Commissioner - Regular Meeting

Hey, we're going to bring this meeting to order. Welcome everybody. Welcome to the Queen's County Commissioners Meeting. This is a public meeting that is being aired live on our local cable television station QACV7. These media broadcast provide county citizens an opportunity to watch and review our scheduled public meetings. In addition to our live audience this evening, we are providing remote options for citizens to watch and participate in county commissioner meetings. Citizens may watch our meeting live on our website at qac.org/live or on our public access governmental television channel provided by breezeline cable services. Citizens may also participate by joining the live Zoom meeting by going to qac.org/public. And citizens may also email comments to press and public or excuse me public comment at qac.org. Comments received will be summarized during the press and public comment period on tonight's agenda. We acknowledge everyone's participation and by attending you acknowledge that this session is both recorded and aired. Press and public comment will be taken and is limited to three minutes per person. If you do care to speak, please sign up at the information table in our lobby and comments longer than three minutes can be submitted in writing for the commissioner's review. We will now stand and be led in the pledge of allegiance by Commissioner President Jim Moran. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, commissioners. That brings us to the approval of u the agenda for tonight's meeting, April 28th. So, that agenda along with the regular session minutes, the close session minutes, and the sanitary commission minutes from the April 14th meeting have all been

circulated for your review. Are there any additions or corrections? Nope. Motion to uh accept the minutes and the agendas as submitted. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Abstained. I see his face. I There he is. Yeah. By the I think he muted himself by the Okay, we have Commissioner Chris Corkerino via Zoom this evening. Okay. He's on assignment. All right, commissioners. Um, we can move right into press and public comment. You got one. We got one.

All right. So, we appreciate all citizens for taking time to express views to the county commissioners. Comments are limited to three minutes per person. Comments longer than three minutes can be submitted in writing. This commission respects your desire and right to convey your message freely. When you come forward, please speak clearly at the standing microphone. State your name, your address, and your topic of interest. And in keeping with the dignity of our office, we ask that all views be expressed in a respectful and civil manner. Amanda.

Hello. Um, thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. Uh, my name is Amanda Denafhrio. I live in Centerville, just down the way I just walked over here. Um, we've lived here for several years now and one of the main reasons that we chose Centerville in Queen Ans County is the quality of education for our children here. And we bought a home here for that specific reason. Um, despite the fact that my husband's active duty military and has to travel very far from Fort Me every day, but we considered it worth it so our kids could get the very best. And while I truly appreciate the teachers in this community and everything that they're doing, I have seen since I moved here um things that as a parent I consider questionable with the budgetary uh issues that our community has faced and some other ethical questionable things by the superintendent last year that were brought up at the end of the year. That being said, I realize that none of the help that we need for our schools can be achieved without adequate funding and our schools are without that right now. And they are held back by the state's requirements for blueprint that they aren't fulfilling. And I understand the challenges of that. But I hope that as a community the queen um the Queen Ans County commissioners will consider fulfilling as much of the budgetary needs for Queen Ans County Public Schools as they possibly can because our community cannot improve without making that investment with our kids especially in the younger ages. And given what's happening and challenging the youth in this community, it is certainly well worth a really deep look into just how much we can support those kids. Because as this community expands and grows and faces challenges with that growth, the

schools aren't keeping pace. And if we want to continue to draw people here and keep people here with the quality of our education as a highlight of this community, we need to really invest more wisely with our students because they need more support. They need more teachers. They need a lot more than what they're getting and we need to do what we can. Thank you. You don't want to bite on that? You don't want to bite on that? Not right now. Okay. It's interesting to say the least. Uh, that's all I had. Anybody else like to speak?

Seeing none, thank you very much. We'll close press and public comment. All right. Thank you, commissioners. Thank you, Bruce. All right, commissioners. We have a pretty heavy legislative session tonight. So, if you want to turn to tab number seven. Our first item on the agenda is um the comprehensive solid waste plan. This is tab number seven, item one on pages 1 through 14. And I did include a link to the 194 page plan uh for everyone's review as well. So we held held a public hearing on April the 14th to receive public testimony regarding the proposed adoption of the comprehensive solid waste management plan uh for 2026 through 2035. We have received some written public comment letters and uh we've incorporated all of the other comments from the state of Maryland. They've officially reviewed our plan and we've incorporated all the comments we received from the municipalities. So the plan is um uh ready for adoption at this point. We included resolution 2605 um and we also reviewed this with the planning commission and they provided a consistency letter with the comprehensive plan. So

question, do we need to convene as the sanitary board in order to do this? I think I don't think solid waste comes under there, does it? It it it technically does. So we could convene as I'll make a motion that we convene as a sanitary board. Second. All in favor? I opposed. He's an I five. Okay. You want to make a motion? Um I move to adopt the Queen's County comprehensive solid waste plan. Second. We have a motion in a second. Any discussion on this item? This is uh Shane, this is um the 10 10year comprehensive solid waste plan. Correct. Correct. Yeah.

Mandated by the state. Yeah. I just wanted to comment, sir. We do have a task force working on uh looking for a new location for the dump. Just to let everybody know, we're not rubber stamping where the dump is supposed to go right now. We have till December of 28, I believe, to Yes, we have until December 31st, 2028 to make any decisions for alternative sites for the midshore 3. When it is our turn, it isn't our turn here in Queen County until 2042. Uh, and the reason that deadline is near versus 2042, we have to figure out where it's going to go so they can do all the planning and geological exploration. Takes a long time to get a permit for a landfill. Yes,

commissioners. But but I still say that I still say that I think in two more years we'll have a better idea of whether it can extend past 2042 because I think the states seems like they're on board with the fact that we're not going to cap uh dumps that have capacity. So I feel like it's going to go past 2042 when it's all said and done.

You mean Midshore 2 and Caroline County? There is that possibility. It could it likely will have capacity and uh our friends in Dorchester County are also considering a landfill extension project uh currently. So there could be other capacity in the region that could forego our um our turn as a host of the Midshore 3 landfill. So we're going to be looking at all those options. We have had a couple committee meetings about our particular site and we have some promising uh potential locations to uh continue evaluating.

Well, plus it's I mean I've said it I said it at our uh meeting at the college. There's a fewus we have that are 40 50 years old that I think need to be revisited. Um nothing's the same as it was 50 years ago. So, I think this is one of them actually that needs to be looked at. So, okay. Moving on. As soon as we vote, let's vote. That it vote. All those in favor? I I I discussed We found Oh, okay. You say so. All those in favor? I oppose. So move. You're right. We did. We did take a vote, did we? We didn't. No, I don't think we did. We did a first and a second. Oh, you know what? And I discussed

we voted on Kini as the sanitary board. That's it. Phil, you threw us out. I I didn't hear the vote from above, so I know we didn't vote. When I hear Chris, I know we voted.

Okay. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner. All right. So, item number two on pages 15 through 21 is county ordinance number 2512. This is growth allocation in the resource conservation area. This is for the Gunston School uh project and this is a growth allocation for non-adjacency alternative standards ordinance was introduced on December 9th, conceptually approved and forward to the critical area commission for review. They have since approved it. We had our held our hearing on April 14th and it is um now available for a final decision and vote by the county commissioners. And Stephanie Jones is here if you have any questions. And uh uh John Wilson here, the executive director of the Gunson School is here as well if you have any questions for him.

Motion to approve county ordinance 25-12. Second. Have a motion in a second. Any discussion on this item? You want to share with us anything? You don't have to. Yeah, you don't have to. Thank you. All those in favor signify by saying I. Opposed. So moved. 50. All right. Thank you, commissioners. Invite us to opening day.

Okay. Uh item number three, we have um this is a this is a repeat item. This is amendment number one. This is on page 22. Amendment number one to county ordinance number 2602 for speed monitoring systems. This can also be introduced and voted on. And this would uh provide a sunset limitation for county ordinance 2602 that would enable the sheriff's department to install speed monitoring systems in school zones in Queen's County. So we have amendment one to sunset the ordinance 2602 and then we can consider 2602 if you so choose. So, I I just asked Stephanie, I I think I made the motion for the amendment at the last meeting and we tabled the motion.

I don't think we have to introduce it. Oh, you mean the amendment? I as a as a friendly I tabled it for Commissioner McGlaughlin's concerns. We tabled that motion. So, it was already motioned and seconded on the amendment. So, I don't think we have to introduce it. I think we go ahead and vote on it if I'm not if Does it hurt to reintroduce it anyways? We can. I mean, yeah. So just cover your bas reintroduce amendment one to ordinance 2602. Second. We have a mo we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Obstain. 50. Now you can make a motion on county ordinance 2602 as amended.

Right. A motion to pass county ordinance 2602 as amended. Second motion in a second on this item. Any discussion. Ready. So, thank you for the statistics. Major Moya, come on up, please. Thank you. Have a seat. Could you have a little uh line across bumping or just someone taking pictures of all these folks that are breaking the law? Speed monitoring. There's actually a camera system placed in there as a temporary camera system so I can get your data for 24 hours.

Okay. So, this is Roman Coke Road, Madape Peak Elementary and Middle School. 40 40 mph speed zone. 300 in one day. No, not even a day. No, more than that. More than that. If you look at it's over 600 violations. April 6th, 9:00 a.m. to April 7th, 11 or 12:00 if I'm not mistaken. Over 600 violations. Yes, sir. Uh not uh 452. 4 incoming 452 outgoing 215.

Yes. Over 600 incoming and outgoing. So 12 to 15 m an hour over 332 cars in a day and 3 hours. Um, and if you're looking at it, I've tried to break it down as much as possible. That goes in camera and outgoing camera for a total of over 667 violations regardless of what direction they're going. Yes. 452 and 214 put together.

Okay. Um and so 300 300 400 almost 500 folks doing 52 to 55 140 doing 56 to 59. So uh this is these are significant numbers. They are significant numbers. They are and it's concerning. Yes. I think it speaks for itself that speed mitigation in those locations are justified and needed and we need to change the the the driving habits. That's that's what the goal is.

The ultimate goal is to change driving habits, slow traffic and protect our citizens and children. And that's why we have the sunset in there that if we're people are, you know, we're going to check it periodically and if we're not getting the citations that means it worked, right? That's the That's correct. So, real quick too, to your point, that's just a 24-hour. What I The only thing in there that can is like the school zone because they're not they can't be active in non-school hours. Correct. They work. They can Monday through Friday between uh 8:00 in the morning, 8:00 at night. Okay. Okay. And you have school events, you have sports, you have You still have sports, you still have I got you. Okay. Such like that.

But we don't have that snapshot of that 12. I'm just curious like how many of those fell into that? It was requested within a two week span of getting speed data. I reached out to the vendor said, "Can you put a temporary camera out there? Just give me speed data for 24 hours." Okay. Yeah. I knew personally just from doing this job for 35 years. Speed data is going to show this. There's a problem there. These are strategic locations that we placed originally for consideration for that reason. So that's a lot of cars.

And this was not even speed data coming through Graysonville. This is not even speed data coming through the middle school up on 18. So, um, once those once those are in place, whether you want another, you know, period of time, but once those are in place, I think you're going to find significant numbers in all locations. And again, our citizens, their their safety is is is paramount. So, and just to verify this, by state law, this these can only be in front of schools in a mile. I thought half mile. Half mile. Okay. Well, you know what I mean. Yeah. Uh, you can't

whether it's a half mile or not a half mile, the strategic locations where we identified problematic areas, we're in front of those schools. Again, dual purpose not only protects the citizens, but the children that are walking to and from schools, people that are leaving any other sporting events and such and so on. These are strategic areas that we believe that would be highly traveled roads that potentially could be harmful to uh to our citizens. And I think I think in fairness, the first 30 days that these cameras are up, you're going to if you are found violating the speed limits, you're going to receive a warning. That's correct.

The first 30 days. So if you get a warning, said, "Ah, you know, this is a warning. We're letting you know that we caught you and we you need to change your driving habits and and how fast you're driving." I think that's more than fair. An extension to that 30 to 60 days prior to these cameras being active notifications we are going to publicize it. Yeah.

Through social media through any other social media I mean any other u um media uh outputs. Um you know people people are going to be made aware. We also are going to notify any of the community associations that we attend on a regular basis. So, I mean, the people that are speeding through there that are local folks are going to know. Plus, the signage is going to be up everywhere. So, I'm seeing So, Centerville has two electronic monitors, one out here on 18 and the other one coming in. Yes. South of Northbrook. And it uh it slows them down and there's no tickets. So, it is effective. You can't see.

Or maybe they are tickets. Huh? I I we we don't monitor that. That's the town center monitor. I know. I was just using that as an example. It does slow down. That it does. Yes, it does. Including me. I would hope that it slows down a significant amount. And I know the concerns were that given a period of time that we reflect back on to whether citations are still being issued or not. I I would tell you unequivocally being doing this for a long time, you're still going to generate citations. State still get theirs.

The slowing of of vehicles is going to happen. It's going to mitigate some of the problems that we have with poor driving behaviors, but it's not going to fix all of them. You know, let's be honest. I mean, the speed limit signs are up and down every roadway that you travel on. Yet you can get out on some of the main highways and people are passing you at 8090. I just pulled somebody over and rode tickets for 104. I mean, did you let Phil go? No. No. Judge Cred will be seeing that case again real shortly. I got a question,

sir. for the last six months, a year prior six months, has writing tickets dropped off, is speed monitoring something that's continued year in and year out, or is it is there a lapse? I mean, I I guess I I'm basing this on and I'm not talking about just Queens County, I'm talking statewide because man, it is NASCAR from the Bay Bridge to Route 50. I mean all the way into buoy it's just so speed monitoring cameras supported by the state are usually in your affected construction areas. I'm I'm more towards handwritten somebody sees somebody speeding they pull them over.

Oh no. Uh we've actually increased over the last couple years. That's good. I can tell you exponentially uh in the LA five years ago to present we're probably three three times the amount of citations that we write just in the county alone. Um that includes warnings. Again, the full objective is to change driving behaviors. Okay, the citations again, we write a lot of warnings, but the citations are issued when those driving behaviors never change. So, you know, you you get somebody that's been stopped four or five times and they got warnings and warnings and warnings. Obviously, the warnings aren't working. Yeah.

So, citations the next next step. It's a it's an elevated process and a progressive process. Um, so somewhat the same for the speed violations here. Uh, the state recognized that there's issues and a $40 citation is probably not fixing the problem for a lot of folks. So, again, progressively on on on a program, they've increased by state law what the fines are going to be. Hopefully, that fixes some of the problems. I don't know. I just think there's there's not in Queen's County because when I get over the bridge, I mind it's a different world,

right? It is. It is honestly. So, you guys are doing a great job there, but everywhere else it is crazy. Yeah. I mean, 301 301 southbound is and we have an obligation to the communities. I know the state police monitor a lot of the traffic on the major highways a lot more, but I see you guys out there now, though. We we have we have loosened the restraints a little bit because of those issues. I mean we the ultimate goal is is less fatalities, less crashes.

You know, I just spoke today at a awards banquet for for uh traffic safety specialists. You know, these people have dedicated a lot of their time and effort into ensuring our roadways are safe statewide. You know, I think it's a extremely valuable program sponsored by Maryland Highway Safety. So, will we have a motion in a second? Any other discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I I oppose. Abstained. He raised his hand. He raised his hand. Bill, he did. Yeah, he did. He raised his hand. Yes. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Did you notice what the top speed was for that over 80 or something? Was it 80 89 miles hour? I did. I did see that. That's crazy. Did you see the other one? West Point Road was uh was 82 mph 81 or 8. Yep. Thank you, Major. How do you get that much free space between you and the car in front of you to go 82 down there? That's accelerator. I was going to say got to be one in the morning. Thank you, deputy. 82.

All right, commissioners. Uh, moving right along. Um, these next several ordinances are citizen sponsor text amendments and they are for introduction and scheduling of public hearings. And, uh, Stephanie Jones is here with us this evening if you have any questions on any of them. Uh item number four in your book is uh county ordinance number 2604 and this is for uses to allow to occupy in excess of 65,000 square ft of gross floor area in the airport protection and Kent Island gateway districts. That's item five, right?

I'm excuse me five. Yes, you're right, Commissioner. Thank you. So, the objective of this is to um add boat sales and repair to marinas and marinas to the list of individual uses for tennis bases that can occupy more than 65,000 ft of gross floor area within the airport protection zone, which is the zone right around obviously the airport on Pier One Road. And this was submitted by Hinckley Yachts. Planning Commission also sent a favorable recommendation to the commissioners for this amendment. So, um could you do me a favor? Could you come up Steph?

So there's a lot of folks that don't understand how this citizen sponsor text amendment process works. I mean obviously the commissioners do, but if you could just give them the condensed version of someone comes up with something that they'd like to introduce as a zoning change or an ordinance that's accepted in a zone or usage and how the process gets to the point where it is today.

Yep. So the first 10 business days of February, any citizen in the county, a resident in the county can submit a citizen sponsored text amendment, which essentially is an amendment submitted by a citizen. Um, other text amendments can be sponsored by the planning commission or the county commissioners. Um, the process then goes to the planning commission and they will send a recommendation to the county commissioners. Uh, we do um kind of we do a staff report to our planning commission. Um we also take this and we will have a kind of a meeting with other agencies to have their um input as well. That's the Yep. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Yep. Appreciate it.

So we got several this year in addition to the ones you can stay right there, Stephanie, please. Um I think we have four of these tonight from citizen sponsored amendments and then we have I think a couple more that are pending uh planning commission review. So, we'll see a couple of more of these in the in the weeks ahead. I I'll I'll make a motion. I move to introduce and schedule a public hearing regarding county ordinance 26-04 to amend 181-34D. Second. We have a motion to second. Any discussion on this item?

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. So, move five. All right, commissioners. Thank you. Um, item number six is county ordinance 2607. This is uh for non-residential floor area in the waterfront village center zoning district. And the intent here is to amend county ordinance uh 20 the amen the intent of 2607 is to increase the byite maximum non-residentidential floor area from 30% to 40% within the waterfront village center district and remove the bonus standard that allows for that floor area ratio ratio up to 40%. Planning commission also sent a favorable report to the commissioners for this amendment.

I'll introduce that one. You want to read it? We don't need a motion for introduction. No, just introduce you. Just Yeah. All right. So, we don't need a vote on Jack has introduced. Yeah. Just the commissioner says I'm going to introduce it. Well, I did it last the same way. It's fine. Okay. Yeah, we just have to introduce him right now. Okay.

Is that the only question you had, Commissioner? Okay. Okay. Um, item number seven, county ordinance 2608. This is for commercial apartments also in the waterfront village center zoning district. And the intent of this text amendment uh is to add additional provisions to allow commercial apartments within the WVC district to locate the commercial apartment dwelling unit on any same floor including the first floor of those buildings. Um and this was also um recommended favorably by the uh planning commission uh for the commissioners. So this would this would allow a commercial use to be on an upper floor. I'm all over this one. Okay. So who introduced it? This was prepared by Mr. Jody Schultz.

So I guess my question on it, Steph Tiffany, is aren't we changing commercial to residential? I mean apartments, aren't they going to be residential now under with the the discussion we had about the moratorium, right? That apartments would be now residential, not commercial any longer, right? So they were already changed with the sewer allocation policy that was previously right. But this new one that we may adopt will then the I can't remember which one they fall under. It's the opposite of how we looked at. Yeah. The the residential component for a commercial department would be considered a non-residential use, but this text amendment allows for commercial uses. Typically, a commercial apartment's on the first floor and you have apartments above it. Well, this would allow that commercial use to be on the upper floors

to the flip-flop basically. Exactly. Which where the use would be. I gota Yeah. So if you want to put a restaurant, let's say, on the top on the top floor with a better view, that might be an application that this would apply to. And but there's no ratio anymore. Yes. The So the ratio would still be required to be met. It's just that you can do them. It's reverse of the way we do it now where it's required to be on the first floor, I guess. Right.

All right. I'll introduce 2608. All right. Okay. Two more of these. Now we have item number uh 8, county ordinance 2609, amendments to the transfer development rights TDR standards. And here the intent is to amend the transferable development rights standards to allow a transfer or parcel which is designated as open space to be subdivided through the administrative subdivision process to accommodate a lot line adjustment. uh not to add in any additional new lots, just to adjust the lot lines between the parcels. And this was submitted uh by Jeff Thompson. Remember, this was submitted by Jeff last year. So, this is uh another attempt at getting this.

So, if you So, what you're saying is if you have two lots that are side by side, you can adjust the lines and make one smaller in order to make one larger. That's all they're asking to do. Yep. So, within the open space. Within the open space. Yep. I'll introduce 2609. And just for the public, these are text amends, citizen sponsored text amendments. They're all going to get the process. We're introducing them all. They're going to be heard. So, and I guess that was the component that I mean, you brought us to where we are today. But understand the these are being introduced, right? And then u they'll be heard.

Then there'll be there'll be two weeks of public hearings. I mean, two weeks for the public to uh share their opinions on it. And then it'll come back to the commissioners where those opinions can be shared. We can either vote on it or we can extend it out to more weeks to allow more public comment. Yep. Okay. Yep.

All right. Moving on. Uh county ordinance 2610 item 9 pages 99 through 119 amendments to the non-ontiguous development standards. Similar to the previous um ordinance, this is to amend the non-ontiguous development standards to allow non-ontiguous and development parcels which are also designated as open space to be subdivided through the administrative subdivision process to accommodate lot line adjustments only. No new creation of new additional lots also submitted by Jeff Thompson and Mr. Barry Parker. I'll introduce 2610. You're on a roll, Jack.

Right. Right, that is all of the citizen sponsor text amendments we had today. Commissioners, thank you. Um, we have one more ordinance, uh, 2612, and this is for the County Forest Conservation Act, chapter 182 of the Code of Public Local Laws. This was submitted by staff, and I think I'll let Stephanie update you on this one. This is this was her Yep.

her good work. So um previously the state had passed Senate Bill 526 and House Bill 1511. Um those two bills come become effective July 1 and they will basically kind of rearrange how forest conservation is calculated. Um it's kind of revamp of the entire program. Um it was the first revamp since the program was established. Um so what it'll allow for it'll change uh add some exe exemptions um to the list. It will change um the mitigation rate at which is required. Um it will add that all riparian and buffers are to be forested. It will also update uh the priority preservation areas to include some other um environmental um aspects and also it will um allow for it requires any notification to adjacent property owners if they are um submitting a forest conservation plan. So there are quite a few changes. Um it's a state requirement. So, in order to move forward, um obviously we'll be um have to be compliant as of July 1. Um

so, gentlemen, I I've looked into this one and the one thing I want to add to this is that I want to make it that we're going to do something outside the box and we're going to be the first county to say you can't put solar in there and do it. Um because right now the state, this clears the path to do what they're doing down on uh Route 8. And my objection is that it shouldn't happen. So we can put it in fight the battle later with the state and our uh if everybody's all right with that. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yep. Chris, you good with that?

When would this this um would how does this affect anything that's already on the books? So it would not affect anything that is already their grandfather because it would be as of July 1 when they submit an application is how that would but to my knowledge that hasn't been submitted yet right uh the Kent solar I believe it has but it does also have we do have some sun setting sun setting language that we have crafted in order which if there is an application that was already on the books if they don't finalize it within a year of the adoption then they have to comply with

what will be the new regulations. So that is um in there and that's something that can be changed. That's not something that's a state requirement. That's just something we crafted in order to address the applications that are already in here where they've already done the design work and have worked towards it. So that's something that can be altered if if desired. So, we'll introduce it as is and then have the adjustments made before the hearing. We can. Yep. Look at it. All right. Specific. Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. I'll introduce it.

And just to clarify, you're looking at just the solar exemption is what you want to alter. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I mean, that's the only one we're being inundated with. So, yes, probably should just say all tier one power, but that might be too much of a reach. I say go for it. A little red flag up.

All right. Thank you. Thank you, Stephanie. And that's all the uh legislative items we have for this evening, commissioners. So we can um move into the presentations portion of the agenda. So first up um that's in tab number six. So tab six item one we have proclamation 2612 for month of the young child. Are the folks here for that? Stephanie come on in. Julie Valello. Julie. Elizabeth Miller and Stacy Woodworth, chair, Queen's County, Children's Council. Come on up, please. Yeah. If anything falls,

you can lock this. Push it all the way up and lock it.

You Who's Phil? You got this information. I do. You want that first or All right. This is item one, page one, tab six. Commissioners, hello, commissioners. Julie, take it away. Yeah, good evening. Nice to see you all again. Yeah.

Um, the children's council really appreciates you hosting us this evening. Um, we are here for month of the young child. Uh, this is the 29th year that we're celebrating it. Um, I have not been celebrating it for 29 years. after I'm only 29 this year, but but we are very excited to be here. So, thank you for having us. Um, we would like to just recognize some groups and individuals and businesses. Um, the Queen Ants County Community Partnerships for Children and Families, um, the QA Board of Education and the Bay Times, Shore United Bank, Island Printing, and the Queen Ans County Children's Council. Um, without all of um, those people, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. um especially with the month of the young child. Um I mentioned that we've been celebrating this for 29 years. Uh we have had almost 300 entries for the poster contest and we had to select um actually this year just three winners and we have two categories. uh the two-year-old through prek. Uh we have two winners in that category. And what they had to do is they had to answer a question with their artwork and the question was I love growing up in Queen Ans County because and then they completed the sentence and two of our winners um they said it was because of the Queen Ans County Fair which is the biggest event in Queen Ans County. So, we're very excited to see that. Um, those two winners and we have presentations that we have their artwork um in frames for them. Um, I can announce th those winners. Um, it's a beer Roy and he is a in preK at the Church Hill Elementary School and then Braden Blackburn. He's um also a prek student and he's at Little Learners uh Little Lights Learners Preschool, excuse me. And then our second category, um,

kindergarten through 2 grade. And the winner in that age category is Molly Weeble. And she's in second grade at Centerville Elementary School. And they are with us tonight along with their families. Awesome. Welcome. Thank you. So, do you want to are you going to pass those out or you want I did I didn't know if you wanted to do the proclamation or I can pass these out now. I have Yes. I actually have the the honor of reading the proclamation. Okay.

Proclamation 26-12. Whereas the month of April has been designated the month of the young child by the state of Maryland. And whereas all children are vitally important to the state and to the future of this country. And whereas a safe and stable environment for our children is the most importance to Queen Ans County. And whereas we know that as a community all young children deserve quality early learning environments that support them as a capable and competent lifelong learners. And whereas we recognize the importance of seeing children as a positive resource for the present and the future of our community. And whereas we must ensure that our children are healthy emotionally, physically, intellectually, socially, and mentally in order to promote successful growth from infancy into adulthood. And whereas we know that as a community, children and their families deserve quality and accessible child care, early education programs, build strong brains during the critical years from birth to age five. And whereas we as a community know the importance of working with these agencies and schools and helping and preparing our young children to be ready for school and continue to be successful throughout their school career. And whereas we recognize the importance of being intentionally in building positive uh assets and opportunities for our children. And whereas we realize that it takes a community members to help our children grow in positive ways and in character. And we encourage all members of our community to recognize the importance of early childhood education care and support local childhood programs and initiatives. Celebrate the achievements and potential of our young children. and advocate for policies that promote highquality early learning opportunities for our children and engage with families and caregivers to

foster a positive and supportive environment for our young children. Whereas we recognize the teachers and others who work on behalf of the young children birth through 2 grade who make a difference in the lives of young children in Quaintance County deserve thanks and recognition. And whereas we all call upon Quinan citizens to join together to ensure kindness, love, laughter, respect, and encouragement is a daily part of a child's life. Now, therefore, we the county commissioners of Queen Ans County do hereby designate the month of April as the month of the young child in Queen Ans County.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. So, one of our winners um in the age category of prek through um I'm sorry, age 2 through prek is uh a beer boy. So, I like to have him come up and a beer is Come on. Come on.

He says, "No way." Picture Get out of the way. That's a coin. That's not a pig.

If you want. Yeah. Hey, we usually do it over here. Commissioner picture. Just make sure he delivered United Bank has a gift for you. A gift bag your money. I know where it is. Say thank you. Thank you. And a $50 gift card. Congratulations. That really

And our second winner in the same category is uh Braden Blackber.

This is not that I'm giving a gift card. Go ahead. Sorry, just taking pictures. Okay, let's swap. Try this. Oh, your phone is just of course frozen. Of course.

Take that. This is how you get the kids to come to commissioner meetings. You just give them stuff when they come. I'm going back there. And our winner in second grade, I'm sorry, kindergarten through second grade is Molly Weeble. And she is from That's awesome. Okay, we're going to get a picture with your family. Some of your family. They have a bunch more. Yeah, I know. We

all right. Excellent. That's yours. Got it. At least six. All right. Yeah, no problem. You want to get on with commissioners? And then do we want Can we do one large photo, too? Sure. Sure. Absolutely. That's what we've been holding out for. Yeah. Bring the three winners back up. Yeah. Come on back up. Bring your Bring your picture back up. Bring your picture. Oh, you can hold your arm. Every time.

Push in there with this. There you go. Come on in here. Big strong muscle. Hold on. Long enough for the picture. Okay.

We can't see you. Right there.

All right. Hey, Chris, we're going to photoshop your picture into that. We're going to photoshop your picture or or an egg. We'll just put an egg in there.

Patrick, don't worry. There's no pictures with this next one. Yeah, pictures. pictures. What's that? You give this to me every year.

All right, commissioners. Our next presentation is um with the for all seasons. So, we have Miss Beth Anne Dorman, president and CEO. Miss Katie Thiki, chief marketing marketing and communications officer both for for all seasons. Proclamation 2614 sexual assault awareness month. Page two, tab six in your books. Evening. Good evening.

Evening. It's so good to be back with all of you. Um I'm Bethanne Dorman from For All Seasons. I know that we are typically meeting on a mental health front. Um, Queen's County has become just an really important county in our organization, especially as we've entered into the peer support program with your first responders. And I think um given the conversations around um prevention of young people dying by suicide, we're really excited to also be here um not only in a mental health capacity, but in this month in particular because it's sexual assault awareness month. And so while you're familiar with the mental health side of who we are, this is a really important opportunity for us to talk about the rape crisis center. We are the only rape crisis center serving the five counties of the midshore. Our office is located up in Stevensville. And there's some really important things about the work that our staff is doing. They operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a week a year. And they never stop in both English and Spanish. Our services are provided to include confidential hotlines, crisis counseling. Um, our advocates when there is a sexual assault victim that presents to the hospital systems, meets that victim or the family of a child at the hospital, they stay with the victim as they go through the rape kit. And they don't just stop there. If law enforcement is involved, they continue to provide advocacy with our law enforcement community. and they make sure that the next day there is first of all there's a plan before they leave the hospital so that there's a safe place for the person to go home to but the next day they also are seen in our office provided crisis counseling and we continue to stay with that person if it's an adult victim in the state of Maryland in 2009 there was something um signed into law called the Jane Doe law and sometimes there is a victim who presents to the hospital who's not ready

to report to law enforcement This law became really important and continues to serve in an really important capacity because we still as the rape crisis center and as the hospital system provide all of those same services regardless of whether or not an adult individual chooses to report. We also serve on your child advocacy center here in Queens County. And so anytime that there's a child sexual abuse victim that presents, our staff is working right alongside the child advocacy center to make sure that services are provided, we're working with the local law enforcement with EMS and all the folks who may be involved. Why this really matters is because right now we are seeing sexual abuse and sexual assault numbers higher in Maryland than we are seeing across the nation. And specifically for this region when we think about, you know, I I said to Katie as we were just sitting there and we're talking about children, we are really in a time where prevention is so important and folks understanding that this isn't something that just happens over there. It's something that's happening right here in our own counties and making sure that we are taking steps and having these conversations and that everyone is aware that this is an issue that really touches all families. When you think about the fact that one in four women and one in five men have some sort of unwanted sexual encounter in their lifetime, those numbers are huge. And when we look around rooms with children or adults, we all know someone, even if we don't know that we know someone who has been impacted by sexual violence. So, we're really glad to be here in front of you to share a little bit more about that end of our services. We are doing some really important work through our center for learning. The center for learning is the arm of our agency that helps to bring education not only to our own team. We have just under 100 employees who are doing this work day in and day out but also educating the

community. So right now there are several trainings on our website and we encourage folks to go there at forallseasonsinc.org or talking about healthy relationships, talking about how trauma shows up in children and in our families. And really the call to action that I would say is be mindful of what's happening. Thinking about for children, not what's wrong with you, but what happened to you. Because many times when kids are presenting in not their best self mode, as I would call it, there's something that's happening. And so really being able to create safe spaces and making sure that kids have someone to go to when things are not going well. And just remembering that through the month of April, but through all 12 months of the year, that sexual violence is prevalent in our communities. And we as a community, you know, both men and women have a responsibility to be a part of the solution. So thank you so much for having us here today.

Yeah. Proclamation. Absolutely. If if I may before I read the pro proclamation, uh how do for those listening, how do how do parents approach their children about everything you just talked about? Yeah. to ask them if they are in these situations whether it's how you started your conversation about suicidal ideiation thoughts all the way to the appropriate

etc. I so appreciate that question and I think the first thing is to to not be afraid to to talk about it and be able to create situations where we are asking our children not just how was your day but tell me tell me what's happening so that there's some open-ended questions if there is a a shift in how a child is presenting making sure that we're saying things like help me understand what's happening and and making sure that we're not just asking those questions once but that we're following up. you know, sometimes there's going to be really strong signs that maybe something is wrong, but other times there might not be signs at all. And so, it's just the consistency of taking the time on that car ride when you're going to school to be talking about tell me what's happening, you know, what's happening with your friends, making sure that we aren't um sort of blowing by conversations with our kids. The ability to kind of put the phones down and be mindful of a conversation and letting a child just sit in silence. Sometimes, you know, sometimes when kids don't answer right away, we tend to fill in their words for them. And so sometimes it's really important to let that to let that just that silence sit and go back and have the same conversation. And I always say

in in the business world, we have to think with our with our heads and our hearts in this world. Remember that your heart is deeply connected to your gut. And if you think that there's something wrong, continue to go back and follow up on it. that our guts usually tell us something and our hearts usually as parents or as caregivers, we know when something's not right. And so, um, always asking the questions and being able to continue to follow up would be the best way. And, and there's no magic sauce, right? I mean, how one family talks about it may be different than another. But here's what I would also say about our rape crisis center. We not only serve the family or the victims, but we also serve the families. And so I would encourage any parent, we have a hotline that it operates 24 hours a day. If you don't know how to have the conversation with your child and you're saying, "I'm totally stuck. How do I even do this?" We're here for that, too. So, it's not just about serving the victim, but it's also about having this conversation that, you know, you've asked this question that we can have right now. We can do that all the time with parents and families who might be struggling. And I also just wanted to add, I think it's really important to help kids understand when you're having these conversations that they're not going to be in trouble if they've engaged in some activities. You know, maybe they've engaged with sexual activities with an older person and they don't want to talk about it because they feel like they're responsible or they're going to get in trouble or they've had suicidal ideiation and they're afraid to say it because they think that is shameful and there's something, you know, bad that they've done. And so I also think that sharing stories because I feel like we all have stories from our childhood, from our youth, from different times in life where we've known someone or we've engaged in something we shouldn't have done. Um, so that not to normalize what's happening, but to help them feel to open the door for conversation, to help them feel more

comfortable to know that I know I'm in trouble. I know I've done something I shouldn't be doing, but it's it's okay to talk about it because there's a way out and helping kids understand we can figure out any problem together.

Yeah. And if I might just tack on to that, if that should happen and there is a conversation, our our agency launched open access just over two years ago, five days a week you can walk into for all seasons or tellaalth into four all seasonasons for mental health appointments with no weight list. And so we recognized that we were sitting among a lot of our sister agencies with 12 and 14month weight lists. And we've totally changed the way that we do business. And so whether you're here in Queens County, whether you're working in Montgomery County, it doesn't matter where you are in the state of Maryland, 5 days a week, mental health assessments are provided. There's no wait list. And we see folks regardless of their ability to pay. So if there's a family who's listening saying, "I'm having these conversations and I absolutely need help, but I either don't have insurance or I have insurance, but I haven't met my deductible. There's no way I can do that." That's why we raise over a million dollars a year to cover that gap for families and that's right here in your county. You know, we've been a part of Queen Ans County for 32 years. Our agency turns 40 this year and so um we really hope that folks will take an opportunity to just pick up the phone or tellalth in or walk in our office so they can receive those services when they need them. Because if there's a family struggling or if there's a child struggling and they're told, "We'll get back to you in 12 months." We know that that's not going to be a real good story of success. But we're hopeful that with the open access program, families will be able to receive the services they need when they need them.

For those listening, Bethanne, who would they call? What would be their first step at 1 in the morning? Um, so they who does mom So who who does mom or dad call when they think they're something's going on with their child? And then who does the child call?

Yeah. So they can call our hotline. It's 410829-4700. Um they can also, you know, if there's an intimate danger and and a parent is aware of it, I would always say call our alarm law enforcement partners. Um it's so important they you know I think often um when we think about partnerships in the community we can say from 100% certainty that the law enforcement in Queen Ans County are phenomenal partners and they are there to walk right alongside families. And so whether it's our hotline that you're calling if it's um someone who's struggling with suicide there is also 988. It's national. Um, you know, the local hotlines are are right here, but you know, if there's a call that comes in at 1:00 in the morning, our job is to make sure that we can put some sort of a safety plan in place until the office opens that next morning. And sometimes that would also include folks like mobile crisis. Um, it may include law enforcement. But I would say, you know, really I go back to trusting your gut and just picking up that call if nothing else so that we know that we can get whatever assistance is needed.

So, do you work with Taba County also? We serve all five counties. Yes. Yep. So, you're familiar with Dr. Rob Schmidt with the yellow? Yeah, he's a partner of ours. Yep. Great partner of ours.

Is that a Is that the gold standard? The the yellow ribbon yellow card. So, I think that the the yellow ribbon program has um has been a program that has been successful in the Tula County schools. I think with any program, we have to make sure that there's education that dovetales. I look at it sort of like a a circle. So, if the yellow ribbon program and the t-shirt and the awareness that the schools are putting out is here, what's over here? And the over here is what's the education that we're providing? Not just once a year, you know, even even us being here with sexual assault awareness month, it's a one time a year thing that we come and we sit in front of you and we talk about this. What really is important with any of these campaigns and I believe what success looks like is the consistency of the message ongoing. So, it's not just about one time. It's not just about what I call like your say and spray programs like I say it once and I hope that it sticks. It's about really ingrained programming in our schools, in our faith communities, in our volunteer communities, in sports communities so that the message is consistent and we're breaking down the stigma at the same time so that it's not just a one-time thing that folks are hearing. So Rob does great work and he has been able to really make some headway. I think there's always um opportunity to say even though we're doing great work, what are some things we could be doing to supplement and how can we be using the partners across the community because it's never going to be just one one person has the magic answer. The beauty of what we know and the way that I really believe we have been able to be successful in our counties is we don't do this alone. We do it better together. And so taking a program like that and then saying okay well what's the next layer and what's the next layer and how

frequently are we having these conversations so that it just becomes whenever I whenever I do um a presentation at a cocktail party I say to folks all the time if we talked about some of these hard topics and they are hard I mean I don't want to I don't want to forget to say that some of this stuff is uncomfortable to talk about but if we talked about the mental health of our families if we talked about sexual assault If we talked about this education as much as we all checked in about the football scores or who's, you know, who's making it to the Stanley Cup championship, what a different community we would have because at the end of the day, every single person in this room and listening, we all have struggled with mental health. We all know someone who has been impacted by sexual assault. Even if there's not a diagnosis in mental health, we all know symptoms. We know guilt. We know loss. We know depression. We know anxiety. Every single person has that experience. And so there is that relatable piece if we can bring the education to the other side of things like the yellow ribbon campaign.

Well, thank you. Can I read this? Absolutely.

Proclamation 2614. Whereas, April 2026 marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month, SAM, a time to bring attention to the widespread issue of sexual violence and empower communities to take action. And whereas sexual assault, abuse, and harassment affect people of every age, gender, race, and background. And every person in our community deserves safety, dignity, and respect. And whereas in Maryland, more than half of women, 57% ha have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime and one in four men report experience some sort of unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime, compared to 45% of women and 16% of men nationally. And whereas one in three female victims and one in four male victims of rape are attempted rape first experienced it as children between the ages of 11 and 17. And whereas for all seasons April 2026 sexual assault awareness month campaign focuses on helping midshore residents to stay informed, vigilant, and equipped to safeguard themselves and their communities against sexual violence. And whereas Queen Anands County supports the experts who work to identify and prevent sexual violence and is dedicated to providing services and avenues for survivors to seek proper care and treatment. And whereas sexual assault awareness month in each day of the year is an opportunity to stand with survivors, recognize progress in combating these crimes and recommmit to reducing sexual violence in Queen Ans County. Now therefore, we the county

commissioners of Queen of Queen Anians County do hereby recognize April 2026 as sexual assault awareness month month and call this observance to the attention of our citizens. Thank you. Thank you. You Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the conversation. Absolutely. Thank you for listening. Thank you. Thank you for being diligent. Yeah. Always.

Thank you. Right, commissioners. We have our final presentation for this evening. We have our library director, Miss Janet Salazar, and she's here with two of her board members, Miss Sharon Sinsky Hopkins and Miss Natalie Bilbro. Come on up. And um we have the presentation up on the screen. It is also in your books. Again, tab six, item three, pages 3 through 10. Thank you. All right. Welcome. Welcome. Oh. She's one.

Thank you for having us this evening. It's nice to see you all. I saw Commissioner Moran this morning at the chamber breakfast. So, very nice presentation. Thank you.

Um, we're just here to give a quick update on the library. Last week was National Library Week, so we would have been here last week except you all weren't meeting. So, we're here this week. So, thank you for having us. And I hope I can make this work. Usually I don't. Oh, there we go. So, this is our annual report for FY25. Just some highlights from the annual report. Um, library visits are up 24% from the year before to FY25, so we're busy. And we're also busy this year. It's already up more this year than it was last year, so we're good. Um, some of the things you'll see as far as programs, we had some really great programs in FY25. One of the better attended ones was the fish mobile that we had with a mobile library where who doesn't like to go inside a big huge fish? That's what they did. Um and that was very well attended with 250 people. Um we do a a AARP tax aid program every year and in FY25 we had uh 394 people we served and this year we served 572. So we're busy busy busy when it comes to things. Our maker space has had um in FY25 1,353 unique users and so far in FY26 we've had 2,210. So our maker space has really taken off and everybody seems to really like it. So we're we're busy and your tax dollars are being well spent. Just a few other things we'd like to highlight. Um, our Book Buddies program, it started out as Guys Read, um, I think in 2017. Um, last year they asked us to kind of move it up to something more like Book Buddies to include both, um, girls and boys. Guys read was specifically for boys in third grade, but um, with the reading resource teachers, they really said that there's a whole group of students that are struggling with reading. It would be great if everyone could have access to

the program. So this year we were able to serve 193 students across all six elementary schools and we distributed 240 books. 18 of them were to be in the media centers of those schools and the rest were given directly to students. Um the four titles that we used were these four Owls Diary, Press Start, Game Over, Dragon Masters, and Eerie Elementary. They're all the first of a series of um books. So once they read the first book, they'll have a whole bunch more that they can read. Um it was very well attended. All of the um volunteers were very pleased with how it went. And next year um what we've been hearing is it would be really nice that if the week they're reading Owl Diaries, if we could just give the book to every student so that they continue to read it when they get home. At the end of the program, the way it's been you working is they get to choose one of those books. But next year, we're hoping to get funding so that everyone would get each one of those books as they go through the program. So they would hear all about get to read about all diaries and then go home and finish it and then the next week they would get the next book and then go home and finish it. So um hopefully we can do that next year. Um, another huge program that we're really actually very proud of is our storytime on wheels program. We have a dedicated um, core of 11 volunteers. They go into 11 inhome daycarees. Monthly we're serving about 48 children and these are children who would not normally be able to come into the library for our story times. So, our volunteers go out and do story time in in home daycarees and it's been very wellreceived and those are also very dedicated volunteers. They love what they do. We have a whole like um couple of shelves just full of packets that they get to take with them. So, they get

books, they get them manipulative, they get some kind of craft that they do with the children. And that's what story time on wheels is all about. Um, our FY20 our 2026 summer reading program is almost here. It is under the story this year. It starts on June 1st. It runs through July 31st and it's free for everyone. So, we'll hope will come out. It we have reading challenges and prizes. Um, lots of community engagement and family participation this year. Our summer reading kickoff is on June 6th. It is at the Kent Island branch. We hope to see some of you there. Um, basically what we do at our kickoff is we have bounce houses and face painting and usually some kind of ice cream treat and lots of funny fun family activities for people to do. And of course, you can sign up for the summer reading program. If you're a child, you'll get our summer reading t-shirt. If you're an adult, we have a book bag we're going to give you. So hopefully you'll come out and sign up for our summer reading program. And this is just a sad reminder that Hoopla is going away from the library. We can't sustain it. Um, I don't know any library system really that can sustain it because it is a payperuse model. If you check out one audio book, it is $3.99 every single time you do that. And if you don't read it, we still have to pay for it. So, um, I don't know any library that is actually still sustaining Hoopla. So, ours is going away. But in replace of Hoopla, we are going to have something called a lucky day collection. We currently have a lucky day collection. There will just be more things in it. And that's just if you're waiting for the new James Patterson and it happens to be available that day, you get it. So, it's a lucky day for you. Um, we're also going to be putting money into Blackstone Audio since most of what we were spending our money on is on audio books. Um, and they have a very large catalog of different

titles. And we'll be adding Canopy Plus, which is um a film series. So people will be able to get their DVDs that you would have been able to get on Hoopla. So we're really happy to be able to replace things that we're taking away, but it's sad that Hoopla's gone away. Hoopla was one of my favorite things. So I'm very sad that it's going away. And then last but not least, I don't know if any of you did this, but at the fair this last year at our booth, you could create a puzzle piece. And at the end of the fair, we put them all together in this big huge puzzle. There was no way we were ever going to be able to drag that around to all the places we wanted to show it. So, it has been created digitally and this will be within our branches and it will be part of our marketing campaign. But it's just a reminder that everyone can find their place at the library including the county commissioners. So, we hope to see you at the library. And I totally forgot to introduce my board members. This is how come you all should just go chance. I have two board members who've been here today, Sharon and Natalie. And I will let them talk about themselves because they know more than I do.

Oh, I didn't know I was gonna have to talk about myself. Well, now you know. Now I know. Yeah. So, I'm Sharon Cincy Hopkins. I live in Stevensville. I've been on the board of the library, I think, since 2021. And uh it's a great place to be on the board because people love the library because the library staff makes it so wonderful. the county funds it so well and uh that's what I'd have to say.

And I'm Natalie Bilbro. I'm one of the newest uh board members. they just joined the end of last year. Um because the library system is so important to me and it's such a valuable resource in our community and I've been astounded at how much, you know, Janet and her staff are able to do with the resources the library has and really maximizing every dollar that's put into the system utilizing all the wonderful volunteers in the county. um my family and our two young children, you know, it's kind of a weekly event in our family going to the library and yeah, we're just amazed at all the resources they have there. Nice. Very good. Yeah.

So, do you what do you think what's driving the the increase? That's a pretty large increase in visitors. I think it's the amazing renovations that were done. I think we have amazing programs, but I also think that when when people start facing economic hard times, the library is one of the first places they go. So when things are not great outside, the library unfortunately does really really well because everything we do is free.

I have walked in there to try to find quiet space that that every single room is in occupied that every glassed in room is somebody's working in there. I mean, it's crazy. If we're going to do any future expansion, let's just do more of those little quiet cell areas where people can I mean, there's never any room. It never is. And the maker space is very, very popular because where else are you going to have access to that where you don't really have to pay for it and you can learn a new skill or a new craft. So, I think that's really what drives it and just because we have great staff so people want to come back and see them. So, very good. Awesome. Well, thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you all.

All right. All right, commissioners. That is all of the presentations we had this evening. So, we have a couple action items. First, we have the Department of Public Works. And I think Mr. Steve Kahune is here. Yes.

Uh with that item, um this is the first item. Uh this is tab number two. Item one, pages 1 through six. This is the annual draft letter we send to the uh secretary of transportation for the uh MDOT priority letter for inclusion in the FY20 27 2032 consolidated transportation plan. Um, similar to last year, we have a couple new additions, but I'll I'll let I'll turn it over to Steve to let him highlight the uh the major additions this year and uh talk about anything else the commissioners may want to add to this list of priorities for transportation here in Queenians County.

Yes. Thank you, Todd. This is a draft letter for your review and um please add or um rearrange as you see fit. Um it's really for for your to set your priorities. um a few changes from you guys see this letter every year. It's very similar year after year because it takes so long to get transportation improvements. Um we did rearrange a few things um because of all the attention at um and the um accidents at the US 30145 intersection. We moved that to the top of the list for our top safety improvement. The commissioners have met several times with MDOT on that intersection. Um the commissioners have also um um tried to secure funding through federal earmarks to move improvements forward at that intersection and also supported legislation to um try to manage the high speeds at that intersection as well. There's been a lot of action around that intersection, a lot of um commissioner involvement in that intersection. We move that to the top of the list as our top safety improvement. Um the ongoing uh Chesapeake Bay crossing study, tier 2 NEPA, we adjusted the language there a little bit. The the adding capacity at the Bay Bridge is the top capacity improvement on our list. Um adding uh the new Bay Bridges. We changed the language from expedite and complete NEPA to expedite um the design and construction. move directly into design and construction and you and funding the uh bridges. So we um adjusted that language a little bit since the time has passed. So um also uh because the NEPA study um the preferred and recommended alternative in the NEPA study for the tier 2 crossing

recommended widening for only 2 miles of US50 from the Bay Bridge to Cox Creek. We added in our priority letter that state highway should continue to plan for widening of the rest of the corridor to Queenstown and actually it really needs to go all the way to 404 to 404. You see that accident? Yes. Yeah.

404. Um so while the NEPA process is a big step forward to get a new br two new bridges and replacement bridges we recognize the need and want to push state highway to continue to plan in that corridor so it doesn't sit and we have to start the process later we want it to continue as part of this program. So, so Steve, number eight is uh 50 and 213, but you're really saying to 404. So, it's 2134. So, that's a separate one. We're on uh number three was plan future widening of US50 301 corridor from Cox Creek to Queenstown.

Uh we can expand that to actually say Y Mills. Um the the number eight um is in that corridor and it was construction of the US50 uh Maryland 213 interchange that's been on the list for many many years. Um they have the property SHA has owns the property in order um to build that interchange. Uh they secured it many years ago uh but never funded the that construction. So that remains on our list as as a placeholder. We would like them to see. But what I mean is on number eight that includes a extra lane to 404 um from the college.

We we can clarify that and make sure um I can add language to make sure that's in there. Yep.

So Stephen, in that same vein, do they have the same property already allocated? The state have it um for the 404 interchange because obviously that would have to be the same thing. I think it would have to be a interchange there to be effective enough for to handle the traffic because I mean we at Nauseium we talk about this that the the traffic goes one way it splits. When it comes back it's all coming back in one spot. So that where that split is that traffic light there is going to become the next bottleneck which will back it up into Ys and further probably up into Queenstown when you have backups with that light. Do they have the property that they could put an interchange there to make that all seamless there?

I'll have to check on that. A full interchange, I'm not sure. They did secure um all the highway uh or all the rightway needed to widen it um to six lanes um back in, you know, 20 years ago. Uh so they had the corridor designed um they I I know they designed the um interchange at 213 and 50. Um, I'd have to go back and check at 404 whether they actually designed an interchange there or not. Yeah, because we have an interchange there. Like I said, you're just moving the choke point, which is that's a reality, but it's something that no forward thinking is going into this right now to look at the the true mitigation of this because let's face it, when you split those there, you go to Easton, traffic's never bad in East anymore because a lot of people are getting off on the 404 bypass and they'll go all the way down and they'll cut across 309. It'll take all other kind of alternate routes to get down that way or 13, 113, whatever. So I don't know.

Um so also al also in the letter was um you our continued uh partnership with SHA for ramp management on Ken Island. That's uh get getting ready to begin for this um summer. Um we're putting out notices now about uh the ramp management uh times on the weekends and the hours. um construction approve improvements on Maryland 18. SHA did fund a study looking at um planned improvements along Maryland 18. They completed that study. Now we're asking them to design some of those improvements and start funding them. Um and you know the big issue there is Maryland 18's the uh the only alternative route on Ken Island. When US50 gets 301 gets backed up, all the traffic goes to 18. We need more capacity on 18. Um, supporting the uh, planning, design, and engineering of the pedestrian overpass. The commissioners approved a feasibility study and selected a location for a pedestrian overpass uh, earlier this year, and we're asking for state highways assistance uh, to continue that and to help fund that uh, and to move that forward. um continue our effort support our efforts for other bike and ped um working to expand the bike and ped network network and make trail connections. Uh construct the 53213 interchange as we mentioned. Um continue to support our local transit efforts. Um support the Chesapeake Bay passenger ferry. county participated in that um feasibility study and and um ask that efforts continue in that um continue there and then continue to support re regional um cooperation you work with our adjacent counties as we make for transportation improvements.

So I will take any direction to add adjust.

I don't necessarily I I think this is a you know go big or go home. So I I think this is I think this does address a lot of our concerns. I I have a question regarding the the ramp program that's coming up um in the middle of May. Uh specifically um Duke Street. So they come off of Duke Street, they can get into the gas station and get gas and get back out on 50, but they can't go an extra 40 feet and make a left and go down and hit some of those businesses that are down um as you're approaching Route 8 on the right hand side like that, the little strip plaza there. So the the the trucks aren't letting them go past the entrance and exit of the gas station and then that's it. So, people that have businesses down there, how do how do people come off of 50 and get to those businesses?

They go up the Route 8 ramp, they turn right, go to Big Bats, turn right again, and come in from the other side. Yeah, we don't close off Duke Street totally. You can get to either one side or the other. It really depends where Duke Street like going to the ramp and turn right and go to those businesses where the gun shop is and right boat place. Yeah, it it would depend on where we place the truck, whether we place it behind Cleat Street or that side street um so people coming off 50 can go there or in front of the street so people coming off of 18 can go there.

So is the concern to the commissioner's point is that people will use that to get back on to go east, right? Well, that's we're we're blocking the road so that can't be so traffic can't get back on to US50 at that location. Correct. Um, so we we would have to um So, but what what is what is what's the problem with I mean, I understand that you would just continue up to eight and then go to get off before you get off before that. You can get off of Castle Marina and get on 18, right up 18 and turn left on Duke Street. And and you can go left on Duke Street and then right down where you're talking about.

Okay. Or you could move the truck back to Cle Street and and then that way they can come up 50 and go right into those businesses. It just you're going to have to put another something to block up the other end or they're going to circumvent back on 18 up around uh that way back to the light. Yeah, we have to be careful of people's trying to sneak around through other parking lots and other and and I guess to that point if there's a backup, why wouldn't you get off of Castle Marina to go to Duke Street versus staying on 50 on the backup anyway, right? So, you know, they're going to go in there, they're going to go to business, but they're not going to be able to get back on, you know, 50 to go back to Cass Marina.

Yeah, we can we can work on um we trying to give a little bit more guidance on how to access those businesses. I I just think in in in speaking to some of the business owners who have brought this to my attention, they just seem it's a little more difficult to try to explain to their potential customers exactly how they need to go to get there. I like the idea of Castle Marina because you just go around the circle, follow 180 all the way up to Duke, make a left, and then you can make a quick ride into there. Okay. I I will talk um to economic development. That seems like a more logical way to get there, Jim, than to go up to Route 8, make a right at the shortstop there and then down 18 to Duke and make a right. So,

anytime you have a closure, the messaging of how to get to where you need to go is important. So, we we can try to work on uh providing some better messaging. So, so how quickly do the way the GPS uh apps of the world, how quickly do they catch up as soon as we make that closure? Do you know? Has anybody within I'm sure I'm sure the MDOT probably reaches out to them. They they probably already are well aware of the fact that on the 17th this is going to go into play. Scheduled closures, they notify them. So, they are. So to your point, you have somebody who doesn't know that back route. It's going to get them there via that back because that would be the quickest way, correct, to get there, right, via GPS if it was going to take you that route there. Correct.

Okay. So they would Yeah. to get off. They would put their destination address into their mapping and it would tell them go that way. Get off that closure. Get off of Castle Marina. Correct. That's what I'm thinking. Okay. Very good. And less traffic probably at that point, too. Sure. All right. 18. No ways has changed the way people travel. Yeah. No ways, no how. All right. Um, you need a motion. Uh, can I ask a last question? Number 12. Um, anything in specific that the rail is going to be rehab that you know of? Example, Tidewater.

Do you from Tidewater to uh

there there's a specific project and funding. available where the state asked the county to make sure this language is was included in the letter. Um, we support the rehab and continuation of the rail system where it's possible. And with us putting it in the letter, it it helps assist the state get the funding to do the rehab and the um um the renovation to the rail system when they need to and and to get the funds. This this says it's a priority for us, keeping that rail system in place. So, have we identified specific track though? Because there is an $8 million grant out there for K and Queen Ans for specifically for this from USDA. Did you know about that?

I I'm not involved in that, but I let me follow up on that because that may be the exact reason that's in our letter. Congressman Harris, Congressman Harris got us $8 million for specifically for uh rehabilitation of the of the railroad, but it it wasn't designated. So, this would be a good time for us to and it's between the two counties and it it would make sense that the state would have to put it in their plan have it in their plan. They've got to match it at 25%.

We would also do the same as far as referencing it here. So that um it wouldn't surprise me if that's a project that resulted in that language going in our letter. And I would think that it would go to the railroad companies. I don't know. Uh let's find utilities. They have Let's find out. They do. They do subcontractors. They're they're like your major power line. They don't Delm Marva doesn't build their own power lines anymore. The railroad companies don't build their own rail. But to that point, Tidewater is a dead head anyway. We can't go beyond Tidewater cuz that that rightway doesn't even exist anymore. Correct.

Uh the rightway is there, but it's not somewhere. I know that. Yeah. Yeah. It's banked as it's a it's railbanked, but it's not usable. Right. Right. Okay. So, Tidewater North, we're good. It's just south. It's no good. They they would like it. We met We met We met with the ownership and they would like it back. They they would use it like once a quarter or something for big shipments. So, okay. Thank you. Thank you, Steve. I move to execute the 2026 priority letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation. Second.

We have a motion to second. Any other discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I oppose. Five. Yep. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Steve. All right. Thank you, Steve. Thanks, Steve. Yeah, we'll definitely check on those segments. I I don't uh we don't typically designate segments, but we'll check that. But the piece, like we mentioned, um tide water all the way up is the right cuz that was still active. Yeah, it is. And they're still using it as I mean they were until they stopped them from using it. Yeah. There was a train cross here a month and a half ago across three by a tide water. Mhm. Yeah. Okay. Single engine with I think it had one or two cars on it.

Interesting. Interesting. All right. We'll check that too. Okay.

All right. Commissioners, we have um one more item of business tonight. It's under new business. Uh so it's under uh tab number three, item one, pages 1 through 26. This is the county commissioner's proposed budget release for 2027. So we have the Yeah. So, Mr. Jeffrey Ranks here, our um director of budget and finance, but we did make um several changes to the um administrator's budget that was presented back in March based on our work sessions that we had with the county commissioners and various departments. Uh first and foremost, um I'll highlight a couple of these. We did uh reduce the real property tax revenue to coincide with a 3 cent tax uh in uh decrease for real property taxes. We added um additional funding for the seventh EMS paramedic crew for the department of emergency services. We added a position for facilities technician in the public housing authority. We increased um athletic field work projects uh for the department of parks and recreation by 682,000 for additional field lights at Batsene Neck Park.

And I know that I speak for hundreds and hundreds of youth baseball players that thank you very much for that.

Yeah, abs. Absolutely. Well, and then uh lastly, we did reduce um estimates for unratified state cost shifts and uh funding estimates for the positions that we were going to have to fund to support a second court judge, which also was not ratified by the general assembly this year. We could probably anticipate getting getting that um back next year for consideration. So, those are the major adjustments. Total proposed general fund operating budget is $230,950,880 with a capital budget of $63,493,968. So that looks good. We have um our annual budget presentation series May 18th, 19th, and 20th at Ken Island Library, Centerville here at Liberty Building and at the middle school in Southernersville on the 18th, 19th, and 20th.

Is this the second year that we've done the the Monday the 18th meeting at the library? We usually did it at the elementary school. Is this the second? At least second, maybe third. Maybe the third time. And it's uh yeah, it's worked out pretty well. Yeah, I think the first year we had a bigger crowd there, but the second year was a little little less, but we uh we accommodated the uh the big crowd, I think. So, it's it's a good bit good venue. We like that one.

That's what I took today to the chamber. What you're reading from? Oh yeah. Okay. This here or that that that that's the letter that with the that was the public letter. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And the and the public mailer is ready to go. That should be mailed out this week Thursday. Yeah. So it'll be get out get out to the citizens as well. What do we need to send approval? Any any questions? Um yeah, I think you just make a motion to approve it and we'll uh proceed on. Yeah, don't need to approve it um till the final one. Well, that's true. Yeah, just unless there's any other changes. Yeah,

cuz after the public hearings, we may want to make Yeah, there could be additional adjustments after the public hearings. Yeah, butterfly. So, this is just anformational thing. Yeah, we're available for questions up through June 9th. Um so, please reach out. What kind of questions are you getting? Oh, not none. Um, just from your commissioner, are you getting any? Yeah, I am a 10%. 10% increase. Yeah. Why is it a 10% increase? It's high. And I Why was Why was what a 10% increase?

I'm explaining that most of it is is statemandated. A lot of it is the school system. 9.3 million. Pretty fair statement. Well, well, so, so one thing that we've glossed over and

I think Patrick, it's got to remember is the increase in revenue. Um I mean really the truth of it is this is we have a lot we have people who are moving the county to very expensive houses that they built and they have high incomes and that is increasing the revenue and thanks to that it has offset the burden of the unfunded mandates from the state. If it wasn't for those highinccome earners with their expensive homes, um, every other citizen would actually probably see a property tax increase in order to shoulder the costs that the state have given us. So, it's not we haven't increased anything in the budget. It's just people have moved here with higher incomes and expensive houses.

It doesn't get highlighted in the budget is that, you know, and I think we talked about it last meeting, you know, when I first came in, our bond was $120 million. our bond now is 109 million. So a lot of these surpluses you see we turn around and turn into capital PGO paying cash instead of credit. Um and that's helped us get the AAA bond rating. And honestly I'd prefer to stay in that vein where we're taking the surpluses we're able to achieve year-over-year and use them to offset the cost for schools and courouses and things like that. I mean, we're in a situation now where we may get fortunate enough to build an $80 million middle school for maybe $18 million out of the county coffer. That's good budgeting. Um, I don't care who you are. So, I'm looking at the struggles Kent Countyy's having right now trying to come up with 40 million for their school. Um, so it's good that we have that this year because guess what? Next year we're going to need another 14 million for the board of ed. Um, and we've got to build a school so it evaporates just as quickly as it comes. That I have learned,

sadly.

All right, gentlemen. Thank you, Jeff. As always, thank you. Bruce, you got anybody for press and public? There we go. Round table it is. No, no desktops. Greg, sit round table. Round table. Numero Uno, you want to go first? Sure. I got a few things I jotted down here.

Um, so real quick, wanted just uh now that it's my turn, I can speak to Mrs. Denafhrio's comments about the education funding. I I I don't disagree. I mean, we have great teachers. We have a great school system, and we've said it con consistently. Queen Ans County has always budgeted and done quite well and still rank in the top five in the state. Yet when you look at our per pupil spending, we keep getting, you know, we're at the bottom five. Well, does that mean we're doing something wrong or the rest of or we're doing something right and the rest of the state's doing something wrong? I like to think the latter. The rest of the state doesn't budget very well and they don't attract good people for their teachers and all that. I'm not saying that as a broad stroke, but it the proof is in the numbers. Um, we do very well here in Queens County. Our our mathematic scores are in the top five in the state. our rating was I think eight or nine, whatever it was, but still that's good. Um, statewide and, you know, this year going in, we're 3.4 million short of what the the board asked for. We've proven time again, and she even made mention to it, which I I appreciate her. She listened somewhere because she said the state shorted us that $3.5 million, and we all agree with that. And the one thing I will say to add on to that is the day after sin die and I may have mentioned it's our last meeting but the speaker and the senate president said they're going to talk between now and next session about adjusting blueprint. Well, may be foolish for us to dump another $5 million into something that's going to may drastically change between now and next year. Yeah. Um I think that would be shortsighted on our part because we know the commitment is going to be in excess of two and a half% because that's the minimum. That's the minimum you have to give every year um if you do nothing else. So I appreciate her comments and you know we got the budget.

Well I guess confused by her saying that you know we're underfunding the schools when the proofs in the pudding the last three years they're 43% growth in their revenue. Yeah. No I that is at three years that's with only 8% kicked in by the state. Correct. That means we're doing the rest.

Yeah. And and the problem is to your point to the one you just raised is kind of dovetailed together Patrick. You just brought it up. It's like we don't know what the next shoe to drop from the state is next year until next year. And I you know you look around at other counties how they're struggling. Um there's maybe two or three other ones in the state that are as fortunate as we are right now without having to raise taxes to get some of these things done. So to me it's always better to keep, you know, keep it close to your vest for now and and The rainy the rainy day is coming. It's just a matter of when. And I and I feel like next year is the year. This is an election year. Everybody in Annapolis was laying low. Nobody wanted to do nothing that was going to, you know, blow the world up because they don't want to lose their majority. And uh so we'll see. But anyway, on a brighter note, um we uh myself and Commissioner McLaclin, Commissioner Moran, we were able to attend the ribbon cutting for the opening of the Hole in the Wall Gang um over at Y Mills, the the reuse of the Aspen Institute over there. Phenomenal. Um it just what they did to the place. I I've I've worked there in the last 30 years back when it was a little rundown. Um, and I know our PIA officer, Miss Beth Molaski, I found out she worked there through her entire high school career. So, she she uh she was able to show us little corners and caverns in there that probably a lot of people don't know about, but um yeah, just the the the number of people that showed up and and the service this provides um to families with children that have um diseases and things like that where the the kids and the families can't always find time to be able to enjoy stuff together. the summer camp they provide just amazing. I think they're go live next week um is is their first camp coming in next week. And so if anybody can read the story about it, I mean I educated myself. It's Paul Newman. We actually had a uh Hollywood actress

there uh Elizabeth Moyahan I think right? Is that right? Yeah. Um she was a very nice lady. I got to talk to her for a few minutes. uh very outgoing and really a a big fan of the whole uh whole project. So um last thing uh I have confirmed via conversations with individual commissioners that everybody seems to be good with moving the uh first meeting of the month. Um, we're targeting an 8 o'clock executive 8:30 uh drop the gavl uh start time starting in July, the first meeting in July to that way we can afford the county staff to participate in that meeting so they're not staying here after hours and having to sit like poor Beth is out there now waiting for us to just get done and go home. Um, and then we'll use basically the second meeting to try and provide for all of our public comment stuff because that's later in the evening where the public can actually get here and participate because I do hear a lot of times about like our planning commission meeting being early. The public can't always participate. So this way we'll be able to split it. We'll be, you know, helping out with our staff and their time. Um, and then also keeping the the ability to be open to the public on the second meeting. Now again, if something comes up, obviously things change, but I think that uh I'm just going to put that forward as a motion um to have that put into the works so that the staff and all can start preparing for that. So that's my motion.

I'll second it. All righty. Any more discussion? All those in favor? I opposed. 5. When will this start? Was he opposed or not? No, he said I was a late. He said I When will this start? July. The time delay. Got you, Chris. July. First meeting in July. Yeah. Okay. After we figured it would be do it in the next budget year and we're going to meet every week. No. No. Still still second and fourth Tuesdays, right?

Yeah, it's second and fourth. Actually, you know, in in all my perusing of the commissioner's uh ethics stuff and all that, I found out we can't meet on the first Tuesday. For some reason, it says we can only meet the 2nd through the fourth Tuesday. So, I guess for years they were meeting illegally on the first Tuesday. It's actually in the commissioner's code that you can't meet on the first Tuesday. I don't know why it didn't say why, but that's a statewide issue. No, that's our local. Yeah, that's in our local. Yeah. Wonder who thumped that one up. That's all I got, Jim. Oh, and the 405. Yeah, that was I had something written down for that, but I don't know what it was. I lost it that quick. Patrick,

I just want to echo how wonderful the hole in the wall gang ribbon cutting was. It just a blessing for it to be in our county and um looking forward to the uh character counts, volunteer uh recognition coming up on the third. We had a um incredible standing room only uh prayer breakfast on Thursday and it was just packed and people were just having fun and enjoying each other and our uh sheriff kicked off the uh event and it was just a great time and hopefully folks can come next year. That's it.

All right.

Yeah. Um so exciting news. um the open agenda podcast that QAC Channel 7, Bruce and his team over there. Um and uh with uh our esteemed colleague Beth, uh the open agenda podcast launches next week. So for citizens, stay tuned. Uh some pretty cool interviews took place and some some great information is going to be shared in the future. So I think that's a an important highlight to mention. Ken Island Day is Saturday, May 16th. Starts at 10:15 in historic Stevensville. That's always a great event. Uh there'll be a parade and and all kinds of fun things.

250th big 250. Thank you.

Yeah. Yeah. The focus for Ken Island Day will be on the 250th birthday at this great nation. So, um and then as we talked about in the meeting, the ramp management program will start May 17th. Um, I think that's about it. Um, the the uh single-use boat uh shrink wrap program, recycling program is going well and and we appreciate everybody's commitment to that. And again, if you're pulling the shrink wrap off your boat and you're looking for places that you can pick up your bags for free, uh, West Marine and Chester, Ace Hardware in Stevensville and both library locations, Centerville and the Sunreil Town Hall. Um, the only thing that we ask is when you pull that shrink back off, just remove the the zippers and the um and the vents. But this is a big deal. I mean 12 12 tons of plastic has been avoided um being dumped in our um landfills because of this program. Uh I I know that removing the zippers and the vents is a small extra task to ensure that those numbers continue to grow every year and we don't see these plastics land in our landfills. And that is all I have. Jim.

All right, Chris. I appreciate everybody dealing with my abnormal travel schedule and I can't wait to get back in the room with everybody. All you nailed it. Uh this morning I I talked to the chamber and the and the 36 delegation at the holiday end and while they were full of doom doom and gloom that was the light and cheery uh report on our side. So So did they finish? Did they they they finished with you? So you ended on a good note.

I'll never do that again because you know while they have a ton of information they can go for a while. So this was it was it was 8:30 to 10 and they finally had to take it up and say look at it's 5 till 10 we got to let you know the last guy speak and I was the last guy. So it so it ended on a good note. Oh yeah. A lot of kumbaya. Okay. I will say I give them credit. They they fight the hard back. Oh they do. And I said that I said you know

but they came back with a good win this the one we've already shared but that was a huge win. The school was a huge that was big. And I told him, I said, you know, every time I've been down there, Senator Hershey's in front of a camera. And they laughed. And I said, you you know, it's not meant to be funny. It's meant to be serious. I mean, you know, now when he comes on the TV, people listen because they trust him. They trust him in and his opinions matter. And I said, you know, that's that's what's going to get change the tide is getting enough people to get behind that and and agree with that and move forward with it because right now, you're right. Next year, the doom and the gloom is coming. And you know, I don't know how much more they'll throw on us, but it's coyote.

Well, you got you got literally they discussed you still got there's still some more pension stuff out there, the community college stuff. There's some stuff affiliated that and you got the health departments. Everybody realizes how big of a tag that is to take over. And that's the last big bomb they could drop on us. And yeah, you know, um that one's, you know, probably six, maybe six, five, who knows? I'll make a motion to adjurnn.