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Commissioners Report- Nov. 10
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Commissioners Report- Nov. 10
LEONARDTOWN, MD - 11/12/2009
By Carrie Griffin Munn
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The St. Mary's Board of County Commissioners made some big decisions during its meeting Tuesday morning. Real Property Manager Liz Passarelli and Dept. of Public Works and Transportation Director George Erichson asked the board to approve and authorize the purchase of the Turner Property at 21708 Great Mills Road and to demolish the building currently on it. Erichson explained the acquisition was compatible with the county's planning and extension of FDR Blvd. Commissioner Daniel H. Raley called the purchase "crucial to developing the transportation grid in Lexington Park" and stated, "for us not to take advantage of this opportunity would be poor judgment on the part of the part of the board." The board approved the acquisition with a three-to-one vote with Commissioner Dement abstaining. Commissioner Lawrence D. Jarboe's nay was accompanied by his compliment for Pasarelli's efforts to save money, getting the property for $450,000, significantly less than the appraised value. Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly called attention to the confusion surrounding FDR Blvd. since it exists in several parts of town but doesn't connect. He suggested a name change for the busy road that gives access to Bay District Volunteer Fire Dept., the Lexington Park Library and Elementary School. President/CEO of the Community Development Corporation, Inc. Robin Finnacom was on hand for the decision and told The BAYNET, "The purchase and demolition of Roses II is a significant step forward in the revitalization of the core area of Lexington Park."
The BOCC approved the selection of Kimball Architecture and budget realignments necessary to move forward with the construction of a new detention center, pending the state's authorization. Sheriff Tim Cameron said he supports the plan. The commissioners approved several budget amendments from decreased grant funding for the Office of the Sherriff and a new, fully-funded temporary, part-time position for a Crime Analyst.
Naval Air Station Patuxent River's Commanding Officer Capt. Macyko and vital staff presented an Air Installation Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) update to the board. Macyko said, "St. Mary's County has been very proactive" through zoning ordinances and cooperative planning. Though the CO said they receive, on average, less than 100 noise complaints each year, the AICUZ efforts ensure minimal noise impact and a high standard of safety for residential and commercial areas near the air station. Commissioner President Russell told Macyko and staff, "Thank you for all your diligence."
The board approved the Housing Authority's continued participation in the Md. Housing Rehabilitation Program and its request for grant funding that will provide more affordable and workforce housing with the acquisition of Indian Bridge Apartments. Resource/Service Coordinator Sandra Johnson said, "We're available to help St. Mary' County citizens that qualify."
The commissioners approved a legal assistant position for the State's Attorney's Office to help handle increased caseloads for child support enforcement and a grant that will allow the Dept. of Aging to reach out to the community and offer education on Medicare programs. Members of the Cable Advisory Committee brought a resolution to disband before the board, as County Administrator John Savich indicated a "streamlining of our committee structure". Former Chairperson Bill Caplins said, "We've done such an effective job that we've put ourselves out of business", but stated that board members would be interested in participating in future studies or task forces.
The BOCC also took positions on 2010 Legislative Proposals that arose from the joint meeting with the Md. Delegation last week. The commissioners took 'no position' on the majority of citizen-created proposals, often stating that they were state or federal issues. All five did support the addition of a Corrections Officer's Bill of Right for the county.
America Recycles week was acknowledged by the board who reminded citizens of the easy single-stream recycling available at the six convenience centers around the county. The voluntary recycling in St. Mary's has earned a 38 percent diversion rate. The board and Sheriff Cameron honored the retirement of Capt. Louis F. (Ricky) Burris who said, "It's hard to walk away from something that's been part of my life for 25 years." Many of Burris' family attended as did several of his coworkers from the Sheriff's Office.
In honor of Veteran's Day, the BOCC heard four winning speeches from Leonardtown Elementary School students Alyssa Bazemore, Marquez Brice, Emma Gilligan and Grant Wolfe. After lunch, the board toured the state-of-the-art Engineering Lab at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center and the new L-3 Communications Corporation facility in California, Md.
The BOCC meets again Nov. 17 at the Chesapeake Building in Leonardtown.
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