Heavenly Father, we just pause in your presence this morning.

0:16

We just want to give you praise for the greatest gift that you give us all, the gift of life.

0:22

Lord, we pray and remember what your son taught us.

0:27

He taught us that he that would be greatest in the kingdom would be the servant of all.

0:32

And Lord, there are men and women in this place today who have chosen to serve this community, to serve this public, Lord, our public.

0:40

And Lord, I pray today that you would give them a special touch of your grace, your wisdom, and your mercy today that they might serve this community with everything that they have for the good of us all.

0:52

Thank you, Lord.

0:53

We love you in Jesus' name.

0:55

Amen.

1:05

One nation, I'm your God.

1:12

So Pastor Forster comes to us from Life Church in Huntingtown, right there along the road.

1:17

Yes.

1:25

We're trying to address that.

1:27

Yes, that's been good to us.

1:28

I might have got a comment or two, but we've had a few visits.

1:34

Do you have a lot of young families?

1:36

Yes, ma'am.

1:38

We have about a thousand attendants on Sunday across Wheels.

1:42

Really?

1:42

We and we've noticed like maybe on a Wednesday night, you'll see the teenagers outside and um and like Commissioner Hance.

1:51

My husband will be like, God, that place is jamming.

1:54

They need a bigger parking lot.

1:55

Yeah, we need we need a lot.

1:57

Okay.

1:58

The Lord will provide.

1:59

But that's good.

2:00

I'm glad to hear it.

2:01

That's great.

2:02

We're very good.

2:02

It's a good problem to have.

2:03

Yeah, it is.

2:04

So and you can expand, right?

2:06

Because there's a ravine behind you.

2:08

We're kind of limited in our current footprint, yes.

2:10

So we've uh we're looking for at some options.

2:13

Looking to move?

2:14

Uh we're hoping not to.

2:16

We're open to the garage.

2:17

We're hoping to expand our footprint a little bit there in that area closer.

2:21

We don't want to move too far away.

2:22

Right.

2:23

So like I say, it's a good problem to have.

2:24

It is.

2:25

It's a great problem.

2:26

Thank you for joining us.

2:27

Thank you.

2:27

Thank you so much.

2:29

Have a great day.

2:30

Thank you.

2:30

You too.

2:32

Next item on you excuse me.

2:34

Is on the agenda is to approve the agenda.

2:36

Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda as presented?

2:40

I don't believe so.

2:40

I move that we approve and adopt the agenda submitted.

2:43

Second.

2:44

I motion a second to approve the agenda as presented.

2:46

Is there any discussion on that motion?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis████████████████████████24%
Procedural████████████12%
Youth Programs████████████12%
Public Announcements███████████11%
Juneteenth Celebration█████████9%
Animal Welfare███████7%
Public Health██████6%
Data Center Regulation██████6%
Personnel Matters████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting – June 10, 2025

The Calvert County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on June 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in Prince Frederick, Maryland. The meeting included proclamations, appointments, consent agenda approvals, adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, public comment, and commissioner reports. A vote on an amendment to increase employee cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) from 1% to 2% resulted in a tie, and the budget was ultimately adopted with the original 1% COLA.

Proclamations

  • World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Tanya Taylor (Client Services Manager, Office on Aging) and ombudsmen Amy Boucher and Larry Harvey, along with Nikki Daniels (Asbury Solomons) and Dean Smith (Solomons Nursing Center), accepted a proclamation recognizing June 15, 2025, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Calvert County. The proclamation highlighted partnership with adult protective services and law enforcement to combat elder abuse.
  • Juneteenth: Deborah Harris (President, NAACP Calvert) and other NAACP members accepted a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth (June 19) and promoting the Juneteenth celebration on June 14, 2025, at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. The event featured a car show, kids' zone, talent show, and concerts by Obsession Band and a Frankie Beverly tribute.

Appointments

The board unanimously approved the following appointments:

  • Building Board of Calvert County: Reappointed Matthew Keane and Edmund Shamleffer (no vacancies).
  • Commission for Veterans and Military Families: Appointed Jacqueline Turnbill (military spouse/veteran caregiver) and Mike Mels (owner/operator of a local business) (no vacancies).
  • Cove Point Light Station Commission: Reappointed Dr. Daniel Curry (two vacancies remain).
  • Environmental Commission: Appointed Sarah Shields and Kristen Fuller (four vacancies remain).
  • Sheriff's Office Pension Plan Board of Trustees: Appointed Thomas Phelps (one citizen member vacancy remains).

Consent Calendar

The board approved four consent items unanimously:

  1. Department of Parks & Recreation: Fiscal Year 2026 Program Open Space Annual Program Renewal.
  2. Calvert County Sheriff's Office: State Fiscal Year 2026 Sex Offender Compliance and Enforcement in Maryland Grant Application.
  3. Department of Planning & Zoning: Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program Fiscal Year 2024 Report.
  4. Department of Community Resources: Fiscal Year 2026 Calvert County Office on Aging Area Plan Update.

Discussion Items

Fiscal Year 2026 Operating and Capital Budget Adoption

  • Linda Turner (Deputy County Administrator) and Beth Richmond (Senior Advisor, Finance & Budget) presented the final budget. The FY2026 general fund operating budget totals $385,978,812, a balanced budget. Sources decreased by approximately $1.6 million from FY2025 due to reduced fund balance and inter-fund transfers, offset by revenue increases from property assessments, income taxes, and 911 fees.
  • Education funding remains a priority at 44% of the general fund ($163 million), a decrease of $1.7 million from FY2025, calculated using the state maintenance of effort formula.
  • The budget includes 20 new employees: 18 for public safety (emergency communications, career EMS, Sheriff’s Office) and 2 for circuit court and state’s attorney’s office, offset by a reduction in Community Resources.
  • County employees receive one salary step (average 2.5% increase) and a 1% COLA. The total increase for employees at lower steps is approximately 3.5%.
  • Commissioner Hart moved to amend the COLA from 1% to 2%, citing competition for employees and future risks. Commissioner Grasso opposed the last-minute change, calling it unprofessional, and abstained from the vote. The amendment failed on a 2-2-1 vote (Commissioners Hart and Ireland in favor; Commissioners Cox and Grasso against; Commissioner Hance abstained? The transcript shows two ayes, two noes, and one abstention – likely Commissioner Hance abstained).
  • The board then voted on the main budget resolution: a motion to close the record and adopt the FY2026 operating and capital budgets, including tax rates and fees. The motion carried with a majority (4-1 or 5-0? The transcript indicates one opposed, but the exact tally is unclear; the chair declared the motion carried).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Leonard Zouza (Solomons, speaking for Concerned Citizens of Solomons) expressed opposition to proposed data processing centers. He argued that financial benefits would be illusory due to state budget cuts, higher energy costs passed to residents, groundwater depletion, and limited local job qualifications. He suggested the county require data centers to fund training at the College of Southern Maryland, absorb electrical upgrade costs, and use alternative cooling methods. He provided a written copy of his remarks.

Commissioner Reports

  • Commissioner Hart: Attended Patuxent High School senior awards and graduation; praised the youth, a speech by class president Jordan Hayes, and the band’s military tribute.
  • Commissioner Grasso: Attended Northern High School graduation, a BGE scholarship program, First Fridays in North Beach, and Bernie Fowler’s wade-in (water clarity improved from 24 inches to 48 inches). Promoted Juneteenth and Allison Harrington’s grand opening in Solomons.
  • Commissioner Cox: Attended Calvert High and Huntingtown High graduations; noted significant scholarship awards. Wished a happy Father’s Day.
  • Commissioner Ireland: Participated in interviews for the deputy county administrator position (four finalists). Offered prayers for the Brown and Weems families.
  • Commissioner Hance: Attended an Eagle Scout ceremony for Karsten Wingard (55 merit badges, 11 palms, pre-med student). Highlighted Eagle Scout statistics and the strength of local scouting. Also noted the deputy administrator position attracted 79 applicants, including federal employees.

Key Outcomes

  • Proclamations and Appointments: Approved unanimously.
  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
  • COLA Amendment: Failed (2-2-1 vote).
  • FY2026 Budget Adoption: Approved (majority vote; exact tally not specified). The budget includes a 1% COLA and step increases, with a $385,978,812 general fund, $163 million for education, and 20 new public safety positions.
  • Executive Session: The board voted to enter executive session pursuant to §3-305(b)(7) to consult with counsel for legal advice. The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:10 a.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, one and all. Just join me in a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we just pause in your presence this morning. We just want to give you praise for the greatest gift that you give us all, the gift of life. Lord, we pray and remember what your son taught us. He taught us that he that would be greatest in the kingdom would be the servant of all. And Lord, there are men and women in this place today who have chosen to serve this community, to serve this public, Lord, our public. And Lord, I pray today that you would give them a special touch of your grace, your wisdom, and your mercy today that they might serve this community with everything that they have for the good of us all. Thank you, Lord. We love you in Jesus' name. Amen. One nation, I'm your God. So Pastor Forster comes to us from Life Church in Huntingtown, right there along the road. Yes. We're trying to address that. Yes, that's been good to us. I might have got a comment or two, but we've had a few visits. Do you have a lot of young families? Yes, ma'am. We have about a thousand attendants on Sunday across Wheels. Really? We and we've noticed like maybe on a Wednesday night, you'll see the teenagers outside and um and like Commissioner Hance. My husband will be like, God, that place is jamming. They need a bigger parking lot. Yeah, we need we need a lot. Okay. The Lord will provide. But that's good. I'm glad to hear it. That's great. We're very good. It's a good problem to have. Yeah, it is. So and you can expand, right? Because there's a ravine behind you. We're kind of limited in our current footprint, yes. So we've uh we're looking for at some options. Looking to move? Uh we're hoping not to. We're open to the garage. We're hoping to expand our footprint a little bit there in that area closer. We don't want to move too far away. Right. So like I say, it's a good problem to have. It is. It's a great problem. Thank you for joining us. Thank you. Thank you so much. Have a great day.

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