Charles County Compensation Board Meeting - November 4, 2025

The Charles County Compensation Board convened on November 4, 2025, at 5:00 PM. The meeting began with an HR briefing on benefits available to county commissioners, followed by administrative approvals and discussion on the process for evaluating compensation for various boards and officials. The board planned next steps for gathering data and making recommendations within a limited timeline.

Consent Calendar

• The board approved the agenda (motion made, seconded, carried).
• The board approved the minutes from the previous week's meeting (motion made, seconded, carried).

HR Benefits Presentation

• Megan Donick, Deputy Director of Human Resources, presented a comprehensive overview of benefits available to Charles County commissioners. She explained that all five commissioners, regardless of full-time or part-time status, are eligible for the same benefits as full-time employees.
• Benefits detailed included: two health insurance plans (PPO and HMO) with the county paying 70% of the premium; dental insurance with 70% county contribution; flexible spending accounts (employee-paid); supplemental income plans (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity); long-term disability (county-paid, 60% of salary up to $5,000/month after 120 days); term life insurance (county-paid, 1.5x salary up to $250,000); optional supplemental life and whole life insurance (employee-paid); the county pension plan (optional for commissioners, with 4% employee contribution; normal retirement at age 62 with 5 years service or age 60 with 20 years); the elected officials retirement plan (after four terms, capped at 80% of highest salary, with offset if also eligible for the pension plan); retiree health insurance (subject to age and service requirements, with varying county contributions); deferred compensation (457B, employee-paid); and other benefits such as legal resources, employee assistance program, and wellness program.
• Commissioners asked about the difference between an annuity and a pension; Ms. Donick clarified that a pension is the overall plan and the annuity is the monthly payment received.
• No votes or decisions were taken on benefits; the presentation was informational.

Discussion Items

• Public Input on Compensation: The board noted that no boards or officials had responded to the request to submit information for compensation consideration. The clerk (Ms. Wetchler) reported that she had not received any responses from any board. The board discussed reaching out to specific boards via phone or mail to obtain email addresses for communication.
• Data Collection and Comparison: A commissioner requested a comparison of Charles County commissioner compensation to similar counties (Calvert and St. Mary's) for the current year (2025) to determine where the county stands relative to average. The clerk confirmed such information was previously provided and could be reviewed at the next meeting.
• Handling Boards Without Salary or Representation: For boards that do not currently have a salary but may request one (e.g., Animal Control, Police Accountability Board (PAB), ACC, Nuisance Board), the board discussed strategies. Ms. Mitchell (county attorney) was willing to speak on behalf of Animal Control, PAB, and ACC if their chairs were unavailable. A board member who supports the Nuisance Board offered to reach out to its chair.
• Timeline and Contingency Plan: The board noted they have only three more meetings, with a public hearing scheduled for November 19, 2025. To meet the deadline, they agreed to work with existing data and historical reports if boards do not provide testimony, similar to the process used in 2021 (which focused only on commissioners). The next meeting is set for Friday, November 14, 2025 (virtual).

Key Outcomes

• The board approved the agenda and minutes.
• The clerk will contact the Orphans' Court judge to obtain an email address for communication.
• The board will review 2025 compensation data for Charles County compared to Calvert and St. Mary's counties at the next meeting.
• The board will invite Ms. Mitchell to speak on behalf of Animal Control, PAB, and ACC, and will contact the Nuisance Board chair. If unavailable, board members will present information themselves.
• The board plans to begin breaking down compensation recommendations for multiple boards at the November 14 meeting, using available data and input from those who can attend.