Charles County Board of Commissioners Session – January 6, 2026

The Charles County Board of Commissioners met on January 6, 2026, in afternoon and evening sessions. The board approved budget and sponsorship items, supported a Maryland Stadium Authority stadium improvement letter, introduced legislation on commissioner compensation, received a resiliency and sustainability goals update, discussed a $1,000 bonus for sworn sheriff's FOP bargaining unit members, and heard public comments on water supply, the proposed PRT legislation, and an Office of Inspector General. No agenda or minutes were included with the transcript.

Consent Calendar / Approval Items

• FY 2026 Budget Amendment/Transfer No. 339: Approved $30,100 in operating funds from the environmental service fee fund to pay a $30,092 Chesapeake Bay Trust invoice under the county's forest conservation fee-in-lieu cooperative agreement. Approved unanimously.
• MLK Breakfast Sponsorship: Approved $1,500 for the NAACP's 31st annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prayer breakfast on January 19, 2026, funded as $300 per commissioner from community support funds. Approved unanimously.
• Maryland Stadium Authority Letter: Approved a draft letter supporting Maryland Stadium Authority funding for approximately $38 million in improvements at Regency Furniture Stadium, home of the Blue Crabs, including a new clubhouse and training facilities; the project would be paid for by MSA, not local funds. Approved unanimously.
• Boards and Commissions: Approved appointment of Michelle Gilliam Lyons to the nuisance abatement hearing board. Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

• Proposed Bill 2026-01, Compensation for County Commissioners: Associate County Attorney Sarah Dews asked the board to adopt the compensation commission's resolution and introduce legislation setting commissioner salaries and compensation for eight county boards and Orphan's Court for the term beginning December 1, 2026. The board unanimously voted to introduce the bill, schedule a public hearing for Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 6 p.m. in a hybrid format at the Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, and adopt the resolution.
• Sworn Charles County Sheriff's Officers Bonus for FOP Bargaining Unit Members: Commissioner Coates requested that sworn deputies in the Fraternal Order of Police bargaining unit receive the $1,000 one-time bonus previously given to other county employees. Commissioner Bowling said the item was placed as a discussion rather than a voting matter because staff determined the county could not provide it, and explained that the FOP did not bargain for the bonus, unlike two other recognized unions and non-bargaining employees. Jake Dyer, Director of Fiscal Administrative Services, said the original presentation listed who would receive the bonus but did not specifically call out the FOP exclusion. Commissioner Coates said he was prepared to vote yes and had assumed the FOP was included, noting the FOP had previously received non-bargained benefits such as the leave buyback program. One commissioner said the initial focus had been including part-time employees, not excluding the FOP. No vote was taken because there was no public notice for an expenditure; Commissioner Coates said he would request the item for the next meeting on January 13.

Resiliency and Sustainability Goals Update

Jason Groth, Director of Planning and Growth Management, and Frankie Sherman, Chief of Environmental Resources, presented the county's semi-annual update on resiliency and sustainability goals using the OpenGov platform. Key points included:

• Water supply: a WSSC interconnection would add 5 million gallons per day to the Waldorf water system, with implementation around 2030; a long-term Potomac River treatment/desalination project would add 5-10 million gallons per day, with completion around 2040.
• Stormwater/wastewater: lightning detection stations installed at 10 parks; a Manowoman inflow and infiltration investigation; ARPA-funded community stormwater mitigation projects with the Resilience Authority, including right-of-way acquisition.
• Renewable energy and fleet: 8 county buildings benchmarked under Maryland Building Energy Performance Standards; net-zero greenhouse gas goal for county buildings by 2040; grant application for solar and EV charging; fleet currently includes 28 new gasoline vehicles and 1 new electric Ford F-150; EV incentive grants are diminishing.
• Land preservation and corridor development: about 1,000 acres preserved per year; county has protected about two-thirds of its 50% open space goal; approved 252 residential units along Old Washington corridor in 2025; elite gymnastics stormwater park expected to be completed in early 2026; facade improvement program and sidewalk projects advancing.
• Transportation: new VanGo bus stops; neighborhood traffic calming program revisions expected in first quarter 2026; Smallwood Drive pedestrian crossing work with SHA; Indian Head Rail Trail extension design; 13 of 44 sidewalk projects active.
• Beautification and waste diversion: unauthorized sign removal rose from 641 in 2024 to 3,000 in 2025; 47 community cleanups; weekly recycling began July 1; paint recycling begins April 2026; 594 bikes refurbished in FY25 and 1,451 total since August 2023; 6,698 mattresses diverted from landfill in FY25.
• Groth noted the draft climate action plan has not yet been presented to the commissioners, Resilience Authority, or Planning Commission and will go through a full public process.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Heidelbach expressed concerns about a planned water supply change, saying residents currently receive pristine, inexpensive, and reliable aquifer water, while replacement water from the lower Potomac/WSSC would be heavily treated, more expensive, and potentially introduce contaminants. He called for public awareness and a vote and noted a connection planned in an existing DR Horton neighborhood.
• Kathleen Quaid requested that the proposed PRT legislation be amended to call the charge a tax rather than a fee. She stated that including 7,990 apartment units would add $519,350 annually and 264 mobile home units would add $17,160 annually, totaling $536,510; the $212,225 exemption for 3,265 100% disabled veteran units would be offset, producing a net increase of $324,285.
• Renee Demine spoke in support of an Office of Inspector General, citing a Pew poll showing only 17% of Americans trust government to do the right thing all or most of the time and emphasizing youth civic engagement and accountability.
• Greg Waring also supported an Office of Inspector General. He said the board should not condition it on state legislation because of the time it took other counties to obtain school system authority; he argued commissioners retain budget power and that an IG can be funded in part by consolidating the county auditor function.

Key Outcomes

• All four approval items passed unanimously.
• Proposed Bill 2026-01 was introduced; a public hearing was scheduled for February 24, 2026 at 6 p.m.; the compensation commission's resolution was adopted unanimously.
• No vote was taken on extending the $1,000 bonus to FOP sworn deputies; the item was expected to be placed on a future agenda, with Commissioner Coates requesting the January 13 meeting.
• Public comments were received; no formal action was taken on the requested PRT change or Office of Inspector General, though commissioners indicated the IG topic would be discussed further next week and staff would review the water supply concerns.