Charles County Board of Commissioners Meeting - November 4, 2025

The Charles County Board of County Commissioners met November 4, 2025, for a session that included proclamations, recognitions, approval items, retirement-plan briefings, and public comment. No agenda or minutes were provided, so this summary relies on the transcript. A quorum was present. Among the highlights, the county announced its AAA bond rating from all three major agencies.

Proclamations and Recognitions

• Six November proclamations were issued: National Native American Heritage Month; National Hospice, Palliative and Home Care Month; National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (Nov 2-8); Military Family Appreciation Month and Veterans Day (Nov 11); Adoption Awareness Month; Shop Small Business Saturday (Nov 29); and National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (Nov 16-22).
• For Native American Heritage Month, a tribal representative thanked the board and conveyed regrets from Tribal Chair Francis Gray, noting the Piscataway Indians' continued presence in Southern Maryland.
• Hospice of the Chesapeake said it was caring for more than 100 Charles County residents and that its inpatient center was full with 7 patients; the proclamation noted that more than 5 million Americans receive hospice/palliative/home care annually and that over 1,000 county professionals provide such care.
• The Animal Care Center asked residents to volunteer, saying the shelter needs help placing animals.
• Adoption Awareness Month speakers asked residents to consider becoming resource parents; county statistics cited included two successful transfers of custody/guardianship, two interstate compact transfers, and three ICPC adoptions.
• Shop Small Business Saturday speakers encouraged residents to shop local; the county has more than 2,400 small businesses employing more than 34,000 people with annual payrolls over $1.28 billion.
• Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week speakers noted 350 people were on the shelter waiting list in Southern Maryland and asked residents to support food pantries.
• The board recognized Dr. Brahami's donation of Waldorf land for an emergency services tower and recognized employee length-of-service and quarterly top performers. The second-quarter team's in-house St. Francis Well automation upgrade saved approximately $100,000; third-quarter top performer Kimberly Wagner was recognized for a low-income water distribution station and the Nanjemoy Law Day event.
• The County Administrator announced that all three rating agencies - Fitch, Moody's, and Standard & Poor's - had awarded the county a AAA rating; officials credited conservative budgeting, debt paydown, and multi-year fiscal policy.

Board Announcements

• Commissioner Collins read a statement on the federal shutdown, saying the county and partners were mobilizing resources and noting that Governor Moore signed an executive order releasing $62 million from the state's Fiscal Responsibility Fund to ensure full November SNAP benefits for Marylanders.
• The next regular board sessions were scheduled for November 18-19, 2025.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the October 28, 2025 board meeting minutes by unanimous voice vote.

Approval Items

• Approved Charles County Public Schools' FY 2026 intercategory budget transfer of $1.5 million. CFO Karen Acton explained the transfer included about $300,000 in administration, including reinstatement of $254,000 and a $46,000 replacement vehicle, plus $54,000 for St. Charles High School relocatable furniture, offset by reductions in instructional supplies, student health services, community services, and other categories.
• Approved Phoenix International School of the Arts' FY 2026 intercategory budget transfer of $1.2 million as a realignment caused by budget-submission timing; officials said there was no change in the school's total budget plan.
• Approved Change Order No. 7 for St. Charles Well No. 16 (ITB 18-41), including a credit memo of $480,576.50 and a $240,000 adder for electrical/instrumentation improvements and demolition of an old shed/chemical tank, resulting in a final contract amount of $1,329,960.

Briefings

• SORP investment review: The Sheriff's Office Retirement Plan was valued at just over $466 million on June 30, 2025, and topped $500 million by September 30. The plan returned 6.14% in the second quarter and 9.76% over the trailing year, slightly trailing policy benchmarks; the 12-month return exceeded the 7.2% discount rate. Quarterly contributions were about $1.1 million and distributions $4.6 million.
• SORP actuarial review: The FY 2026 actuarially determined contribution was $21.4 million (40% of payroll), up from $20.5 million (40.2%) in the prior valuation. Active membership stood at 465 versus 472; average pay increases and total payroll growth exceeded assumptions. GASB 68 funded status was 79.99%, just below 80%.
• OPEB review: The Other Post-Employment Benefits trust was valued at $56.7 million on June 30, 2025 and $60.3 million on September 30. It returned about 9% in the second quarter and 13.4% for the trailing year, trailing its benchmark over 12 months. The trust remains 75% equities/25% fixed income, reflecting a longer-term investment horizon.
• Charles County Pension Plan: The FY 2026 actuarially determined contribution was just under $9.1 million, about $1.5 million higher than the prior year. Drivers included about 150 new hires, salary increases of 8% versus a 4% assumption, retiree COLA of 3.1% versus a 2.5% assumption, smoothed investment returns of about 6.4% versus a 7.05% assumption, and benefit-improvement costs of $92,000 for health/safety and animal control officers. The presenter described the plan as healthy, with a funded ratio around 95% and a low-default-risk funded status of about 85% using a 5.36% discount rate, showing a roughly $57 million shortfall.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Heidelbach of Charlotte Hall expressed concern about the county's water supply timeline and costs. He said the MDE 80% groundwater rule was being treated as arbitrary, cited an MDE report to the General Assembly, and compared presentations from October 2024 and October 2025: Waldorf was projected to exceed capacity by 2030, design and construction dates for water infrastructure slipped by about a year, and the WSSC interconnection cost rose from $59.1 million to $90.4 million. He urged commissioners to ask questions about the schedule and price increases.
• Joseph Menck of District 4 praised the AAA rating and county parks, expressed support for term limits, said he was undecided on data centers, and asked the board to examine Loudoun County's experience with data centers and consider environmental and energy-rate impacts. He also called for more equitable affordable housing and discussed state delegate attendance pay.
• Angela Parker, speaking virtually as a District 2 resident, said the Supreme Court of Maryland declined to take up Ms. Coates's writ of certiorari, leaving in place a permanent injunction against Ms. Coates voting on the county administrator's employment contract. Parker alleged a hostile work environment and illegal actions toward the county administrator and about 17 other employees, said the second investigation report has not been released, and requested a public accounting of taxpayer funds spent on legal fees and any recovery plans. She also raised flooding at new homes in Bryans Road-area developments, a court challenge to a spot-zoning approval for Master's Child Church in Indian Head, and requested research on data-center impacts in neighboring counties.
• Commissioners responded by thanking speakers, committing to ask staff follow-up water questions, noting a tour of flooded areas in Bryans Road, and saying data-center research would be shared. One commissioner said the November 18 agenda would include a presentation on legal fees accumulated to date.

Key Outcomes

• The board unanimously approved the October 28 minutes, the two school board intercategory transfers, and Change Order No. 7.
• The county announced it had achieved AAA ratings from Fitch, Moody's, and Standard & Poor's.
• The board reached consensus to include Operation Greenlight as an annual recognition and to light county government buildings green from November 4-11 to honor veterans; the county administrator was directed to implement it.
• The scheduled closed session was rescheduled, and the meeting adjourned by unanimous voice vote.