Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The Charles County Board of Commissioners met on February 3, 2026, for an afternoon work session and evening public comment session. Commissioner Patterson was absent from the first roll call but was present for the evening roll call. The board approved routine personnel and land-use items, received a detailed Department of Public Works capital projects briefing, discussed the draft Inspector General ordinance and the data center zoning text amendment, and heard public testimony.
DPW presented an update on approved capital projects managed by the newly consolidated Capital Projects Management division. DPW Director Martin Harris was in Annapolis testifying on the Highway User Revenue bill and later joined virtually. The Department of Community Services highlights were moved to next month, and goals and objectives were scheduled for February 24.
County Attorney Wes Adams said three edits were pending to the draft ordinance: a shortened health and safety response time in Section 194-6, the civic organizations composition of the citizens advisory board, and adding the media department to advertising resources. On Commissioner Patterson's request to extend the inspector general's jurisdiction to the school system, Adams said Maryland legislative drafting staff advised waiting until next year because the office is not yet established, and Baltimore County's legislation is tailored to its own government. An MOU with the school system's inspector general could be an alternative after the office is operating.
The board discussed how to keep the citizens advisory board nonpolitical and representative. Adams offered to list specific civic organizations in good standing, with amendments if an organization becomes inactive. Introduction of the bill was deferred to the March 3 meeting, with a revised draft to be distributed to commissioners in advance.
Commissioner Bowling requested an agenda item to vote on withdrawing ZTA 25-187, known as the data center bill, and to create a community task force in response to the Terra Wolf/Morgantown announcement and resident concerns. Commissioner Stewart said the process needs to become a two-way dialogue with experts and the public. Commissioner Collins noted that state-level data center legislation is likely in Annapolis and that the board had made no commitments. Some commissioners cautioned against preempting the Planning Commission, whose next meeting was March 2. The board agreed to take up the withdrawal and task-force proposal on March 3; no withdrawal vote occurred on February 3.
Good afternoon, Commissioners. We'll begin your afternoon session with a roll call. Commissioner Bowlin. Present. Commissioner Coates. Here. Commissioner Stewart. Here. Commissioner Paterson. Absent. Commissioner Collins. Here. Thank you. Commissioners, the first item on your agenda this afternoon is the additional approval items. The first approval items is action on boards and commissions. Yeah, that's me. Yeah. All right, Commissioners would like to request a motion to reappoint William Johnson and James Sherman as members to the Animal Matters Year and Board. There's a motion to approve. Second. Moved and properly second. All in favor. Aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. Thank you. Next, we need a motions reappoint Michelle Jones as member to the board of the Landscape's Commissioners. So moved. Second. It's been moved. It's been second. All in favor. Aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. And finally, we would need a motion to appoint Shrey Brown as employee of Chouse County Sheriff's Office to the Charles County Sheriff's Office of Retirement Plan Committee. So moved. Second. And it's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor. Aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. Thank you. Next would the approval time is to approve the facade alteration to the blue crop stadium. Motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. Second. It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor.