Charles County Commissioners Briefings and Public Comment - April 28, 2026

The Charles County Board of Commissioners convened on April 28, 2026, for an afternoon session featuring briefings on environmental initiatives, equity and access, animal matters, and agricultural land preservation, followed by an evening public comment session. Commissioners present included Bowling, Coates, Stewart, Patterson, and Collins (Bowling absent for the evening session).

Keep Charles County Beautiful Initiative

Meg Romero, Assistant Chief of Environmental Resources, and Michelle Smith, Litter Control Manager, provided an update. They reported that over 11 tons of trash and tires were collected from forests and properly disposed of. The spring litter blitz (March 30–April 3) coordinated with state road cleaning. The 38th annual Potomac River watershed cleanup on April 11 involved six sites, with an estimated seven tons of trash collected so far in April. The upcoming Charles County community cleanup is scheduled for May 16. In 2025, 28 sites participated, removing 5.39 tons of litter. The adopt‑a‑road program now includes 87 adopted roads, and adopt‑a‑spot has grown from 3 spots in 2023 to 16 registered spots. A new mascot, Lazy Larry the Litterbug, was introduced. Partnerships include the Blue Crabs stadium and the Board of Education. Commissioners encouraged increasing HOA participation.

Equity and Access Quarterly Update

Renisha Miles, Chief Equity and Access Officer, and Elaine Pollard, Equity and Access Coordinator, presented. Workforce equity efforts include equity‑focused training (Dialogue & Donuts, microaggressions workshops, etc.) that have engaged all county departments. Budget equity uses a tool with four questions to assess impact across service areas; the tool was integrated into the budget request form for FY27. Community equity: the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF), derived from cannabis tax revenue, is targeted to zip codes 20601, 20602, 20603. The office has a work group and has received 196 survey responses. A public meeting is scheduled for July 9 at Elite Gymnastics and Recreation Center (6–8:30 PM). The office also participates in regional collaboratives. Commissioner Coates noted the small staff (two people) and asked about balance. Commissioner Collins asked about the CRRF allocation for senior meals ($261,625 proposed for FY27) and requested countywide Meals on Wheels data. Jake Dyer, Fiscal Director, explained that the CRRF funds support 53 seniors in Waldorf who were previously on a waitlist, and the program would lose funding without the CRRF allocation. Commissioner Collins also asked about measuring progress over time and the validity of the 2021 DEI resolution. Chief Miles affirmed the resolution remains valid and suggested the office might be better placed under County Administration to reflect its county‑wide role. Commissioner Patterson recommended the office review the definition of affordable housing through an equity lens. Discussion also touched on a proposed CRRF‑funded transportation program (Uber/Lyft), which requires a policy before implementation.

Animal Matters Hearing Board Annual Update

Linda Price, County Attorney’s Office and clerk to the board, reported that in 2025 the board held 21 meetings, heard 125 citations (animal control officer driven, e.g., loose dogs, bites) and 20 civil complaints (neighbor vs. neighbor, e.g., barking, chickens). For 2026, 24 meetings are scheduled. Commissioners asked about types of complaints.

Agricultural Land Preservation Board and Agricultural Reconciliation Committee Annual Update

Cal Carpenter, Land Preservation Planner, presented. Charles County’s goal is to preserve 50% of its land area (about 147,000 acres). As of 2025, 107,125 acres are protected (73% of goal). Over the last decade, roughly 1,000 acres have been preserved each year. Major programs: MALPF (15,000 acres, 116 easements), Rural Legacy (7,000 acres, 56 easements), TDR (6,000 acres, 78 easements). In 2025, six farms were preserved through MALPF (751 acres) and two Rural Legacy easements (102 acres). Monitoring inspections (7 MALPF baseline, 14 MALPF monitoring, 8 Rural Legacy monitoring) were completed ahead of schedule. The Agricultural Reconciliation Committee had no disputes this year. Outreach included webinars, videos, and events. Commissioners asked about remaining farmland and expansion of Rural Legacy areas; Planning Director Charles Rice noted no current expansion plans and that existing areas are among the largest in the state.

Commissioner New Business

Commissioner Coates requested an agenda item for a briefing on sewage overflow from the Town of La Plata’s wastewater system flowing into county lands and waterways. He expressed concern about enforcement and responsibility, noting possible lawsuits and MDE involvement. Commissioner Stewart supported the request, emphasizing the need for health warnings and signage. The board agreed to schedule a briefing.

Public Comments & Testimony

Five residents spoke during the evening public comment session:

• Patrice Thompson (La Plata) expressed support for a public arts and cultural master plan, citing community challenges and the benefits of art for joy, connection, and resilience. She is an art teacher and citizen academy participant.
• Derek Terry (Waldorf, District 3) asked about legal impediments to Mark Belton returning to work, questioned how to grow the economy without residential development and tax increases, and noted the Capitol Clubhouse has a 25‑year lease starting in 2021, questioning prior feasibility studies.
• David Heidelbach (Charlotte Hall) argued that water demand will exceed supply by 2030, challenged the county’s interpretation of the 80% rule, and questioned closed‑session negotiations. He also noted only seven public comment sessions and one town hall scheduled for the rest of the year, calling it insufficient.
• Shelly Posey (La Plata) opposed ZTA 25‑187 for data centers, stating that setbacks of 200 feet from property lines are inadequate, that low‑frequency noise from cooling systems can travel up to three miles, and that health and environmental impacts are not sufficiently addressed. She urged formation of a task force of independent experts.
• Yonelle Moore (Immediate past chair, Charles County Board of Education) thanked commissioners for supporting public education, outlined the FY27 budget request, and emphasized the need for competitive salaries, implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, and expanded CTE partnerships.

Commissioners responded individually:

• Commissioner Stewart thanked Ms. Thompson and Ms. Moore, agreed on tighter data center regulations, and supported larger commercial development.
• Commissioner Patterson agreed on arts importance, suggested an art district in the comprehensive plan, and noted the need for a data center task force (referencing Commissioner Bollan’s idea). She expressed concern about La Plata’s water and waste planning.
• Commissioner Collins highlighted the cultural arts master plan, the Industrial Development Authority as an economic tool, and emphasized that data centers must include community benefit agreements.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken on policy items during the briefing or public comment sessions.
• The board acknowledged the briefings and thanked presenters.
• Directive: Staff will place an agenda item for a briefing on the La Plata sewage overflow issue.
• Directive: Jake Dyer will provide Commissioner Collins with countywide Meals on Wheels funding data.
• Suggestion: Commissioner Patterson suggested the Equity and Access office review the affordable housing definition.
• Suggestion: Commissioner Collins asked for comparative data on budget equity rankings for FY24–FY26.
• Next steps: The Equity and Access office will continue developing a transportation policy for CRRF funds before implementation.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by motion following the public comment session.