Charles County Board of Commissioners Meeting - December 2, 2025

The Charles County Board of County Commissioners met on December 2, 2025, with Commissioners Bowling, Coates, Stewart, and Collins present; Commissioner Patterson was absent. The session began with a proclamation for Southern Maryland Day of Giving, followed by approval of minutes from the November 18 meeting after a debate on case caption wording. Major discussion items included a briefing from Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA), the county's only public charter middle school, and a detailed comparison of the roles and costs of an Inspector General versus the existing Internal Audit function. The board also handled agenda rescheduling due to a zoning text amendment denial and introduced new business on inspections and permits.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the designated Commissioner Commons period.

Discussion Items

• Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA) Briefing: Founder Angelica Jackson and CCPS liaison Chris Miller presented the school's mission, academic data, and challenges. Key points included: 53% of incoming 6th graders tested three or more grade levels below standard; the school uses Cambridge International curriculum and has a per‑pupil allocation of $15,506 (lower than traditional public schools after exclusions). Commissioners expressed concern about low test scores and teacher certification rates (25% inexperienced, 25% provisional credentials). Jackson outlined corrective actions: new leadership, curriculum mapping to Maryland standards, and increased professional development. The school also highlighted a high family retention rate (over 80%) and community partnerships.
• Inspector General vs. Internal Audit Briefing: Acting County Administrator Deb Hall led a presentation comparing the current Internal Audit Office (budget $250,000, 2 FTEs, both Certified Internal Auditors) with the costs of establishing an Inspector General (estimated $712,000 for 4 FTEs). Differences were explained: IA is proactive/risk-assessment based, while IG is reactive/investigative with subpoena power. The IA currently covers only 17.8% of county general fund operations (excluding the Board of Education and Sheriff's Office). Commissioner Collins moved to approve an IG position contingent on state legislation allowing oversight of the school board and sheriff's office, and on release of a pending second sergeant report. The motion failed on a 2‑2 vote (Bowling and Stewart in favor; Coates and Collins opposed). The board instead directed staff to bring forward a red‑lined revision of the Internal Audit charter for January 2026, alongside draft IG legislation, for further discussion.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approved (Amended): The November 18, 2025 meeting minutes were approved after an amendment to caption legal fee references with the correct case name "Coates v. Charles County Board of Commissioners."
• Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) Rescheduled: The proposed ZTA for encroachments was postponed to allow staff to revise after the Planning Commission denied it due to public opposition.
• Inspector General Motion Failed: Commissioner Collins' conditional motion to establish an IG office (tied to state legislation and release of a report) received 2 supporting votes (Bowling, Stewart) and 2 opposing (Coates, Collins), thus not passing.
• Future Action Items: Staff will present a revised Internal Audit charter (with potential changes such as reporting directly to the Board of Commissioners instead of the oversight committee) at the January 6, 2026 meeting. Draft IG legislation will also be brought forward for review. A request to join Baltimore County's state bill for Board of Education oversight will be discussed on December 9–10, 2025.
• New Business: Commissioner Stewart announced upcoming agenda requests concerning inspections, permits, and the Agricultural Reconciliation Board, aimed at improving nuisance abatement processes.
• Closed Session: The board voted unanimously to enter closed session to discuss appointments, a legal matter, and a potential land acquisition.