Calvert County commissioners approve two-year Everbridge mass-notification contract

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners voted Aug. 19 to adopt a resolution authorizing a two-year agreement with Everbridge for the county's mass-notification system, county staff said. The memo presented to the board lists a total two-year cost of $109,715.56 and notes a projected cost reduction of $6,582.94 by committing to a multi-year contract.

County staff said the system is used to send time-sensitive alerts to residents, visitors and others about missing persons, evacuations, law-enforcement notices, severe weather and water-and-sewer advisories. Steven Pereira, director of technology services, told the board staff recommended awarding the subscription to Everbridge and authorized staff to exercise available renewal options and to coordinate implementation with the Department of Finance and Budget, the Department of Public Safety and the county attorney.

Mike Greerston, emergency manager, said the system has both "a manual side as well as an automatic side" and explained how residents can manage their own alert preferences through the county's Calvert Alert (Everbridge) portal. "If something happens that is totally unexpected, we have the capability to reach out to anybody in the county and make quick notification to them even if they haven't signed up," Greerston said.

The memo read into the record described the system's automatic feeds for National Weather Service alerts and said the county can expand use beyond emergency management to other departments such as public works and the sheriff's office without increasing the per-term price. Staff said the first-year cost will be charged to the Department of Technology Services contracted-services account; the memo included a two-year total but the transcript's year-one line was unclear. The county's presentation to commissioners said the multi-year agreement yields the stated cost reduction of $6,582.94.

The board approved the resolution by voice vote after a motion from a commissioner and a second; the meeting record shows the motion "carries" but does not record a roll-call tally in the transcript. The adopted motion authorizes the initial contract period and authorizes staff to exercise all available renewal options.

Votes at a glance: The meeting record included several other routine approvals. The board adopted the meeting agenda as presented. The board also approved a consent agenda that included four items: (1) Department of Public Safety grant award for Maryland 9-1-1 Board annual maintenance; (2) Department of Community Resources memorandum of understanding with the Calvert County Health Department for a Healthy Hearts grant collaboration; (3) Department of Public Safety federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant application; and (4) Department of Public Safety FFY 2025 State Homeland Security Grant application. Each consent item was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the transcript records the approvals as "motion carries" without a roll-call tally.

Separately, near the end of the meeting the board voted to recess into executive session under General Provisions Article — 3-305(b)(1) and (3) to discuss personnel matters and the acquisition of real property. That motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote.

Why it matters: County officials said the Everbridge subscription supports emergency messaging and routine service notifications and can be configured so residents receive only the alerts they choose. County staff highlighted the system's automatic weather feeds and said the arrangement will let more county departments send timely notifications at the same contract price.

What happens next: Staff will proceed with contract execution and the departments named in the memo will coordinate implementation and training. Residents who want to receive alerts were directed to sign up via the county's emergency-management/Calvert Alert page or call the county office for assistance setting preferences; staff noted county employees will assist residents who have difficulty registering online.