OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting – December 16, 2025

County Commissioners & Boards — Tuesday, December 16, 2025
BodyCalvert County, Maryland
SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards
DateTuesday, December 16, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:41:47

Transcript — Verbatim
0:20

Thank you.

0:21

Thank you for inviting me.

0:25

Almighty God, we turn to you in the this season as we as we're celebrating your love for us.

0:36

That was so great that you that you came into the the world to make yourself known to us and to take all of our our burdens, our our cares, our troubles on yourself, so that we could be brought to a new hope, a new a new light, a new joy.

0:56

We ask that as you help these commissioners and all of those who who work with them serving the people of Calvert County, and that all of us in our own lives in our own vocations, that we all may have an ever deeper compassion for those around us, and ever greater love and ability to serve and to to be for others and to find joy in being for others.

1:27

We ask all of this in your name who are great and who live and reign forever and ever.

1:33

Amen.

1:34

Amen.

1:53

So Father John is at St.

1:57

John Vienny Church, wherever my wife and I attend, and uh Father John had a big event a couple weeks ago.

2:02

You want to talk about that, Father John?

2:04

Sure.

2:04

I just uh I just received uh installation as pastor from from the Archbishop.

2:10

So I was uh my first year was uh as administrator was sort of a pro temp um and now they installed me as pastor for a six-year term.

2:20

Um which hopefully will be longer than six years, but it's uh a six-year appointment for now.

2:27

Thank you very much.

2:32

I'm very glad to be here.

2:33

We had a great celebration that day, and then we also that was also the first day of safe nights.

2:38

This year we got to do the first week of safe nights.

2:41

Um so we we kicked it off that uh Sunday evening, and we had it this past uh week.

2:47

And and it was beautiful, it went very well.

2:49

We had 12 guests uh staying with us, and I think we counted all total about a hundred volunteers that were involved between the bringing the food and the the monitors and the cleanup afterwards, um and like everybody wanted to volunteer, right?

3:07

There was so much uh generosity that every time there was a need, some of the guests didn't have good winter coats when they arrived, so people brought them coats and then they decided to give them all boots and all people just kept coming up with ways that they wanted to contribute to give.

3:22

So it was really uh a beautiful outpouring of of love that the that the parishioners were happy to be a part of, and we're very grateful to uh to Dave Walton and to everybody that helps coordinating Safe Nights for Calvert.

3:35

Uh there they do an awesome job, and we're glad to be able to be a part of that.

3:40

So if you can't tell, Father John is very young, and he's fresh out of the seminary, so this is his first church, which makes it even special.

3:47

And uh what I learned that day was actually he's been on probation for a year, and we could have really uh voted him out.

3:53

But nobody told us that.

3:55

And uh that day they said he had enough likes that he gets to stay.

3:59

So uh, but he's doing a great job, and it's a great parish and a great county.

4:04

I think you should have learned that by now.

4:06

That it's a special place.

4:08

And uh I told you that when you came, and I hope you've learned that since you've been here that Calvert County is a very special place, and we look out for one another.

4:14

So uh we want to wish you all the success, and we hope you're there for a very long time.

4:19

Thank you so much.

4:20

I do too.

4:22

Thank you.

4:24

So the next item on the agenda is to approve the agenda.

4:28

I'll move that we approve and adopt the agenda submitted.

4:30

Second.

4:31

I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda as presented.

4:33

Any discussion on that motion hearing none.

4:35

All those in favor say aye.

4:37

Aye opposed.

4:38

Motion carries.

4:39

I do have a couple of uh public service announcements today.

4:46

First of all, we want to send our condolences out to the Rosanich family.

4:50

Um, oh, oh we have a guest.

4:55

Merry Christmas.

4:57

Oh, so very gifts for the commissioners.

5:09

Right, uh County Attorney.

5:11

Uh thank you, Santa.

5:24

Thank you.

5:27

Merry Christmas to you.

5:29

Thank you very much.

5:32

Good morning, Commissioners.

5:34

Merry early Christmas.

5:36

Some of you may already know me.

5:37

I am Tori Boschert.

5:38

I'm the recreation coordinator for the Central District of Parks and Recreation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████31%
Budget Equity Analysis███████████████████19%
Community Engagement███████████████15%
Parks and Recreation████████8%
Animal Welfare████████8%
Personnel Matters████4%
Public Safety████4%
Cannabis Regulation████4%
Fiscal Sustainability██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting – December 16, 2025

The Board of County Commissioners held its regular meeting on December 16, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The meeting included the election of new board officers, multiple appointments, a distinguished budget award presentation, two public hearings, consent agenda approvals, new business items, a fiscal year 2025 audit presentation, public comment, and commissioner reports.

Election of Board Officers

  • Commissioner Todd Ireland was elected as President of the Board for 2026 (motion by Commissioner Hart, unanimous vote).
  • Commissioner Mark Cox was elected as Vice President (motion by Commissioner Hart, unanimous vote).
  • Outgoing President Earl Buddy Hance thanked the board for the privilege of serving.

Appointments

  • Economic Development Authority: Reappointed Dana Jones and Terry Wolfey. No vacancies remain.
  • Calvert Marine Museum Board of Governors: Reappointed Tim Jervis, Deborah Jacobs, and Michael Jordan.
  • Fire and Rescue Commission: Appointed Barbara Warner.
  • Historic District Commission: Reappointed Michael Kent.
  • Building Board of Calvert County: Reappointed Dale Weems. All appointments were approved unanimously.

Award

  • Fiscal Year 2026 Distinguished Budget Presentation Award: For the 24th consecutive year, Calvert County received this award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). The board recognized the Finance & Budget team for their work.

Public Hearings

  • Department of Public Safety – Proposed Updates to Chapter 7 (Animals): The ordinance, not revised since 2008, was presented. The board voted unanimously to keep the record open for 10 days. No public comment was offered in person or online.
  • Department of Parks & Recreation – Budget Amendments (BA2026-000512 & BA2026-000513) for Ward Farm Recreation and Nature Park: These amendments adjust the CIP to reflect state CROF awards totaling $5,735,985, funding a multi-purpose building, maintenance facility, paved trail, and well. The board voted unanimously to close the record and approve the resolution and amendments.

Consent Calendar

  • Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative easement agreement.
  • Change of Designation of Resident Agent.
  • Apparatus grant for St. Leonard Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company 7 (Ambulance 77).
  • Apparatus grant for Calvert Rescue Dive Team (Utility 12). All consent items were approved unanimously.

New Business

  • Incident Response Software Contract: Approved a three-year, $128,841.89 contract with ESI Acquisition (a Juvare company) for WebEOC software and the new Crisis Track module, which will aid in damage assessments and FEMA grant applications. The contract was approved unanimously.
  • Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF) Recommendations: The board approved $640,000 in FY2026 funding for 14 of 17 applications, supporting youth programming, housing/homelessness prevention, job training, and services for individuals impacted by incarceration in Prince Frederick and Lusby. The board authorized the county administrator to sign grant agreements. Approved unanimously.

Presentation

  • Fiscal Year 2025 Audit Results: Chris Lehman of SB & Company presented the audit. The county received an unmodified (clean) opinion on its financial statements, with no material weaknesses, no instances of fraud, and full cooperation from management. The single audit is still in progress but expected to be clean. The board took no formal action.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Joseph Cormir (speaking on behalf of himself): Raised concerns about the county’s transparency regarding data center negotiations, noting that Commissioner Hance acknowledged signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). He requested a moratorium on data center contracts until after the November 2026 election. He also questioned water and energy impacts.

Key Outcomes

  • Election of Officers: Todd Ireland elected President, Mark Cox elected Vice President.
  • Appointments: All five appointments approved.
  • Budget Award: Recognized.
  • Animal Ordinance Public Hearing: Record kept open 10 days.
  • Ward Farm Budget Amendments: Approved.
  • Consent Agenda: Approved.
  • Incident Response Software Contract: Approved for three years.
  • CRRF Funding Recommendations: Approved for FY2026.
  • Fiscal Year 2025 Audit: Received with no action.
  • Adjournment: Motion carried at approximately 12:00 p.m.

Commissioner Reports

  • Commissioner Grasso reported on attending an Eagle Scout ceremony, tree lighting, parades, and thanked departing county attorney John Norris and acting CFO Stephen McGibbon.
  • Commissioner Hart congratulated state championship football teams (Huntingtown, Patuxent), thanked parade organizers, and thanked John Norris for his legal guidance.
  • Commissioner Cox thanked staff for the parade, congratulated teams, thanked President Hance, and wished a happy holiday.
  • President Ireland thanked Senator Harris for a meeting, announced plans to recognize championship football teams, thanked donors for holiday decorations, and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

Meeting Transcript

Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. Almighty God, we turn to you in the this season as we as we're celebrating your love for us. That was so great that you that you came into the the world to make yourself known to us and to take all of our our burdens, our our cares, our troubles on yourself, so that we could be brought to a new hope, a new a new light, a new joy. We ask that as you help these commissioners and all of those who who work with them serving the people of Calvert County, and that all of us in our own lives in our own vocations, that we all may have an ever deeper compassion for those around us, and ever greater love and ability to serve and to to be for others and to find joy in being for others. We ask all of this in your name who are great and who live and reign forever and ever. Amen. Amen. So Father John is at St. John Vienny Church, wherever my wife and I attend, and uh Father John had a big event a couple weeks ago. You want to talk about that, Father John? Sure. I just uh I just received uh installation as pastor from from the Archbishop. So I was uh my first year was uh as administrator was sort of a pro temp um and now they installed me as pastor for a six-year term. Um which hopefully will be longer than six years, but it's uh a six-year appointment for now. Thank you very much. I'm very glad to be here. We had a great celebration that day, and then we also that was also the first day of safe nights. This year we got to do the first week of safe nights. Um so we we kicked it off that uh Sunday evening, and we had it this past uh week. And and it was beautiful, it went very well. We had 12 guests uh staying with us, and I think we counted all total about a hundred volunteers that were involved between the bringing the food and the the monitors and the cleanup afterwards, um and like everybody wanted to volunteer, right? There was so much uh generosity that every time there was a need, some of the guests didn't have good winter coats when they arrived, so people brought them coats and then they decided to give them all boots and all people just kept coming up with ways that they wanted to contribute to give. So it was really uh a beautiful outpouring of of love that the that the parishioners were happy to be a part of, and we're very grateful to uh to Dave Walton and to everybody that helps coordinating Safe Nights for Calvert. Uh there they do an awesome job, and we're glad to be able to be a part of that. So if you can't tell, Father John is very young, and he's fresh out of the seminary, so this is his first church, which makes it even special. And uh what I learned that day was actually he's been on probation for a year, and we could have really uh voted him out. But nobody told us that. And uh that day they said he had enough likes that he gets to stay. So uh, but he's doing a great job, and it's a great parish and a great county. I think you should have learned that by now. That it's a special place. And uh I told you that when you came, and I hope you've learned that since you've been here that Calvert County is a very special place, and we look out for one another. So uh we want to wish you all the success, and we hope you're there for a very long time. Thank you so much. I do too. Thank you. So the next item on the agenda is to approve the agenda. I'll move that we approve and adopt the agenda submitted. Second. I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda as presented. Any discussion on that motion hearing none. All those in favor say aye. Aye opposed. Motion carries. I do have a couple of uh public service announcements today. First of all, we want to send our condolences out to the Rosanich family. Um, oh, oh we have a guest. Merry Christmas. Oh, so very gifts for the commissioners.

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