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EDC votes to recommend county adopt amended membership structure
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Summary
The Economic Development Commission voted to recommend a resolution to the county commissioners that sets a fixed membership structure for the EDC (proposed 11 regular and 2 ex officio members after amendment) and to change one ex officio seat to NAWCAD; the recommendation will be transmitted with a cover letter from the EDC chair.
The St. Mary's County Economic Development Commission approved a recommendation asking county commissioners to adopt a resolution that would codify membership and composition for the EDC.
Deputy County Attorney John Houser presented a draft resolution that would repeal and replace the county code section governing membership. Houser said the draft as written proposed defining a fixed membership number (initially discussed as 15 total: 11 regular members and 4 ex officio members) and then specifying categories for regular membership — representatives of the county’s targeted industries (as identified in the county's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy), a small‑business representative, higher‑education representative and three at‑large seats.
Commissioners debated whether ex officio members should be voting members and whether the number of ex officio seats should be fixed. Houser explained that county code could either specify a numeric total and ex officio seats or be written to 'spring' membership from the CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) as that document changes. Several members expressed either concern or openness about ex officio voting rights and the risk of institutional designees exerting outsized influence; Houser said practice varies and the EDC could recommend either approach.
After discussion the commission moved an amended recommendation: to ask the county commissioners to adopt the suggested membership changes but with only two ex officio seats (NAVAIR/Naval Air Station Patuxent River or NAWCAD was amended to the NAWCAD designee) and to authorize the EDC chair to sign required documents. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote; individual tallies were not specified in the transcript.
What happens next: Houser said staff will draft a cover letter for the EDC chair to transmit the recommendation to the county commissioners and will provide updates as the item moves forward.
