Commissioners approve federal older‑Americans grant, tower remediation financing and deed transfer to State Highway Administration

St. Mary's County commissioners on Tuesday approved three separate agenda items: notification of FY25 federal Older Americans Act grant awards, financing and a budget amendment for remediation of the county-owned Sandgates radio tower, and a reverse transfer of 0.84 acres to the Maryland State Highway Administration under a 1973 deed reverter clause.

Department of Aging and Human Services Director Laurie Jennings Harris told commissioners the county received multiple FY25 Federal Older Americans Act awards from the Maryland Department of Aging covering congregate and home-delivered meals, preventive health, the National Family Caregiver Support Program and the ombudsman program. She said the awards are federal funds for the term Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2026, and that the total award amount is $408,505. The record shows the county will provide local matching funds cited in the packet as approximately $41,007.45 plus an additional roughly $40,000 (combined described by staff as approximately $82,000). The board moved to accept the notification of grant awards, authorize attached budget amendments and permit the commissioner-president to execute related documents. The motion passed by voice vote.

The commissioners also approved a Department of Emergency Services request to use exempt financing to complete remedial diagonal reinforcement at the county-owned Sandgates tower after a structural analysis identified two county-area towers that needed work. Emergency Services Director Jen Utz said the county’s portion of required remediation costs is $138,967 and staff identified $31,009.63 in the emergency support reserve to cover the first year’s payment; a separate motion authorized a budget amendment reducing the emergency support reserve account by $31,963 for the first year payment. The board approved using exempt financing for the project, realigning funds and authorized the commissioner-president to sign the related documents.

Buffy Giddens from the county attorney’s office described a proposed deed to return 0.84 acres on Route 235 in Lexington Park to the Maryland State Highway Administration under a 1973 reverter clause. “In that deed, there was a reverter clause that said, should this property in the future not be used for a public purpose, it should revert back to the State Highway Administration,” Giddens stated. The county originally acquired the parcel in 1973 for a nominal amount; the reverter clause fixed the return payment at $3,080. Staff said a 1977 survey and subsequent private ownership led to private improvements on the county-owned strip; the current owner’s title review led the state to exercise the reverter and offer the $3,080 payment. The board approved the deed transfer and authorized the commissioner-president to sign.

All three items were approved by voice vote. The transcript records unanimous “ayes” on the motions; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes excerpt provided.