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Record of Proceedings

Charles County Board of Commissioners Meeting - April 14, 2026

County Commissioners & Boards — Tuesday, April 14, 2026
BodyCharles County, Maryland
SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards
DateTuesday, April 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 33:54

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:08

Charles County Government presents the Board of Commissioners meeting.

Speaker 2

0:18

Good afternoon.

0:19

The April 14th, 2026 Charles County Board of Commissioners meeting is now called to order.

0:25

We will begin today's session with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Speaker 3

0:31

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands.

0:38

One nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice.

Speaker 4

0:44

Thank you, Commissioners.

0:46

Before we begin, we'll start with a roll call.

0:48

Commissioner Bowling.

0:49

Present.

0:49

Commissioner Coates.

Speaker 5

0:52

Here.

Speaker 4

0:52

Thank you.

0:53

Commissioner Stewart is absent.

0:55

Commissioner Patterson.

0:56

Present.

0:56

And Commissioner Collins.

0:58

Here.

0:58

Thank you.

0:59

Commissioners, before we get the public hearing, we're going to handle a couple of budget and approval items.

1:05

So the next item under your agenda is approval of the minutes for March 17th.

Speaker 2

1:10

We need a motion to approve the minutes from the March 17th, 2026 board meeting.

1:15

So moved.

1:16

Second.

1:17

Moved and properly seconded.

1:18

All in favor.

1:19

Aye.

1:19

Opposed.

1:20

The ayes have it.

Speaker 4

1:22

Thank you.

1:22

The next item is just to announce your next scheduled sessions are on April 21st and 22nd, 2026.

1:29

Now we're going to handle some approval items, and the first ones fall under budget amendments and transfers.

1:35

And the first one is FY 2026 budget transfer request number 110 cover cost of installing a water tap on Livingston Road.

Speaker 6

1:47

Good evening, Commissioners.

1:48

Sam Chiriaco, Chief of Budget.

1:50

Our first BTR is BTR number 110 in the amount of 54,930.

1:57

It is in the water and sewer enterprise fund.

1:59

And it is to cover a current account overage of 25,000 and to cover the cost of installing a water tap on Livingston Road.

2:07

And there are funds available in the right of way clearing account, which has been completed for 2026.

Speaker 2

2:17

Is there a motion to approve?

2:18

Second.

2:18

It's been moved and properly seconded.

2:20

All in favor.

2:21

Aye.

2:22

Opposed, the ayes have

Unassigned speaker

2:23

it.

Speaker 4

2:25

Thank you.

2:26

Commissioners, the next approval item is FY 2026 budget transfer request number 582.

2:32

Purchase and retrofit an existing building into satellite regional facility for public works.

Speaker 6

2:39

BTR number 582 is in the amount of six million seventeen thousand dollars seven hundred and ten dollars.

2:45

It's in the capital improvement project program for the water and sewer fund and it is to purchase property in Waldorf to retrofit an existing building into a satellite regional facility for public works.

2:57

And there is funding available in the water contingency project in the CIP to cover this request.

Speaker 2

3:04

A motion to approve budget transfer request 582.

Speaker 7

3:08

So moved.

Speaker 2

3:09

Second.

3:10

Moved improperly second.

3:12

All in favor.

3:12

Aye.

3:13

Opposed, the ayes have

Unassigned speaker

3:15

it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Employee Benefits█████████████████████████████████████████████67%
Procedural█████████████19%
Environmental Protection███5%
Animal Welfare███5%
Budget Equity Analysis███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Charles County Board of Commissioners Meeting - April 14, 2026

The Charles County Board of Commissioners met on April 14, 2026, to approve several budget transfers, amend the county's non-public safety pension plan, and hold a public hearing on compensation for the Animal Matters Hearing Board. Commissioners Bowling, Coates, Patterson, and Collins were present, while Commissioner Stewart was absent.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the March 17, 2026 meeting were unanimously approved.
  • Budget Transfer Request (BTR) 110: A transfer of $54,930 in the water and sewer enterprise fund was approved to cover the cost of installing a water tap on Livingston Road.
  • Budget Transfer Request (BTR) 582: A transfer of $6,017,710 was approved from the capital improvement project program for the water and sewer fund to purchase property in Waldorf and retrofit an existing building into a satellite regional facility for public works.
  • Budget Amendment Increase 122: An increase of $143,100 was approved from the general fund to conduct a due diligence assessment and schematic conceptual design for a potential new county circuit courthouse facility.
  • Western Parkway Letter of Commitment: A letter of commitment was approved for the Western Parkway Phase 3 project to demonstrate to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the county has funds available for post-construction monitoring and maintenance associated with required mitigation.

Discussion Items

  • Amendments to the Charles County Pension Plan (Non-Public Safety): Megan Donick, Deputy Director of Human Resources, presented five proposed changes to the pension plan for non-public safety employees, recommended by the Pension Plan Committee.
    • Unreduced Early Retirement Benefit: Introduces an unreduced retirement option for employees who have reached 31 years of credited service and are at least 56 years of age. Staff stated this is intended to reward long-tenured employees by allowing them to retire without the standard early retirement penalty (3% or 6% per year).
    • Purchase of Service: Allows employees transferring from other Maryland governmental agencies (state, cities, counties) with a break in service longer than 30 days to purchase up to three years of previous service credit. Staff described this as a cost-neutral recruitment tool.
    • Mandatory Contributions: Requires employees who have reached 31 years of service to continue the mandatory 4% contribution, aligning the plan with the Sheriff's Office pension plan to help offset the cost of the unreduced retirement benefit.
    • Fiscal Impact: Jake Garr, Director of Fiscal Administrative Services, stated the changes are estimated to impact the county's Annual Determined Contribution (ADC) by approximately $700,000 starting in FY28, though the actual impact depends on market conditions and employee retirements.
    • Commissioner Deliberation: Commissioner Coates expressed concerns about the equity of the 56/31 eligibility criteria, noting that employees with long service who do not meet it still face penalties. A detailed discussion occurred regarding the purchase of service provision, with Commissioner Coates questioning whether employees who earned a pension elsewhere should forfeit that benefit to buy time in Charles County. Staff argued the provision helps workers who did not vest or could not transfer time due to service breaks and prevents double-dipping.
    • Vote: The motion passed 3-1 with Commissioners Bowling, Patterson, and Collins voting in favor, and Commissioner Coates voting opposed.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Public Hearing on Bill 2026-02 (Animal Matters Hearing Board): The public hearing was opened regarding proposed Bill 2026-02, which changes the county code for members of the Animal Matters Hearing Board from serving "without compensation" to serving "with compensation." The proposed bill is based on a 2025 Compensation Commission recommendation. No members of the public signed up to speak, and the public record was closed.

Key Outcomes

  • Budget Transfers: BTR 110, BTR 582, and Budget Amendment 122 were all approved unanimously.
  • Western Parkway Letter: The letter of commitment for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit was approved unanimously.
  • Pension Plan Amendments: The five amendments to the non-public safety pension plan were approved by a vote of 3 to 1.
  • Bill 2026-02: The amended bill was adopted unanimously.
  • Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

Charles County Government presents the Board of Commissioners meeting. Good afternoon. The April 14th, 2026 Charles County Board of Commissioners meeting is now called to order. We will begin today's session with the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice. Thank you, Commissioners. Before we begin, we'll start with a roll call. Commissioner Bowling. Present. Commissioner Coates. Here. Thank you. Commissioner Stewart is absent. Commissioner Patterson. Present. And Commissioner Collins. Here. Thank you. Commissioners, before we get the public hearing, we're going to handle a couple of budget and approval items. So the next item under your agenda is approval of the minutes for March 17th. We need a motion to approve the minutes from the March 17th, 2026 board meeting. So moved. Second. Moved and properly seconded. All in favor. Aye. Opposed. The ayes have it. Thank you. The next item is just to announce your next scheduled sessions are on April 21st and 22nd, 2026. Now we're going to handle some approval items, and the first ones fall under budget amendments and transfers. And the first one is FY 2026 budget transfer request number 110 cover cost of installing a water tap on Livingston Road. Good evening, Commissioners. Sam Chiriaco, Chief of Budget. Our first BTR is BTR number 110 in the amount of 54,930. It is in the water and sewer enterprise fund. And it is to cover a current account overage of 25,000 and to cover the cost of installing a water tap on Livingston Road. And there are funds available in the right of way clearing account, which has been completed for 2026. Is there a motion to approve? Second. It's been moved and properly seconded. All in favor. Aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. Thank you. Commissioners, the next approval item is FY 2026 budget transfer request number 582. Purchase and retrofit an existing building into satellite regional facility for public works. BTR number 582 is in the amount of six million seventeen thousand dollars seven hundred and ten dollars.

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