Calvert County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting - November 18, 2025

The Calvert County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, in the new county government building in Prince Frederick. The board approved the agenda, issued two proclamations, confirmed appointments, held a public hearing, adopted consent and new business items, received the Housing Authority annual update, heard commissioner reports, and recessed to executive session. The agenda listed the invocation by Pastor Wilson Parran; the transcript refers to Pastor William Perrin/Reverend Perrin.

Opening & Public Service Announcements

• The agenda was approved unanimously. Board members marked the opening of the new county government building, describing it as a one-stop location for permits and services; the building came in under budget and almost on time, and former commissioners and officials attended.
• A public service announcement described a fire at the Courtyards at Fishing Creek in Chesapeake Beach the prior day that destroyed 13 apartments and displaced 25 to 26 family members. Donations were being coordinated through Bayside Baptist Church, Traders Restaurant, and the North Beach Firehouse, and rental housing was requested.
• Other announcements included a Board of Appeals vacancy, the animal shelter's "Thanks for Giving Me a Home" adoption event through November 29 with waived fees for senior pets, and featured kittens Espresso and Matcha.

Proclamations

• The board proclaimed the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Transportation planner Jessica Catano reported the county had 14 roadway fatalities the previous year and two confirmed fatalities in 2025 to date, with a goal of zero deaths; the new "Crash" software provides bi-weekly local crash data. State's Attorney Bob Harvey said Maryland's automobile manslaughter penalties are too low and that legislation to raise the maximum from 10 to 20 years passed the Senate but died in the House; he said Senator Bailey will reintroduce it and urged public contact with Delegate Luke Clippinger.
• The board proclaimed November as National Family Caregivers Month. Lisa Cottle of the Office on Aging cited statewide statistics: 976,000 Maryland adults are caregivers, or one in four, and 450,000 more expect to become caregivers within two years; three-quarters of caregivers manage household tasks and over half manage personal care. Programs include $500 caregiver grants, support groups, medical equipment lending, and a caregiver event. Retired RN and caregiver Joan Faust described her caregiver support group and book.

Appointments

• Larissa Pfeiffer was appointed to the Economic Development Advisory Commission; one vacancy remains.
• Alice Merkel was appointed as the Calvert Marine Museum representative on the Employee Recognition Committee; one vacancy remains.
• Trevor Hume Wolanski was appointed to the Environmental Commission; three vacancies remain.
• Nicole Penix, Trevor Hume Wolansky, and Scott Gray were appointed, and Esther Rim and Pat Melville were reappointed, to the Heritage Committee; one vacancy remains.
• Patrice Evans was appointed to the Administrative Charging Committee; no vacancies remain.
• Commissioner Mark Cox was named the 2026 Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Legislative Committee representative, with Commissioner Todd Ireland as alternate. All appointment motions carried unanimously.

Public Hearing

• The board held a public hearing on the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center HVAC and roof replacement budget adjustment and project approval. The project total is $8,715,000, with a budget adjustment of $2,569,179 requested to fully fund the work, including new HVAC systems, thermoplastic polyolefin roofing, polycarbonate roof panels, and required mechanical, electrical, and scaffolding work. Parks and Recreation Director Bob Branham said the contractor was required to have natatorium experience, shelf-ready parts are specified, warranties cover equipment and labor, and lighting access is being improved. The next anticipated major aquatic center expense is pool reshelling in seven to ten years. No citizens signed up to speak; the board voted unanimously to keep the record open for 10 days.

Consent Calendar

• The following items were adopted unanimously with no objections:
  • License agreements for Hydronet stations at Breezy Point Beach and Lower Marlboro Pier.
  • Memorandum of understanding with St. Mary's for computer-aided dispatch (CAD) to CAD interface.
  • Annual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) report.
  • Business Associate Agreement with Digitech Computer LLC.
  • First Amendment to the Huntingtown Tower Lease Agreement with New Cingular Wireless (AT&T).

New Business

• The board approved signing the Interagency Commission on School Construction local funding support letter for FY27. Capital Improvement Projects and Grants Manager Danielle Russell and school system representative Shajeta Warner presented the priorities: Northern Middle School replacement (priority one), Sunderland Elementary HVAC (priority two), Calvert Elementary/Calvert Country School design (priority three), and Plum Point Middle School curtain wall and skylight replacement (priority four). The requested state share is $4,982,979 and the local county share is $12,915,310. Discussion noted a target state allocation of about $280 million, about 90% expected funding of priorities one through three, and a Northern Middle School schedule update expected in January.
• The board adopted a resolution delegating authority to access the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Identity and Access Management system to the EMS billing and compliance coordinator, supporting the transition to new billing vendor Digitech Computer LLC effective December 1, 2025. The resolution passed with no fiscal impact.

Housing Authority Annual Update

• Department of Community Resources Deputy Director Jacqueline Culver, Housing Authority Executive Director Sean Kingston, and housing authority board members presented the annual update. The 13-employee housing authority manages about $6 million in funding, almost all of which is spent with county landlords, and serves seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and working families. About 75% of families served are at or below 30% of area median income; maximum incomes are $47,600 for a family of four and $33,350 for an individual. Funding is approximately 69% federal, 29% from rental units, 1% county, and 1% state. There are four senior complexes, the waiting list is closed except for seniors, and the authority is not an emergency housing provider; after the Chesapeake Beach fire, staff worked within federal rules to assist families and had commitments from three landlords. The housing authority board is unpaid. Commissioners and housing officials discussed the difficulty of affordable housing, workforce housing, high-density development concerns, and the need for continued collaboration; the authority is exploring county-owned land for family housing.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public commenters appeared in person or online during the scheduled public comment period, and no citizens signed up to testify at the public hearing.

Commissioner Reports

• Commissioners expressed condolences to the families affected by the Chesapeake Beach fire and to others who lost loved ones, thanked first responders and volunteer agencies, and listed organizations that assisted within hours, including Red Cross, Traders Restaurant, Ladies of Charity, Bayside Baptist, Department of Social Services, Calvert County Public Schools, Tri-County Community Action, HELP, Rod and Reel, the Town of Chesapeake Beach, Mobile Crisis Team, Walmart, and the Cusick Foundation. Reports also covered attendance at the Farm Bureau dinner, Veterans Day events, ribbon cuttings, the BRIC 10th anniversary, the hospital gala, and an anti-vaping video project.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved; two proclamations issued.
• Six appointment actions approved unanimously.
• Public hearing record kept open for 10 days; no final budget adjustment vote yet.
• Consent agenda approved unanimously.
• School construction support letter approved.
• CMS access resolution adopted.
• Housing Authority annual update received; affordable housing work to continue.
• The board voted unanimously to recess to executive session pursuant to Maryland General Provisions Article §3-305(b)(1)(i) (personnel matters), (b)(3) (real property acquisition), and (b)(4) (business or industrial location); the agenda scheduled adjournment for 3:30 p.m.