Calvert County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting – March 3, 2026
Calvert County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting – March 3, 2026
The Board of County Commissioners held a regular meeting on March 3, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m. After the invocation and pledge, the agenda was amended to move a budget adjustment to new business and to add a briefing from Amazon Web Services (AWS) regarding a potential data center project. The meeting included a proclamation, a Board of Health session on the Destination Wellness program, approval of consent agenda items (with one item moved), action on tax differential rates for two towns, a budget reallocation, a presentation from the College of Southern Maryland, a briefing on data center exploration, and public comment. Commissioners also gave reports and moved into executive session.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of the following items as a block: Huntingtown Tower Lease Agreement with CellCo Partnership (Verizon Wireless); Emmanuel Church Tower Lease Agreement with CellCo Partnership (Verizon Wireless); Approval of Agency Safety Plan for Bus Transit; Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation Grant Agreements; King Memorial Park Stewardship Agreement.
- Item 3 (Facilities Budget Adjustment) was removed from consent and considered under new business.
Proclamation – National Senior Nutrition Program
- Commissioner Earl F. Hance read a proclamation declaring March 2026 as the 54th anniversary of the National Senior Nutrition Program. Volunteers and staff from the Office on Aging and Meals on Wheels were recognized. Statistics provided: in 2025, Calvert County served 40,755 meals (average 3,396 per month) to 1,182 seniors. Drivers total 110 volunteers.
Board of Health – Destination Wellness Program
- The Board convened as the Calvert County Board of Health to receive a presentation from Dr. Tunisa Moore and Miko Blizzard (Community Resources). The Destination Wellness program, launched July 2025, targets high-utilizers of emergency departments. From July to December 2025, 41 clients were enrolled; in January 2026, 19 new clients enrolled. 80% of factors driving overuse were non-medical (35% housing/utilities, 25% food insecurity, 20% transportation, 20% chronic conditions). Annual operating cost is $200,000; break-even requires preventing 1.5 hospital admissions/month, 11 ED visits/month, or 21 EMS transports/month. Future plans include integrating into a Mobile Integrated Health Model funded by the Rural Health Transformation Program. Commissioners expressed support.
New Business – Tax Differential Rates
- Chesapeake Beach: Malena Brookshire (CFO) presented a new methodology yielding a rate of $0.362 per $100 assessed value (previously $0.336). Mayor Wall and Town Treasurer Dan Baden expressed support. Motion passed unanimously.
- North Beach: Proposed rate of $0.340 per $100. No representative present; staff had communicated with the town. Commissioner Hart initially sought to delay for town feedback but was advised adoption was needed for budget timeline. Motion passed 3–1? (Commissioner Hart voted opposed).
New Business – Facilities Budget Adjustment (BA2026-000571)
- J.R. Cosgrove (Public Works) requested a $100,000 reallocation from maintenance/repair projects under $10,000 to contract services for unforeseen repairs (fire alarm, annex generator, elevator coverage). The FY26 contract services budget was reduced to $355,000 and exhausted. No net budget increase. Motion approved unanimously.
Presentation – College of Southern Maryland State of the College
- Dr. Yolanda Wilson, President, highlighted achievements: CSM ranked 6th among Maryland’s 16 community colleges, 40th nationally; enrollment back to pre-pandemic levels with a 7.7% increase fall 2025; new Aviation Maintenance Technology degree (first in Maryland); two congressional earmarks ($997,000 for aviation, $732,000 for wastewater treatment); nursing program reaccredited; Quantum forum planned for May 20; Dual enrollment served over 1,400 students; 790 re-enrolled through “Re-Up” initiative; economic impact of $280 million annually. Student Melanie Davies (Chesapeake Beach) shared her path to a forensic science degree. Commissioners commended CSM for its workforce development role.
Presentation – Amazon Web Services Data Center Briefing
- Becky Ford, AWS representative, stated the company is exploring a potential investment in Calvert County but has no plans, permits, or agreements in place. She confirmed job postings are routine due diligence. The NDA signed with the county only covered the client’s name and did not commit to incentives. Commissioners expressed frustration over lack of public information. After discussion, Commissioner Mike Hart moved to “begin the process for a moratorium for 24 months on approvals related to data center development until a comprehensive environmental impact study is completed.” The motion was seconded and passed (vote: ayes – Commissioners Hart, Grasso, Hance, Ireland; Cox online affirmed). Staff will bring back a timeline for public hearings and an ordinance.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Several residents spoke on the data center issue, expressing concerns about water usage, electricity costs, environmental impacts, and lack of transparency. Others raised issues about the Lusby Villas development (save Lusby), need for independent studies, and the importance of economic development. One resident requested changes to pool hours at Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center and Kings Landing. In total, 14 speakers addressed the board in person and 5 online.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Tax differential rate of $0.362 for Chesapeake Beach for FY2027.
- Approved: Tax differential rate of $0.340 for North Beach for FY2027 (vote split).
- Approved: $100,000 budget reallocation for facilities contract services.
- Approved: Motion to begin process for a 24-month moratorium on data center approvals, pending environmental study and public hearings.
- Directive: Staff to coordinate with AWS for community informational sessions and prepare timeline for moratorium ordinance.
- Executive Session: Board recessed into closed session pursuant to §3-305(b)(4) and (b)(13).
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Welcome to the March 3rd meeting of the Board of Calvert County Commissioners. We're going to start our meeting off with an invocation. With us this morning, we have Pastor Reverend Jones of Oliver United, Mount Olive United Methodist Church. Good morning, sir. Good morning. Let us pray. Loving and gracious Creator, we come this morning first to say thank you. Thank you for life. And as we come from this rushed and hurried world, we come just to reflect upon your goodness in our lives and upon what you will provide for us in the future. Today we ask your blessings upon this body that as they deliberate that they may do so with wisdom from above, with discernment that allows them to block out the noise, to hear the facts, and to lead and to govern in ways that will enable generations to come to realize that men and women sat in those seats and made decisions that impacted generations to come. God, we ask you to bless this nation, bless this state. Bless our armed forces and all those who are serving as we are grappling with this conflict of war. God be with us, forever keep us, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. And to the Republic in which he stands on nation on God. Invisible. Reverend Jones, thank you for joining us this morning, sir. Do you have any events coming up at your church you would like to talk about? Or okay. Oh, I move that we move consent agenda number three, Department of Finance and FIJEC. Facilities project adjustment to new business item three and add presentation item number two to include a briefing from a potential data center project and approve and adopt the amended agenda as further amended. Second. So we have a motion and a second to approve the agenda discussion. None. So I just want to take a moment. Um there was a lot of um chatter on social media yesterday about data centers. And we uh want to try to clarify some of that. So the agenda item that was added in order to meet the um open meetings act. Uh we didn't get confirmation until less than a 24-hour notice that's required to be able to change the agenda without doing it here. So it was probably six o'clock last night that we actually got that confirmation, so that's why that exists. Um public services. Oh, I'm sorry. I was ahead of myself. So all in favor of approving the agenda with the changes made. Uh say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Motion carries. All right. Takes us to public service announcements. Uh the first thing we'll talk about is a whole blood field transfusion program. Um, Calvert County's participation in lower teeter type O positive whole blood field transfusion program in partnership with Public Safety's Emergency Medical Services Division and Calvert Advanced Life Support. Development of this program was accelerated following an incident in 2022, in which Deputy James Flint sustained a gunshot wind while pursuing a suspect. Flint received life-saving blood after arriving at Calvert Health Medical Center without the availability of whole blood at the hospital. He likely would not have survived. With this initiative, Calvert County becomes a fifth pre-hospital EMS agency in Maryland into 270th nationwide authorized to administer whole blood in the pre-hospital setting. The program allows specially trained EMS clinicians to administer FDA approved whole blood to critically injured or ill patients before they arrive at the hospital dramatically improving survival rates. To commemorate the program's launch of blood drive in honor of Hometown Hero Flint will be held in partnership with ANOVA on Wednesday, March 11th from 10 a.m.
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