Charles County Commissioners Meeting & FY 2027 Budget Work Session - May 5, 2026

The Charles County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on May 5, 2026, issuing over a dozen proclamations for awareness months and weeks, and recognizing community members, employees, and student athletes. The morning session included a moment of silence for a former commissioner and support for local schools following a safety incident. A significant portion of the day was dedicated to a detailed work session on the FY 2027 budget, where commissioners debated and reached consensus on commissioner-proposed add/delete requests.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the April 28 and April 29, 2026 meetings.
• Approved Budget Transfer Request (BTR) 771, transferring $80,000 in salary savings for emergency HVAC unit replacements at the Sheriff's Office Annex, Community Services Department, and the 911 Center.
• Approved Resolution 2026-03, recognizing Juneteenth. Deputy County Attorney Elizabeth Thewells presented the resolution.

Recognitions & Proclamations

• Proclamation 2026-30: National Drug Court Month (May 2026).
• Proclamation 2026-32: Older Americans Month (May 2026). A speaker thanked the commissioners and advocated for continued support for hiking, biking, kayaking, and pickleball activities for seniors.
• Proclamation 2026-41: National Bike to Work Day (May 15, 2026).
• Proclamation 2026-31: Foster Care Awareness Month (May 2026) and Resource Parent Appreciation Day (May 30, 2026). The Department of Social Services highlighted their 'Bond and Beyond' event on June 6.
• Proclamation 2026-42: National Stroke Awareness Month (May 2026). A representative from Charles Regional Hospital educated attendees on the 'B.E.F.A.S.T.' stroke recognition acronym.
• Proclamation 2026-37: National Correctional Officers Appreciation Week (May 3-9, 2026).
• Proclamation 2026-38: National Police Week (May 2026).
• Proclamation 2026-33: National Small Business Week, Business Appreciation Week, and Economic Development Week (May 1-8, 2026). It was noted that Charles County has over 18,000 small businesses employing over 38,000 people with a $1.2 billion annual payroll.
• Proclamation 2026-44: Building Safety Month (May 2026).
• Proclamation 2026-36: National Travel and Tourism Week (May 3-9, 2026). Kelly Beavers, Director of Recreation Parks and Tourism, reported that food and beverage sales are up 4%, retail up 3%, and recreation spending up almost 9%, saving households an estimated $1,000 annually in taxes.
• Proclamation 2026-39: Public Service Recognition Week (May 4-8, 2026).
• Proclamation 2026-35: National Public Works Week (May 17-23, 2026).
• Employee & Team Recognitions: Top Performer of the Quarter awards were presented for the 'extraordinary effort during the historic January 2026' icing event, recognizing dozens of employees from Public Works, Planning, Parks, Emergency Services, and Media Services. Length of Service Awards were given for 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service.
• Student Recognitions: The Henry E. Lackey High School boys' basketball team was recognized for winning the state championship, the first in 67 years for the school. The county Spelling Bee champion, Ethan Atenka, was also honored.

Commissioner Comments & Reports

• Commissioner Collins led a moment of silence for former Commissioner and Maryland State Delegate William Daniel 'Danny' Mayer, who passed away the previous weekend, offering condolences to his family.
• Commissioner Stewart reported on her communication with Sheriff Barry and Dr. Navarro regarding recent incidents at St. Charles High School. She expressed unwavering support for student safety and stated her intention to attend the community meeting held by the school system.

Discussion Items: FY 2027 Budget Work Session

The Commissioners reviewed proposed changes to the FY 2027 General Fund operating budget, the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRF). Jake Dyer (Director of Fiscal Administrative Services) and Sam Chiriaco (Chief of Budget) presented the items. The board sought consensus on the items.

Operating Budget (General Fund) Add/Deletes:

• Commissioner Collins: Proposed funding for the University of Maryland CD (MD) Inc. Awards Program ($59,400 in fund balance, a 4-year commitment), a $144,600 increase for pretrial services using fund balance, and a new Executive Commissioner Specialist position.
• Commissioner Bowling: Proposed $1,000,000 for the Board of Education (initially planned to be offset by reductions to pretrial services and the rental registry program, but changed to fund balance with a commitment to find operating funds in FY28). Also proposed $50,000 for food insecurity programs, $20,000 for agricultural marketing, $16,500 for the Soil Conservation District's beginner farmer program (shifted from COG funding to fund balance), and $1,500 for the Forestry Board.
• Commissioner Coates: Proposed a $300,000 increase for the Commissioner C.A.R.E.S. scholarship program, a $300,000 Water and Sewer Financial Payment Assistance program (new program), $230,000 for a Western Area multi-generational center feasibility study, $55,000 for transportation contract services, and a permanent part-time position for the Commissioner's Office.
• Commissioner Stewart: Proposed $800,000 for the Board of Education, to be offset by reducing the budget for the Inspector General office.
• Commissioner Patterson: Proposed $142,200 for the Library's compensation study (using contingency) and $140,000 for an additional paid time off day for county employees.
• Office Positions: The board reached a consensus to fund a new Executive Commissioner Specialist position, a permanent part-time administrative assistant for the Commissioner's office, and a part-time position for the Office of Equity Access.

Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) / CRF:

• Commissioner Bowling: Proposed $406,000 for upgrades at Southern Park (tennis, pickleball, basketball courts).
• Commissioner Patterson: Proposed converting a portion of the White Plains Golf Course driving range to add basketball and pickleball courts ($66,000 in FY27), replacing the White Plains tennis courts ($2,000,000 in debt affordability), and adding lighting to the Steeton Park parking lot ($247,000 in FY28).
• Commissioner Coates: Proposed $55,000 for transportation contract services within the CRF.

Key Debate:

• Board of Education Funding: Commissioner Stewart's request for $800,000, to be funded by reducing the Inspector General budget, failed to reach consensus. Commissioners Bowling and Patterson explicitly stated their opposition.
• New Staff Positions: Commissioners debated the need for a new Executive Commissioner Specialist. Commissioner Bowling criticized the lack of data and prior consultation with the full board on office needs. An amended plan to evaluate the office's operations before hiring was discussed, but consensus was eventually reached to fund the position along with other office support roles.
• Water & Sewer Assistance: Ms. Dina Barclay (Community Services) confirmed the Water & Sewer Financial Assistance program would be a new program requiring careful guardrails and a future presentation to the board before implementation.

Key Outcomes

• Consensus/Approvals: The board reached consensus on the majority of add/delete requests, establishing a new proposed General Fund budget of $644,157,500 for formal adoption.
• Failed Item: Commissioner Stewart's proposal to transfer $800,000 from the Inspector General office to the Board of Education failed due to a lack of majority support.
• Future Action: The Commissioners will formally adopt the FY 2027 budget, tax rates, and related motions on May 12, 2026.
• Closed Session: The board voted to enter a closed session at 12:10 PM to discuss a potential new business, land transfer, and board commission appointments, with an open session scheduled to resume at 2:00 PM.