Board of County Commissioners approves multiple grants, capital agreements and budget moves

The Board of County Commissioners for Saint Mary's County approved a series of motions Aug. 27 that included grant acceptances for public safety and community development, authorization to pursue and sign state grants and support resolutions, and budget and contracting actions tied to several capital projects.

The board voted, by voice, to approve each motion as read on the agenda. Several items required county signature to complete state grant applications or accept awarded funds, and commissioners recorded unanimous “ayes” on the motions taken.

Highlights

- Housing Authority Community Legacy support: The board authorized a support resolution for the St. Mary’s County Housing Authority’s State Department of Housing and Community Development Community Legacy application for the Dr. J. Patrick Jarbo Family Center in Lexington Park. The request noted $145,918 to support capital improvements at the Jarbo Center.

- Sheriff’s office grants: The board accepted a $10,000 Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention school-bus enforcement grant and a $5,000 National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) grant; both grants fund overtime, enforcement, training and related anti-drug-diversion efforts.

- Lexington Park rescue squad building: Commissioners approved accepting a $125,000 State of Maryland capital grant and authorized the county to sign the capital projects grant agreement to acquire and renovate the former Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad building for use as Sheriff’s District 4 offices, subject to standard county procurement and design scheduling.

- Patuxent Habitat support resolution: The board approved a resolution supporting Patuxent Habitat for Humanity’s application to the state’s Community Investment Tax Credit Program to seek an allocation of tax credits (the organization stated it seeks $50,000 in credits to support a ReStore expansion and related activities).

- Program Open Space (POS) requests: The board authorized POS applications for Recreation and Parks, including $125,000 for 3 Notch Trail Phase 6 and $60,000 for Leonard Hall Recreation Center flooring replacement, with required local matches noted in the staff presentations.

- Right-of-way abandonment in Grandview Haven: The board approved a confirmatory right-of-way abandonment certificate for Fairview Street and part of Grandview Street as recommended by the Planning Commission and subject to recording by Land Use and Growth Management.

- Navy Museum contracting and budget actions: The board concurred in staff’s identification of a replacement contractor for the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum and Visitor Center project, authorized transfer of remaining budget balances into the new project account, and authorized the contracting officer to execute a replacement contract after required state concurrences and receipt of valid contract bonds. (See the separate article for fuller context; numerical values reported in the meeting packet and on the record are summarized in the record of motions.)

- Budget amendments and capital reserve adjustments: Commissioners approved a package of year-end capital budget amendments to reallocate PAYGO, transfer-tax and impact-fee reserves into continuing projects and to establish limited FIN‑14 reserve authority for FY14 needs.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in the meeting transcript)

- Approve minutes of Aug. 20 (motion carried, voice vote). - Approve and sign Housing Authority support resolution for a FY2014 Community Legacy application ($145,918) (moved by Commissioner Morgan; seconded by Commissioner Jones; motion carried, voice vote). - Approve and authorize the State of Maryland Capital Projects Grant Agreement for $125,000 for acquisition/renovation of the Lexington Park Rescue Squad building for Sheriff District 4 (moved by Commissioner Morris; seconded by Commissioner Jarbo; motion carried, voice vote). - Approve and sign support resolution for Patuxent Habitat for Humanity’s Community Investment Tax Credit application (moved by Commissioner Jones; seconded by Commissioner Jarbo; motion carried, voice vote). - Accept Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention school-bus safety grant (~$10,000) and execute budget amendment (moved by Commissioner Jarboe; seconded by Commissioner Morgan; motion carried, voice vote). - Accept NADDI law enforcement grant (~$5,000) for drug diversion work (moved by Commissioner Gerardo; seconded by Commissioner Jones; motion carried, voice vote). - Approve right-of-way abandonment certificate/confirmatory plat (Fairview/Grandview, Grandview Haven subdivision) (moved by Commissioner Morgan; seconded by Commissioner Morris; motion carried, voice vote). - Concur with recommendation of replacement contractor for the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum/Visitor Center project; approve budget amendment to move project funds into the new project account; and authorize execution of contract after SHA/federal concurrence and valid bonds (motions moved by Commissioner Morgan; seconded by Commissioner Morris; motion carried, voice vote). - Approve several FIN‑13 / FIN‑14 capital reserve budget amendments to close out finalized capital projects, reallocate PAYGO/transfer-tax/impact fees into ongoing projects, and establish limited FIN‑14 appropriation authority (motion carried, voice vote). - Approve Program Open Space application/project agreement for 3 Notch Trail Phase 6 (PA‑1101) in the amount of $125,000 (moved by Commissioner Jarboe; seconded by Commissioner Morris; motion carried, voice vote). - Approve Program Open Space application/project agreement for Leonard Hall Recreation Center flooring replacement (RP‑1403) in the amount of $60,000 (moved by Commissioner Morgan; seconded by Commissioner Jarbo; motion carried, voice vote). - Approve FIN‑14 fund transfer to award contract for Civil War Memorial Interpretive Community Center project (RP‑1301) in the amount of $126,500 to cover a bid shortfall and contingency and proceed with award to the remaining responsive bidder (moved by Commissioner Morgan; seconded by Commissioner Jones; motion carried, voice vote).

Many of the approvals required staff follow-up (signature of the commissioner president, submission to state agencies for concurrence, or final contract execution after required bonds and insurance were received). The board also heard multiple non-voting presentations, including a local management board community needs assessment; that presentation is covered in a separate article.