Charles County Commissioners Meeting: Bond Award, Health Department, Collective Bargaining – October 27, 2026

The Charles County Commissioners held their afternoon session on October 27, 2026, with Commissioner Patterson absent for the initial roll call but later participating. They approved a $93.2 million general obligation bond award and a sewer project change order, heard the biannual health department report, debated introduction of a collective bargaining bill, and received a briefing on business milestone recognition.

Approval Items

• 2026 Bond Award (Resolution 2026-15): The county sold approximately $93.2 million in general obligation bonds at a rate of 4.02%, below the 4.2% estimate. The sale drew 15 bids, the winning bidder was JP Morgan, and all three AAA bond ratings were affirmed. Staff reported the sale saved about $2.5 million compared with the interest costs originally planned in September. Davenport & Company noted another county rated one notch lower received 4.49% in a recent sale; over the life of the bond, the roughly 47-basis-point difference on $93 million would equal about $4.3 million in additional interest. The board approved the award unanimously.
• Change Order No. 2, White Plains Failing Septic Sewer Project: The board approved a change order for $612,972.94 and 46 additional calendar days. Field verification identified differences between existing storm culverts and contract drawings at sewer crossings between Manholes 7 and 8. The county and engineer reduced the proposed change order cost from $782,368.93 to $612,972.94, a reduction of $169,395.99, or approximately 21.7%. Responsibility for the original discrepancies will be addressed separately with the county attorney.

Health Department Biannual Report

• Health department staff presented the biannual report required under Maryland Health-General, including the Board of Health's regulatory role and current public health priorities.
• Rabies remains a focus: raccoons are the most common rabid animal, followed by bats, foxes, and skunks; domestic animals make up about 5-15% of rabid animals, with cats the most common. An oral rabies vaccine bait program costs about $4 per dose and is not widely used in the United States due to public safety concerns.
• The department distributed 450 naloxone kits, or 900 doses, on Save a Life Day, about four times the amount distributed the prior year. Naloxone is supplied by the state, and virtual trainings are offered twice weekly.
• Flu vaccination is available by walk-in on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with an additional flu clinic scheduled at St. Charles High School. Flu season is starting earlier than average, with cases already in October; forecasts point to a moderate season. Flu, COVID, and RSV tests have been distributed to county libraries.
• The Indian Head school-based health center has been open since March, is fully functioning, and is working toward official state designation as a school-based health center. It serves students during the school day and is open to the community after school until 5 p.m., with no weekend hours yet.
• A full-time Spanish translator has assisted more than 470 clients since July through September 26, supplementing the department's existing language line.
• Department staff said federal and state funding reductions may require planning for a 12% cut, including to behavioral health programs. Commissioners expressed support for maintaining public health funding and for raising the issue with state legislators.

Collective Bargaining Bill 2026-12

• Commissioner Collins requested introduction of newly proposed Bill 2026-12, Charles County Employee Collective Bargaining, and scheduling of a public hearing for Tuesday, November 17, at 6 p.m. in the government building, to be held as a hybrid in-person and virtual hearing.
• Commissioner Collins said his support for collective bargaining dates back more than a decade, that the bill is not being rushed, and that the public hearing is an opportunity for public input. He framed the bill as a commitment to county workers and disputed the claim that introduction would automatically cost the county its bond rating.
• Commissioners Bowling and Stewart opposed the timing and approach. They cited projected costs, including a roughly $35.5 million set-aside they said could be needed to protect the county's AAA bond rating, and argued the next board should have a say before adoption. Commissioner Stewart said she supports unions and collective bargaining but not with a $35.5 million price tag.
• The motion to introduce the bill passed 3-2: Commissioners Coates, Patterson, and Collins voted yes; Commissioners Bowling and Stewart voted no.
• The motion to schedule the public hearing for November 17 also passed 3-2.

Business Recognition Length of Service Briefing

• Economic Development staff described the current process for recognizing businesses with county seals and anniversary citations, managed by the Commissioners' wing under a standard operating procedure established in 2006 and updated in 2018. There is no countywide coordinated process for tracking business milestones.
• Staff proposed keeping the existing recognition process but improving cross-department coordination, using the new CRM system to track incorporation dates, and adding optional Economic Development features such as blog posts or newsletter features on a case-by-case basis.
• Commissioner Stewart asked about costs and equitable treatment. Staff said most recommended features are in-house and within existing budget; any additional costs would be addressed in a future budget request. Commissioner Stewart asked for a standard matrix rather than case-by-case decisions to ensure all businesses are treated fairly.
• Commissioners also suggested better notification of Economic Development when recognition requests are received and using the With Love from Charles gift card program as an additional business recognition opportunity.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Resolution 2026-15 awarding the 2026 general obligation bond sale.
• Approved Change Order No. 2 for the White Plains Failing Septic Sewer Project at $612,972.94 and 46 additional calendar days.
• Introduced Bill 2026-12 on a 3-2 vote and scheduled a public hearing for November 17, 2026, at 6 p.m. by a 3-2 vote.
• No new business was raised; the board moved to break before the 6 p.m. open-session public hearing.