St. Mary's County commissioners approve Project Graduation funding, authorize grant application and permit early-voting site; several appointments made

The St. Mary's County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of administrative actions including a $10,000 internal transfer to support Project Graduation, authorized a $28,750 Maryland Historical Trust Certified Local Government grant application (the county’s share $3,750), and agreed to let the St. Mary’s County Board of Elections use Room 14 in the Potomac Building for early voting in 2014.

The approvals, taken as separate motions during the commissioners’ weekly business meeting at the Chesapeake Building in Leonardtown, also included rescheduling a public hearing on proposed zoning text amendments concerning inflatable and above-ground pools, and a batch of appointments to advisory boards and committees.

Why it matters: the budget transfer preserves funding for the county’s long-running Project Graduation program that provides supervised, alcohol-free events for graduating seniors; the grant application would fund an archaeological sensitivity model of county lands; and the early-voting location establishes the county seat site for both the June primary and the November general election early-voting periods.

Votes at a glance

- Reschedule zoning public hearing: Commissioners voted to delete the 11:30 a.m. item on the agenda (proposed zoning text amendments to exempt inflatable and storable above-ground swimming pools from the requirements of the Saint Mary’s County Zoning Ordinance)…