The Commission of St. Mary’s County approved a package of Recreation & Parks and public‑works actions on Tuesday, including a grant application, a childcare MOU and authorization for a road project procurement.

Recreation & Parks staff presented an application for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Green Space Equity Program seeking $210,000 (no local cash match) to fund public‑art installations, improved ADA access and a sensory path at the Nicolette and Lexington Manor Passive Parks as part of the county Arts Park initiative. Susie Glauner of the St. Mary’s County Arts Council described artist‑driven designs and potential repurposed local materials; commissioners voted to approve the submission and authorized the commission president to sign related documents.

The board also approved an MOU with the YMCA of the Chesapeake for operation of a county‑built childcare center. The initial buildout will accommodate roughly 70 children; two unfinished rooms can be completed for an estimated $30,000 from Recreation & Parks facility improvement funds to increase capacity (the director said that allocation is available by deferring other projects). The agreement includes a revenue‑share model (with credits for facility uses) and tiered enrollment preference for county employees and public‑safety staff; commissioners approved the MOU and an associated reclassification of an existing FTE to a human‑resources coordinator to support onboarding and recruitment.

Acting DPW&T Director Donnie Mills requested authorization to issue a purchase order (estimated to exceed $1,000,000) under heavy equipment contract SMCDash21DashDPWTDash112456 to construct a two‑lane roundabout at Peg Road. Mills said the project was budgeted at $2.5 million and that the procurement approach is expected to save approximately $1,000,000; the board authorized the procurement officer to sign the purchase order. Staff estimated construction for spring 2026 with a roughly three‑month build window.

Commissioners asked for follow‑up items: clarification of state grant scoring and match rules (for the DNR grant), documentation on childcare classroom adult‑to‑child ratios and caregiver qualification requirements (state‑mandated), and a future briefing on project timelines and easement acquisition related to Peg Road.