Charles County Board of Commissioners Public Hearing on Collective Bargaining Bill 2026-04 - June 9, 2026

The Charles County Board of Commissioners convened on the evening of June 9, 2026, with Commissioners Bowling, Coates, Stewart, Patterson, and Collins present. The meeting began with three routine approval items before moving to the primary agenda item: a public hearing on Proposed Bill 2026-04, which would establish a collective bargaining framework for Charles County employees. The record was kept open for 14 days following the hearing.

Consent Calendar / Unanimous Approvals

• La Plata Library Lease Amendment: Approved unanimously.
• Verizon Franchise Renewal Hearing: The Board scheduled a public hearing for the franchise renewal agreement for the evening of July 7, 2026.
• Dunstan Road Transfer: Sarah Guy, Chief of Property Acquisition, presented a deed transferring the road from Prince George's County (where it was erroneously inventoried in 2009) entirely to Charles County, allowing for subdivision construction. The transfer was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony on Proposed Bill 2026-04

Six members of the public spoke in favor of the collective bargaining bill, with several proposing specific amendments for the Board's consideration during the upcoming work session.

• Sharice Vick, Secretary Treasurer of AFSCME Maryland Council 3 (Waldorf): Spoke in strong support of a collective bargaining framework, describing it as good for workers, management, and residents. She argued that the commitment to employees should not have a time limit and requested no sunset on the legislation.
• Charles Marshall, Line Maintenance Operator (36-year county employee, Waldorf): Expressed support for the bill and requested the creation of two bargaining units: one for service, labor, and trade employees, and one for office, professional, and technical employees, so that all workers can bargain with their respective communities of interest.
• Mike Sweetney, Operator in Roads Department (Bryantown): Supported the bill with amendments. Citing safety risks from lack of formal training and improper equipment for hazardous waste, he advocated for a 'card check' provision allowing the union to be certified based on a majority of signed union cards, rather than requiring an additional election.
• Sterling Moorhead, Equipment Operator, Mattawoman Wastewater Plant: Supported the bill. He detailed serious health and safety concerns, including antiquated equipment and unsafe work environments (e.g., two-by-fours used as railings, injuries from winter weather). He urged the Board to include strong Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) provisions in the code to protect workers who raise safety concerns.
• Sean Heel, President of the Education Association of Charles County (White Plains): Supported the bill with amendments. He stated that educators in the county already have collective bargaining, which has made the school system stronger. He argued that a voice for county employees improves recruitment, retention, and institutional knowledge, leading to better services for residents.
• Denise Gilmore, Legislative and Political Director, AFSCME Maryland Council 3 (Baltimore): Supported the bill but identified specific deficits: exclusion of part-time employees, missing topics of bargaining in the management rights section, incomplete information rights, and the lack of a card check certification process. She strongly argued for binding arbitration as a necessary mechanism to resolve impasses, comparing it to having a referee in a game, stating that collective bargaining without it is merely 'meet and confer.'

Discussion Items

• Staff Presentation on Bill 2026-04: County staff presented the draft bill, which applies to full-time merit system employees. It excludes emergency services, confidential/supervisory, appointed, and most part-time or temporary staff. The bill defines employee and management rights, outlines a process for selecting an exclusive representative, authorizes dues deductions, and prohibits strikes and lockouts. Staff noted the bill is modeled to ensure parity with the county's other collective bargaining units. The fiscal note was deferred to the work session.
• Work Session Scheduling: Commissioner President Collins proposed scheduling a work session to discuss amendments to the bill for June 24, 2026, or July 7, 2026. The Board indicated June 24 was preferred.

Key Outcomes

• Record Kept Open: The Board voted unanimously to keep the public record open for 14 days.
• Public Hearing Closed: The public hearing was formally closed by unanimous vote.
• Work Session Scheduled: A work session to deliberate on the bill's language and proposed amendments was tentatively scheduled for June 24, 2026.
• Meeting Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned by a unanimous vote.