St. Mary's County commissioners approve debris-disposal resolution, authorize emergency spending during hurricane watch

The St. Mary's County Board of County Commissioners on Friday approved a resolution to allow temporary storm-debris disposal on privately owned sites and reiterated existing emergency-spending authority as the county prepared for an anticipated hurricane watch.

County staff presented the resolution during an emergency session convened to mirror a state-declared emergency and to give the county extra flexibility to respond after the storm, including use of roll-off containers, temporary debris-management sites and portable toilets, the staff presentation said.

"What you have before you is a resolution," said Mr. Erickson, a county staff member, introducing the proposal and describing memorandums of agreement with private landowners to accept storm debris in assigned areas of the county. Erickson said permits from the health department and the state were already in hand and that the county’s centralized landfill and convenience centers would not be large enough to…