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Commissioners approve grants, contracts and road acceptances; award Patuxent Park Phase 5 construction
Summary
At the April 7 meeting the Board of County Commissioners approved multiple routine and project votes including a courthouse security grant, a child‑services grant, acceptance of subdivision roads into the county system, and the Patuxent Park revitalization Phase 5 contract award.
The St. Mary’s County Board of Commissioners on April 7 approved a series of grants, contracts and roadway acceptances during its regular business session.
Why it matters: The votes authorize construction and maintenance work, distribute state grant funds for children and family programs, and allow the county to pursue a federal grant to stabilize a park shoreline. Commissioners discussed procurement and project oversight during the session and approved contracts and grants by voice vote.
Votes at a glance - Courthouse security equipment grant: The commission approved acceptance of a non‑matching grant from the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts for $207,661.95 (project MD 2036) to fund courthouse security improvements and authorized the commissioner president to execute related documents. The motion passed by voice vote.
- FY 2021 Community Partnership Agreement (Governor’s Office for Children): The commission approved a local management board community partnership agreement to receive $473,718 in state funds (project MD 2160‑6261‑667‑6888) plus $1,102 in county funds to support programs for children, youth and families and authorized electronic submission of grant documents. Motion passed by voice vote.
- Patuxent Park (phase 5) construction award: Procurement recommended awarding the Patuxent Park Revitalization Project Phase 5 construction contract to Locust Lane Farms for $3,629,690.32, subject to receipt and verification of contract documents. The commissioners approved the award after brief discussion about procurement methods and contractor performance. Several commissioners urged closer enforcement of contractor and engineering performance on complex projects.
- Street acceptances: The commission adopted a resolution to accept Dusty Lane and Morgan Court in the Sunset Ridge subdivision into the county highway maintenance system and approved the accompanying speed and stop ordinances. Motion passed by voice vote.
- Myrtle Point Park shoreline stabilization: The commission authorized the Department of Public Works and Transportation to submit an online preproposal to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the Myrtle Point Park Shoreline Stabilization Project to address eroding cliffs and threatened park access.
Other actions: The commission also approved routine consent‑agenda items and scheduled future business and public‑hearing dates. Several commissioners used the discussion time to press staff on procurement timelines and engineering performance for long‑running projects such as FDR Boulevard and Patuxent Park.
Commissioner comments and procurement concerns Commissioner Todd Morgan and Commissioner John O'Connor raised concerns about how complex public‑works projects are procured and executed, citing repeated delays on projects such as FDR Boulevard and Patuxent Park. Commissioners asked staff to consider procurement alternatives (for example, “best value” selection and stronger timeline and performance provisions) and to pursue cost recovery with consultants or contractors when appropriate.
Implementation notes Procurement staff said the Patuxent Park project solicitation received five bids and that Locust Lane Farms submitted the lowest responsible bid. The public works director confirmed the project list of roads included in the awarded phase and said the department will proceed to verify contract documents before executing the award. The motion to award and the related resolutions were approved by voice vote with no roll‑call tallies recorded.
