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County to accept $12,853 Maryland Historical Trust grant for archaeological assessment in central-west St. Mary's
Summary
The commissioners approved a Certified Local Government grant from the Maryland Historical Trust for $12,853 to assess known archaeological resources and to identify additional sites in the county's central-west area.
The St. Mary's County Board of County Commissioners voted to accept a $12,853 Certified Local Government grant from the Maryland Historical Trust to assess known archaeological resources and expand records of previously unknown sites in the county's central-west area.
Gracie Brady, historic preservation planner in the Department of Land Use and Growth Management, and Carol Moody, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, told the board the award will be matched with county cash and in-kind services and used to hire a consultant to examine and improve existing archaeological records and to survey portions of the central-west area (including Leonardtown and parts of Newtown Neck).
Brady said the money will not cover countywide fieldwork but will focus on the central-west area where prior reports and recent community meetings suggested unrecorded artifacts and sites could be present. "There's not enough money to do the whole county. But, to start in the central west part of the county, like Leonardtown and the areas just the other side of Newtown," Brady said.
Commissioners and presenters discussed coordination with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and with local stakeholders. Brady said she attends stakeholder meetings and that DNR is aware of the area's sensitivity but has limited funds. Commissioners emphasized passive, noninvasive recreation for any future development in historically sensitive parcels.
Commissioner Cynthia L. Jones moved to authorize Commission President Jack Russell to execute the grant agreement and a realigning budget amendment; Commissioner Todd B. Morgan seconded. The board voted to approve the grant and the budget realignment.
The project was identified in the agenda as project US 1551. Officials said the Historic Preservation Commission will oversee the consultant work and that staff will return with further implementation details as the consultant work is scoped and contracts are executed.
