St. Mary's County, MD Commissioners of St. Mary's County, 8 Jun 2021

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From YouTube: 6/8/21 Commissioners of St. Mary's County

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Please come to order good morning welcome to the commission of st mary county meeting this date.

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Tuesday june 8 2021., I am randy guy, commissioner president of st mary's county I'd like to.

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Introduce the other commissioners sitting to my right representing the first commissioner district.

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Which includes bridge piney point st george island, mr eric colvin good morning, mike hewitt, who.

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Represents the second commissioner district, which includes leonard town and hollywood good morning,.

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Representing the third commissioner district, which includes charlotte hall, 7th district golden.

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Beach and mechanical john o'connor good morning, representative, fourth, commissioner district, which.

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Includes lexington park somewhere, california and great mills, and some of hollywood. Mr todd morgan.

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David weiskopf, our county returning and acting county administrator, is setting the table to my.

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Left elisa costas, our communications director is setting the table to my right morning. Amy carter.

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Our video media producer is behind the glass. Please turn your cell phones off or on vibrate.

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Many of you know that county administrator, dr rebecca bridget, is out of the office on.

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Family medical leave on behalf of all the commissioners of we send her our wishes.

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For a speedy recovery and good health join dr bridges absence county attorney, david weiskopf.

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And human resources director catherine preston will provide administrative support to the county.

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At this time, we'll have the invocation in place by commissioner. Please stand.

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Dear lord, thank you for this beautiful day. It's a little hot, been a little hot could use some.

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Rain and some cooler temperatures please put your blessings on our county administrator, dr rebecca.

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Bridget also county attorney david weiskoff and hr director, katherine pratzen, and give them.

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The knowledge they need to bring this county forward. As I know you will please give us the.

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Wisdom to make the right decisions for the people we serve and the courage to follow.

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Through on those convictions, all this in your name, amen, amen. Please join me in the pledge I.

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Pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands.

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One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, commissioner. Hewitt.

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Next week I have an approval, consent agenda so moved second, our first. Second, all in favor, aye.

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Next, we have a presentation from the department of human resources years of service award.

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uh Ms castron preston, our director of human resources,.

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She will uh read the name of the each employee receiving a certificate.

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The employees will then come forward with their certifications for a picture.

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You got to catch them. Thank you good morning, commissioners, good morning good morning,.

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It is my pleasure today to present the years of service awards.

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The years of service awards recognizes employees with continuous service.

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Of 10 years or more and employees being honored this morning have spent much of.

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Their professional lives as public servants, every resident of saint gray's county has been impacted.

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74 county employees in total are being recognized for achieving years of service milestones.

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In 2020 today, it is my pleasure to present employees who have achieved 15 years of service.

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And to the citizens of saint mary's county, we are truly humbled by the commitment of.

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These individuals and thank them sincerely for their dedication to county government.

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And without further delay, I'll call forward the individuals who are present um to receive their.

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Awards and supervisors and department heads that are here, please join them for a photo.

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So we have ray pilger from dpwnt and gary whipple.

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Gary mustn't have been able to make it today.

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Please congratulations.

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With the whole group, thank you, jennifer erahard, a senior human resources specialist from hr.

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Angela blandino a paralegal from the county attorney's office,.

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Roy popsie, a supervisor from reckon parks.

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Or is sarah here from the state's attorney's office? Oh great.

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Congratulations and then lastly, melissa murphy from the sheriff's office.

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So all of you and if you'd please come forward for a group picture, um we'd appreciate it and thanks so much.

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Marie noel from the department of aging is also.

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I think I'm good.

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Employees who were not able to join us today, but are also celebrating milestone, anniversaries.

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Include dana d gregorio gary whipple, sherry young, richard karanic, tammy, hildebrand, melissa, craig.

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Tina fredatunio thomas johnson, darlene, mund, kevin meyer, susie seltzer and susan yextap.

E

Thank you so much. Thank you.

F

I'm sorry, mr girl, staying the greatest.

F

Well, it looks commissioners, it looks like um dr brewster wasn't supposed to be here until 9 30.

F

So we're running a bit early. um Would you like to we? Could uh we could either is.

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Our main agenda, we went to maine generalized, but we could I mean it's up to. uh We got everybody here for that. Mister.

A

950 yeah: well, I could we we could do um county administrator. We could do the draft agendas. We.

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Could do the sts uh department public works? Okay, let's go ahead and do that then yeah. Okay, thank.

A

You so we'll start with you in. uh Thank you on on the draft agendas we have june 15th and june 22nd.

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On june 15th we have a couple of proclamations: national nurses, assistance week and world elder.

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Abuse awareness day and a presentation for the community corrections center ribbon, cutting which.

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Will be virtual at 9 10 and then you have the years of service awards, which I believe is 10.

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Years and then county administrator time and then you will adjourn after commissioner's time.

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And on june 22nd you'll have a proclamation for um john c raley's retirement, a presentation.

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For the uh ribbon cutting for the sheriff's office district, three, which will be virtual.

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A presentation by human services for the people's choice awards uh department of human resources.

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2021 safety matters award and then there was going to be a department of land use and growth.

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Management request for public hearing for the agricultural, alcohol production ordinance, but.

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That's going to be delayed a little bit because they're seeking more um approval from the ag.

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Board they want to vet it, some more so that'll, probably be in another week or two, and then.

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In its place, the department of human resources wants to uh request a public hearing for the low.

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Sap point award process for 2021. so that that's what we'll switch for june 22nd and.

F

Then, after commission county administrator time and commissioner's time, you'd adjourn.

F

I guess I'd look for a motion for do you guys approve, though.

E

No okay, information along bud; okay and then next we'd have for county administrator time.

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We'd have uh department of public works and transportation for the saint mary's transit system.

F

Staff, reorganization and john dietrich is here presenting good morning and thank you good morning.

G

Pleasure to bring this to you, it is another piece of action that allison swint.

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Has organized in combination with the department of human resources and the city financial office.

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Chief financial officer, this particular reorganization, will help establish a.

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Clear chain of command in the office, which is a problem uh given the existing structure, where.

G

Sort of everyone's equal and no one knows who the boss is, except for allison at this point, which is.

G

Not a good situation, it also shifts hourly drivers into full-time positions that has been.

G

Done with only an additional cost of 3 800 a year, which is at this point, given uh the track record.

G

In spending down the budget each year that should be easily absorbed in the existing, uh the.

G

So the probably the along with establishing that chain of command getting a uh getting more.

G

Full-Time drivers is really critical.

G

Ms swint has had much better success in reducing call outs and people who call in sick at the last.

G

Minute with the full-time drivers, because they've got a regular schedule, it sounds kind of basic and.

G

uh But it's true, I mean when people know where they're gonna be two weeks from now uh that.

G

They're not gonna, get a you know they, because right now, the hourly bus drivers don't really.

G

Have that structure they don't you know they kind of patch together the schedule each week.

G

And uh there are a number of hourly bus drivers who would like to move into those vacant positions.

G

Another very good thing at this time: there's quite a few vacancies in the structure, so this can be.

G

Done without anybody effectively having to compete for their own job, they can stay right where they.

G

Are or they can move up in the organization and it's pretty comforting, I think, to be able to do.

G

That and uh miss swint had a sunday meeting with the bus drivers and went pretty well because that.

G

Was the one day that she could get everybody together and went through a number of their.

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Wishes and wants and our wishes the department's wishes and wants and your wishes and wants.

G

And I think we reached a pretty good accord on that, um though we'll be coming back in next month.

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With a series of updates on a number of other initiatives that are in action, uh we couldn't get.

G

Those prepared for today they're all still kind of in process. Some of them will require a vote by you.

G

And some are just going to be for information, for example, restructuring the fair system to.

G

Because right now, if you get you go out in one trip and then you get a transfer or.

G

You want to do a return trip. You end up spending more money than an all-day pass, so we want to just.

G

Have one-way journeys and all-day passes so we'll be bringing that forward to you. We don't.

C

Completely have the revenue projections done on it yet.

G

So we'll have an update on the bus. Stop signs in great mills road bring, in example, of the sign and.

G

We'd like to have a vote on that because we're going, we want to eliminate the flag stops on.

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Great mills road, because the stops that have been picked have been picked because it's where the.

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Greatest concentration of people tend to get on the bus, they're safer locations by crosswalks and.

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Intersections we'll also do charles county is currently bidding out their shelter contract.

G

uh It's up for review with mta right now. We can piggyback on that and buy this the shoulders.

G

That we've already got in our mta budget uh with that. So we'll give you an update on how.

G

That's going next month, uh there's also a need to update the ada ridership application right now.

G

We don't they never expire, so somebody sprains an ankle.

G

They get certified for ada, it never goes away, even though their ankle gets better.

G

And actually the federal regulations require updating it every two years, so we want to bring.

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Our but we want to vote on that. You know we because we're going to go through an educational.

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Campaign explaining it with people and so forth, any change is, uh you know, kind of hard to handle.

G

Sometimes and one number five so the interactive voice response software.

G

Will allow us to send what is, in effect a robo call to someone reminding them of their.

G

Ada appointment, uh we just have way too many. uh No-Shows uh and allison's actually put a cost on.

G

Those of about 24 000 a year from these no-shows, so you know we want to bring that back to you.

G

Go through it thoroughly and again, there'd be a vote on that one uh two more.

G

The uh implementing the drivers uh scheduling software that happens this month, which will again.

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Tie in with what we're asking in the reorg to be able to establish a regular schedule.

G

And so next month, we'll be able to give you an update on how that's going.

G

And lastly, uh the procurement for scheduling software, which will for the.

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That that goes out on the web, which you include the next bus functioning. uh If.

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You have a smartphone you'll, be able to tell when the bus is going to show up at your stop.

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That's up at mta being reviewed right now prior to procurement and we'll give you an update on.

G

On that one, so those are the seven items we'll be bringing back in july. That kind of.

G

Help fill out and take advantage of what we're requesting today, very good, very good.

B

Excellent, mr dietrich, sir couple questions. The hourly bus drivers have reached out to me about.

B

Their discrepancy and pay and benefits, so I I strongly supported shifting them over to county.

B

Employees, if we can, if we can afford it, I'm glad to hear it's only 3 842. That seems too cheap to.

B

Me to tell you the truth, but tell me: are there going to be the same salary structure as say.

B

Our sts drivers, so the hourly, will all be on the same salary structure, yeah based on.

G

The budget, the past, my understanding, is, there's an increase for everyone.

G

They will be plugged into the normal full-time bus driver. That was one of their complaints is.

B

That they were a disparity. Second thing is great on the stabilizing the scheduling, because that was.

B

The other thing they complained about not knowing when they had to work and they had lives, and they.

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Wanted to plan vacations, they wanted to plan stuff so great job on that now, when you talk about this.

B

Restructure the fare system is the average rider going to see a fair increase. A fair decrease is.

B

It going to be cost neutral. What should the person who rides the bus a lot? There's a lot.

B

Of mennonite who ride the bus and they've reached out to me about their they've, been hearing from.

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Their drivers that there's a lot of changes coming and like anybody when they don't know what it is.

B

They're they're, uh they don't know if it's good or bad. So when you say does that is that cost.

B

Going up or is that cost going down, uh it should be effectively cost neutral. But again, that's why.

G

We want to wait till next month to bring this back to you want to talk to more people the if you are.

G

Only doing it's kind of a odd situation if you're going outbound and you stay where.

G

You know you, you were going on my trip, yeah a one-way trip. uh There's really no.

G

Cost there, let me give an example, but if you do a round trip, you would actually be cheaper. Okay,.

B

Let me give you an example: these people don't have their own transportation other than horse.

B

And buggy so they use the bus to get to somebody's house. They may be taking taken care of or whatever.

B

They're doing and they're there for the day and then in the evening, get on the bus and come home.

B

Is that a round trip, or is that two fairs uh they can actually get either an all-day pass.

G

Or they could do two trips, but it would be cheaper to do and all day better.

B

So and you talked about 24 000 worth of no-show cost now so someone's got an ada, they call you up.

B

Say: hey, look, I'm going to be out here at the bus stop. I need you to pick me up. Make.

B

Sure you get the lift to get me in and out and those are the people aren't showing up correct.

B

And that's costing you money because you have to put additional people on the bus or why is that.

G

Well, the bus drivers got to drive out to the location it sits in idols, for I think it's five.

G

Minutes we give them five minutes. Actually, so it's more of an uh they don't show up when the bus gets.

B

To a special, so it's not part of the route it's an empty trip. Yeah ada is it runs at houses are.

A

Close by right to pick them up correct, yeah and uh I know it's uh and you know we realize some of the.

G

People have a little bit of trouble, remembering things and all that and that's why we wanted to.

G

Get this robocall piece, I mean doctors, do it all the time, so I I think it's a great idea.

B

Now, lastly, on the bus stops, we need bus stops. I'm really glad to hear you getting the signs.

B

But what about those shelters? How long do you think they are well, the if charles says.

G

We would hope we can start implementing it by next fall when charles gets their contract october.

B

21 or october of 22. no, this fall so yeah 20 more so if charles gets their contract in place.

G

And there's no reason they shouldn't uh we're piggybacking on that we just we've already worked.

G

Out with both bruce at mta and jeff at charles, how we're going to do that and you know we're going to.

G

Buy x, number of shelters, we've got we'll use our sidewalk contract to put in the concrete slab.

G

If we need to do that, it looks like, though, that the, when you buy a shelter through the.

G

What charles county is proposing to do it'll actually include the concrete slab. Oh good.

G

Yeah, we still might have to put some sidewalk in, uh but it will be a fairly small amount. Okay, so.

B

People should be able to see bus, stop shelters by christmas, yes or it's hopefully thanksgiving.

B

I I'm with you I'm just trying to yeah. I understand it down a little bit. Thank you.

A

Okay, one other thing: we have: we added the uh va c box on both the charlotte hall and great mills.

A

As a part of a stop right, it was a little difficult to figure out because of that weird.

G

Situation in the in the median, but it's working- it's working, I said they're both included. Okay,.

A

I just have some calls particularly aba ada, though, uh and so that's kind of a door-to-door thing. One.

A

Way or the other right, let's make sure that c-box are on your on here. So is the stop actually at the.

H

Facility, like I, I had originally requested where the sts pulls in and drops them off.

G

uh There's I'm not sure if they, dr, if they go in or whether they're dropped at the side of the road.

G

I've got to verify that I'll get back to you. Okay, I because the woman, the charlotte at the when was.

A

That when they were going into the charlotte hall, correct veterans home, they drove right up to it.

A

Correct so I just want to try to emphasize that they should be able to drive in the parking lot.

A

Drop them off. I have to get back to you. Okay, thank you with your bus, stop facilities, the.

H

Shelters um as with anything when we design it across the county, have you reached out to.

H

The sheriff's department to ensure that we're designing them with public safety engineering in.

H

Mind, because that is a specific task, because bus stops do become areas of congregation.

H

They do become areas of loitering drug transactions, various other things.

H

So I want to make sure that when we're designing them, they have the.

H

The public safety aspect of visibility, lighting and everything else that's going to be required.

A

You say you're following up on the charles counties: uh hopefully they've already done that.

A

In charleston county well, I hope so, if not falling behind your contract, no well, no, but I think you.

G

Bring a good point that we want to share those bus bus stop locations, as well as the shelters right.

G

Themselves with the sheriff's office yeah we'll certainly do that and just make sure you know you.

H

Don't want them blocked off where people can't see inside of them. You know you got a deputy driving.

H

Down the road they want to be able to see through what is going on. So we don't want solid shelters.

H

So that's important to make sure what charles county is doing in their contract. I yes definitely.

G

Do that and will pay a special coordination effort with the district four station there too well also.

H

District, the district one station I mean this is county-wide, not just it will be county-wide.

G

But right now we're I want to make sure they vet. These stops on great mills right all right.

E

I'll be interested how you do this cost in a couple weeks, because a number of years.

E

Ago we had a problem with transfer speeds and people were concerned when you went from one.

E

Stop next year to pay more to transfer and we got rid of that. So if you're going from.

E

Lexington park to charlotte hall, you had a transfer, there's no transfer charges.

E

Right so now we can help with a new fee structure which is supposed to be you say, cost neutral.

E

um Be interesting to see how you're going to do that. My other concern here is, if I'm.

E

Reading this correctly you're, adding 23 new full-time employees to county payroll, correct.

G

G

E

I'm I'm taking that when I look at the bottom of your it's 48., anything in red is a new person, so.

E

It's 23 new full-time employees, you're looking to add sort of a replacement for the hourly employees.

G

Right but we're reducing we're eliminating one of this supervisory positions in the office.

G

And dropping the classification of another one and uh eliminating those hourly positions uh so.

A

Yeah yeah, please do yeah, so the hourly employees, the hourly drivers.

C

Majority of them have health care because they work so many hours and they're, not um on opeb.

C

So the cost for bringing someone on to full time isn't as significant because they're.

C

Currently receiving health anyway, why they're receiving health because of the affordable care.

C

Act because they work more than 30 hours, but that isn't a food that the affordable care act opens is.

E

The same as the county employee benefit packages it the county, employee benefit package, is richer.

C

And we took that into consideration, but we backed out the what they currently have. No, I get that and.

E

I see the cost, for the benefits goes from 220 000 to 362 000 a year right and that's health. I.

E

Get that part, so my question sort of rhetorically here is: we just finished a budget two weeks ago.

E

And then we're coming back here with a whole big change to how the sts bus drivers are going to.

E

Be treated so I'm not sure that this wasn't just something that got thought up a couple weeks ago.

E

Between the last budget session and now and we're looking to add this, many more full-time employees.

E

To the county staff, I think it's sort of it's bad timing. After all, the fights we went through.

E

At the table here trying to get things adjusted for employees and what everybody wants and how we.

E

Struggle through the budget, then, all of a sudden you know we can just come in literally two weeks.

E

After the budget, the ain't gonna even dry yet and we're adding 23 new employees to county staff.

E

I understand how you're swapping out hourly for full time, but it's.

C

And it's still a net cost at the end of the day that carries forward perpetually. I think that it.

C

Was considered differently because they're grant because they're paid by the mta grant you know.

C

So I think we thought of them as different than county employees. The bus drivers are paid for with.

E

All grant dollars there's some county match, but correct me. If I'm wrong, it's primarily operational.

E

And if the grant goes away, we still have to find a way to cover them then is to become mayor employees, so they all signed an agreement saying if the grant goes away. You know they may.

C

Not have a job um and that's why they don't have retiree health. That's right. They do or do not.

C

They do not, they don't have opeb, because they're grant employees yeah their job this way, but the.

H

The issue is, is that once they become full-time employees, you can't collapse a transit system.

H

Because the grant goes away, so there is no option of saying have a nice day they get rolled over. I.

H

Mean commissioner morgan does have a very, very valid point, because I mean the arguments were.

H

Made not growing county government by 90 positions, we reduced other funding and positions based on.

H

Long-Term funding and or the unknown various various different things, so I think the timing.

H

In adding 20, how many do you say? Was it 23, 20, 23 positions? I mean there was one.

H

Section of the budget that we reduced 23 positions exactly right. um You know which.

H

Was a critical safety infrastructure portion? So when we talk about sts and the long-term.

H

Funding, I I don't know if it's timing, I mean I or it was just looked at differently. I'm not.

H

Saying, there's anything dubious going on. I think this is just how the process played out, but.

H

The long-term impacts of offering the retirement that is going to have to be given to them as.

H

Full-Time employees, I mean what are those impacts, because those are things some of the things we.

H

Didn't get a chance to consider during the budget as well as was considered for other positions.

C

So if we weren't to get the grant funding, for example,.

C

There would be a reduction in force process, there's no obligation to continue the employment.

C

The drivers will have access to the maryland pension and, if they don't, if they're, not eligible.

C

To retire, they would just get their contributions back right, but I think the the biggest thing here.

H

Is that you, once we get these bus stops in place, we get the signs in place. We get a stable system.

H

The hopefully, the app that is going to be going there there's a system here that can't collapse.

H

Because we lose a grant so no matter what the county is going to have to absorb.

H

Those there's going to be some big changes that would have to happen.

G

And uh major costs that would come back to the county if you're gonna.

G

Try to run the whole system without a grant. It's just the fact of life. I mean it's, it would be.

G

It would there would either you'd either have to put considerably more money into it.

G

uh Or you'd have to double effectively double the subsidy or.

G

Half the service would go away, which the subsidy's roughly three million dollars now right.

H

Yeah roughly so we would have to so it would be a almost a six million dollar impact to the county.

H

Should- and I don't foresee it based on the way transit is and the dedication by the state, but.

G

Yeah, that's a that's a huge impact. Far far over a 2.9 million dollar impact that we.

H

We definitely considered seriously how long has mta been funding our buses forever.

G

uh Forever, I mean I mean everything, so the the probability of this failing is probably pretty.

G

Pretty rare, pretty miniscule uh as long as I've been involved, I've been working since 73.

G

There's always been federal. Grants that go to the states to cover bus operations and bus has become.

G

You know the emails I get from the fed uh have put increased emphasis.

G

On bus uh transit, we're in nature right now we're trying to increase some people ride.

A

Buses, trains, whatever correct and get off their vehicles, so I mean I cannot imagine this failing.

A

I can't I mean I'm not sure I'm not seeing anything is possible, uh but now there's 3.

A

800 dollars per 23 ft, is we absorb that or is that being covered by these mta grants?.

A

Us the increase of 3 800., it's very likely covered by their current operations operations right now,.

C

Okay, so actually there's no funding for us at this time correct. We can't we can't assume there'll, be.

A

A failure in the next two or three years I would say yeah and the assumption is that there'll be a.

C

Reduction in overtime, once the schedules are more predictable, and now we have more full-time. This.

A

Gives more stable transportation system by having these people full-time yeah? Yesterday there were.

G

What did allison say? Four drivers they had to do double shifts uh because of the problem. We're.

G

In and that's just completely unacceptable right, it's exhausting for the drivers and.

A

You mean it's a safety problem right there yeah. Absolutely. I agree yeah, you know the it's not that.

H

I would assume that the grant funding is going to go away. I would say to commissioner morgan's.

H

Point it's something that we need to be prepared for and accept moving forward, that if this grant.

H

Funding is even reduced by any amount. I mean right now: they're funding the rapid transit plan.

H

For charles county, the quote-unquote purple line, I guess it is that's going to be running.

H

From prince george's straight down, so that's going to be diverting a lot of transit money.

H

Charles county is getting some and when it comes to st mary's county historically.

H

Our funding has always been reduced to include highway user revenues that have gone to these.

H

Other other plans, so they were reduced ten years ago yeah. So I mean it's, it's important that we.

H

Understand that making this decision and correct me if I'm world commissioner morgan, I'm not trying.

H

To speak for you here that there's long-term cost implications that could be associated with this.

H

Correct and at a minimum, um the reduction in force process would have to be followed.

C

Where, with hourly employees, it would not okay, I understand the principle and the mechanics behind.

E

It believe me and understand the importance of the public transportation system to the county. I just.

E

Find the timing of saying I want 23 new employees full time two weeks after the budget was done and.

E

Recognizing the federal grant process and how that does work, I get all that.

E

I just think the process and the timing of bringing it to the diocese here is lousy and.

E

It paints a very bad optic again. As you said, a number of hourly drivers didn't come in yesterday.

E

Or weren't available, so somebody had to double up, but all of a sudden once they become full-time.

E

County employees, the problem seems to go away that that just is well. We have vacancies and that's why.

G

We had the double doubling up yesterday and we just we people don't want to hire. You know.

G

The younger crowd wants benefits and unless, as catherine pointed out, they're working all of these.

G

Double shifts and so forth, they don't really get much. They get sick and safe after a year right.

G

In health, but it's uh the p, they want something more secure than that. They want to have benefits.

G

They want to have that 40 hour a week deal and uh and that's what this uh would bring us.

G

And I I feel that the you know the morning: drivers are where all the full-time.

G

Positions are right now, and the afternoon is where we have so many rtp's and hourly's filling in.

G

And that's kind of where the chaos is so all the hours will somehow have a a revelation.

E

And once they become a full-time, employee, it'll be not a problem anymore. Well, it's that there's.

I

Proxima, I'm sorry to interrupt. Could you pull your microphone a little closer, miss pratt? Oh.

C

Sure I'm so sorry, um I just think they're more accountable. Excuse me they're, more accountable.

C

As uh merit employees than they would be, you know as grand employees and they would be as hourly.

E

Like I said yeah once they get a full-time job, instead of being paid hourly, their.

E

Outlook on life changes, so more government happier people well how long.

H

Have you been working on this project of transferring this this reorg, how long 19, how long.

G

29, okay and we went through the outsourcing and so forth. Yeah we were going through all that process.

G

Right and then uh brought in uh brought miss swin's duties.

G

To include uh become a deputy director and take on the transit and the vehicle service.

G

Okay, so when you got to this point at we working on it since 2019, when was the decision made that.

H

You wanted to make these changes like you wanted to do this reorg. Oh, we we've worked on it all.

C

Spring um and- and I I apologize for the timing in in our mind- it was more current positions. It.

C

Wasn't really a new fiscal year change? It was more current. We were thinking of it as grant and fy.

C

And um and didn't think of it as fy22 so and yeah, could you please please come up? Yes, please just.

I

um With the previous acting supervisors, departure, which was march 10th, all of this really kind of.

I

Started to come together, so it's it's really been a frontline project. Since march 10th there was a.

I

Lot of back and forth with hr just talking about different scenarios, different titles, different.

I

Responsibilities and it's taken about three months to pull it all together and bring it before you.

H

So con conceivably, it could have been brought into the budget and the reason the reason I ask.

H

Is because we there's other department heads and we had very contentious conversation about.

H

Many things that happened in which this pro this separate process probably could have.

H

Happened outside of the budget and changed things significantly where it didn't have to.

H

Actually go through the budget work session if we were going to do it this way, um I I.

H

Oh on this one, I just think that the the timing is while you're saying that it in march and that it.

H

Was cost neutral that it? I don't know that's for me, this is a tough one, just simply because of the.

H

Many many conversations we had during the budget work session and that it didn't come up at all so.

J

I understand the concerns the other commissioners are voicing with just the timing issue, but I'm not.

J

Overly concerned about it, I think you all have been working really hard and I think this board.

J

And the previous board have been very committed to improving our sts system, and so it's good to see.

J

The progress it's good, thank you for giving us a heads up on the stuff. That's coming up.

J

In a month or two, it's um good that we're seeing progress and that we're moving forward. So I'm.

J

Going to go ahead and make the motion, I move to approve the reorganization of sts to improve.

J

Management and accountability and improve its ability to hire and retain bus operators.

B

Second, have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye, any disapproval, nay, no.

A

One nay, no two nays got three eyes got it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

F

Dr brewster is here, commissioner, okay. Well, um that sounds good, dr brewster, if you please come forward.

A

And uh I think the first thing we do. We need emotion, oh yeah, I'll, move to adjourn.

H

As the commissioner of saint mary's county and reconvene as the saint mary's county board of.

H

Health second have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye means I just have it. Thank you.

K

Great, uh we have uh just a 20 minutes scheduled for us uh today, so I've got.

K

A brief update for you and, of course, I'm happy to stay longer for questions.

K

Thank you. You can go over to our data website.

K

So, as of uh yesterday, we had 7 319 cases since the beginning of the pandemic in st mary's county.

K

The weekly number of new cases last week was the lowest that we've seen since the beginning.

K

Of the pandemic in early april 2020, the new case right now, if you scroll down to the new case rate.

K

So that's our new cases by week I was mentioning the weekly number from last week is the lowest.

K

We've seen in quite a while the new case rate this one here, if you scroll over. Thank you.

K

Is at 1.74 per day per 100 000 persons, so the new case rates have actually been dropping.

K

In each age category, the graph below uh illustrates that which is an awesome trend and.

K

Much better than when I came to you previously, um we are seeing sorry to bump you back up to.

K

Where the variant tiles are, we are seeing more variant cases right there more variant cases.

K

uh Identified through genomic analysis of some of those clinical samples and again just as a.

K

Reminder we're only testing some of the clinical samples for these variant viruses, the one that.

K

We're particularly concerned about, obviously the uk, the one up in the top corner there, the 21.

K

Is now the predominant strain in the in the country, but the one that we're.

K

Keeping a very close eye out for is the delta strain or the one that emerged out of india.

K

The uk countries in the uk have started to see an increase in their case rates and they think.

K

It may be due to the the emergence of the delta virus variant and that the delta variant seems.

K

To be causing more aggressive disease and seems to be more contagious, at least based on their.

K

Experience in the uk we haven't seen that yet in the u.s. But of course many of our states are.

K

Actively advocating for vaccination, because we do know that the vaccine protects against the delta.

K

Variant, at the same time, keeping a very close eye on the genomic analyses to see if there's.

K

An emergence of delta variant here in the u.s, if you turn down to the hospitalization tab,.

K

I think we may have yeah write that one. Thank you, let's scroll, that over so overall.

K

We have been, we were seeing as when I was here last time, an increasing trend in hospitalizations.

K

We're still seeing hospitalizations in the single digits, uh which and higher than what we saw at.

K

The very beginning of the pandemic, so that still is something we're monitoring. The trend has been.

K

Upwards, not the downward decline that we want to see in hospitalizations, but we also recognize.

K

That hospitalizations tend to lag a few weeks behind the data, so hopefully we'll start to see.

K

A decline in hospitalizations one of the concerns with hospitalizations, as we monitor what's going.

K

On around the globe is that younger people are getting sicker from some of these variant. Viruses.

K

And just nationally, I know the cdc uh commented nationally how our data seems to indicate more and.

K

More younger people getting hospitalized, which would make sense because we have much higher.

K

Vaccine rates in our seniors, who were the ones that were getting primarily hospitalized before.

K

But since we have lower vaccine rates in our younger people, we're starting.

K

To see their uh presence in hospitals more especially with these more severe variants.

E

So would you say that the hospitalizations are younger individuals versus older now.

K

um Not necessarily just for here in the county, but nationally, that's the concern that work.

K

That is emerging is that for people in their 40s 50s 30s, even young adolescents,.

K

And children are getting hospitalized now more than what we saw before. No, that part I see on.

E

The news, but what are we doing in saint mary's? Can you tell us yeah so in saint mary's I don't have.

K

The age distribution of our hospitalizations here for you, we have had young children, hospitalized.

K

That are saint mary's county residents, not necessarily here at medstar, st mary's hospital.

K

uh What we look at when we, this data here, reflects hospitalizations of residents at any.

K

Maryland hospital- uh and so uh we we have seen, we continue to see people who uh have not been.

K

Vaccinated vaccinated who get coveted that get hospitalized the vast majority of hospitalizations.

K

Are happening in people who are not vaccinated or who are only partly vaccinated. Okay, thank you.

B

Dr brewster are the younger people coming in. Are they getting as sick? As I remember, we used to.

B

Have people on ventilators and whatnot? Is it that bad yeah, so um obviously, when a hospitalization.

K

Happens, that's usually happening is because somebody's pretty sick, okay and they're sick.

K

Enough to be in a hospital setting- maybe not- I see you care but they're sick enough to need some.

K

Additional support. I guess we tend to hear that the younger people, while they're impacted, are.

B

Not as sick as right and that's what we saw since the beginning of the pandemic, that younger people.

K

Particularly younger people, who don't have things like asthma,.

K

And heart conditions and so forth that they tend to have mild or even asymptomatic, illness.

K

But that's not true. In all cases I mean we've been concerned about multi-inflammatory syndrome in.

K

Kids, there's been about a hundred or so cases in maryland of that in children uh and uh what we're.

K

Finding what we're concerned about is are these variant, viruses and if these variant viruses are.

K

Causing worse illness in younger people, then we're starting to see younger people with more symptoms.

K

uh And the delta virus, the one that emerged out of india that I was describing earlier.

K

Is the one that we're watching in terms of what what's happening in the uk with that virus? The.

K

Other picture to this that we didn't describe in the beginning of the pandemic, because we weren't.

K

We didn't have the the benefit of time. Is that we're seeing more and more issues with long coved.

K

And long covet is when people are having these prolonged symptoms of coven 19, so they may not.

K

Be contagious anymore, but they're still not able to breathe as easily as they were before. Maybe.

K

They still have a loss of taste or a loss of smell, maybe they have a lot of fatigue or they.

K

Could be dealing with memory, issues or difficulty concentrating and so we're seeing these symptoms.

K

Continue- and we are seeing these symptoms affect younger people, even younger people who didn't have.

K

Symptoms of covid or who had just mild infection so so again, people with higher immune compromised.

B

Situations are more likely to be sick, whether you're, young or old, sure, and that's true for most.

K

Illnesses, if you have any additional conditions, including obesity, including asthma, diabetes,.

K

And any of these common heart conditions that we see out there as well, then, yes, absolutely I.

K

Think what what I'm describing here, though, is the concern still exists for people without all those.

K

Conditions and that's why we're encouraging people to consider a vaccine if they're eligible for it.

K

All right so overall doing much better.

K

And we're waiting to see how the recent memorial day holiday might impact our local cases. But.

K

This picture looks wonderful compared to even just a few weeks ago, so thank you very.

K

Encouraging, if we go to the next back to the slide, set and I'll talk about vaccine data in a moment.

K

Just a couple updates uh testing we're continuing to offer testing at four different sites.

K

Run by the health department in our county, including the leonardtown.

K

Site we're still at our harm reduction office in lexington park, although hopefully within.

K

A couple weeks we'll be transitioning to the pnc bank site off of great mills. Road.

K

And then the two school-based health centers are offering testing as well for our community.

K

Go to the next an update for this. I last time I was here, I talked about the new rapid pcr.

K

Testing at the leonardtown location of the health department, I do want to say that we've.

K

Expanded eligibility for that rapid, pcr testing and again pcr testing is the most reliable test.

K

For covid infection that we have so any resident who is has covid symptoms or.

K

Has been identified as a close contact through contact tracing is eligible now to get that rapid.

K

Pcr testing that we have at the leonardtown health department office. They do need to call.

K

Ahead and they can call that health department main office number at 475-4330, sorry 301-475-4330.

K

They may need to wait up to four hours, although more commonly less than one hour for that test.

K

Result to happen, and that's because when we're using the machine to run the test, we like to run a.

K

Few samples at a time so we're not wasting some of the the reagents, and so uh we might need to wait.

K

A little bit for other samples to come in so it's same day results within a few hours, if not within.

K

An hour if you can go to the next slide, please our vaccine page, just all these sites are provide.

K

Plenty of information I do want to draw attention to what's happening with, where we're doing.

K

Vaccine administration, where to go, that's being updated. As you know, we have been so very grateful.

K

To the hollywood volunteer fire department team, who have let us use their facility for many months.

K

And we've run mass vaccine clinics nearly every day through that hollywood.

K

Volunteer fire department, mass vaccine site, we are in the process of winding down operations. There.

K

We are, we still have some first dose clinics, including today, this morning, until one o'clock.

K

We're doing first doses over there, so if anybody watching wants to get a vaccine, please please.

K

Show up and we're going to continue to do some first doses and we are definitely still.

K

Doing all of the second doses, clinics that are due through probably mid-july, we'll likely be.

K

Taking a pause for some weeks and then restarting mass vaccine operations when.

K

We have authorization to vaccinate younger ages than what's currently authorized and.

K

And or when we have guidance on uh booster doses of vaccine, so in the meantime, what's your age.

A

Group right now right now: it's anybody, 12 and older. We will vaccinate anybody 12 and older.

K

Thank you, sir, for asking the right. Our strategy now is to transition to the next.

K

Slide, which is really about transitioning, into a variety of events in the community, so we are.

K

Having we're coordinating a variety of community organizations and partners and making sure that.

K

We have a presence in our community at all these different community events, as best as we can to.

K

Offer vaccine on-site at these vaccine events and different workplaces and and faith-based settings.

K

And so forth, so any group can contact us at this email or phone number shown here to set up either.

K

Actual vaccine delivery, or at least if we're, if we don't have the staffing to.

K

Provide vaccine delivery on site then we'll definitely send a team.

K

Out to provide information and and resources and scheduling for vaccine, I understand friday your.

A

Site in the northern part of the county didn't draw a very big crowd, yeah. Well, you know we're.

K

Going to keep trying um at this point in time, uh you know it's. Is it a lack of uh getting.

A

Information out to the people or advertising, I think it's, I think it's just there's some people.

A

That still have questions about association put out a newsletter and everything. But then.

K

Yeah and we appreciate that partnership and we're going to keep trying we're going all over.

K

The county we're going to a variety of events in all the different geographic spaces of our county.

K

And we're just going to keep trying to meet people where they are and when they're ready to get.

K

Vaccine we'll be there to help them. I just don't know what else we can do to tell people to get out.

A

There yeah yeah. Well, I think it's important making the effort to put these around the county or.

K

There's a lot of money, if north and do it and then nobody shows up or about eight people, yeah there's.

K

A lot of myths and and misinformation still out there, unfortunately, uh and I think it's.

K

Important for people to uh if you're, if you've been vaccinated, or you know, if you're looking.

K

At the science to share that with people in your circles and to encourage people in your circles.

K

To get vaccine encourage them to get their kids vaccinated if their kids are 12 and older. I think.

K

You know, there's obviously there's been so many questions and and that's natural. It's a new virus.

K

A new pandemic, it's natural to have questions, but we also have now had months and months of.

K

Millions of people getting these vaccines, great safety data, great effectiveness, data.

K

From these multiple millions of people across the world, getting these vaccines and really, um I think.

K

We want to just kind of squash this pandemic and move on so done. Fine for me, I didn't grow.

A

Any extra appendages anywhere, I feel fine, so I appreciate my vaccination in february right.

K

Right good good, I'm glad- and please share that uh with your with your circles. Fortunately, as I'll.

D

Talk about in a moment, our vaccine rates have been have been great in certain age groups. I do want to.

K

Mention uh we have, as I mentioned, we have a couple of great vaccine events coming up. This is one that.

K

We just announced by press release this morning really pleased to partner with flatburg shooters.

K

And the sheriff's office on bringing this community event, it's called shots on the range and.

K

uh The the team at flatbrook shooters have been have been absolutely.

K

Wonderful, wonderful people, uh they've uh really are people who care about their community and.

K

We are so appreciative of for them and sheriff cameron who made the introduction and and.

K

Steered this partnership, we will be there on june 15th from noon to 6 at flat broke shooters at the.

K

Fire firearms training center and providing pfizer vaccine to anybody. 12 and older.

K

You can register in advance which we appreciate, uh but then we're also accepting walk-ups.

K

uh At that event, and then the second dose will also be at flatbreak shooters a few weeks. What is.

A

Their later, what's their address, um I don't have it listed here, but we have it all on our website.

K

um And actually, the link for registering for the vaccine is up there. It's done in lexington park.

K

I think after you passed great mills road on the left-hand side. Sorry, I'm terrible with directions.

K

So somebody maybe could be able to pop up it's across from uh matapanai road mm-hmm. Thank you.

E

Thank you where pulliam store used to be or dave's is now, but you make a left-hand turn go down the.

E

Road, a mile on the right-hand side yeah, you can't miss it yeah, it's a beautiful, beautiful facility.

K

For anybody who hasn't been indoors, I went for the first time when I met the owners and and.

K

Spoke with them about setting up this event and absolutely beautifully done, organized safe.

K

Really really wonderful, wonderful setup, so we're excited to to be there for vaccines. Next, tuesday,.

K

And anybody who gets a vaccine will get a free range safety card so that they can use it for.

K

Future visits to the range the range will be closed for use for in order to accommodate the.

K

Event, but certainly this will be a great way for people to get introduced to the facility and they.

K

Also flatbreak shooters very kindly is doing uh free giveaways and they're also doing discounts.

K

On their merchandise, and we will also have q a sessions I'll be there to do some q, a sessions.

K

About the covid vaccine and also the sheriff's office will be there to do some um sessions.

K

About maryland, gun laws and gun safety techniques and we'll also be distributing uh free gun locks.

K

um To uh anybody who comes uh to the event very good, let's go back sure, there's some real good.

E

Questions here, okay, go for it, we're gonna we're gonna, give away a few things right. Does that mean.

E

We're gonna have guns and bullet discounts, um I'm not sure about that kind of merchandise. I mean.

E

There's there could be some really, you could really be. This could be very enticing for a lot.

E

Of people yeah yeah. Well, that's why we're that's, why we approach them and uh that's why we're so.

K

Pleased to partner with them, I think, uh absolutely um the we are distributing free gun locks. uh We.

K

We got um a bunch of gun locks uh from our dis that we're going to be able to distribute.

K

uh The sheriff's office has some that they're distributing as well as flatburg shooters uh we're.

K

Looking into getting some additional gun safes as well that we'll be able to raffle off, I'm not sure.

K

For you know for sure that we'll have them by then, but we're going to try and then flatbreak shooters.

K

As I mentioned is doing merchandise, discounts and some um other types of free giveaways.

K

uh T-Shirts things like that: okay, I'm not sure about the guns and the ammunition you know, got.

E

To go, if you think thinking ahead here, yeah yeah absolutely well, it's a great place to go and they.

K

They certainly have, uh like I said, a beautiful facility uh and uh really just a a wonderful.

K

Wonderful couple uh who manages and and owns that facility, I think they are very community minded.

K

And and are recognize the need and are stepping forward to help out so appreciate, appreciate them.

K

All right we go to the next one. Another event that I wanted to highlight today is obviously.

K

Juneteenth is such a special and historic uh day uh all over our country, and certainly here.

K

In st mary's county, so juneteenth is saturday june 19th from noon to 6 p.m. At lancaster park.

K

And the united committee for afro-american contributions have been great partners as well.

K

We've been working with the minority outreach coalition as well, we'll be offering pfizer.

K

Vaccine for anybody, age, 12 and older during this whole event at lancaster park. Walk-Ups are fine.

K

Although people can certainly register in advance as well on our website, so this event has a variety.

K

Of things going on, including live jazz, music and we'll be there vaccinating the whole time.

K

Then go to the next who's getting vaccinated, so these are just some updates on our numbers.

K

And we added in a couple more age categories, you'll start to see sometime in the next few.

K

Days we're going to add in another category of 12 and over, but you can see some. You know the the.

K

Miners were at about 10 have received their first dose adults. It's almost 60 percent have received.

K

Their first dose these are all st mary's county residents, and if you look uh specifically at.

K

The 65 and older group, where we were previously most concerned about hospitalizations and severe.

K

Illness and so forth, their their rates are nearing 90 at that 87.2 percent. So right now it's about 51.

K

Of our total population in st mary's county, so that includes residents who are not age.

K

Eligible for vaccine yet are still susceptible to coven infection. So 51 is a good number, but.

K

It's not where uh we are anticipated to have the the protection against the spread of infection.

K

As cases occur, so the herd immunity concept that people have talked about, they kind of link to.

K

More closer to 70 or even higher, some some experts suggest 80 is what's needed. um I think if we.

K

Obviously, we've got a ways to go before we get there, and so that's again we're really encouraging.

K

People to get vaccinated, as we start to look at kids returning full time in person in the fall.

K

To school, I encourage parents to think about it takes about five weeks for somebody to get.

K

Fully vaccinated, so if you want to get your kid vaccinated before they go back in person full time.

K

To school and- and you know in the late august early september start by at least mid july.

K

And we'll we'll definitely get more messages out uh about the availability of vaccine.

K

uh For all these different age groups, and dr bruce, that was probably something we were worried about.

B

A while back is when we get rid of not get rid of that's bad. When we finally reached a.

B

Point where people aren't taking every vaccine that you have now do you have extra vaccines.

K

Absolutely yeah, we have all three vaccines, so you have plenty of supply. We have plenty of supply, we.

K

Need more arms, but demand has gone down absolutely yeah, and that's this. This is that what people call.

K

The vaccine hesitancy wall and it's across the whole country, uh not just here in saint mary's,.

K

County, but uh certainly you know we're going to do whatever we can to be in different places. We.

K

We know people needed time to think about it. We know people need the right moment to get it done.

K

So we'll try to be there when those right moments are happening. So I guess where I'm going with this.

B

You'll continue to give these vaccines for as long as you're a health department right for as long.

K

As the coveted pandemic's going on and we're needed to assist vaccination in our community.

B

I guess my point is: is that we keep hearing about you know every year, my wife and I get.

B

The flu shot and it'll just be that same type of thing right where you just get a flu shot.

B

Every year, that's uh that's a great question, commissioner. That's not uh something that.

K

Science has answered yet as how often these coveted vaccines need to be administered.

K

uh We are right now are focused to try to get over this pandemic and to get to a level where.

K

We're not having these periodic cases that then infect others, and we have periodic outbreaks.

K

So if we can get more people vaccinated right now, we're hopeful that this will.

K

Help us get out of the pandemic status and the concern about ongoing spread of of this.

K

Virus in the future, I don't know if we're going to have coveted vaccine on an annual basis like.

K

We have flu vaccine people think there seems to be general thought that yes, well, this will likely.

K

Be a vaccine that we'll need to get periodically. I don't know if it's going to be annual or bi-annual.

K

Or some other level of frequency, if it is, we may, as a health department, have a role in providing.

K

Vaccine for that purpose, but we're also hoping you know the all- the pharmacies and the primary care.

K

Doctors will have this routinely in their office like they do with flu vaccine and that we're.

K

Not necessarily the primary source of vaccine, as we have been over the past several months,.

B

Okay, thank you, yeah. We go over to the next slide. These are the the kind of the racial.

K

Ethnic distribution of vaccine, we definitely have seen our percentages increase slowly but surely.

K

uh In our minority communities uh in in particular, what I'm pointing out here are.

K

African-American residents, uh 14.2 percent of all vaccines, first dose vaccines, administered.

K

Have been administered to african-american residents here in saint mary's county and.

K

For those who identify as hispanic and ethnicity, it's 3.2 percent, which is somewhat similar to the.

K

4 to 5 percent population representation, that's estimated for individuals identifying as hispanic.

K

And the last slide is just uh again: appointments are available, as you uh mentioned, commissioner,.

K

Hewitt. Thank you. We have all three vaccines. um If people are interested in johnson and.

K

Johnson vaccine we'll be at, I believe, that's being distributed at the farmer's market. This saturday.

K

At the bae farmer's market, and then we're also going to be at the women's auxiliary craft, fair at.

K

The holly inside at the hollywood fire department on saturday as well, good, okay, very good. Thank you.

K

Thank you seriously, just one question: I know that the amish mennonite communities have.

H

Been volunteering significantly and are seeking employment in the uh healthcare professional field.

H

I know there's some obstacles that have been found with identification for employment um is.

H

There anything that you would need from us, besides beyond working with senator bailey, to ensure that.

H

They can get their identifications through the mva and to help with the health health.

H

Care that you've been providing um I'd, definitely like to explore that a little bit more with you.

K

Commissioner, I'm not aware um of what barriers are maybe to for them to get involved with the.

K

Healthcare professions, but certainly we can look into that. I mean as a health department. We provide.

K

The birth certificates and and so forth, that can be helpful for identification purposes and we do.

K

uh Do home birth registration for our amish community, I mean we, we meet with them regularly.

K

Actually, to register all those from birth, so we do hold all those birth certificates and can assist.

K

With that, it's an mba thing, um I don't know we can have a further discussion about it and.

H

From there, but it comes down to their photos. You know they, they don't have a photo on a drivers.

H

You have to have a photo on a driver's license, but you don't have to have one on an id card.

K

Right, religious uh exemptions and things like that, but I just want to make sure that we're tracking.

H

Along because that effort that they gave during this pandemic, I don't want to lose that momentum.

K

Absolutely and thank you for raising that. I'm certainly happy to participate in further.

K

Conversations on that, thank you. Yeah. I've talked to several of the elders in the homeless community.

A

They do not get the shots yeah, they don't want to yeah, and you know it's interesting. I think I.

K

Argued with one of them- and he said, hey, we kind of exposed ourselves only to our own community.

A

And stay away from you, general public people. I said: okay buddy, although there are farmers.

K

Markets and and so forth, that's where there's lots of gathered there. So I mean I just told them that.

A

I said: look you got you're, sending your people down waggies right now to the markets and.

A

They're exposed to all of us there, and I said you need them. We have reached out um on several.

A

Occasions to uh leaders within both the amish and mennonite communities and there have been.

K

um You know some number uh who have adopted vaccine from collectively from the amish.

K

And mennonite community, and we also have a relationship that we've built up with our amish.

K

Community here locally, where we do go out and we provide a vaccine clinic for some other vaccines.

K

So my understanding is, the religion doesn't prohibit vaccination, but it does encourage.

K

Consultation with the elders in the community and their guidance and seeking their guidance and and.

K

What to do, um but we do have, as I mentioned, a partnership that we've established over many.

K

Years, it's actually been recognized nationally um uh in in the public health circles as a as a.

K

uh We've noticed any kind of coveted illnesses amongst our ambitious mennonite community.

K

So there have been some illnesses diagnosed. um I I'm not able to go into the direct numbers for you.

A

That's okay, I'm just trying to agree with you yeah yeah. Thank you. Any other questions. Questions no.

A

Thank you, okay. Thank you very much very much, dr bruce. Thank you for all your work. Thank you, sir.

J

Move to adjourn as the saint mary's county board of health and reconvene as the commissioners of saint mary's county second verse. The second law approved all right.

A

Hey how's happening. Thank you, dr brewster. Very much. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Next, we have a.

A

Come back now to the department of land use and growth management.

A

For our decision on the proposed ordinance to allow private peers and waterfront subdivisions.

A

That were planted prior to december 31st 1994 that have a community beer, whatever all that is.

A

Yes, sir good morning, thank you, commissioners, all right. The code of maryland regulations.

D

For the critical area allows private peers and subdivisions planted before december 31 1994 even.

D

When there is a community pier the saint mary's county, zoning ordinance, however, prohibits private.

D

Peers when there is a community peer without exception, this amendment to the county, zoning.

D

Ordinance will allow the same extension as is allowed by the state law after the commissioners.

D

Agreed to have the public hearing, I sent a copy of the proposed ordinance to critical area staff.

D

And they reviewed it and returned the comment that we see no conflict with the critical area.

D

Law or regulations the public hearing on this amendment was held on may 18 2021 four letters.

D

Or email in support were received prior to the public hearing at the public hearing one resident.

D

Spoke in person and one teleconferenced in the comments were in support of the proposed amendment.

D

One one email in support was received during the open records period. We have not received.

D

Any comments opposing the proposed amendment approving this amendment. It's important to note.

D

Will allow owners to apply for a private peer applicants will still have to comply with other.

D

Czo regulations, critical area law, maryland department of the environment, regulations.

D

And also if their homeowners association, where they live, have restrictions or standards regarding.

D

Peers they would have to meet those as well. Of course, the county doesn't enforce these private.

D

Regulations, but if they're there, that would be something that the owner needed to be aware of.

D

And if the amendment is accepted today it will be sent to the critical area. Commission.

D

For them to formally review it as a revision to a refinement to the local critical area program.

D

Harry knight's with me today are there any questions about this proposed amendment.

J

So assuming we approve this, we still need critical area commission to approve it also.

J

And we've got an ace in the hole with that. Well, I wouldn't call it that but refinement's a good idea.

B

Versus a project, that's that's what we want right.

D

But having sent the text up there before, I hope and get the simple yes, we see no conflict.

D

Plus, when this was when this was being developed, mr weiskopf had extensive email conversations.

D

With the critical area, letting them know what we wanted to, do, they provided us. The example.

D

From state law that it provides the exception, so I don't see any problems with them getting it.

B

Very good yeah I don't either but tell me after 94, the new rules still apply like if you were platted.

B

January 1st 95 you, you still cannot have these peers because that's when the state law changed.

B

The other thing is, you said: hoa rules will take precedent over county policy or county. They can, if.

D

You're, a member of an hoa whatever you signed on to when you bought your property good point good.

B

Point good point: okay, I'm just trying to make sure that we didn't trump somebody or they didn't trump.

B

Us well, it's not really a trump situation, sir. It's just kind of what you agree to yeah exactly.

H

I'll move to approve the proposed ordinance to amend the st mary's county, comprehensive.

H

Zoning ordinance to allow private peers and subdivisions plotted before december 31 1994 that.

H

Have a community peer and have the commissioner president sign the related documents? Second got.

A

A first second, all in favor, aye aye any opposed. I have very much thank you, mr hunt. Thank you.

A

Thank you, mr knight, for being here.

A

Okay, I think it brings us right down. I think we completed everything you think.

F

Correct you're on good enough. Thank you very much. uh We'll move right into commissioner time and.

A

We'll start with commissioner morgan thanks. Mr president, um I guess everybody welcome back for.

E

Memorial day, I hope everybody enjoyed themselves, went from cold and damp to hot and humid and.

E

I guess we'll stay hot and humid for the week till we get to cold and damp over the weekend again.

E

Sports update college sports interesting couple days. Probably most of you, I'm hoping a lot of.

E

People paying attention most people may not. Yesterday the jmu girls, women's softball team.

E

Lost in their quest for a national championship, they were the cinderella team on ranked, went in.

E

Won their first three games against top ranked teams that, unfortunately fell to.

E

Top ranked oklahoma yesterday in a really tough game at the end of the afternoon, I think was seven.

E

To one but their picture is the girl named ducey alexander. I think I got her name right.

E

She's from virginia- and she has this great and wonderful self-made story about how she.

E

Worked her way up to playing softball at jmu and became the pitcher, and she was the cinderella.

E

Of the championship, so if you get a chance to go back and watch sports or something listen to her.

E

Interview at the end of the day and give tribute to a girl who really is self-made, she's, confident.

E

She did a great job and she had the women's softball world looking down upon her.

E

And in what she did so congratulations to jmu on your success, but today at noon.

E

Division: three men's college world series salisbury the gulls from over there on the eastern.

E

Shore playing against saint thomas minnesota, they won yesterday 6-1 they play today at noon. If they.

E

Win they're the national championships if they lose they'll, wait 45 minutes and play game three.

E

But what's local about this scott cameron on the baseball team starting player hit a home run the.

E

Other night, and in case you didn't recognize that name, there's a sheriff out there named cameron.

E

Happens to be his son so we're cheering for salisbury this afternoon and with that I'm.

E

Done, thank you very good. Congratulations, john! All right! So, uh of course, the hot weather is upon us.

H

So if you're looking for cooling centers keep an eye on county government, if the cooling centers.

H

Start to open up based on the heat and make sure that you're staying hydrated, you know if.

H

You're out there working out or you're, just taking your stroll, this humidity can play a trick on you.

H

So make sure that you're drinking plenty of fluids, water, gatorade whatever it is that you so choose.

H

Especially with the heat wave coming upon us, I think that's very important.

H

Event going on overflow festival, it's gonna be virtually live.

H

It's down at historic, st mary city, and you can find it at overflow, festival.org.

H

So this was uh a request by some of the organizers to go ahead, and um you know just basically.

H

Push it out there, let let everybody know that you know there are events going on in the county.

H

And if you don't know what go-go music is, this is probably a decent time to go ahead and find out.

H

If you've lived in the dc dmv area- and you don't know what go go, music is.

H

I don't know where you've been, but for those that have moved to the area, it's a very unique.

H

Music genre, it is uh came out of the district and it has made its way across the the dmv over many.

H

Many years um I could tell you when I when I first came here, I was a little. uh I didn't really get it.

H

And then after I listened to it for a while, I was like all right cool. I like it, um but it's.

H

It's it depends on what band it. It is, so it looks like they have boe subtle, dc, vibe band and let it.

H

Flow I've heard dc vibe before they're great, so I think you'll be in for a great show and and some.

H

Great entertainment, so with that said, that is, did I say the date yeah june 12th to saturday.

H

Go to the website check it out, get out of your house stay hydrated. I think they're.

H

Gonna have some wine so make sure you drink water with the wine thanks eric very good.

J

Start off on a somewhat serious note, a week or two ago I was watching a news report on the bbc about.

J

Covid in india, now I don't know if you've been paying attention to what's going on over there.

J

But it's an absolutely terrible situation, my understanding of a lot of factors that play.

J

Into it, but when the government started to shut down when they started to finally realize that.

J

There was a large problem, they shut down a lot of the cities and the people who lived in the cities.

J

Went back to their rural villages and overwhelmed the health care systems there, and this bbc.

J

Camera company or news company went in there with their cameras that they had to have hidden.

J

Because the government didn't want the news media to be able to portray and show what was going on.

J

In the hospitals there, how understaffed they are on just terrible terrible situation. What really.

J

Hit me watching this is what's happening. There is what we discussed here over a year ago about what.

J

A worst case scenario would look like, and so if you want to know what a worst case scenario.

J

Could have looked like take a look at what's going on in india, just terrible terrible situation and.

J

Thankfully, we heard a really good report today from dr brewster we're doing really good here.

J

We're seeing our country really starting to come out of covid. So that's that's really good news.

J

And really good for us, um wanna echo, commissioner morgan's sports report. I was hoping I'd get to go.

J

Before him, because I had it written down on my pad to talk about it as an alumni of salisbury.

J

University, I'm always cheering for the galls, so I'm excited for the baseball team. They've.

J

Had an incredible season and it can only get better so they're doing great. That's wonderful!.

J

And also salisbury women's lacrosse won national championship this year, so go goals. It's been a.

J

Good year for the gulls, finally, as the other commissioners have mentioned, it's hot outside.

J

Stay hydrated watch out for your pets. Watch out for your vulnerable neighbors, be careful in.

J

This heat, don't let it get the best of you and watch out for ticks. I pulled one off the other.

J

Day ticks are out, it's never any good one of the worst animals in the world, so watch out for ticks.

J

And be careful, thank you mike. I want to give a shout out to the american legion ridge, post 255.

B

Again, they held a memorial day ceremony. It was a wonderful ceremony, but I'd like to give a.

B

Special shout out to a family friend, great guy, charlie sims, he's 94 years old. Now I don't know.

B

Many 94 year olds, who still ride their harley davidson and the rolling thunder tribute to.

B

The the veterans- it's just amazing, charlie's, a great guy. He he served in the navy with my dad.

B

And lord knows that was during world war ii and korean wars and different other events and.

B

Bottom line is good on you, charlie, keep it up buddy I mean he likes to get down to buzzies.

B

Every day, around four o'clock for an afternoon of a conversation and have a cold one, as he says,.

B

And uh keep it up, buddy 94., I'm proud of you. uh Secondly, uh this week this past week, even though.

B

We've been off for a couple weeks. We have had things to do. We had our low sap and opeb as you.

B

Know the losapp pays our volunteers when, after so many years of service and we've recently.

B

Made a decision to increase that low sap by 3.2 million dollar contribution this year. It's going.

B

To put us in a better position to get better investments that investment right now is around.

B

Six million dollars this new money will bring us into a little over nine. Our goal is around.

B

17, but uh we're getting there we're getting there. It's something that popped up, probably.

B

Eight nine years ago- and it's been a it's- been a challenge but we're meeting that challenge. Oped.

B

That's our other post employment benefits, retiree benefits. Now, that is something that's up to 116.

B

Million specifically 115.7 I'll round it to 116.. What makes that unique is that started in 2008.

B

And was set up to be funded at a hundred to an amount of 106 million by 2038 we're in 2021.

B

17 years early and we've been able to get that fund fully funded. Now, of course, what's important.

B

About that kind of investment, is you got to keep it? It's, like, I say once you've gone somewhere.

B

And won some money, take your winnings and go home! Don't keep playing in the market because.

B

More shots, they have at you, the more better chance you may lose, but we're shifting our strategies to.

B

A more conservative we're conservative now but we're shifting to a more conservative approach.

B

Lowering our target rate will get again, keep us in line with what our expectations.

B

Are for funding people's retirement benefits? We're way ahead of many many many counties.

B

And I'm very proud to say that in the last seven years that this commissioner has been on.

B

That board the fund has gone from 65 million to 116 million over 51 million dollars. It's been a.

B

Good run, let's hope we can keep it up now. We also had a critical areas. Commission meeting last week.

B

And st mary's county was to the agenda items we this uh the county finally approved.

B

The requirements per the law passed in 2008 that required us to upgrade per google earth.

B

Gis, whatever the latest technology, is to measure the amount of critical areas in a.

B

County or in a state or wherever critical areas apply what's important is, is that st mary's county.

B

Actually gained three thousand seven hundred and three acres in the critical area. Now people may.

B

Say wow that that's a lot and I agree that is a lot, but the key gets to be. Is it's not that.

B

Your rights have been diminished, it just means we have a greater responsibility.

B

To the waterways of the chesapeake bay and to the rivers that flow through this county.

B

And to the general health of the environment, it's a good idea. It's it's something that we.

B

Need to keep an eye on and it's a new reality, but look the key is we didn't have a choice? It was.

B

A law that was passed 13 years ago and finally, we got on board and I think that's a good thing.

B

Lastly, 2 pm today we're cutting the ribbon for the new detention center I'll call it the new jail.

B

Many of you known this has gone on for years. There was a time when the county got involved.

B

With something the state was going to go, half on that was probably 10 years ago. However, long.

B

Ago that was, and that idea fell apart. County spent almost 2 million dollars at that time. On.

B

Architectural and engineering and the money was never allocated, the project was dropped.

B

It's finally going to be done and finally put that infrastructure project in the rear view, mirror and.

B

Move forward and that's a good thing again watch the heat, especially your animals. If you have any.

B

Animals or outside they're in danger too, have a great day. Thank you. Thank you, commissioners.

A

And for my final word here uh uh for those of you who are even thinking about getting a vaccination.

A

Please go ahead and do that. I was disappointed in the northern part of the county this weekend, where.

A

There was only, I think, only about eight people that showed up to get a shot and that's very.

A

Disappointing it's a heavily populated area and we're trying our best. They, the health department's.

A

Doing everything they can to branch out and try to go to these locations to get closer to you.

A

You know you can hear my transportation they're right there and uh best thing to do is go on our.

A

Saint mary's county health department's website to see where they're distributing these vaccines and.

A

I think it's a good thing. I I got mine in february and I I feel fine. I don't think that nothing's.

A

Happened to me, so I think it's all good and the sooner we get more and more. The bigger population.

A

What does anaheim bush want? 70 percent by july 4th? That's the goal I think he's going to get there.

E

So if anheuser-busch going to give us all free beer, we all get vaccinated come on. I mean what.

A

Else could he possibly ask for get a free beer just because you got a vaccination done, come on.

A

Let's get out there and get them done and I think you'll be better off to do all this and the whole.

A

The whole country and the states and everything else we'll be able to.

A

To get things really totally back to normal, so we need to do and get back to work and uh on the.

A

Scott cameron, my god, what a great thing now in the baseball salisbury. I think that is just tremendous.

A

Because I locally hear this and involved in a great team like that and you're almost too I.

A

Mean it's good right! That's good! That's tremendous! I'm glad to see who's the best and charlie sims.

A

I've known him for a long time, good man and uh I can remember one day walking into buzzy's uh this.

A

Many years ago I just hadn't seen him probably in 25 years and and he looked at me and he looked at.

A

I looked at him, he said he said you don't know me and I said you know what charlie I really.

A

Don't remember you, but I remember your daughter. She was like sheila was a good-looking woman.

A

And he about busted. He said he tagged, that's what he got was thinking about his women. I.

A

Said I'm not thinking about you, men, I think about women. You better believe it and I said.

A

She was a good-looking girl, so anyway, with that said, uh we got a closed session coming up. I need.

A

To get the uh motion to go into closed session, we should probably do it right now. I'm taking.

H

Most of it um I moved to move into executive session for the discussion of person, personnel.

H

Second, our first second, all in favor, aye, aye and remember 2 pm. We have the ribbon.

A

A