St. Mary’s County commissioners approve grants, landfill waiver, dredge-site lease and zoning change; final decision set on 41 tax-sale parcels

Leonardtown, Md. — The Commissioners of St. Mary's County on April 8 approved a package of grant applications and county agreements, adopted a zoning map amendment for a Hollywood property and granted a one-time landfill fee waiver for the local Christmas in April program. The board also held a public hearing on the proposed disposition of 41 county-owned tax-sale properties and set a final decision for its April 22 meeting.

Why it matters: The votes authorized state and federal grant applications that will affect county funding for jail-based medication for opioid use disorder, a day-reporting/reentry case manager, a gun-violence prosecution analyst, senior transportation and other programs. The board also approved an easement renewal for a dredge material placement site and a zoning change that will allow limited commercial uses on a parcel on Notch Road in Hollywood. Together the actions shape near-term county budgets, grant-funded services and land-use decisions that affect residents in multiple districts.

The most consequential approvals were grant-related. The board authorized submission of a FY 2026 Performance Incentive Grant Fund (PIGF) application seeking $398,094 to support the detention center’s jail-based medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program, which covers two registered nurses, two peer recovery specialists and medications. The board also approved a modification to an existing day-reporting grant (US-2548) to convert one grant-funded full-time offender reentry case manager position to a temporary part-time hourly position; officials said the change preserves the program while reducing the county personnel roster exposure and produces an $8,412 savings that will not be expensed. The county approved an application to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) for a gun-violence reduction grant request of $87,552; county staff noted an expected local fringe obligation of roughly $16,006 that would bring the total cost to about $103,558 if the award is made.

The board approved $35,864 in FY 2026 senior transportation ("Senior Rides") grant funding from the Maryland Transit Administration with a required county match, and accepted a $555,627 community-partnership notice of funding availability from the Maryland Governor’s Office for Children that will be passed through to local subrecipients. Commissioners also approved a budget-neutral increase in the Department of Aging and Human Services special-events revenue and expense budget to $180,000 to reflect expected program activity at senior centers.

County infrastructure and land-use votes included a four-year renewal of an easement for the St. Jerome’s Creek dredge-material placement (DMP) site at an annualized lease commitment of $125,000 and a related budget amendment to move funds from the capital reserve; Department of Public Works staff said hauling remaining stockpiled material off-site could cost $1–1.5 million absent trades with shoreline contractors. The board adopted findings to amend the 2010 comprehensive plan land-use map and change the zoning for part of 257413 Notch Road in Hollywood from Rural Preservation (RPD) to Rural Commercial Limited (RCL). Deputy Director Courtney Jenkins told commissioners that the Planning Commission had voted 7–0 in favor of the request and that two speakers had testified in opposition during the public hearing.

The board also approved a resolution waiving landfill fees up to 100 tons (estimated value $10,500) to support the county’s Christmas in April volunteer projects scheduled for April 26, 2025; organizers told commissioners the waiver would cover material hauled to Calvert County because St. Mary’s County landfill no longer accepts commercial waste.

On broadband, the commissioners authorized the president to sign letters of support requested by Comcast and Verizon for their BEAD/BEAD-related state submissions. Bob Kelly, director of the Department of Information Technology, told the board that county investments had increased wired broadband coverage and that county GIS hosts a broadband dashboard showing provider footprints; he offered to add click-through phone contacts for providers on the county site to help residents check availability.

A public hearing on the proposed disposition of 41 county-acquired tax-sale parcels drew one in-person speaker, John Lara of Tall Timbers, who said he had applied to purchase one adjoining parcel on Benswood Road and asked the county to sell it to him. County staff left the written comment period open for seven days (closing April 15, 2025) and said a final decision will be made at the April 22 commissioners meeting.

Quotes from the meeting: "By the end of this spring, St. Mary's County should be at 99% coverage for wired broadband services to all of our addresses," said Bob Kelly, director, Department of Information Technology.

John Lara, a Tall Timbers resident who spoke during the public hearing, said he has maintained the tax-sale lot adjoining his property and asked the county to sell it: "I'd like to purchase the property from you."

Votes at a glance (motions recorded at the April 8 meeting): - Modify the Sheriff’s Office day-reporting grant US-2548 to convert one grant-funded full-time offender reentry case manager to a grant temporary part-time hourly offender reentry case manager; authorize commissioner president and sheriff to execute related documents. Outcome: approved (vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; 1 absent). Note: county staff said the change produces an $8,412 savings that will not be expensed. - Approve FY 2026 Performance Incentive Grant Fund (PIGF) application to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy for $398,094 to support jail-based MOUD (two RNs, two peer recovery specialists and medications); authorize commissioner president and sheriff to execute related documents. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Approve FY 2026 GOCPP gun-violence reduction grant application ($87,552 requested); county to cover approximately $16,006 in fringe costs if awarded; authorize commissioner president to execute related documents. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Adopt a resolution waiving landfill fees up to 100 tons (estimated $10,500) for Christmas in April projects April 21–May 5, 2025. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Approve renewal of the St. Jerome’s Creek DMP site easement agreement and related budget amendment in the amount of $125,000; authorize commissioner vice president to execute. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Authorize the commissioner president to sign letters of support for Comcast and Verizon BEAD/BEAD-related state submissions. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Approve the Joint Encroachment Mitigation and Prevention Agreement with Naval Air Station Patuxent River and authorize the commissioner president to sign related documents. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Approve FY 2026 Governor’s Office for Children Community Partnership allocation NOFA application for $555,627 (state funds) and $1,102 (county funds) to support subrecipients; authorize commissioner president to execute. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Approve FY 2026 Senior Rides grant application (MD2605) to MDOT MTA in the amount of $35,864 and authorize the commissioner vice president to execute related documents. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Approve increase in revenue/expense estimate for senior special events from $140,000 to $180,000 (Department of Aging & Human Services). Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Adopt proposed findings and amend the 2010 comprehensive plan land-use map and zoning map to change a portion of 257413 Notch Road (Hollywood) from Rural Preservation to Rural Commerce and from RPD to RCL; authorize the commissioner president to sign related documents. Outcome: approved (4–0; 1 absent). - Public hearing opened and closed on disposition of 41 county-acquired tax-sale properties; public comment period remains open through close of business April 15, 2025; final decision scheduled for the April 22, 2025 commissioners meeting.

What commissioners and staff said and asked: Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized the county’s reliance on external grant funding for programs such as MOUD and day reporting, the importance of broadband competition and accurate provider availability information, and the tradeoffs involved with dredge-material handling at St. Jerome’s Creek. Department of Public Works staff described plans to trade on-site dredged material with shoreline contractors to avoid an estimated $1–1.5 million in hauling costs and to secure MS4 stormwater-credit benefits.

Next steps: The board will consider the public comments and make a final decision on the 41 tax-sale parcels on April 22, 2025. Grant awards (if made) will require follow-up budget amendments and, in some cases, county matching or fringe funding to be allocated at award time. The county IT director said staff will update the broadband dashboard and investigate adding provider contact information to the county site to help residents check address-level availability.

Ending: Commissioners adjourned after routine commissioner time and scheduled an April 22 public hearing and ribbon-cutting events; no further formal actions on the April 8 agenda were left pending except the property-disposition final decision.