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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Charles County Board of Commissioners Meeting – April 22, 2026: Economic Development Update and FY 2027 Budget Work Session

County Commissioners & Boards — Wednesday, April 22, 2026

BodyCharles County, Maryland

SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards

DateWednesday, April 22, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:39:14

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.

Brian Ely · Speaker 1Inferred

0:08

Charles County Government presents the Board of Commissioners meeting.

Unassigned speaker

0:18

All right,

Speaker 2

0:18

we're alive.

Speaker 3

0:22

Greetings.

0:23

The April 22nd, 2026 Charles County Board of Commissioners meeting is now called to order.

0:30

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

Speaker 4

0:42

One nation, under God, individual liberty, and justice for

Unassigned speaker

0:46

all.

Unassigned speaker

0:48

Thank

Speaker 2

0:48

you, Commissioners.

0:50

Good afternoon.

Speaker 3

0:50

We'll begin your afternoon session with a

Speaker 2

0:53

roll call.

0:54

Commissioner Bowlin.

0:55

Present.

0:56

Commissioner Coates is absent.

0:57

Commissioner Stewart.

0:59

Here.

0:59

Commissioner Paterson.

1:01

I see him online.

Unassigned speaker

1:04

If

Speaker 2

1:04

you could just raise your hand, Commissioner Paterson.

1:13

Okay.

1:14

All right.

1:15

Commissioner Collins.

1:16

Here.

1:17

Thank you.

1:18

Commissioners, there are no approval items.

1:23

Sorry, I'm getting a message.

1:25

Just a moment.

1:25

We'll do the roll call again.

1:27

I apologize.

1:29

All right.

1:30

Good afternoon.

1:31

We'll begin this afternoon's session with a roll call.

1:33

Commissioner Bowling.

1:35

Present.

1:35

Commissioner Coates is absent.

1:37

Commissioner Stewart.

1:39

Here.

1:39

Commissioner Paterson.

1:46

All right.

1:46

Is absent.

1:47

Commissioner Collins.

1:49

Here.

1:49

Thank you.

1:50

Commissioners, there are no approval items for this afternoon's session.

1:54

That moves us into your afternoon briefing.

1:57

Today, if it pleases the commissioners, we'll be beginning this afternoon's session with an update on the goals and objectives by the economic development department.

Speaker 4

2:22

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

2:23

Yes, we change good

Speaker 5

2:33

afternoon, Commissioners.

2:35

For the record, Jim Chandler, Director of Economic Development.

2:40

I was going to acknowledge some of my team members.

2:43

I know we we changed up the order of the agenda a little bit, but certainly wanted to recognize the work of our economic development team.

2:52

As you're aware, uh Michelle Fryer, Deputy Director, uh out on maternity, ordinarily she'd be joining us, but um she will be joining us in the next few weeks.

3:02

She's scheduled to start back with us on May 4th.

Unassigned speaker

3:05

Uh

Speaker 5

3:05

Lacretia Freeman Buster, our Chief of Business Services, Mark Thompson, our Chief of Commercial Development, Anthony Edisina, our business retention and expansion manager, and Paul Rupert, our senior commercial development manager.

Unassigned speaker

3:18

I

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Budget Equity Analysis█████████████████████████████████████████41%

Economic Development███████████████████19%

Circuit Court Operations███████7%

Technology and Innovation██████6%

Public Safety██████6%

Personnel Matters█████5%

Procedural████4%

Public Health████4%

Community Engagement██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Charles County Board of Commissioners Meeting – April 22, 2026

The Charles County Board of Commissioners convened on April 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM for a regular meeting. Commissioners Bowling, Stewart, and Collins were present; Commissioner Coates was absent, and Commissioner Paterson was initially online but later marked absent. The meeting included an economic development department update followed by a detailed work session on the proposed FY 2027 budget, covering county agency and departmental requests.

Economic Development Update

Jim Chandler, Director of Economic Development, presented the department’s goals and objectives for FY 2026. Key highlights included:
- Announcement of the Western Charles County Technology Corridor wayfinding signage dedication in May 2026, and an energetics job fair at the Velocity Center on April 22, 2026, featuring 100 pre-screened applicants.
- Progress on the Maryland Airport Master Plan (24–36 month process) and a Navy capital project briefing scheduled for May 5, 2026.
- The Business Growth Advantage Program (BGAP) will sunset with a final graduation on May 22, 2026; results included 151 graduates, $1.4 million in grants, 130 minority/women-owned businesses supported, 73% of participants reporting increased revenue, and 66% gaining new business opportunities.
- Launch of a Launch Pad pilot program for startups and a new International Trade Cohort Program, both starting in May 2026.
- A new economic development website launching May 18, 2026, and implementation of a customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
Commissioners expressed strong support for the department’s work, noting the shift in focus to the western corridor and the importance of forward-looking planning.

Budget Work Session – Proposed FY 2027 General Fund Budget

Jake Dyer, Director of Fiscal Administrative Services, presented the proposed budget totaling $641,826,500, balanced without property or income tax increases. The budget funds partner agencies (82%) and county departments (18%). The following items were discussed:

Outside Agencies

Department of Social Services: Proposed $324,500 (same as FY 2026).
Health Department: Proposed $4,521,200, a $211,900 increase, funded with OIPO settlement funds ($307,000) and ARPA ($130,000) for community health outreach.
Charles County Charitable Trust: Proposed $1,037,285 from general fund, plus $507,700 from ARPA and $183,000 from CRF to fully fund its $1.5 million nonprofit grant program. A request to convert a part-time position to full-time was not included.
Board of Elections: Funding includes state-mandated costs for poll books and a new voting system.
Circuit Court: Proposed $3 million (approx.), including a new court social worker. Three requested positions were not funded. Judge James H. West addressed the board, highlighting a 56% increase in civil cases and the need for a Spanish-language interpreter (to be provided by state courts).
State’s Attorney: Proposed budget includes body-worn camera funding; two requested positions not included.
Sheriff’s Office: Proposed $145.2 million (4.5% increase), funding five new positions, license plate readers, a drone first-responder system, and a youth engagement program. Chief of Staff Brian Ely presented, emphasizing technology as a force multiplier and the need for responsible spending.

County Departments

Emergency Services: Proposed $37.4 million (16.1% increase), includes seven new positions for an animal care center, six additional EMTs, and a new ambulance (bank financed).
Public Works: Funds for a future sports and wellness center and snow removal contract changes.
Recreation, Parks & Tourism: Proposed ~$16 million, includes a new outreach specialist, expanded pool hours, and a concert event.
Fiscal & Administrative Services: Proposed $14.5 million (9.9% increase), supporting IT initiatives, AI website assistant, and software for other departments.
Planning & Growth Management: Proposed $13.6 million, funds seven new positions for the rental registry program and continued VanGO transit support.
Community Services: Proposed $4.05 million, includes an aging services administrator and continued summer youth employment program (serving ~40 youth).
Economic Development: Proposed $2.54 million (1.1% increase), for marketing and website support.
County Commissioners: Proposed $818,000, maintaining expense policies and funding Tri-County Council and COG dues.
County Attorney: Proposed $2.4 million (31% increase), due to a transferred property acquisition division.
Human Resources: Funds for employee training and internship programs.

Other Budgets

Debt Service: $35.8 million (8.3% increase), covering existing debt and new bond issuance.
Fringe Benefits: $6.2 million for retiree health insurance.
Central Services: $6.2 million, includes three new building security officers and an X-ray machine for the county building.
Contingency: $1.22 million (increase of $500,000) to cover potential grant loss (e.g., mobile crisis team) and emergency cost shifts.
Office of Inspector General: $800,000 placeholder pending a May 2026 public hearing.
OPEB Contribution: $9.5 million, up $500,000.
Pay-Go Capital: $16.9 million, primarily for public safety radios.
Fund Balance Use: $26.1 million, mostly for capital projects.

Requests Not Funded

Circuit court: court statistics analyst, human resource specialist, judicial administrative assistant.
State’s attorney: specialty court attorney and two support staff.
Sheriff’s office: $8.5 million in additional sworn/civilian positions.
College of Southern Maryland Foundation: $400,000 for Commissioner CARES scholarship.
University of Maryland Incentive Awards: new cohort request of $237,600 over four years.
Charles County Commission on Individuals with Disabilities: $13,500.

Key Outcomes

The budget work session will continue on April 28, 2026, with a public hearing on April 29, 2026, ad-deletes discussion on May 5, 2026, and final adoption on May 12, 2026.
Commissioners requested a comprehensive report on all county funding to nonprofit organizations, including grants and allocations from all county agencies; staff will research and present at a future meeting.
The sheriff’s office budget presentation video will be posted on the county website.

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