[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6557912,"mediaKeyId","3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73","parentId",3281275,"title","Calvert County commissioners approve four board appointments, consent items and schedule executive session","audioSeconds",1304,"startMs",2250000,"endMs",3554000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73&start=2250&end=3554","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73/thumbnail_2250000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6557912/Calvert-County/Maryland/Calvert-County-commissioners-approve-four-board-appointments-consent-items-and-schedule-executive-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557912-c1a48c964b9a1996e742622772f20402/orig.mp4?Expires=1773593785&Signature=YDnSl69fHjWY-XBo7ZIp4mlzXLZDH2xtG2eku9FmCK~6EQWwfTeO7BAX8AYW461GJLV6Zwaq5SQ17LLG055AKxf2na9qiBzSAgNnTz9KdaJF4YjPHy0OtN2YAuRCdiKUQWdye8-ct6~Nys6raxcmqcS2tbAkm7QdmybeZUbF0gcHZtHVPvJt85nDBCcFfa~~mZnpIsZeznnQ9~IzzoPJi~Bqseys9QW6sFZJ4vTzGqyd9lFXmO5y30iEcGzkXgTx9hgX4VwXkWxGc3L8IM1yS2YSvDA6ENmU0-pjTB-MvmtzK0zbZqpo9crDi5e-Yj301sN003UbxSQWviYkvi9GOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Calvert County, MD","date","2025-05-06T23:54:50Z","article","The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners approved four appointment items, adopted a consent agenda containing four administrative items and authorized an executive session during its meeting on May 13.

Appointments
- Rebecca Road was appointed as the District 2 representative to the Calvert County Commission for Women.
- Lisa Sanders and Cedric White were reappointed to the Calvert County Marine Museum Board of Governors.
- Valerie Miller and Albert Lane were reappointed to the Cove Point Lighthouse Station Commission.
- Patrick Perez was reappointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Consent agenda (approved as listed)
- Department of Public Safety: Salico partnership ground‑lease amendment (item description as presented).
- Department of Finance & Budget: annual health‑insurance renewal for plan year 07/01/2025–06/30/2026.
- Department of Parks & Recreation: Chesapeake Hills Golf Course liquor license.
- Department of Parks & Recreation: Chesapeake Hills Golf Course tobacconist license.

Votes and procedure
Each appointment and the consent agenda were approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Commissioners recorded the customary “aye” and the chair declared the motion carried for each item. Following the consent action, the board recessed to convene a work session.

Executive session
Later in the meeting the board voted to recess to executive session under General Provisions Article §3‑305(b)(4) to consider “a proposal for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand, or remain in the state.” The motion carried by voice vote.

The meeting proceeded to scheduled work‑session items following the votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioners - Regular Meeting - 05/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the May 13 meeting the board approved four appointments to county advisory boards and reappointments, approved the consent agenda and voted to recess into an executive session under state statute to consider a prospective business location matter.","taxTitle","Calvert County, Maryland","taxId",61673,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6557917,"Calvert County work session outlines proposed water and sewer rate increases, projects to shore up utility funds",557,2379000,2936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73&start=2379&end=2936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73/thumbnail_2379000.jpg","/articles/6557917/Calvert-County/Maryland/Calvert-County-work-session-outlines-proposed-water-and-sewer-rate-increases-projects-to-shore-up-utility-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557917-937496254e9a87f063e172afd5e75842/orig.mp4?Expires=1773593785&Signature=F7ewcbGWaL8dh5lj~bdotIBCcsjg-b-TVHpxt~E5I-4PkcuJFtiSuTtWYB5I3wmvMGIyO0AvqHN29x9KdFC9tUPYdt86czKGLPmiZjonIvcVCvyaPYfDw-Bw8MZv2fayhQLFAKyJ-k6ecbjpmtDYxZF6p~VgxlRICtPQ9aQH9~gSroFfdSEe~iroYmIW1XZI~cgBNZU-Q6yfne3gy7xTrXmj3rR3hqCPnGkMVMYDN2AESHStvmLWL4p-i0u8apuS1vCEPog8RI6kxWd3OV~-EYNA7FtoNvjlPdo8~KtQrUacSvwe3JgsWOuKHPnSHWzBG1dZNstZGWXWroSuNlaXAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Calvert County Department of Public Works briefed the Board of County Commissioners at a May 13 work session on a multi‑year water and sewer rate study that proposes modest annual water increases and larger near‑term sewer increases to stabilize utility finances and fund planned capital projects.

JR Cosgrove, director of public works, introduced the presentation by NextGen Solutions consultant Mike Maker and said the guiding principle is that the water and sewer enterprise fund should be self‑supporting and maintain at least 180 days of operating expenses in reserve. The study assumes capital projects will be funded with a mix of cash and debt and uses a planning assumption of 3 percent interest and 25‑year maturities for debt-funded projects.

For water, the study models a suggested 3 percent annual increase in user revenue through FY 2031. For sewer, the proposal modeled two years of 9 percent increases followed by three years of 3 percent increases. The consultant presented sample bills showing a median combined residential customer bill rising from about $262 per quarter to roughly $281 per quarter under the modeled increases, a combined change of roughly 7 percent for the median user.

The presentation listed planned projects the rate increases would support: distribution‑system replacements in older communities (including Shores of Calvert and Dares Beach), phased replacements in other areas, an annually funded water‑station improvements program, sewer-collection rehabilitation, upgrades at Prince Frederick wastewater treatment plants, completion of a biosolids upgrade, a countywide sewer pump‑station program, and design work for potential sewer extensions in North Beach and Dares Beach. The county is also planning a new water/sewer maintenance building.

Public‑works and finance staff said the recommended approach uses a mix of rate increases and limited use of cash to avoid sudden jumps while restoring the fund’s cash balance; staff showed that water cash balances would decline under the model while the combined utility would move toward the 180‑day target.

Commissioners asked about the feasibility and cost of expanding public water to areas with failing wells or septics. Staff said those extensions are technically feasible but expensive and often require standalone systems or significant infrastructure and land for storage and treatment. The presentation also included a snapshot of the customer base: roughly 5,600 metered customers, about 90 percent residential.

Several commissioners urged the department to present longer multi‑year parameters so the board could avoid annual rate deliberations; county finance staff said the model is built for five years and could be used to set a multi‑year plan with guardrails, with staff returning if circumstances change.

Cosgrove and the consultant recommended proceeding with the modeled increases; the proposal is incorporated in the draft FY 2026 budget and will return to the board for formal action as part of the budget process.","Public works and consultant presented a rate study recommending a combination of rate increases and use of cash to meet capital needs, including a two‑year higher sewer increase and ongoing distribution and treatment‑plant projects; commissioners discussed long‑term planning and affordability concerns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6557922,"Calvert County health officer highlights strong population health but flags mental-health, provider shortages",1713,836000,2549000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73&start=836&end=2549","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3281275-465b4cafe4280b1247ba8a8c7a529f73/thumbnail_836000.jpg","/articles/6557922/Calvert-County/Maryland/Calvert-County-health-officer-highlights-strong-population-health-but-flags-mental-health-provider-shortages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557922-b4331b8dd96ba83516f720543692770e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773593785&Signature=ER4HaICZmFsLpg~eWyxwmB8vVNiDXVaarjRTPEv3vAow24A0KkluyzMYqQCCRgRCHbDJKZ5dBj5GS~kjMfuken7tLc2NhhsqBHsC-y~IUEghkdsmpuDbP-XwbIS28n5qpBvErlRHc78TV0VZ-xNIxPJD-uv8InFtw1bb9vlE5odinkpLufg0q9CEsvAzp6zMj0QpljzY-NbUELKy1K0t1DtUgCICTuIQaNN-EkjE78XNBQChCNLkqrQVeU6Vuu95uFJbY1ZYAkTB8LXAU22tAWWQSU-0-4V8PqDdtzyiAHo1ojudBmZl2m86dgDa1NFRh1zW0gAizbY-PFpUCMl4Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Calvert County health officials told the Board of Health on May 13 that the county performs above state and national averages on many population-health measures but faces persistent gaps in behavioral-health capacity, primary care and access to nearby parks.

Dr. Toni Zamora, the county health officer, and Jennifer Mora, director of community resources, presented findings drawn from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Maryland vital statistics and state behavioral surveys and outlined public-health measures and projected items for the health department’s FY budget.

The presentation showed Calvert County among the healthier Maryland counties on aggregate population-health and community-condition indices, with the county performing above state and national averages on overall life expectancy and several quality-of-life indicators. On causes of death, officials reported cardiovascular disease accounted for the largest share (reported at 29.3 percent), followed by malignant neoplasms (about 20.2 percent); officials said the county’s age‑adjusted mortality rates for these causes were in line with or below state averages in recent years.

Officials identified several areas of concern. The health department reported a shortage of primary-care physicians, mental‑health providers and dentists relative to need. Dr. Zamora said 18.6 percent of adults reported a diagnosed depressive disorder and that roughly 42 percent of adults reported at least one poor mental‑health day; she also noted that a quarter of residents report insufficient emotional support. The department reported that 73 percent of residents have access to exercise opportunities but that only 26 percent live within three miles of a park.

On substance use, Dr. Zamora said overdose deaths have fallen in recent years and that the county’s drug‑overdose rate for 2023 was 31 per 100,000 residents; she also said there were five overdose deaths in the most recent year reported. The health officer credited several factors including broader Narcan availability and behavioral‑health outreach and said the department can attempt to compile additional local analyses of Narcan use if the board requests it.

The presentation flagged a notable rise in adult-reported marijuana use: 28.8 percent of adults reported using marijuana, a rate the presenter said is higher than the state average. Commissioners asked whether access, neighboring-county use patterns, or other factors could explain the difference; Dr. Zamora said staff will examine comparative data for neighboring counties.

Commissioners asked whether the county has tracked COVID‑era effects on mental health. Dr. Zamora said COVID likely aggravated preexisting mental‑health trends and that the department will look for data tying current trends to the pandemic. On school-based services, she said the department runs a pilot that places mental‑health services in three schools and said staff would like to expand services to additional secondary schools.

The health officer and director asked the board for time to return with more detailed analytics and follow-up information; the board recessed the Board of Health and reconvened the Board of County Commissioners after the presentation.

The presentation’s data sources included County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute), Maryland vital statistics, and the Maryland Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which Dr. Zamora said informs many of the prevalence estimates. The health department noted some prevalence estimates are based on survey samples and may show variability across reporting cycles.

The health department said it will provide follow‑up materials on Narcan usage, comparative marijuana‑use data for neighboring counties, and additional details about school‑based mental‑health programming and capacity.

Next steps noted by staff included returning to the board with more detailed analytics and feasibility work on expanding school‑based behavioral‑health services and exploring ways to track Narcan distribution and use locally.

","At a May 13 meeting convened as the Board of Health, Calvert County health officials presented county health rankings and year-to-year data showing generally strong population health while identifying gaps in mental-health services, primary-care access and service-area recreational access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Calvert County commissioners approve four board appointments, consent items and schedule executive session

Calvert County work session outlines proposed water and sewer rate increases, projects to shore up utility funds

Calvert County health officer highlights strong population health but flags mental-health, provider shortages