St. Mary's County, MD Commissioners of St. Mary's County, 9 Feb 2021

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

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Tuesday february 9 2021., I'm randy guy president, commissioner of st mary's county.

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I'd like to introduce the other commissioners standing to my right, representing the first commissioner district, which includes ridge, piney, point st george's island, mr eric colvin.

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Good morning, representative, second, commissioner district, which includes leonard town hollywood,.

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Mr mike hewitt, good morning, john o'connor represents the third commission district, which.

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Includes charlotte hall, 7 district golden beach mechanicsville is joining us via webex john yuan,.

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Good morning, good morning, sitting to my left representing the 4th commissioner district.

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Which includes lexington park, some of california, great mills and some of hollywood. Mr todd morgan.

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Sitting next to commissioner morgan is dr rebecca bridges. Our county administrator.

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Alisa cases our communications director is sitting at the table to my right.

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Good morning, amy carter, our video media producers behind the glass. Please turn your cell phones.

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Off from vibrate at this time, we'd like to have our invocation and pledge, please stand.

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Dear lord, thank you for this beautiful day, a little snowy out there. You can make that go.

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Away any time you like other than that, thank you for the beautiful air that we breathe and the food.

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We eat and this vaccines coming out and getting under control. I'd like you to pick to speed up.

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On that too, if you could, thank you very much and give us the wisdom to make the right decisions and.

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The courage to follow through on them 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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Under god, indivisible with liberty and justice. Thank you, commissioner hewitt. uh Next we need the.

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Approval of the consent agenda. I moved to approve the consent agenda, which includes the minutes of.

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February, 2nd 2021, as presented. Second, I have a first and second, all in favor aye any opposed.

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Next, we have a presentation and we have a retirement accommodation for jeffrey mclean.

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Who has that uh I got it? Okay? um Yes, please! Yes,.

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Jeffrey mclean, my friend, how are you, sir good morning? Thank you. Well, you know. Everybody's.

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Got to retire one day, the commissioners of st mary's county officially commends jeffrey mclean.

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For 43 years of outstanding praiseworthy and dedicated service to st mary's county.

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Through your diligence, dedication, a relentless pursuit of excellence.

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You have rightfully earned the communities of gratitude, respect and admiration. We hereby express.

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Our sincere congratulations on your on this occasion of your retirement and extend best wishes.

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For your future endeavors and then ask god's blessing upon you this day february, 1st 2021.

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But today is february 9th, so this the commissioners of saint mary's county now.

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A little bit about deputy mclean, he was hired january 11 1978 as a deputy trainee.

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With the office of the sheriff he's held multiple positions in july 1 of 2006. He converted to armor.

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Full time and retired from this position again 43 years of service as of 3-1 2021.. Thank you, sir.

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Sheriff cameron a few words, possibly sure commissioners, thank you for acknowledging jeff.

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uh For his exemplary career, two careers, really as a police officer, then as a one of our uh training.

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Com trainers and uh our armor I'll say this about jeff on a professional level. Jeff has been a.

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Staple around the sheriff's office, as as you know, you've commissioner hewitt's been looking at him.

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A long time, good man not a kinder gentler uh soul, that there is very supportive of everyone, always.

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On a personal note, jeff has always been there. I had a uh a biopsy done in my lung when I was a.

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Young policeman- and the only thing I remember is waking up to doctors and nurses and jeff.

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The table that I was on saying: you're: okay, you're, okay, it's nothing! It's nothing and I.

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Thought wow how in the world did jeff get in here, that's cool. It was reassuring to see him.

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Really in my entire career in my life, jeff has always been there, so I'm so happy and.

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Proud for him and his family now to get on the road and enjoy things he's worked so hard for.

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But he will be missed, we'll fill his position, but we'll never replace him. So he's, certainly what I.

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Refer to as the hall of famer anybody that retires and gets out unscathed, this profession is certain.

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So jeff, I thank you for your professionalism and your friendship over a long long period of time.

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Thank you, commissioner.

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Jeff, of course, all yours um first off I'd like to thank everyone here, thank god for putting me in.

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The position to be that I'm in I've worked with some truly great people. I think sheriff cameron.

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And I are the last two on the sheriff's office that were hired by joseph lee, somerville sheriff.

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Somerville and it's been a- it's been a whirlwind trip, it really has. It doesn't seem like 43 years.

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Sometimes it seems like a lot longer. Sometimes it seems like not. It just started and thank you.

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Very much for your kindness and consideration. We appreciate everything you do for us. Thank.

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You for all your help in your 43 years. That's just commendable. Believe me, thank you. Thank you.

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Gentlemen, if we can get a formal portrait if you'll stay at the table and sarah will.

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Get your picture! Thank you just to get one just.

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Okay, this moves us right into county administrator time. Thank you, commissioner.

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President guy commissioners, I bring your attention to the draft agendas for february 23rd and march.

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2Nd, as there will be no meeting of the commissioners next week on february, 19th.

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So for february 23rd you begin your meeting at 9 00 a.m. With a public hearing for the proposed.

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Amendment to the solar task force, temporary moratorium on utility scale, solar projects.

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Then at 9 15 you have a public hearing from land use and growth management for the proposed.

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Amendment to change the critical area overlay from resource conservation area to intensely.

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Developed area for the real food studio project, you have your weekly updates from the office of.

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The county attorney on legislation. You adjourn your morning, business meeting and reconvene at 1.

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30 p.m. With the department of finance for your budget work session, the next week is march, 2nd 9.

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00 a.m. You begin with your public hearing for the proposed amendment to the official zoning match.

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Proclamations scheduled that morning, national disabilities, month and women's history month, you.

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Have your weekly update from the office of county attorney on legislation? You adjourn your business.

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Morning, meeting reconvene at 1 30 p.m, with the department of finance for your budget work session.

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For this morning's business meeting, you begin with item 3b from the saint mary's.

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County library, with their semi-annual briefing, michael blackwell, director of st mary's county.

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Library presenting this morning and he'll introduce any guests on webex good morning.

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Morning mr blackman good morning get my denny's placement set here I'll.

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Have a double slam breakfast please. We need some therapy to color with.

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Yes, thank you so much for the opportunity to be here this morning and I'm trying to okay.

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Most of our board have not been able to join me this morning, um but um thank you so much for.

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The opportunity to present to you um on library operations pretty much just since the six months.

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Ago, when I last presented to you and I sent you a more detailed document which is available on.

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Board docs, I believe, and that has for the public, who might wish to access that, among other things,.

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A link to a lot of our virtual programming, so you can see many of the things that we've done.

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And that some of which I'll be talking about, I can only touch upon some highlights today.

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Obviously the big story for us, just like everybody else, has been the covet 19 pandemic.

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When I last reported to you, we were doing curbside and virtual programming and we had.

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Just on august 3rd, open the library for in-person visits, and we continued that for quite some time.

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I told you, then, that we're only the third library in maryland to open its buildings and we looked.

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At national studies to try to get guidelines about how to quarantine materials best, we've maintained.

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Our social distancing and our pp use. Basically, we've tried to really walk a tight rope between.

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Being open as much as we can and giving as much in-person service as we can and trying to make.

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Sure that we're a safe place for the public to be and not a place where the pandemic might be.

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Spreading, basically, many libraries have still not opened their doors to the public. Charles.

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County, for example, has never done so. They've only got curbside service, I'm not trying to criticize.

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Them everybody needs to make their own decisions based upon what's happening in their own county.

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I just want to say that I think we've been careful but very bold. The two libraries that.

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Opened before us in fact, subsequently closed their buildings to the public. So right now st mary's is.

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The library which has been open to the public, the longest of any in maryland,.

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We did last fall at the same time that you and the county closed your buildings and 0:11:55.120,1193:02:47.295 them not.

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Broadband available but don't have broadband access, so we just view that as an essential.

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Service, um so um working with bob kelly. Furthermore, and and thank you for that work.

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Mr kelly, we've extended our wi-fi throughout all our parking lots, so you can pull up there anywhere.

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In the parking lot get wi-fi access, it's on 24, 7. and more clement weather, especially in the.

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Fall what we were seeing was a lot of students who didn't yet have access come sit out. There.

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Connect so we've been a source, for you know, community hot spots as well. People can check.

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Those out of the library and if you don't have one please come to the library and we'll hook you up.

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We have, unfortunately had one employee test positive for the covet virus.

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To my knowledge, however, we have had no in-building transmissions. That was a case of somebody.

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Picking up because of his home situation, so I think we've been safe. You'll be glad.

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To know that, rep that the employee is recovering slowly, but I think very well.

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We do have plans now for restoring more full service and moving away from the appointment. Only.

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I'll be talking about that in just a couple of minutes, an update on the new leonard town library.

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Its total and absolute completion has been delayed somewhat by the pandemic, getting contractors to.

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Come finish a couple things has been a challenge, but really only very small projects remain.

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As you may be aware, unfortunately, there have been some trouble with the plumbing there.

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But we're looking to have it ship shape and ready to go.

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As soon as we possibly can- and I just love to completely throw the doors open wide on.

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What I think is going to be the busiest library in southern maryland can't wait for this pandemic to.

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Be over and just have everybody come and see how wonderful it is without any restrictions at all.

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Now, typically, in a presentation like this, I talk to you about how busy we are about our programming.

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Numbers our user visits, how many materials we circulate. Obviously, the pandemic has put something.

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Of a damper on that, but I do have one positive thing to report and that is that our digital.

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Content use ebooks digital audio books, digital music, digital movies is up 40 over last year.

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At this time, so a lot of people are discovering that we do have a wealth of information available.

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That way, and if you haven't yet checked out what the library has in that please go online or call.

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Us up and we'll talk you through the whole process of doing that. We have made steps to.

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Try to increase our digital offerings as well, so there's more content there for people in st mary's.

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Speaking of digital content, I want to talk to you about two.

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Initiatives where st mary's county library is literally a national leader and the first is.

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That we arrange to digitize four print books that are of local interest, uh including in relentless.

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Pursuit of an education which is a book put out by the unified committee for african-american.

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Contributions about the draydon school and that's not so unusual in itself, but the step we took.

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Through a grant working with an organization called the digital public library of america is.

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To make that available in the same place that all our commercially available titles are available.

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So if you go into our app you'll be able to find that local content there, it's really great local.

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History and basically so if you go looking for a bestseller, say a john grisham, you can also find.

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That local content there and that's not something that any other library in the country has done yet.

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And we were a pilot. The digital public library of america has now made that a national initiative.

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That libraries across the country can do, and the second is, that we are driving force behind a bill.

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That's currently before the maryland legislation about digital content. Basically there's a lot of.

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Digital publishers and amazon is perhaps the primary I'm going to call it offender here.

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They have a wealth of money. They've got their own publishing house, increasingly they're getting.

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Exclusive contracts with authors- and you cannot get that material any other way than by going to.

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Amazon and plunking down your credit card and we in libraries don't think you should have to have a.

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Credit card to be an informed, maryland resident, so what that legislation does is that it says.

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That anybody who makes a book available to the public in maryland also has to make it available.

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To libraries, I testified about that last week, testifying before the senate on thursday and that.

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Came from an initiative I did where, basically, we had senator king submit an opinion to the mayoral.

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Attorney general and say: is that practice even constitutional or legal, and this bill came about.

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As a result of that, maryland would be the first state in the country to offer that protection to.

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Its readers and I think that this will be a template that other states are going to follow.

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Has that tied the digital advertising bill? um This is a separate bill completely. um It was.

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Senate bill 432 and house bill 518, so I there's no connection to that particular bill. Thank you. This.

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Is completely separate and all it does is just address that one issue um not anything related to.

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Advertising um well as long as we're talking about going digital. Let's talk about that in relentless.

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Pursuit of education that was part of a program we did called community conversations on race.

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Where we partnered, with the ucac with saint mary's naacp, with saint mary's, county museum division and.

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With historic solderly and we provided programming, among other things, that did a virtual tour.

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Of the draden school and the old jail house in leonardtown, here we had a team book discussion.

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We had a session where the community could discuss that book. Having made it available, digitally.

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And so people who attended the draydon school came and talked about their experiences and.

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We had teens talk about their current experiences in education here and just.

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Talked about the progress that's been made and some of the challenges that might still remain.

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Some other programming highlights our digital art. Programs have proved very.

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Popular indeed often, we've had over 100 people online learning how to do. For example, watercolors.

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And kind of what we're finding out is that there's a sweet spot for some programs, we're.

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Probably never going to be able to go back to doing them in person, because they're so popular.

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Digitally so maybe we'll have an in person, but also a virtual component on something like that.

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We've had virtual crafts classes, we've got training classes for those who are new to various.

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Social media platforms, such as how to use facebook for people not familiar with something like that.

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Training classes on how to use the library's apps and get that digital content.

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Pint-Sized play time is activities for parents to do with their children to teach colors shapes.

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Letters and numbers we've had make and take crafts, and that document that I I provided, but he has.

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Some photos of some of those- basically they swing by you can pick them up the library, the parents.

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Can go home? Do the crafts with their kids? We had a really fun program where a local piano teacher.

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Was working with her students and we broadcast their spring piano recital their summer hymn song.

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uh Him sing and their christmas recital so their relatives could see that virtually.

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We've had people from as far away as israel, email us and say thanks for that, it'd allow.

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Me to see somebody that you know, I really want something. I really wanted to see.

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um We've had popular games for teens, one was called among us. It's a social game involving.

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Deductive skills you got to figure out who the so-called villain sitting hidden in the group is.

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We had a holocaust museum program where a research historian from that institution talked about.

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Its mission, the importance of his history and of remembering history and chilling examples of that.

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Time of propaganda and censorship, we've got book discussions for teens for adults, so we've kept on.

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Working virtually, even though we haven't been able to have as much in person.

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Some notable activities right now we are partnering with the health department. We are helping field phone calls about getting the.

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Chronovirus vaccination we're averaging about 45 calls a day on friday when sign ups occur.

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People can use our computers to sign in and actually sign up to get their vaccination.

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We've got a new library app again that came through a grant.

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That allows people to do virtual checkouts, so you walk into the library. You've got your books.

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Get out your cell phone, your tablet and you can check them out yourself and that way you don't.

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Have to handle our self checkout machines or handbooks over and get books back in order to.

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Check them out, we've got a really popular thing, going called grab bags, so you can say I can't.

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Go in the library right now, but I really love mysteries and I particularly like this author.

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You call us up, you say I want 15 books that are like that and we'll check them out on your card.

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Put them in a bag, you take them and you go and so you're ready to go. We do that with dvds as well.

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In partnership with the with the mothers club up in charlotte hall, we've opened that little.

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Free pantry again to try to help provide food during the ongoing challenges. You know economic.

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Challenges here, our 3d printers ran almost non-stop, making ear, sabers and headbands to.

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Make ppe easier to wear? We were working with the good folks there at the pax museum as part.

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Of that initiative and made literally thousands of those a couple of things that are coming up.

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Starting on february 26th people will be able to get a unique code from the library to view a.

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Film called black men in white coats. It's part of our african-american presentations for the month.

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There are fewer black men applying to go to medical school now than it did in 1967.

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And this film explores the whys of that, and so we are having a panel discussion. uh Mr kelsey bush.

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Will be the moderator for that and we're trying to get some local folks from the medical community.

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To talk about that, so there'll be five days where up to 2000 people can view that movie and.

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We're partnering with the schools on that uh with historic sodderly with ucac, dublin and naacp, and.

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With the folks from dismantling racism, so we think we'll probably get all 2000 views going on that.

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And then people will be able to log in have the panel discussion ask online questions. That's.

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Coming up look in your library website and you can get your own code for viewing that talk a bit.

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About our reopening plans, we are targeting march 8., so about a month from now by then we think that.

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With any luck, the pandemic cases are going to slow enough that we're going to go back to opening our.

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Buildings now we will limit the number of people in them at any one time, but it will no longer be.

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Necessary to have appointment come right on in use your library and uh we're. You know. I.

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I'd say my staff is nervous but determined and very excited about getting back to that again.

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So um what library service looks like after that is going to be very interesting. I don't.

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Know how quickly the public's going to want to come out again in the way they once did.

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I'm sure people are still going to want to be careful. You will have to have you know a mask.

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We will, you know, have social distancing going on try to be careful about that.

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Maintain our cleaning schedule use some of these wands when we can. Although that's.

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Pretty much impossible to do with a public car because you're not supposed to look at the little.

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uh Square of light, that's disinfecting the surface and, of course, the first thing. What.

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Happens when you say now, don't look at that as someone's going to look at that so, but we.

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We know we're going to have to be more digital capable and offer even more digital resources.

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So we're looking to do that at the same time, there's still the digital divide, there's.

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Still, people who love print books as opposed to digital, so we're going to have to do our best to.

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Get back to some of the traditional things while we have even more digital programming.

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More digital resources, we do have six programs coming up for children that will be outside.

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So we're looking to get back to some actual face-to-face programming.

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Again, social distancing outside should make that safe for everybody.

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At long last, then, I hope eventually will open wide that new library and for right now, I'd just like.

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To say thank you for all your support of libraries and for all that you've done to help. You know us.

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Do a great service for st mary's county and if you have any questions, I'm happy to field those.

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So you said march 8th will be a full library opening, or are you going to do partial or.

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I mean we're going to a lot of people complaining to us about the lack of accessibility or don't.

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Have an appointment or something so I'm trying to figure out sure yeah all right. So what's going to.

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Happen is we're going to be open the same hours. We are right now, which is monday through thursday.

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From 1 to 6, friday and saturday noon to five, but you'll just be able to walk right into the library.

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Walk through the stacks, we will probably not be opening the meeting rooms just yet.

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Because it's pretty difficult to do social, distancing or at least sort of.

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Watch over that, um but I hope, before the summer's end, that we'll have our meeting rooms open as well.

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And then we'll also extend back to our full hours, okay, but on march 8th, that's my target for.

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Having the libraries be once again walk in and I I'm getting those phone calls too.

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um As you can well imagine, I know the schools are going to be opening. I believe it's march 1st.

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And we don't want to be far behind them in any case, uh so it's you know, I I think it's time.

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I'm sorry we had to close it all, but you know with the resurgence of that pandemic when the.

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County itself closed its doors for, except for appointments, we thought it was the safest thing.

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To do, but um you know I'd say that we we have been by library standards, at least very bold, about this.

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And maintained being open and I'm just delighted that we're going to be able to do that again.

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Thank you for questions. Will you have any uh capacity limits when you open on the 8th.

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Yeah, we're probably going to have they're they're fairly high.

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um It will probably be the same as they were last fall, probably no more than 24.

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People in our larger buildings, no more than 12 in our smaller ones,.

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We weren't finding that that was a challenge for most people. We weren't turning people away.

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And we could perhaps push it what what we did is we looked at the square footage and divided it by.

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A hundred- and I think it was, I might not remember the figure exactly it's like 152, because that's.

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The square footage of a 14 square foot diameter, so we got a person and then six feet all around them.

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And we divided and said all right: we can have that many and guarantee social distancing where there.

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Was some science here? I think we can probably get more um and if we start to see that we're.

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Turning people away we'll certainly be exploring the option of raising those limits, so everybody.

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Wearing masks and the whole nine yards yeah, we will continue to have mask wearing, be required.

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And we will ask people to physical distance, it's difficult for us, because.

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Often, when people come in to use our computers, they're not experienced computer users.

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And they want us standing right next to him and we tried for a while have a pointer having a.

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Lace or pointer and said yeah, if you use the right color at least a point, it'll work on a.

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Community miner now look there and it's just not working. So you know our staff are right.

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There with folks, so we really do want to have that mask used right sure. Absolutely what.

C

If you do, the restaurant rule 50 capacity, what is the are you using your 24, based upon your 14.

C

Yeah, it's based on that. If we did it at 50 capacity, um we could probably have in any one.

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Area of the library of a large one of our larger libraries, we could probably have 75.

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I'd have to go look at what the fire code limits are. I know, as you walk into the.

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New leonardtown library, the capacity is 1382. Well, that's for the whole facility, including the senior.

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Side so um take away the lobby and everything like that. We can probably go up to 75 people.

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Safely I'd say so: 75 would be 50 percent. I'm going to say roughly about that yeah you go to 24.

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I'm sorry you want to go to 24. to start with, as I say that, if we're finding out that.

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In the fall when we, that was the limit, we had, we weren't turning people away and but if we start to.

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See that it's getting more popular we're turning people away, we'll probably expand that yes, thank.

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You we'd like to continue serving the county as much as we possibly can. Are you getting any state.

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Guidance on this, or is this all you're working this out? um Well, I was part of a committee.

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When the pandemic restrictions first came where we looked at it, statewide there's actually some.

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National guidelines about library, materials done by patel, you're, probably familiar with the name.

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A non-profit out of columbus, they own the the patent on, for example, white out.

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Do a lot of research and they've looked at how long the virus can live on different surfaces.

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In a library or different library materials, so we're quarantining with those guidelines in mind.

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But I would say that you know yes, we we looked at it. Statewide were I, I think, a little bit more.

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Aggressive on the open than some libraries, but then you know a place like montgomery, county or.

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uh Prince george's may have had a far worse time with the pandemic than we have. Unfortunately, for.

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Them unfortunately, for us so, mr blackwell, I know a lot of county buildings have put.

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Hepa filters in: are you doing anything like that in the libraries? I think that can really help with.

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Keeping the air safe. Yes, I owe a huge thanks to our health department as part of their cares.

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Grant we got about 120 of the portable air air filter units, so in individual offices we have them.

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In workspaces, we have them and currently they're spread in the library around the computer areas. So.

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We know that the hva system, even the new library, wouldn't have the capacity to filter out coveted.

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Germs, but those air filters are helping us a lot and you know we really want it to be as.

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Safe as we possibly can and again, thank you to the health department for their work and.

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Also, as part of their cares, grant providing us with some personal protective equipment um for.

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A six-month supply, in fact thank you, anybody else, commissioners, anything else, mr blackwell.

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Thank you very much for your presentation and uh I would say definitely continue on with your digital.

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uh Platform, because it's just an extension, I mean it's optimistic. You want to be up in the 8th or.

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Personal, but in the future, this digital things- yeah, oh, it's it's not going away. The pandemic has.

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Been an accelerant, um something that we knew was going to happen. It's just happening faster than we.

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Expected yeah you're right, dr right. Thank you very much. Well, thank you. So much and again for your.

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Support of libraries and uh at some point I know, we've got a wonderful virtual ribbon cutting from.

I

The new library at some point, I'm hoping when the senior side can open that we can go back to having.

I

A real, a real ribbon cutting sometime that would be good yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you very much.

H

Thank you, commissioners, uh and just to bring your attention. Dr brewster, the health officer.

H

Has arrived early, so would you like to go out of order and move to your board health section.

C

That's a good idea, good idea, they shouldn't go, get more shots, we're going to take away from.

A

The shots too much all right. I moved to adjourn as commissioners of saint mary's, county and reconvene.

J

As the saint mary's county board of health second have a first, second, all in favor, aye.

A

Aye always have it good morning, dr brewster good morning. How are you all.

A

I had no effect on my second shot. Good, I feel fine me neither the source, that's that was old.

A

People were just hanging in there. Oh people there's old people hanging in there. Well, I'm.

B

Getting my second one: yes, you are you're scheduled right, yeah, okay, good good to hear it excellent.

B

Thank you there's a lot of people who want to get one and they're kind of.

B

So I'm sure you helped us out yeah yeah. Well, you know, um as I've been communicating.

F

With you, all our limiting factor is um the allocation of vaccine doses from the state.

F

So we're eager to see more vaccine coming to saint mary's county.

F

Ultimately, um all right, thank you. I actually have a little a few slides and then we'll link over to.

F

Our data page as well as usual, just to give you an update on what's going on with covid.

F

So again, as usual, I'll focus on describing kind of where we are in terms of the data.

F

For covid and the pandemic, as well as a few new items that we've rolled out for our community.

F

So if we go over please to the next slide and if you want to click on that link, that would.

F

Take you to the covid19 data dashboard held on our st mary's county health department website.

F

That just a second.

F

um As that's being pulled up just so uh you're aware, we've tested.

F

uh For covid19 43 of our saint mary's county population, at least once.

B

I'm sorry what was that 43 43 at least once have been tested. I've been tested since we started.

F

As of yesterday, we've had 5475 right here. Thank you. 5475 cases of covid19.

F

In saint mary's county residents, we do appear to be emerging from the post-holiday surge that.

F

We've been that we were experiencing after the christmas and new year's holidays.

F

The weekly number of cases, if you scroll down please, I keep going.

F

To here yep the weekly number of cases, as you can see for the past handful of weeks.

F

Has declined every week over the past month? This is a very encouraging trend.

F

I do want to point out: we are still in the surge. If you look at where we are now, it is still very.

F

High compared to any time in the beginning of this pandemic or throughout this pandemic,.

F

So we are still in a surge. This is not the time to uh loosen up on our uh on our efforts, but it is.

F

Encouraging the trend that we've been seeing the past few weeks now, would you expect to see a super.

J

Bowl surge or possibly uh that's something we'll be certainly. Hopefully, people were mindful that.

F

We were in a surge and didn't gather for super bowl parties and so forth, but certainly that's.

F

Something we're concerned about and we continue to be concerned about and we'll have to see.

F

Usually we'll we'll see an impact two three weeks after a period of time, so we'll be.

F

Monitoring very closely, of course, in the next few weeks to see what happens. What's our r1 rate.

F

So we'll get to that in a moment, um it's above one at this point in time the r2.

F

For the past week, we have also had our new case rate less than 30., so that is a first for a very.

F

Long time that we've been able to sustain a new case rate, less than 30 per 100 000.

F

Hospitalizations, if we trend down please sorry, this is the new case rate. You can actually scroll.

F

That bottom over the bottom gray bar yep, if you scroll that over that, takes you to what's more.

F

Current, so you can see our new case rates have been declining and, as I mentioned this past week,.

F

Or so we've seen rate numbers less than 30.. This is consistent also with the decline in the new.

F

Case rate statewide as well that we've been seeing the past couple weeks, you could scroll down. Please.

F

Keep going down! This is what commissioner morgan was asking about the rt. If you take that bottom.

F

Bar and scroll it over to be more current and you can see the you know: rt fluctuates quite a bit.

F

Again, this is an estimate. Sometimes the rt is a couple days behind as what the current values are.

F

uh But uh we you know, it is of course concerning uh when we look at estimates, even with an rt.

F

That's greater than one that, okay, so I look at the rt and we know the magic number is one per se sure.

C

We see that we see that rate rising and we go back a couple charts and we see that race decreasing.

C

Is there a correlation uh which charts are you talking about? Okay? So we have. We have the rt rate.

C

Going up to whatever no rate decreasing and right there, the new cases per sure, um so the rt takes.

F

Into account a variety of factors, that's why it's an estimate. It's a model, this model, in particular.

F

That we use has been uh known to slightly underestimate what the rt value likely is in terms.

F

Of spread of infection, uh and so that's why we have a second rt model that we're following we're.

F

Working with our data contractors to try to get that graph up on this image as well, that usually.

F

Is depending on, depending on how widespread the community spread is that might impact the the.

F

The accuracy of I mean it's an estimate right, so it might impact how how good of an estimate the.

F

Rt model is okay. Thank you. Thank you. If you could go down to the hospitalizations, I believe that's.

F

It right there and if you could please scroll over to current so you know hospitalizations.

F

Are are relatively high for saint mary's county residents and again this is reflecting.

F

Hospitalizations and non-federal facilities- this is not including va hospital stays throughout.

F

The region for st mary's county residents, uh so we we are seeing you know we're still concerned about.

F

These high burdens of hospitalizations, they have dipped down a little bit compared to what we saw.

F

In december, when we were really peaking in our hospitalizations, but not uh certainly still very.

F

High compared to where we've been throughout most of the pandemic, if you could scroll down, please.

F

And our outcomes, certainly I'm very concerned we're continuing to see new fatalities related.

F

To kovid in saint mary's county residents, we've now sustained 108 fatalities in saint mary's.

F

County residents, in less than the 12 months of that we've been having this pandemic. Dr bruce.

C

Has that been broken down my age at all? We don't have it broken down by age here. Oh actually, sorry.

F

There is a graph underneath that breaks it down by age category. We can scroll down to that uh right.

F

There so that's the distribution of uh breaking down and, as you see we're still mostly concerned.

F

About the 70 and older population, but we have seen a rising number of fatalities, especially in recent.

F

Weeks related to that less than 70 age group, what's the total 70 and over less than 70 is nine.

A

uh 108 total for saint mary's county, so less than 79 yep, but over 70 is 99.

C

So you're in the zone, bubba, I'm in trouble, tell me what about our uh charlotte hall or.

B

Nursing homes, where are we great questions? So if you scroll down yeah yeah, if you scroll down.

B

um Here's the long-term facility data we still have active outbreaks in charlotte.

F

Hall veterans, home and st mary's nursing home um the chesapeake shores outbreak is now closed.

F

uh So this is actually just happening with the number of cases blue and the green. I.

B

Probably should know that's: okay residents are the number of their number of total cases.

F

This is not necessarily an indication of current active cases. This is the total number of cases.

F

Those facilities have that many staff get infected. Well, you know, if you think of it, staff are the.

F

Ones that are going in and out of the facilities right they live in communities and if community.

F

Spread is high, then they're more likely to get infected in their communities and bring.

F

It into I guess, where I go with that, I'm sorry to interrupt you. You know we talk about continuity of.

B

Government, how it's somehow important, for you know, politicians to get, but these people here open. Oh.

F

They were, they were a part of phase 1a. They were the first ones on deck. Look at those high numbers.

B

For them, sure absolutely and actually most of our nursing homes have received their secondary a.

B

Whole lot more important than we are I'll. Tell you that that's why we had them in phase 1a, sir? Yes,.

F

Exactly I mean I agree, I think the long-term care facilities and their residents and their.

F

Staff were the the first kind of critical population we wanted to get vaccinated um and.

F

They were, they were the first critical population, along with the hospital workers um who started.

F

Receiving vaccine across the country, and so the veterans home has all been vaccinated, they've had.

F

Yes, so there's three visits, so this is all through the national federal pharmacy partnership.

F

They're, the ones responsible for vaccinating the staff and residents at our nursing homes.

F

At our you know, long-term care facilities in the country for the states that have agreed to that.

F

So they most of these facilities have received already their second doses and when they go back.

F

To give second doses, they also offer first doses for people who decline the first time around.

F

So there are some people who are still waiting on their second dose because they may have uh delayed.

F

Receiving their first dose, but I would I want to make sure that everyone's clear that, if you've had.

C

Your first shot, the second shot is there and you shouldn't be concerned that you're not going to.

C

Get your second is that a fair statement yeah. So this is what we've been advised from the state and.

F

So we do trust that that's going to happen and we haven't seen any indication thus far in our county.

F

That this is not going to happen, so thank you. We have at this point in time for the people who are.

F

Due their second doses this week and and next week, we have the second dose supply. Okay, now, every week.

F

Just like we get first doses from the state we get second dose allocation from the state as well.

F

um As I said thus far, we haven't had our second dose allocation for saint mary's, compromised.

F

um You know we, we are always concerned about that, of course, and we want to keep an eye on that.

F

But our priority is to make sure to get those second doses into the people whose um whose arms.

F

Need it, dr brewster, before you and you're probably going to cover this, so I apologize it's okay,.

B

But to seed 99 out of 108 cases of the deaths be 70 and older we've heard from people who are 70.

B

And older and they still haven't, been able to get a vaccine yeah and one gentleman's suggestion was.

B

Is when you roll out new doses, maybe you give the people who are 70 and older or 75 whatever metric.

B

Seems like 70 should be the metric from what we're looking at an opportunity to get those doses. First.

B

Because I know we've opened up 1c. Thank you very much. That fits my category, but it's not about me.

B

It's about people needing it and we're hearing so much from people saying you know, hey look. I can't.

B

Get on, I can't register I'm over 70.. I talk with one gentleman he's trying to trying to get his.

B

Mother she's 83 and they haven't had any success with that now I have been turning people over to.

B

The county administrator and that's been helpful for these people. Thank god, but you know again if.

B

We had a a system where okay, we've got x amount of dosage and it opens at five. But if you're.

B

70 and older you can dial in at 430, or so I don't know some way of giving them a little bit extra.

B

Leg up, I um I'll talk about numbers in a moment, so you can see how many of each population we've done.

F

And also what the demand is. We have about 15 000 residents in this county that are 65 and older.

F

So that's quite a bit of residence and if you look at the number of vaccine, doses were allocated.

F

Even if we did 100 of our vaccine doses for that population, we would not meet the the demand just.

F

Based on population numbers, well, I'd still give my dose up to somebody who's over 70.

B

You know, especially seeing these numbers sure understood and I'll talk more about that later.

F

When we get into that, thank you, commissioner, because there are you know we also have to.

F

Consider our health care system and the needs of caring for all those residents as well for.

F

Their other medical needs and how we need to maintain ourselves. I'm just talking about the.

B

General public sure they've rolled out, 65 and older, and I remember that when we got.

B

I think it was last week they said at least 30 percent of that population and vaccinated.

B

And they talked about this 75 and older, and over 46 percent of that population and.

B

Vaccinated but again we keep hearing from people who haven't been, I'm in that older population and.

B

They still haven't gotten me and every time I agree try to get on. I can't get an appointment.

F

Agreed and and I'll talk more about that when we talk about phases thanks for using that.

F

Okay and then just uh if we can scroll down to the vaccinations data that we have published.

F

I'll share some more detailed information in a moment, and just so the public is aware we're.

F

Actually, working with our website contractor to get more vaccine data related to our local efforts.

F

Posted here on the website so hopefully we'll be able to roll that out within the next week or so.

F

This is a ray of hope. Nearly 14 000 saint mary's county residents, now have on board.

F

One dose of vaccine, we want to get them double dosed, of course, at least with these vaccines.

F

And we we do I'll be talking about second dose numbers in a moment, but the the health department.

F

Partnership, because it truly is the community- that's come together to make our effort happen.

F

uh Has uh administered over 11 000 of those first doses, so it's a pretty tremendous effort.

F

With by all the partners involved to administer those health department allocated vaccines, so.

C

Doctor was afraid to say the 2 700 differentials at the hospital actually and- and I I misspoke so.

F

The individuals vaccinated represent saint mary's county residents, uh so that includes all partners.

F

Who are giving a vaccine to saint mary's county residents for the basis the hospital yeah, the the.

F

Base the hospital, the nursing homes, uh federal pharmacy partnership, any private retailers that.

F

Are now offering vaccine the health department? The second number is what's administered through the.

F

Health department, not all those doses- are going into st mary's county resident arms because by.

F

Policy decision which most counties have been doing, we are vaccinating anybody who works.

F

In saint mary's county that are in those eligible occupational categories because they are here in.

F

Our community, they are contributing to potentially the spread of covet 19 in our community.

F

And we want to make sure that they are protected so that it then increases the protection of our.

F

Whole community as well um so not all those 11 000 are saint mary's county residents. So you can't.

F

Just subtract that number from the top number, if it was a police officer from prince george's or.

C

Dc that counts in the number if they live here, yeah um right if they live here, yet they are an.

F

Occupational category in another county, we will vaccinate them if they don't live here, yet they.

F

Work here in this county as one of those eligible occupations, we will vaccinate them. Okay, understand.

A

Yeah great, thank you. um If we could just move over to the next slide, then please, the side set.

F

Thank you, um so we're not going to click on this link, but for the public to know again.

F

Just as a reminder, this is the vaccine webpage. This is also also the web page where we post all.

F

Of the appointment links when we have the clinics made with new appointments that are available for.

F

Vaccine of note, we did publish out a frequently asked questions document that we're updating as.

F

New questions keep arising about vaccine and the process and so forth. So I really encourage.

F

Residents who have questions to review that first, they will likely find many of their questions.

F

Answered just with that page. Additionally, we also have updated our guidance for residents who have.

F

Significant allergies or allergies to various things, so they know what to do about decisions on.

F

Getting vaccine and whether or not they should get a vaccine through our through our drive-through.

F

Mass vaccine site that we're operating right now, if you could go to the next slide, so commissioner,.

F

Hewitt, just to start addressing the topic that you raised so maryland as a state has decided to move.

F

Into phase 1c, and so we have to locally follow suit, although we have some local discretion on how.

F

We then implement within that phase, so as a state maryland decided to go ahead and open.

F

It up to 65 and older. I don't know that we had the vaccine supply to really address the needs.

F

Of the 65 and older population, but that is also why we here locally have opened up our population.

F

To 65 and older, the recommendation nationally is not to wait until you have a hundred percent.

F

Of your age eligible category vaccinated before you move to the next or open it up to the next.

F

Age eligible category, I'm sorry to interpret you again, but I can see that I mean that makes sense.

B

But there's so many who want it now, those who don't want it well, you know just wait until.

B

Everybody who wants it's over with and then circle back to you just hear from so many who want it and.

B

Can't get it because we just don't have vaccine supply and unfortunately you know we want people.

F

Fortunately, we we have people who want the vaccine, that's a great thing and that that's really.

F

Positive that our residents want to get vaccinated. Unfortunately, we don't have the vaccine supply to.

F

Meet that demand so maryland is in phase 1c. Here in saint mary's county, we paused on rolling out.

F

The occupational groups of phase 1c as I'll talk about on the next slide in order to accommodate.

F

And better accommodate the demand in that 65 and older population that we have here in the county.

F

So again, in order to be eligible right now for vaccine administered through the health department.

F

You would be 65 and older and a saint mary's county resident. You could be 16 and older if.

F

You have a developmental or cognitive disability, and for that we ask people bring with them medical.

F

Documentation or a note from their health care provider that confirms their eligibility based.

F

On this category- or you could be 16 and older, with some kind of immune compromise condition.

F

And I've listed below the ones that qualify and you are receiving hospital-based treatment.

F

And for those individuals they are being asked to go statewide they're being asked to seek vaccine.

F

Through their hospital provider, so the hospitals are then responsible for this.

F

Particular category of individuals who are receiving hospital-based treatment.

F

Thank you one. Second, on this general population, europe you're using the list off of the asian.

A

Human services department also I'm sorry, these people who need these shots to elderly people.

A

Yes, so um you're calling the agent human services you're you're depleting their list. Also, yes, we're.

F

We're working through that as best as we can based on the vaccine supply we have so.

F

um Department of aging and human services has been a phenomenal partner in this whole effort to.

F

Make sure that these vaccine appointments are are accessible to our local seniors, particularly those.

F

Who don't have computers or aren't able to uh you know or don't feel comfortable with the the.

F

um Electronic registration system that the state requires I've been telling people my age group.

A

Anyway, who asked me about they couldn't get to you? I said call up 301 475, 4200 1049 and get on their.

A

List yeah, it gets on a callback list, it's not a waiting list. It just calls it this very good. Yes,.

F

But we do uh you know that that does allow them to better target and assist um individuals who are 65.

F

And older who've been wanting and when waiting for a vaccine but have trouble getting onto.

F

The computer or the electronic system to register, uh if you go to the next one, so the occupational.

F

Groups, 1a and 1b, as we've talked about there's a variety of occupations. These are based on state.

F

Guidance as to what is eligible in 1a and 1b, and also those state that state guidance reflects.

F

uh National guidance as well and the occupational groups, while you look at mortality right and.

F

Mortality is swayed towards 70 and older, although we certainly see individuals in their 60s as well.

F

Who've passed related to covid, but while the mortality is there in the older age groups,.

F

We do see a lot of hospital burden and heavy illness and long-term coveted complications.

F

From different age groups, all different kinds of age groups, so we are concerned about that as well.

F

Not just the mortality and the occupational groups, the consideration for the occupational.

F

Groups has a lot to do with. How do we maintain kind of these critical emergency.

F

Infrastructure supports in our county uh or in our in our jurisdictions, while we're dealing.

F

With the burden of covid as a pandemic, are the hospitals using all of their vaccines or.

F

Yes, so there's nobody, that's got some and so different hospital systems and and hospitals.

F

Vary in terms of the percentages of the vaccine that they administer so the way the state does it.

F

Because a state distributes allocation weekly in the beginning of the week or whenever the.

F

Vaccine is received, it looks like nobody's you know, people have low percentages of using.

F

Up their first doses: well because that's just they just got their vaccine doses for that week.

F

And so it takes them a few days to then implement and get those vaccines into arms.

F

No good good, I was just going to say so. A lot of the hospitals are doing really well at getting.

F

Their first dose vaccine supply into arms pretty quickly. There are some that have vaccine that they.

F

Haven't administered just like there's some in the retail setting and so forth across the state.

F

The local health departments are probably the most efficient mechanism of getting vaccines into arms.

F

There have been, you know several at least a couple handfuls of health departments that.

F

Have uh surpassed that 100 mark of those first doses within a week of receiving that supply.

F

And many others are at that 90 plus range. What what what protocol did? Hospitals, dr bruce sir.

F

Yes, sir sorry, commissioner hewitt and then commissioner of honor, okay.

K

All right, one of the things I I want to yeah. One of the things I want to point out, though, is is.

K

The data, like you just said, and I think I'll put it a little bit more pointed- is that.

K

The state is not being accurate in their representation as to how they are showing the.

K

The actual usage so they're, showing a detriment to these counties. However, what's going on is they're.

K

Only partially collecting the data based on a time frame that they've never actually met in.

K

The first place, so they have a different window that closes then we're not getting phone calls on.

K

Thursdays we're getting phone calls on saturdays, so you know, fortunately, for us st mary's county is.

K

Very efficient and by the time the state's window closes we're getting our data to the state and.

K

The other counties aren't, but the I think the other portion that we need to look at here is.

K

Everybody talks about phase 1a 2b and you know the 70 and older population and people wanting to get.

K

The vaccinations, but the public doesn't realize the partnership that was put into place for the.

K

County- and you know we did agree to do part b of the federal pharmacy partnership facilities.

K

Assistant living senior living centers, you know dda group homes, other high-risk, congregate,.

K

Settings that were taking way too long in other settings to do and it's because of the federal.

K

Pharmacy partnership that was going way too slow with their part a in the nursing home, so we agreed.

K

To do that, which also takes away from some of the vaccines that may go out to the general population.

K

However, the state at one point was saying: okay you're doing this, we're going to give you more.

K

Vaccine, because you are partnering this program and now us getting, the minimum is going to make it.

K

Even harder for everybody to get vaccinated, um you know so I I just want to make sure it was clear.

K

That there's other programs that are going on that are taking up some of the vaccine in the county.

K

I I even assisted living. I know you were out there the other day and you administered 200 doses.

K

To make sure that people had their vaccinations and you went directly out to them so.

K

You know, based on our allotments, it's making it harder and harder and harder for that. 70 plus.

K

Group to go ahead and get their shots when the state's allocating less to us. You know, like you.

K

Said the local health departments are the most efficient in getting the shots into the arms.

K

So I just wanted to make sure that was stated that we are doing that. So it's not just the one, a b c.

K

And d and the other priority groups as well right. Thank you, commissioner, um and and you're correct.

F

Saint mary's county, because we were frustrated with the slowness of the national federal pharmacy.

F

Partnership and their their vaccination of the nursing homes, we decided to move forward with.

F

Part b of that partnership, rather than wait months for them to get to part b and go ahead and start.

F

Vaccinating our senior living centers, our assisted living facilities and our dda group homes, but we.

F

Do that with the supply that we get the weekly supply that we get from state, we were assured from.

F

State that we would get additional supply to cover that uh and um we're we're we're waiting on that.

F

Commissioner hewitt, you had a question yes and the other. The other misconception is the hospital.

K

The the other misconception, and and this will be my last last comment in this because I know.

K

There's a delay, you know the other misconception is that there's an unlimited supply at medstar, st.

K

Mary's in our hospital providers yeah, meanwhile, you know the way that's divvied out is the big.

K

Medstar and a big midstar finds out where it needs to go from there, so the the corporate.

K

Partners and the hospitals, you know they're they're, looking at it from their strategic point.

K

I just I guess I make that point to saying that while the hospitals are efficient, I.

K

Just don't believe that there's anything more efficient than putting it in the hands of the.

K

Local health department and making sure that we're getting it to the right people, like the.

K

70 70 plus group, like commissioner hewitt and commissioner guy and the rest of the commissioners.

K

Are quite frankly saying you know why can't we just get them vaccinated, yeah, okay, commissioner,.

B

Tell me about the hospitals again: are they doing the same protocols, the 181b, so the hospitals focus.

F

For their vaccine are hospital employees, um so that's that was the focus for the hospitals. Now.

F

They don't they don't do any patients, so their focus is hospital employees. Yes, it's mostly.

F

Staff now recently, the state secretary of health has asked the hospitals to take care of those.

F

Immune compromised individuals that are getting hospital-based care that were on that prior slide.

F

That I described so now that's a new addition for who they can address with their vaccine supply.

F

But their vaccine supply is intended for hospital associated staff. Now here at medstar, st mary's.

F

Hospital they've been a fabulous partner, they did a great job early on in getting um their.

F

uh Like their centralized hospital staff vaccinated um and then they they went further and.

F

They really helped us out in phase 1a by getting a lot of the community-based healthcare providers.

F

That are affiliated with medstar vaccinated and so that really helped us as a community, because it.

F

Allowed us to then use our local health department vaccine supply and focus that vaccine supply to.

F

The rest of the 1a group- okay, well, you've, helped me you what they're not doing the general public.

B

They're not doing general public. Thank you, yeah. Thank you, except for those immune compromised.

F

Individuals that are receiving hospital-based care, yeah, the more compromised sure, yeah or they're in.

F

The hospital, for example, with those conditions all right if we could go to the next slide, please all.

F

Right so just uh you know, commissioner o'connor, uh you know you thank you for for raising the the.

F

Great points that you raised about our challenge with allocation of vaccine doses from the state.

F

Here in saint mary's county, our st mary's county health department partnership is the.

F

Main mechanism of getting vaccine into the general public's arm arms here in the county, we certainly.

F

Are seeing a significant number that the base is doing we're seeing a significant number that.

F

The hospital has done already for their staff and affiliated healthcare providers. Retail pharmacies.

F

Here in saint mary's county, you know if, if they're doing any vaccine, the numbers are about 20 or 30 a.

F

Day somewhere around thereabouts, our partnership, mass vaccine site that we're running can easily.

F

Accommodate a couple thousand even vaccines a day, and if we expanded hours we could do even more.

F

But we don't do that many, because we don't have the vaccine supply to to warrant it. We also.

F

Are doing as commissioner o'connor raised, we have several teams from the health department.

F

That have been going out into the community into specific settings, high risk settings and providing.

F

Vaccine in those settings, so, in addition to the mass vaccine site that we're running we're also.

F

Doing a variety of these community-based efforts for these high-risk type of congregate, settings.

F

These are the doses that have been allocated from the state. Yes, sir,.

K

Just to add to that I think one of the most important things out of this.

K

When we start talking about our vulnerable population, and our population in general, is equity.

K

And when we're looking at how the vaccines have been.

K

Well, the state hasn't said reallocated but again, if you dive into the data with a finite amount of.

K

Something in order to increase it one place: you need to decrease it another, so equity becomes a.

K

Very very uh the word for me the the problem that we're facing when we look at our county and the.

K

Drive that some people have the access to vehicles, the access to public transportation to get there.

K

You know and the unwillingness and and has been noted in the minority community to actually get.

K

The vaccine, um where now they're, calling on faith-based groups to try and step in.

K

And and say: hey, look, you know this is this is okay, you should get this vaccine focusing on our county.

K

Being rural, we have a network set up, that's here and I'm very very concerned about the equity that.

K

Our citizens are not going to be getting with the diminished amount of vaccines that you have just.

K

Like you said you could treat thousands, so um are we doing anything raising concerns with the state.

K

How are we waving the flag on that one and saying hey, look, you know what are we doing.

F

Yes, and- and you have as well- and thank you for that- um uh you know it's every week.

F

Several times a week, um not just me, but the other local health officers as well.

F

Are raising our concerns about the diminishing supply of vaccine to local health departments.

F

At a time when the state is getting increasing supply of vaccine from the federal government.

F

When we know that local health departments are the most efficient mechanism of getting.

F

Vaccine into arms at every local jurisdiction and when we know that local health departments are.

F

System managers: we have an understanding of the different partners that can be activated.

F

To work with us, we have an understanding of the different providers that can be activated.

F

To work with us and getting vaccine out- and we have an understanding of the different needs.

F

Of uh our population, you know, and the the the things to consider like transportation barriers.

F

And distances and communities of uh of that are even more vulnerable, and so we so it is, it is.

F

You know it is a concern of ours, as local health officials, uh that we are not getting the vaccine.

F

Supply uh that would allow us to operate at uh to our full capacity and to do so in.

F

A way, that's local right to do so in a way that people don't have to take more time off of work.

F

To travel to regional sites and more time off of work to wait in long lines at regional sites that.

F

Are processing 10, 15, 000 people from all over the state and maybe even from dc and virginia.

F

So so we do um hope uh that we are able to restore uh and improve the vaccine supply that local.

F

Health departments are being allocated uh so that we can better serve uh the needs of our residents.

F

And do so locally, dr brewster. This is such an important topic and for people watching this isn't.

J

Anything, this isn't new news for the commissioners. We're very much aware of this. You've kept us.

J

Informed about this, and so it's a couple different issues all at one time, one: the supply of vaccine.

J

And we want more supply of vaccine, but also the ability to have a little bit more local control.

J

And flexibility in distributing the vaccine because, like you've talked about.

J

You can do it better than what the state thinks they can do it. We just know the area better. We.

J

Know how to distribute it better to saint mary's county, but then also, I don't think, we've talked.

J

About this morning, just getting the knowledge from the state of how many vaccines are coming.

J

In a timely manner, that's such a huge issue for us, yes and it's causing so much frustration with.

J

People, because they want to be able to sign up, like commissioner hewitt keeps talking about, they.

J

Want to be able to sign up for these vaccines, but then we have to delay, because we don't even know.

J

How much vaccine is coming and we can't make appointments for vaccine that doesn't exist.

J

So it's just this is a really complicated. It's really not that complicated. It's unfortunate that.

J

It's become such a difficult issue, yeah, when we should all be working together, a little bit better.

F

Agreed and to be fair to the state, uh you know they're also waiting for notification from the.

F

Federal government as to how much vaccine supply they're going to get every week, and so that does.

F

Limit their ability to give us advance warning. Our concern is they're they're, getting notification on.

F

Tuesdays, essentially from the federal government and local health departments are finding out.

F

I mean this this week we found out on saturday close to in the afternoon close to the afternoon.

F

um So so when you, when you delay that much and then we have less than 48 hours to plan our.

F

Clinics and get the word out and get people registered, and I mean we have you know 50.

F

Plus people working these mass vaccine sites, we have to activate them, they need to make.

F

Plans and their own schedules and arrange for child care and take time off of work if they're.

F

Volunteers with us, and do all these things that that's a lot to coordinate um at the local level.

F

When you have such a short time uh and knowledge of uh how much vaccines you're getting and how to.

F

Then move mobilize those clinics we've been able to do so. We have we've been able to do.

F

So successfully, though, and that's uh that is a huge testament um to the partners that we.

F

Have in place that have been working so well together to make this happen, uh but uh I I do.

F

Absolutely additional time would allow us to not act in a frenzy and would allow our residents.

F

To feel more confident that they do have an appointment in their hands, even if it's not this,.

F

Week, if they know they have an appointment next week, then it definitely reduces the stress and.

F

Anxiety that all of our residents are experiencing do you keep track of your demographics as to.

B

Yes and whatnot- I know I know the answer to this question, because I've already filled it out and.

B

Asked you all those things, do you see any uh if the county's, uh I don't know probably 20 22.

B

Percent uh african-american: are you seeing any discrepancies in that? Yes, um so uh if you're, if.

F

It's okay! If we could go over to the next slide I'll start talking about some of those metrics.

F

And then I don't have a slide specifically on race, ethnicity, but I can talk about it for sure.

F

So again, as I mentioned, the partnership effort that we have going here locally has administered.

F

100 and I put plus there because sometimes we're able to draw extra doses off of some of the vials.

F

Of their first doses, with fizer versus it is easier with physio than with moderna yeah.

F

Unfortunately, this week we're only getting moderna, okay yeah. If we go to the next slide. Please.

F

So this goes into the metrics and the demographics, so first dose so far about 12 of our population.

F

Here in saint mary's, county has received their first dose of a coven 19 vaccine. So if we look.

F

At that 75 and older age category- and these are based on population estimates from the census.

F

If we look at the 75 and older age, category 52 of saint mary's county residents, who are 75 and older.

F

Have now received their first dose of covet 19 vaccine, the next category of 65 to 74, which.

F

Includes that 70 plus age group, as well in that in that range, 41 percent um have now received their.

F

First dose of vaccine and then eight percent in that 16 to 64 group. So uh certainly you know the.

F

16 to 64 group is a much larger denominator. I mean we're talking about 75 000 people um in.

F

That group and then 65 and older, including you know the 75 and older group- that's about 15 000.

F

uh Residents here in st mary's county, uh you know approximately, um so certainly we we're making.

F

Good progress on getting more and more residents who are 65 and older vaccinated in our community.

F

I agree there are thousands more who want to get vaccine who we want to get vaccinated and we're.

F

Working with department of aging and human services to try to prioritize.

F

Those individuals who don't have access to computers and need a little bit extra time through.

F

That callback mechanism, so we are trying to make sure that we can have some access to appointments.

F

For those individuals that you know so the appointments don't just get eaten up by the people.

F

That are tech, savvy right away, but we're getting a small number of doses by state order. We're.

F

Required to reserve at least 100 doses a week for child care and education, so out of that allotment.

F

That we get, we have to reserve a certain portion of it for that child care, education, sector.

B

Heard dr smith speak last night he was saying all the teachers who want to have a vaccination.

B

Have been vaccinated, uh the majority some did not get there, some did not get it, but they are being.

F

Offered through that that portion that we have to reserve every week, they have been vaccinated.

B

The teachers have been vaccinated, the majority of the public school system who want vaccinate.

F

Vaccine have been vaccinated. Yes again I'll, say that people who want it right right. It's been.

B

Offered to all of them- yes, yes, that's right, um there are. There are some who want it, who have.

F

Not been vaccinated yet we're working through those numbers um every week with that you know.

F

Allotment that we get that we're required to save for childcare and education, but we're also doing.

F

That with the non-public schools- and we need to do that with our child care facilities as well.

B

Tell me tell me this: this lady goes to my church, saint john's and on sunday she was telling me that.

B

You know she heard about it: opening saturday at five o'clock or somehow.

B

Got the word and got over there to her computer and uh doing her thing and the lord knows she said.

B

It took her so long to get through the computer questions and all that it was like 5, 12 or 5.

B

14 or whatever, and when she was finally ready, she, you know hit that she sacrificed.

F

On a community apologize commissioner's unloading, something else: well, here's what I'm getting at.

B

Can people pre-load that if they know okay, they can't do it until the window, we're required to.

F

Use a statewide system: it's a prepmod system. That system um you know, we've given a lot of feedback.

F

On that system to improve it, it does not have the capability of people establishing a profile.

F

And then uh going back and then just selecting an appointment with that profile, I wish it did.

F

I think it would be a lot more efficient, older, don't have a lot of computer usage.

B

And then, when they get through these things, where the point was is hey, look it kept saying.

B

I didn't fill something out and you have to go back through the page and find your red x and.

F

Agreed and- and that's part of the frustration that we have is that we don't have the.

F

At this point in time, we don't have the authority to use a better system.

F

Locally uh and uh what we would what I, what I think would make a lot of sense would be to.

F

Have each jurisdiction, uh you know either you have a statewide system, but one that's efficient.

F

So you don't have pharmacies have their own ones, and various providers have their own ones and.

F

You've got, you know, multiple different systems. I talked earlier about, maybe prioritizing but I'll.

B

Use a golf term handicapping you know if you're, 75 and older, you can tune in six minutes early or.

B

10 minutes early to start the process, because that's essentially what's happening is people.

B

Who are older and don't have those communities, but our system doesn't give us the ability to.

F

Block appointments: this is the ideal world right agreed. I completely understand, unfortunately, the.

F

The data system we're required to use the registration system, we're required to use.

F

um Does not give us the what it is the um ability to say. Okay, we're only going to open this to.

F

People who are 75 and older at this point in time and then 10 minutes later we'll open up all these.

B

Are these grocery stores doing the senior thing or so bj's an hour early right right, understand.

C

Dr brewster, I think it's important for the press and the public to hear what you just said.

C

The form that you fill out online is a state form. Yes, it's mandated by the state of maryland.

C

It isn't saint mary's county, it isn't our local health people, it's the state, mandating what.

C

We're going to have to do so. Please don't when you're you're complaining to us about the form.

C

It's it's like talking to the hand it's that we can do anything we want to, but we can't.

C

Change that form and also, I think, it's important when you recognize what happened last saturday.

C

Last saturday, we're using our numbers on friday, we didn't get our numbers till saturday.

C

We got 700 doses, 100 got to get reserved the window for registering opened at 5 pm.

C

If I remember, you talked to me correctly in 9 minutes.

C

9 minutes it was full, so we understand your frustrations not only with the form, but the sign.

C

Up process, but please bear in mind doctor brewster. Our team are doing everything they possibly can.

C

But they only have so much control over the state. Lets them be able to do so. I'm giving you a plugin.

C

You're doing great thank you and the customer. As commissioner o'connor said, you know it's the state.

F

Yeah, thank you for raising that and we do. We give feedback to the state to that registration form.

F

And they have made updates to that registration form if you notice um we disabled the uh the.

F

Requirement to submit, or they the fields where people's upload their insurance card and so.

F

Forth and the idea behind that was to make it more user-friendly, we're not charging anything for this.

F

Vaccine, so there's really no reason why we need to collect you know all the insurance information.

F

So the idea behind that was to make it more user-friendly and to make it a quicker process.

F

But and and the state has updated, you know different parts of it. Unfortunately, the system.

F

The basic part of the system is, is not something we can modify, which is you can't just create a.

F

Profile or pre-register, which would be ideal if you could, but you can't you have to enter in all.

F

The information wait till you get to the end, select a time and if no time is available, then.

F

You go to the next link and you enter in all the information again go to the end and see if there's.

F

A time available, you know it's just ironic that they expect um they want to target the higher.

B

More vulnerable populations older, but those people are the the people who may be the most challenged.

B

By trying to go through this computer program to sign up yeah, so some parts of it are kind of.

F

Yeah and and again, that's why you know we figured out locally what would help and.

F

Locally, we figured out that the department of aging and human resources or human services and.

F

The library system are incredible partners who are helping people they're, making computers available.

F

They're coaching people through they're keeping a callback list to assist people over the phone who.

F

Struggle with the computer system registration system, and so our local partners have helped.

F

uh Mitigate the challenges of the state system so, and- and I do thank them for that- that's starting.

K

You have hit the keyword, local, local, local,.

K

And the transparency that is lacking from the state and the lack of willing to listen to the.

K

Local input, they have no clue that a good majority of the people trying to get vaccines.

K

Would not have been able to even get vaccines based on their system if it wasn't for the local.

K

Governments and the local assistance that knows their population working with the population.

K

Handling it making sure that they can get in I mean I got an email from the assistant secretary.

K

Of the department of health- and you know, they're, even using antiquated numbers they're using our.

K

Population from 10 years ago to go ahead and dole out vaccinations, they didn't reach out to economic.

K

Development they didn't reach out to the county, they didn't say hey. What are your numbers now.

K

So using 10 year old data to say this is how we're going to allocate. I find that truly amazing.

K

That in this crisis, they're using that type of antiquated data, not listening to our local public.

K

Health officials, you know it even the email that they sent back when when he sent it to me, I said.

K

Wow, they are really out of touch with reality with the local government. There there's no way they.

K

Could possibly understand what's going on here and I I just have to tell you it's frustrating.

K

Beyond all belief that they're dictating this down to you when we're leading the way for the state, we.

K

Are and the model they came down and looked at us and said you're doing it the best. So this is.

K

Why we're going to come down and see how this is done so part of my frustration, but I feel that as.

K

An elected official that patient advocacy if the state isn't listening is also my responsibility.

K

And that's the only way, they're going to listen up there, that if we have enough voices that say hey.

K

We're here you need to listen to us, you can't just do what you want. You know and and if.

K

They're going to continue to do what they want, but at least we can say you can't do what you.

K

Want so I hope that makes sense, but um I I just wanted to drive that point home. I really did.

A

Commissioner connor the state's using 2010 census data, because that's all they have current the 2020.

A

It hasn't been released yet and that's what they're doing, which is way off.

A

No doubt my mind, I agree with you on that, but that's all they're going by is a 2010 census.

A

Which has tremendously changed in the last 10 years? uh One other thing, dr brewster, on.

A

The release of the 700 doses did the state give you any reasoning why we got cut right in half.

A

From the following week, no no reason, though, the our understanding is that.

F

There's ongoing supply coming from the feds. In fact, we've been told that the supply is increasing.

F

From the federal government we were what I say: we I'm saying the local health departments were quite.

F

Surprised because many of us had significant cuts to our vaccine allocations compared to what our.

F

Prior trends are, and if you go back to this, thank you, this slide shows you what a significant drop.

F

This is, this is the lowest number. This is over all the counties in the state. uh Well, all the counties.

F

In the state have different numbers um and I can't speak to every county in the state. I do know that.

F

Calvert was allocated 500 doses, we were allocated 700 charles county was allocated only 1100 doses.

F

um So there's you know, there's variation. Of course you know their their point is they're going trying.

F

To go by population and that's influencing their uh allocation decisions. I am con. You know.

F

They've also rolled out these mass regional vaccine sites and the the state-run ones like.

F

At six flags and baltimore city and uh obviously when you roll out a state-run.

F

Regional mass fascism site, you need to make sure you have. You know thousands of doses allocated.

F

To it, so that does raise the question, as are the the is the allocation of doses to these mass sites.

F

Now diminishing supply to all the local health departments.

F

um So so that is uh definitely a that's. My theory too yes, okay, well appear. This is a good time to.

B

I move to approve sending a letter to the governor requesting more vaccines.

B

With saint mary's county health department, thank you second.

A

I have a first and second I'll, send a letter to the governor, all those in favor aye aye. Thank you.

A

Any disapproval I just have it. Thank you sirs. If we move to the next slide, I just wanted to wrap.

F

Up and and make sure the last uh slide before we get to the video there. The one before here.

F

um Yep this one here, so it's a second dose it's actually about five percent of our population. Now.

F

Has received their second dose um and are fully uh or receiving the full immune protection? uh That's.

F

Preferred with the uh two dose uh regimen commissioner hewitt you had raised earlier.

F

The question about race: demographics, yes, um so of the vaccines that have been administered.

F

About eight percent of those or sorry, nine percent of those vaccines have been administered to.

F

African american residents in saint mary's county um about 1.5 percent, have been administered to.

F

Residents who identify as hispanic latino in their ethnicity, so that is far below the percentage.

F

uh That that african american residents represent in our total population, as well as.

F

uh That those who identify as hispanic latino as ethnicity uh represent in our total population.

B

Have you found reasons for that data? Is it because a there's afraid to get it done or b they can't.

B

Get on like the rest of these people can't get on with sure there's there's a variety of reasons.

F

Just like with with all populations, there's a variety of reasons as to why they maybe have some.

F

Vaccine hesitancy, um it also, you know, caused a question: what are the demographics of the current.

F

Eligible categories for vaccine good idea and as we start opening up more and more categories, then.

F

It becomes more like our general population in terms of the race ethnic distribution. um We, as.

F

Commissioner morgan had talked about earlier in another meeting. We have had some ongoing.

F

Conversations with the local naacp chapter, as well as our minority outreach coalition.

F

uh And the minority outreach coalition is is a a a a great partner of the health department and.

F

Has been for many years uh in extending uh and making sure that our public health efforts are.

F

Impacting um the minority communities here in our county uh and so with those conversations.

F

We do have some initiatives that we're going to be rolling out, which I'll announce later.

F

But we're looking forward to seeing the benefit of that local partnership.

F

And getting more and more of our residents who are eligible um and who are minorities vaccinated.

F

I think the the key here is we've seen with kovid since the very beginning that there's.

F

Great disparities related to the coveted pandemic in terms of its impact on minority.

F

Communities across the country, but certainly in terms of the numbers of cases and the fatality.

F

Associated with covid has disproportionately impacted, african-american residents and residents.

F

Who identify as hispanic latino and so that's that's part of the reason why we're concerned.

F

About vaccination rates uh in in those groups as well sure, thank you, sir all right. So we talked.

F

Quite a bit about vaccine and our consternation with the vaccine supply. I thought perhaps, if.

F

If, okay, we could end on a on a positive note, uh and uh I uh you know want to thank.

F

Commissioner colvin, uh who came out and was present for our uh ribbon cuttings of our two.

F

New school-based health centers uh here in the county, uh we're really excited about.

F

What these facilities will do both for child health and school community health, but then.

F

Also for the health of the communities in which these school-based health centers are located so.

F

This is a product of a great partnership between the health department, the public school system and.

F

The sheriff's office, you know, if you remember, we had launched that equity task force in the summer.

F

And we're looking forward to coming in front of you. Hopefully in another month and giving.

F

You an update on all the work of that equity task force, but this is one one really exciting.

F

Feature that we've just launched and the school system has put together a small video of the two.

F

Virtual ribbon cutting events that we held for both the spring ridge middle school school-based.

F

Health center, as well as the margaret brent middle school school-based health center, so I'll.

F

Let you show that and again, if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them at the end.

F

But thought this would be a nice way to end our meeting on a positive note.

B

Thank you for the great job you're doing, keep it up. Thank you, commissioner.

L

When we look back on 2020 a year of tumult, isolation and, quite frankly, a bit of anger.

L

We'll need to remember, there were heroes who rose leaders who sacrificed and a community.

L

That came together to carry us through now we're still in the middle of that story, but today's.

L

Ribbon cutting stands as a shining example of how vision can carry us all through darkness and.

M

That vision was the vision for two school-based health centers to be opened in saint mary's county.

M

In a partnership with saint mary's county health department, saint mary's, county sheriff's office,.

M

And the saint mary's county, public schools, health centers at spring ridge, middle school and margaret.

M

Brent middle school were established to represent equity in education, health and public safety.

F

We know that healthy kids do better in school and they stay safer in their communities.

G

School-Based health centers help to improve educational outcomes by providing health care.

G

And wellness activities that allow students to be seen by health care providers such as a doctor.

G

Physician's assistant or nurse practitioner once seen, a student can often return to class.

G

As appropriate, these school-based health centers will serve an immediate need. They will assist us.

F

In responding to the covid pandemic and spreading health services out, they will also help us expand.

F

Behavioral health supports for our children at a time of great community and family.

F

Strain school-based health centers will initially offer supports for students.

M

Including those provided by school nurses, behavioral health services, preventive care.

M

And health education programming future plans for the school-based health centers.

M

Include specific primary care services key to improving health outcomes for students who face.

M

Barriers to accessing health care, as our kids get back to school, we need to surround them with.

F

The best supports we possibly can to help them transition into a new phase of learning our vision.

F

For these centers is to serve as primary care access points for not just students and teachers.

F

But for the neighborhoods, where our schools are located, I hope our efforts inspire others.

L

To see what's possible when we put our hands hearts and minds together to do meaningful work.

M

For more information on the saint mary's county equity partnership visit, www.smchd.org equity.

C

That's real good, great.

F

And um when we're working on getting them uh getting grant funding we've applied for grant.

F

Funding to support staffing in those facilities uh we'll work on a sustainability plan as well.

F

So that we can build the concept of primary care for the whole community through these school-based.

F

Health centers and we're we're really excited about the future. With those two new clinics.

F

And I'm eager to for everybody to come down uh when we're when, when you have time uh to.

F

And give you a a tour of what it looks like so. Thank you. Thank you. Any questions, commissioners.

J

Well, another good news: your lab is all set up right. Yes, great news and thank you to department.

F

Of public works and transportation they've been phenomenal. uh So, yes, uh the thank you for raising.

F

That I forgot to mention the bsl-2 lab at the health department. The hood is now installed. It's.

F

It's inspected and certified the fume hood. We are getting all the paperwork in place for it.

F

To actually be a bsl-2 lab at the state level, it needs to be recognized that way.

F

And then we'll we have the protocols in place and we'll be ready to roll out once we have all that.

F

Squared away we'll be ready to roll out some rapid pcr testing, not the rapid antigen testing, which.

F

Isn't as great of a test but rapid pcr testing for our first responders and healthcare workers.

F

Who have symptoms and and need uh testing for covid19? Well, real, quick on that topic. We've.

B

We've heard about rapid testing, but we're hearing it's like 30 accurate is so there's rapid, antigen.

F

Testing, that's what most people are getting when they're getting rapid testing in our community go.

F

To urgent cares, for example, and they offer rapid testing most of that testing is rapid, antigen.

F

Testing rapid antigen testings has a high rate of false negatives, and we've also seen some level of.

F

False positives, so people if they get a positive with a rapid antigen test, they're supposed to.

F

Send a confirmatory pcr test as well just to make sure it is a true positive, but not everybody is.

F

Sending a pcr confirmatory test with a a negative antigen test, and so that's what we're concerned.

F

About is some of the negative tests related to the rapid antigen tests are actually false. Negatives.

B

Okay, so again, is it back to the three to five seven days to get your test results.

B

Back um so the rapid antigen tests um come back uh quickly. That's they're the point of care testing.

B

They're not very accurate, so if you have to pcr testing so pcr testing, so rapid antigen tests have.

F

Have a good role: they have a good role in like universal screening. So when we go into a facility.

F

Like a nursing home and you're testing, you know 400 500 or more people, and you do that once a.

F

Week but then you also once a week do universal testing with pcr testing. That's what our nursing.

F

Homes are doing right now, then that gives you at least you can do something with the wrap it in.

F

You can it's like a screening tool and then you then confirm it with the pcr. It's a little bit.

F

More challenging to use that in a community setting on an individual case-by-case basis.

F

When? Because there's certain situations where a rapid antigen test would be better to be used,.

F

Like in somebody who has active symptoms versus in the asymptomatic or if you've had infection for.

F

Several days already, it may not be as reliable. The pcr test we've been seeing fairly good.

F

Turnaround times with that, at least through the health department, pcr testing, two or three days.

F

And we've rolled out a new laboratory that we've we've contracted, we switched our contract to a.

F

New laboratory, so that again, people should be one getting through the the line. A lot quicker.

F

Than what we've had in the past, when we've had to use another laboratory- and we didn't have the it.

F

Infrastructure in place to move the line quicker, but now the lines are moving very quickly through.

F

Our testing sites and you can get your results directly through the patient portal, usually in.

F

A couple days, good news, is it's getting better, it is yes now if we have a surge in people getting.

F

Tested across the state that does slow down the laboratories and it does slow down uh the number.

F

Of days that it then takes to get your results, thank you. Thank you. Anything else questions, but dr.

A

Bruce. Thank you very much for your presentation. It was very informing and we have to support you. 100.

A

Hopefully we get more vaccines. Somehow, yes, thank you and thank you all for your support. It's been.

F

Tremendous this whole pandemic, and then especially, I would say our volunteerism is truly outstanding.

A

In saint mary's county for the people that have showed up to help out yeah at these sites, so I'm.

A

Very impressed it's it's awesome. Thank you. I'm gonna move to adjourn as the board of health and.

B

Reconvene as border county commissioners- second, I have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye.

H

Thank you, commissioners, and we return to the county administrator agenda items for item.

H

3C with the department of aging and human services from the governor's office.

H

Of children for the community partnership agreement for fy 21 local management board.

H

And sub-recipient agreements, lori jennings harris director, department of aging and human services.

H

Presenting this morning good morning, and thank you for your patience and your flexibility with.

H

The change in schedule today, good morning morning, lauren morning, commissioners,.

N

um Joining me this morning, by way of webex are cynthia brown. She is the human services.

N

um Manager for the department of aging and human services also latte, reeves latte is the youth.

N

Coordinator and local management board liaison as well as tammy, lowey and tammy, is the local.

N

Management board president. So as dr bridget just mentioned, this is the fy21 community.

N

Partnership agreement from the governor's office for children fy21 for the period.

N

July 1st 2020, through june of 30th of this year, the allocation for this year is 406 446 dollars.

N

And the agreement establishes uh support services for families, uh youth and families.

N

We also have five sub-recipient agreements between the county, saint mary's, county public schools,.

N

Center for children and tri-county council for southern maryland.

N

Happy to answer any questions you may have. I'm surprised this.

B

Our part of it's one thousand one hundred and two dollars and the state's doing four.

B

Hundred and six thousand lord knows: how do we get such a good deal and thank you very much.

N

You're welcome. um I we've received these funds for a number of years and the allocation.

N

Hasn't changed much over the years. It's not unlike a number of grants that we receive.

N

Where the majority of the funds come from the state and the county's contribution is, is less.

B

I've just seen ones where our portion has been higher, so this is good. Yes, thank you I'll make a.

C

Few motions: please: I move to authorize the county lmb chair and department staff to execute the.

C

Fiscal year, 2021 community partnership agreement appendices a and b and authorize the commissioner.

C

President to sign any related documents, I have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye any oppose.

A

I just have it all right. I moved to approve the commissioner president to execute the fiscal year.

C

2021 community partnership agreement for project numbers, md, 2160, md, 2162, md, 2163, md, 2164, md, 2167,.

C

Md 2168 and md 2188 from the governor's office for children, the amount of 406 thousand 446 dollar.

C

State funds and 1 102 county funds for a total of 407 thousand 548 and related budget amendments.

C

Second, I have a first and second, all in favor aye any opposed.

A

Guys have it, I moved to authorize a commissioner president to execute the subrecipient agreements.

C

Between the county government and the saint mary's county, public schools.

C

Center for children, tri-county council for southern maryland and other related documents.

C

Second, first and second, all in favor all right any oppose you guys have it. Thank you, commissioners.

H

Thank you, commissioners and item d is from the department of public works and transfer. Thank you.

A

Very much with resolutions to accept various roads into the county highways maintenance.

H

System and established speed limits. Mr dietrich director dpwt presenting this morning good morning.

O

Good morning, this is pretty typical uh of what we go through. We've got a series of streets.

O

By three developers in four different locations, although two of the locations are directly.

O

Adjacent to each other that we want to bring into the county maintenance system.

O

They're completed they're in excellent condition: we've got a year maintenance bond on them, though,.

O

So that at the end of that year we go take a look at them and make sure nothing's gone wrong.

O

With them over that period of time and that point, the bot, the maintenance spawns released.

O

And we're ready to go so we got uh uh el dorado farm, which is drive which is off golden beach.

O

We've got uh hilton run elmar street and nick uh street, which are in lexington park uh and.

O

Then we have a series: there's uh five different streets that are all in hollywood, adjacent to.

O

Each other in two different subdivisions, twin ponds and broad creek, so we'd like to be able.

O

To bring these into the system so could I have the first slide? Please I'll go through this quickly.

O

Just have four slides to show you where these are.

J

Seems like good timing for these residents right before all the snow. That's going to come later.

J

This time the blizzard the sky is false, it doesn't believe it's yes, three to five [ __ ] right.

O

I know it's okay, if you I've got it um just a second.

P

There we go: oh there, it is there. You go.

O

Right so there's uh you see uh golden beach up there at the top of the screen elder out of farm.

O

Drive uh we've definitely got a series of houses that are already on that site. So next slide. Please.

O

So these are the ones that are.

O

The ones in livestream park, rainier subdivision and next slide.

O

Twin ponds off hollywood road, I had some questions about this one. When you're ready go ahead, um the.

B

People reached out to me a couple years ago, I think, there's a karen court there, yes, and as that.

B

Fwd goes up, as it goes past karen court, that the water's been running down and washing out.

B

A section of this one constituent's backyard he had actually gone in and put some soil in there.

B

And whatever else been done and trying to fix it and didn't fix it, and now it's back, did we.

B

Ever determine if that was graded rights. Well, a swale was needed or I'm a little sensitive to.

B

Accepting this, because I believe that those contractors and whoever is doing.

B

That subdivision is responsible for that look at water all right. Well, that's that's!.

O

Further up fwd uh closer to hollywood, we met with the owner. We, when we rehabbed that section of fwd.

O

Last year, or was it this year we actually tried to figure out if we could raise a cross pipe.

O

Which flows into his backyard and but we couldn't so apparently someone in the past had filled.

O

What was a wetland uh yeah with concrete block and other concrete waste, and uh because that it's up.

O

You know the pipe is at this level, and now the yard is almost at the same level.

O

So uh there really wasn't anything we could do unless we would have raised the entire road up.

O

Which wouldn't have been practical at that location? I get that. I guess the thought.

B

Was is they had indicated to me that before this subdivision was approved back in there.

B

They didn't have that issue with that runoff. Now again, I don't know I'm just hearing what.

B

They told me and that, secondly, once the road was put in the water coming from the upper area came.

B

Down at a lot higher rate and fed through that pipe and actually gave it directional.

B

Push to erode out an area, and I think that's why they ended up with the okay, the block and the.

B

Debris in there to try and fix that, but that's not going to be fixed, is what you're saying.

O

So, are you talking about the owner of bollywood? No, I'm talking about the corner of karen court.

B

Yeah, that's fwd, that's his house! Okay, that's yeah! So no there's really nothing.

O

uh We can do at that location because of work. That apparently was done when they built.

O

At some point either when they built a house or after some previous owner before he owned it.

O

So it's not a county issue in our mind, but we won't be putting more water down there by oh.

O

Not with this, this development is actually in a lower. It's actually down a crest yeah right.

O

So the water from this goes to a different location. It goes over towards three notch.

O

In st we never did anything about it, then we just said that's the way it is and you're just.

O

Gonna right yeah, we met with him a couple times. We tried to figure out how we could lower the.

O

Pipe um or raise the pipe rather sorry and to try to get it to flow better over his yard and allow.

O

More fill to be put in he, he was one of the ones to reach out to me, even though someone else did.

B

For him, but two other people reached out to me and said: let me give you the real story, whatever the.

B

Whatever the real story- okay, well just they've been living there. A long time, though, okay I'll.

O

Be glad to uh anything you can feed me on that some contacts I'll be glad. Let me just say they.

B

Haven't called me lately, I figured it was taken care of, but then, when I seen this road come up for.

B

Approval, that's why I wanted to bring it to your attention. I get it don't call me, I won't call you.

O

Please feel free to do it, though, if you hear anything.

O

You can see that blue line that runs through this particular.

O

Slide, that's actually the stream, where all the water from this development ends up. Okay,.

O

Right, yeah, okay, that last slide and we'll just wrap this up. This is uh the adjacent development.

O

By another developer, and uh that's it I'd like to ask uh your approval to bring these into the.

O

County system: okay: I'm going to move to adopt a resolution to accept el dorado farm drive into.

B

The st mary's county highway maintenance system and to adopt the ordinance setting a maximum speed.

B

And establishing stop intersections for that road of el dorado farm drive subdivision. Second,.

A

Have a first and second, all in favor aye any opposed all right. I was having I'm a move to.

B

Adopt the resolution to accept hilton run court almar street and nick street into the saint mary's.

B

County highway maintenance system and to adopt an ordinance setting a maximum speed and establishing.

B

Stop intersections for those roads of rainery run subdivision. Second, I have a first and second.

A

All in favor aye aye the opposed eyes have it. I move to adopt the resolution to accept fwd drive.

B

And greg street into the saint mary's county, highway maintenance system.

B

And to adopt the ordinance setting a maximum speed and establishing stop intersections for.

B

Those roads of the twin ponds subdivision I have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye, any opposed.

A

All right, all right, I moved to adopt the resolution to accept daphne's drive, barbette.

B

Drive and quail street into the saint mary's county highway maintenance system and to adopt the.

B

Ordinance setting a maximum speed and establishing stop intersections for those roads of the broad.

B

Creek subdivision: second, I have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye any opposed eyes have it.

O

I thank you very much. Thank you, commissioners and item e is also from the department of public.

H

Works and transportation with the fdr phase 3a fee easement acquisition for the hill option, contract.

H

Mr dietrich, thank you. This particular item we'd like to ask you to approve the option contract.

O

For a small piece of property at mcarthur and what will be fw or sorry, fdr boulevard.

O

It includes this a small piece of property for fee in order to construct the roundabout.

O

At that location and construction, easement.

O

And it also replaces the gentleman's fence that owns the property, because we impact it.

C

I moved to approve the option contract with you, john d hill and the commissioners of.

C

Saint mary's county for eastern acquisition needed for constructing afghan boulevard.

C

Phase 3a project and authorized commissioner president to sign the related documents. Second,.

A

I have a first and second, all in favor aye aye. Any opponents have it. Thank you very much.

H

Thank you, commissioners, and from the department of human resources, is a.

H

Proposed update to the handbook of personnel policies and procedures for hourly employees.

H

Catherine pratzen director presenting this week good morning.

P

You may recall that in early january you approved updates to the personnel manual and.

P

Here today are these policy provisions as they apply to the hourly employees.

P

In the memo provided in the document or in the item items one through six.

P

Were previously approved by the commissioners for incorporation into the policy manual.

P

And they are being adopted in the hourly manual with approval, the only policy change that is.

P

Different from what the commissioners previously considered is item, seven.

P

Currently, in the hourly handbook, hourly employees are authorized, call back pay.

P

And there is the suggestion before the commissioners to consider eliminating.

P

That option for hourly employees this primarily impacts our department of emergency services.

P

And the other departments don't have hourly employees that they're calling back to work.

P

And the feeling is that the call back pay should be limited to full and regular part-time employees.

P

Who work a consistent schedule, who are being called back in and hourly? Employees should be.

P

Paid for hours worked as they are and then, when their hours worked, exceed 40 they're, paid overtime.

P

And in emergency services, they feel that this can be has been abused by hourly employees. In the past.

P

With how their schedules are published,.

B

Now tell me: we've had this uh policy of if people are on call they're at home.

B

And they're on call that they're going to be paid while they're on call now.

B

How's this change is we don't do that for hourly employees? That's a separate policy. Okay. So I'm.

B

Confusing my policies and hourly employees are have not been um historically on call.

B

Okay, that's the difference hourly or historically non-uncalled, correct, yeah and then any in.

P

All other departments, hourly typically are not called back in either. Okay.

A

You have a question. Mister, I need a motion. I move to approve the proposed updates.

J

To the handbook of personnel policies and procedures for hourly employees as presented.

J

Second, I have a first and second, all in favor aye, any opposed all right, how's that how's happen.

P

Thank you so much commissioners. Thank you.

H

Thank you, commissioners and item g is from the county attorney to suspend redistricting board.

H

Appointments mr weiskopf county attorney, presenting this morning good morning.

Q

Good morning, thank you for that introduction. I was getting ready to talk about legislative funding.

Q

Good morning, mr weiss, good morning, commissioners, um as you recall last week, I was in front of you.

Q

Regarding possibly ex suspending the um public local law 27-11, which allows that.

Q

Between january 1st and march 1st, st mary's county commissioners must appoint the redistricting board.

Q

As you know, the redistricting board works with the 2020 census and last word: we got.

Q

From the census, bureau basically was like don't expect it until july. You know july 31st. I think.

Q

So it had, you know at first we were thinking it was going to come in maybe june 1st. Now it's been.

Q

Pushed back to you know possibly august, it looks like hopefully if everything works well, so what.

Q

We're asking for, based on the governor's uh one of the governor's emergency orders,.

Q

If the commissioners so chose it's three things one we had to inform the governor that we were.

Q

Going to do this, two, the commissioners have to make a finding that you know for the public.

Q

Safe, healthy welfare won't be affected by this suspension and then three after it's. uh If the.

Q

Commissioner, so choose to do this, that we have to provide notice to the public of the suspension and.

Q

Obviously I would work with dr bridget and our public information office to provide reasonable.

Q

Notice to everyone, and after when we spoke last week, the commissioners, I believe, wanted to say.

Q

Stretch it out we'll suspend it to july first of 2021, which would give us plenty of time and.

Q

Otherwise, we'd have to appoint a board to then just basically sit on our hands right.

Q

Was the thought behind not doing it now? So, let's just say they wouldn't have anything.

B

To do they wouldn't have anything to do yes, sir. Here's a my first question is this will allow.

B

The application process to stay open right, and we said yes to that, and so we we are.

Q

Probably putting out something with the public if this passes we'll put something back out with the.

Q

Public information office, a press release saying, send us your applications until.

Q

You know june 1st, maybe for the record I stayed that I thought we did get quite a few.

B

But more is better now now the other part gets to be that someone reached out to me in an email.

B

And probably the rest of the commissioners too, saying hey, why are you doing? Why are you.

B

Suspending appointing this board when it's you know so critical that they get this redistricting.

B

Done it's it's something's going on in annapolis! Now and you know, people are really concerned about.

B

How the voting district's going to be, I think it's necessary for them to understand, is it's there's.

B

Just no data for these people to analyze right the census is what they need to look at and they have.

A

No data to make the decision well, they have the 2010 census right. The same thing: the state's using.

L

This statement nature in 2010 right now to give us actually getting them right right. So my point gets.

B

To be is when people reach out to us and say hey: what's behind this delay, it's not so much a delay.

B

It is a delay, but it's the reasoning is there's no data, there's nothing for the board to do.

Q

As you said earlier, and there's no data until like I said you know hopefully by august first right.

Q

And then they have to finish it by december 31st. Yes, yes, so we're on a short timeline, they're going.

Q

To be on a short timeline and there's also um provisions within the redistricting board, it's.

Q

Public local law that states they have to have you know four public hearings. You know we might.

Q

Have to yeah, you know condense, those um so we'll see, but we'll we'll make sure it. You know it runs.

Q

Wow, I support the idea of not appointing but leaving it open for more people to apply.

B

Sure, and we'll certainly do that here, I move the commission's approve the resolution suspending the.

C

Appointment requirement for their districting board, it will not endanger the public health.

C

Welfare or safety of the citizens of saint mary's county and the commission suspend the march 21st.

C

2021 deadline until july 1 2021, for when the commissioners must appoint the redistricting board.

B

Second, I have a first and second, all in favor, aye aye any opposed eyes have it.

A

Thank you, commissioners, mr weiskopf, I think you can stay seated because item age commissioners.

H

I'd like to postpone the employment contract for this morning, and you already had the board of.

H

Health out of order, so that takes you directly to your legislative updates by the county. Attorney's.

H

Office so we're not doing the employment contract not today. Thank you, sir okay. Thank you very much.

Q

I will get started on legislative update and again there are two so I'll go to the first memo.

Q

I'm a little bit briefer this week. The first one is house- and this is just something house bill. 745.

Q

Is election law early voting center, centers and number required? This is one that was.

Q

It's a statewide bill and based on our population, we would have to have three early voting centers.

Q

And mako opposes it, it's the hearing is set for february 16th. I don't know if this is one.

Q

That either of our contacts with mako and the legislation have anything to um say about it or.

Q

Mako is opposed. Okay well tell me, would this be something that has to be manned, or could this just.

B

Be a it's a mandate. It's a caught! It's a codified mandate that you would have to have more early.

C

Voting centers to say I agree, but couldn't they be boxes? Do they have to be people sitting there just.

C

No, it is hollywood, volunteers, fire department, right right based on the population. Now this.

Q

Is different from delegate crossfield? Yes, we'll get to his in a minute. His I believe, is on.

Q

Memo too, okay, and so commissioners, there is a motion for house bill. 745.

H

If you'd like to uh oppose okay, the reason we would post something like this.

B

Because there's increased cost, what what's the impact? Well, the cost is about 85 or 90 000. Okay,.

B

Now we have heard people claim disenfranchisement and because of transportation or whatever so.

B

By opposing this are we, uh I don't think any of us want to disenfranchise anybody.

B

Right but our reason in opposing it is because we just don't feel it's necessary. We mentioned.

A

About transportation, what's the problem with transportation what'd, you say: what's the problem.

A

With transportation you mentioned that well, people have talked about if they live down in lexington.

B

Park and there's they can't get out of they don't have transportation to get up to hollywood.

B

Or people who've lived along, you know that hollywood can be central to a lot of people.

B

But still a long ways for a lot of people too. So actually, during this year's early voting, the sts.

A

Bus stopped at hollywood fire house several times, and I asked mr dietrich that next time we have.

A

Early voting can we schedule that as an actual stop during the early voting process, and he said.

A

Yes, he could add that in there it'd be a bus. Stop! Okay! So the point is you don't think we need it.

B

As far as we don't, we don't need this. As far as I know, this is changing the mandate of uh right now.

A

It's up to a hundred thousand registered voters right. Correct, yes, is the is the is a magic number.

A

So anything under a hundred thousand, you need one center. Anything over a hundred thousand you'd have.

A

To have an additional second voting center? Okay, that's what they're trying to do they're trying to.

B

170 000 registered voters right so they're trying to change this. No, no we're actually we're at 73.

A

Right thousand so they're trying to change this to 70 000.. We have to do a second center right.

Q

The current law is that a county with fewer than 125 000 registered voters have won what they're.

Q

Proposing is that a county with at least 50, but fewer than 100 have two, so it would.

Q

Increase us from one to two and mako's position was: this is not just the county, but it's a state.

C

Bill but state bill, so all the candidates, all the counters- would be subject to this.

A

Not just saint mary's, this bill subjects all the counties correct. I guess I just don't see what the.

B

Harm is uh cost manning. I don't that's the best thing I can say. Oh what's mako say: what's the harm.

C

Medco's position is an added cost and and with all the number of people of that cove, it's hard.

C

To staff these things and, as I said on the news last night, this kovid may be not going away and.

C

Maybe coming something more subject to a regular vaccination like a flu shot, so we don't know so.

C

I'm we're just repeating mako's words: we're not making stuff up here to discuss all right.

A

Any more discussion.

C

Mr rezai moved to oppose house bill 745 election law early voting, centers number required and.

C

Authorized, commissioner president, to sign the letters of opposition, the house and senate.

C

Committees for hearings on this bill, exactly you have a first and second, all in favor, aye, aye.

A

Aye any opposed I'll vote I'll vote for it. I don't see it. I have all eyes.

Q

Okay, the next was commissioner morgan had asked us to keep an eye on house bill. 589 senate bill.

Q

493, which is the budget, reconciliation and financing act? If you recall this is the one.

Q

That would uh pass on the stat costs to the county as well mako's position on this bill.

Q

They're still on hold is my understanding and no um no letters. You got the commissioners voted to.

Q

Oppose this bill on january 26, but no letters of opposition have been sent.

Q

Because the hearing dates have not yet been set for it and I think mikko's going to take a stand.

A

This wednesday yeah the last to be honest with you last night, we were supposed to have our rural.

C

Council meeting, but there was a plethora of bills, got thrown into the pile and mako was not able to.

C

Sort them out completely. My concern would be here at this point in time. I believe that mako there's.

C

A lot more to the berfa bill than just estat right and it'll, be my sincere opinion that when.

C

Mako votes on the birth act tomorrow, they're going to oppose um just what's the academic.

C

Perfect budget reconciliation of finance sect are we talking about hb1097, never packed, but.

Q

First, the third, the second one on um sorry, I got my pages mixed up. That's all right.

C

So anyhow, the burfa bill will be voted on by mako tomorrow, because last night we just.

C

They just had too much on their plate to handle it's my opinion in talking to my colleagues around.

C

The state on numerous bills that are affecting all the counties that the berfa bill will be opposed.

C

By mako, not just for stat, but for a number of other things that are buried inside that bill, that.

C

Will cause, I would believe, significant financial implications to saint mary's county, if approved.

C

So I would try to get since we can't meet next tuesday, see I'm I'm sorry. I was lost over here.

C

The bill we have so you are you're on memo, not memo2. Yes, sir. I apologize all right. We've already.

Q

Opposed yes, sir, on january 26th, okay, sorry, we already just hadn't. We haven't sent the letter.

A

Yet because we didn't right, there's no hearing date, there's no hearing dates yet so we we've.

A

Opposed it, so this is just the steps you gotta understand, too. The reason why I haven't beaten.

A

Last night is that even mako is unable to get a lot of information. Some of these bills are being.

A

Presented without any kind of written testimony without any kind of you know, financial statements.

A

Everything has been really terribly confusing and when you got mako unable to track this.

A

That makes it almost impossible for us to track and we got numbers and just a brief little one or.

A

Two line statements is all we got about them right. So it's going to be interesting in the next few.

A

Weeks what happens with some of these bills- and I got a feeling- some of these delegates and centers.

A

Are pushing these things on us because I mean like right now: we have to sign up four days in advance.

A

To get on the docket to testimony where, before you be able to go to annapolis, you go to the.

A

Back of the room there you sign up and you're on the testimony. Now it's been all thrown up.

A

And it's been very difficult for people to actually get up here and testify for and.

A

Against somebody's get to go testify, you have a five-hour window within a certain constraint to be.

C

Able to sign up, but if you don't hit the magic window, the citizens voices are ignored by.

C

The committees up there right so is an enormous amount of bills. More than ever,.

A

That some of these delegates are pushing through and it's going to be an interesting session.

A

It's going to be terrible and unfortunately, some of it's going to be caught on the.

A

Back end with costing us a lot of money as they go through some of these bills,.

Q

So we're keeping an eye on it and we'll let you know when a hearing date gets appreciated. Well,.

C

I would just request that the hearing date is within a window that we're off until whatever.

C

Two weeks we get our letter in on time, certainly, certainly, certainly I couldn't ask for better.

Q

Staff regarding this so very good. I know they're working hard right now. Absolutely I appreciate it.

Q

Very much thank you. Next would be memo number two which starts off with house bill. 1005.

Q

Which is on delegate crosby's bill about early voting centers and, as you s, the statewide bill.

Q

You know increases the numbers on all of them. Senator crosby's bill just focuses on.

Q

Votes between registered voters between 70 and 125 and would go from one early center.

Q

To two early voting centers, so there's two bills on early voting, centers one yes, 50 and.

C

One to seventy: well, one of them's gonna get dropped. I mean you can't have.

C

Bills that are totally incongruent with each other. You wouldn't think so.

C

So well, if we're I'll be just stay consistent and say no.

Q

And no hearing date for this one has been. You know the.

K

The only thing I want to add to the conversation about delegate, crosby's bills.

K

Is you know we have a process here? The process is, is that citizens.

K

Are allowed to come locally and speak and or webex or whatever it is? You want to have a conversation.

K

About and each delegate has an opportunity to present the bills which the other members did.

K

Before the commissioners and the citizens of this county, so they can weigh in.

K

Especially because we know how annapolis is with being able to get up there for hearing.

K

People commuting back and forth. Procedurally, I have just uh you know. I don't like the fact that.

K

People have snuck bills in under the noses of the citizens of this county and then turn back around.

K

And make it seem like we're the ones that are wrong for opposing these bills,.

K

When there was ample opportunity, you know these two bills. I can tell you that.

K

I've had conversations with multiple citizens from the north end to the south into the county.

K

And they all oppose me every single one. um You know there's a oh.

K

There is a process, and this process was circumvented by delegate crosby.

K

And it's a slap in the face to the citizens of this entire county that this is going.

K

To affect, meanwhile, he just represents a district in this county, so every citizen.

K

Did not have a chance to weigh in on this, and that's the only thing I have to say about it.

K

I just wanted to make sure I was able to get that get that out there. Thank you, commissioner.

Q

Thank you, and while we do not have a motion for this one, since the commissioners did a motion.

Q

On the other one to oppose, do the commissioners wish to take a motion uh position on this one.

Q

What's the house bill number again, oh house bill number um 1.

A

I think we should oppose it. I think we should oppose it.

K

What's the um what's the I'm sorry, uh what's delegate crosby's bill number one: zero, zero, five.

K

One zero: I make a motion to oppose house bill: one: zero, zero, five.

A

Second, we have a first and second, uh this will be drafting a letter right and go.

A

Out once behind, once we get a hearing date, yes, and we assume uh commissioner o'connor- that.

H

You uh opposed the bill and authorized commissioner president guy to sign letters.

H

Of opposition to the delegation and to the house and senate committees for hearings on this bill.

K

Correct that would be the full motion that needs to be presented. I I.

K

Accept that amendment, thank you. Okay. We have a first and second to my original statement.

B

Okay, we have a first, what's the motion again, so uh the motion is to oppose house bill. 1005.

H

And to authorize commissioner president guy to sign letters of opposition to the.

H

Delegation and to the house and senate committees for hearings on the bill.

A

Any more any more questions, discussion we have a first and second, all in favor, aye, hi.

A

All right, I have five eyes all in favor. Thank you, commissioners, and the next is house bill. 1097.

Q

Just letting you know that this bill has been dropped and it was the one for the local officials.

Q

And salaries as um it does so um put to get put forth by the compensation review commission.

Q

That you, but no hearing dates, been set. So just letting you know that has been dropped. You say.

Q

Has been dropped but now the date has been set and next keeping you informed regarding the.

Q

Kerwin the which is house bill, one: three: zero: zero, the blueprint for maryland's future. We had heard.

Q

Last week from mako that uh a vote would happen sometime in the middle of february. However,.

Q

Late yesterday, the house voted 95 to 37 to override the governor's veto.

Q

And the senate is expected to override the veto um just later this week this week.

Q

If you recall the governor's reasoning for vetoing it, I think was because of the unexpected.

Q

You know the pandemic and the unexpected cost we are going to have, but that's where we are.

Q

And otherwise, on this on the second page, we just had a list of some of the upcoming hearings.

Q

February 12th for the um civilian members of the law enforcement hearing board.

Q

For saint mary's, county february, 16th was the building excise tax and commissioner bless. You.

Q

Commissioner morgan, I'm sorry delegate morgan said that oral testimony was not necessary.

Q

That written testimony would be enough february. 17Th is the human relations commission regarding.

Q

Equal treatment, update february 17th is also the public facilities bonds february 19th is.

Q

The alcohol beverage two bills and february 24th would be uh metcom debt limitation. One.

Q

And that's my update commissioners. Is there anything else, I'd like to ask you about.

B

Hb 655, which is supposed to have a hearing today at 1 30., that's delegate, crosby's bill.

B

To uh break up the way the commissioners are elected in saint mary's, county, okay, but it's five.

C

Counties not just same areas well right. This is a statewide bottom line. It's gonna. This is how.

B

To statewide bill yeah stay away. My point is: how can we view that? uh Is there a way that, if we're.

B

Home or people are at home and they wanna, because I know uh I reached out to delegate crosby and he.

B

Said: hey just live stream, it and you'll see what my understanding is and I can um get you specific.

Q

Instructions from ms blondino, but my understanding is somebody would go to the maryland general.

Q

Assembly website and you can search house bills, you can click, you know so you can put in hb 655.

Q

And all the information to that should come up, and hopefully one of the links on there would be the.

Q

Hearing: okay, I'm not a big streaming person. I I've heard the word. I kind of understand what it means.

B

But that means I can go to my home computer. Bring up maryland general assembly, bring up.

B

Hb, 655 and I'll have an opportunity to live stream. That hearing, I believe so. Yes, sir, the.

Q

Same way as people have the opportunity to live stream, this from here channel 95 right, okay, well,.

Q

Thank you. That's my understanding. Okay, any anything else, commissioner,.

A

Mr weiskopf, thank you very much. Thank you, commissioner, and thank your staff for all they're.

A

Doing to follow these bills absolutely. I know it's a lot of problems right now, yeah. Thank you.

A

Are you finished and county administrator time is done.

H

Thank you. Thank you, dr pritchett. Okay, we'll go right in commissioner's time.

A

And we'll start with commissioner hugh at this time goodness. Thank you.

B

I recently rejoined lexington park rotary club after an absence of about 13 years, and they.

B

Asked me to be the someone who could find speakers and last night, the speaker for the lexington park.

B

Rotary club was dr scott smith, superintendent of saint mary's county public schools,.

B

I had a great presentation for us very interesting information. I'd like to relay some of it.

B

Kids have started back in the school. He said yesterday. The eighth had about a couple hundred.

B

Show up with their special programs, compass and one other, and uh next two weeks will be another.

B

Group going in and by march 1st they'll all be going in and and that's great news. Lord knows.

B

Kids need to be back in school for more than just the instructional part. They need to be able to.

B

Mix with their friends- and hopefully they can do all that safely. He also talked about the teachers.

B

Who had been vaccinated and how? That number was up in the upper 70 percent of teachers.

B

Being vaccinated and that you know there were some and other uh workers that work within the school.

B

System who are reluctant to get the vaccine and that and that's understandable, but the good news.

B

Is we're going back to school? Now? One question was asked which I thought I would like to impart today.

B

And they said, how are the students doing how's the virtual learning working and the response was.

B

Is about 40 now, I'm pretty sure I got this right of the elementary level. Kids are below.

B

Where they should be at this point in the year and the point being is summer, school is liable.

B

To be pretty crowded, he estimated up to 7 500 kids out of 17 18 000 kids going to school.

B

Almost 7 500 could be going to summer school to catch up remedial. Now anybody who's.

B

Dealt with trying to do the virtual learning has understood the challenges, and lord knows he talked.

B

About ghost students, students who are on the rolls and have the computer, but never log in or log in.

B

Intermittently, it's a problem. It's something we're concerned about county government across the.

B

Across the county, across the state across the nation, how are our kids doing, keeping up with.

B

Where they should be and the learning goals and the learning curves so with that said, hopefully.

B

He did also say uh good news: three million dollars is coming from uh the federal government.

B

uh To help with this effort, usually it's around 200 250 000, so schools in buses are out there.

B

Keep an eye out for the buses and good luck, uh dr smith, and your teachers and all your crew. All your.

B

Board of ed members, everybody who works in there from the building service managers to all of them.

B

Getting this up and running because lord knows the kids need it. Covett people reached out to me and.

B

I've said it today with the board of health. Now our health department's doing an excellent job. Dr.

B

Brewster's doing an excellent job, many people have talked about how seamless and easy the vaccination.

B

Process is a little intimidating when you show up with all those cones, but it moves very rapidly.

B

And it's very well organized so whatever we can do to get more vaccines. Obviously we want to do.

B

But what we, what I would recommend after talking to listening to dr brewster today, is, if you have.

B

The opportunity and get on that website, even if you're, not your turn, to hook up or sign up or.

B

Get your appointment familiarize yourself with the questions, because that's what I've heard.

B

From seniors who are trying to get on, they don't know about their social, not their social security.

B

Their medicare card or whatever card health insurance card and doesn't need to be there, but.

B

Should it be there there's a lot of questions key is to familiarize yourself with that site.

B

So when it opens, you can be right on it and really really on top of this game and get your vaccine.

B

Lastly, is the weather hey they're, talking about some really winter weather, following into this.

B

Week into the weekend, hopefully it's not going to be snow. I know commissioner morgan loves.

B

Snow, I hate snow, but it's winter. Good news is winter's. More than half over.

B

And it won't be long for springs here, so, let's hope for spring. Thank you all right.

J

So I want to start off and wish everyone a happy valentine's day. That's coming up this weekend so.

J

I hope you enjoy your valentine's day and we'll see what happens with the weather. That's coming.

J

Up we've had enough snow for me, I like to see one decent snow where the ground's covered and now I'm.

J

Ready for spring, but they're saying there could be more coming this week, everyone's ready to get.

J

Outside everyone's looking to get out and do stuff, if you're looking for something good this weekend,.

J

And the weather holds out and is not bad. If it's bad weather stay inside, don't risk your life, don't.

J

Put others lives in danger, but if it's not bad, the leonardtown volunteer fire department is putting.

J

On a fair food drive through friday night saturday, night sunday, night 4 pm to 8 p.m, you can drive.

J

Right through the old carnival grounds, probably uh bring back a lot of memories. For people used to be.

J

The best carnival in the st in the county and you can go and get some delicious food support. Local.

J

Businesses it'll be a great time those nights and make a great date night for valentine's weekend.

J

So finally, no meeting of the commissioners next week, the following week, we get into.

J

What I like to think of as the meat and potatoes of our budget season, we really.

J

Start getting into our budget meetings hard and there's a lot of requests this year for.

J

Some reason I naively thought it'd be an easy year for us, but there's a lot of requests. There's a lot.

J

Of needs, the pie can only be cut so many ways, there's only so much to go around. We recognize.

J

That and we're going to really get into it and start working hard on our budget coming up in two.

J

Weeks, thank you very much have a great week stay warm and safe. Thank you, mr commissioner. O'connor.

K

ah Thank you. Thank you, mr president, um so you know there's a there are a few things you know. I I.

K

I do notice all the chatter about the uh spike in crime in the county. You know, I know the sheriff's.

K

Office is working diligently on that and the uh the shootings down in the south end of the county.

K

So um yeah, I know they're working diligently. We don't get updated by the um the sheriff's.

K

Department directly on those cases, but you know they they do their job and you know we we find out.

K

Later, on that they've closed, the cases and people are getting prosecuted and they do an amazing job.

K

With that, so um just wanted to recognize that that you know we do see it and we we do hear you on it.

K

And the best person to speak to relative to that is is the sheriff I reach out to.

K

Him, let him know your concerns um and go from there. uh Secondly, uh the vaccines. You know I.

K

I've been corresponding with you know our delegation, I've been corresponding with the.

K

Deputy secretary of health, um you know I spoke to commissioner morgan the other day and called him.

K

Up and I said, hey, we finally got an answer from annapolis um and it was the deputy secretary of.

K

Health who, in my opinion, was misinformed um as to the the local issues that we're having here.

K

But that seems to be a constant thing coming from annapolis. um You know when you look at the house.

K

And and the senate, they are usually misinformed as to what's going on at the local level, and you.

K

Know it takes us to go ahead and reach out to them and and the citizens at the same time, and let them.

K

Know that hey look, you know, we know what's going on down here, we're in touch with our citizens.

K

We're the most direct form of government here, and we hope that you would consider what we are.

K

What we are saying and what our citizens are saying you know that's evident that.

K

That's not happening right now with a lot of these bills that were snuck in.

K

Under the noses of the citizens of this county, um I mean you know, the we've worked diligently and.

K

I would say conservatively in nature with our budget, and you know, commissioner colvin said it.

K

Best that there's only a certain amount of money to go around, but yet delegate crosby just voted.

K

For a 120 million dollar tax increase, I mean I I just I I don't understand where the reality comes.

K

In on this one, where you think that, in this time where people are suffering a tax increase, is the.

K

Right thing to do I to me that just does not represent saint mary's county and what we are.

K

Looking for and how we are doing and how we are operating, um you know it's very concerning to.

K

Me you know, I want people to get vaccinated with the cove at night for coven 19 and our local has.

K

Done a local health department's done an amazing amazing job and there's no doubt that if you look.

K

At the data, if you can get the data from the state which we're fortunate to be able to get some of it,.

K

You can see what's going on with the mass vaccination sites. You know dr brewster is.

K

Very kind in how she presented it, I don't have to be you know. The fact is, is that when you have.

K

Let's just say a thousand of something and you've allocated a hundred to ten different locations.

K

And uh then you create two more locations and you need allocations you're to take it from the other.

K

Spot so supply and demand. It's simple: you have to take it from somewhere to give it somewhere.

K

And we're rob and peter to pay paul and we're putting our population at higher risk because they.

K

Want to centralize these vaccination facilities and our most vulnerable population and those that.

K

Can't commute we have amish and mennonites that want to get vaccinated that you know. How are they.

K

Going to get up to prince george's county, you know it's an hour and a half drive to six flags. America.

K

From the north end of the county, if you look down in lexington and park and ridge you're talking.

K

All day for you it's a hour and 45 minutes. I've done the drive, then you're going to sit.

K

There and wait for hours and then come back home and you have to do that two times. So that's two.

K

Days of work that you would have to miss, I just really think they're missing the mark on this one.

K

And you know I'm extremely upset about it. I hope that the governor is hearing what we're saying.

K

Because I truly believe, based on what our governor has said,.

K

That our allocations would not have gone down. I believe that the health department and possibly.

K

His staff are not giving the true matrix of what is going on, based on what their mission is and.

K

In politics, we all fall victim to it at times, and it's called a highlighter. You get the facts that.

K

Are highlighted and if you don't take the time to read in between it, then you're going to sit there.

K

And you're only going to get what people want you to see and that's one of the reasons the.

K

Vietnam war went on for so long and that's where I got that from the highlighter yeah.

K

He was always that president was always presented, highlighted notes so either way, that's a little.

K

Bit of a frustration there, but I hopefully will get some positive uh positive out of it and.

K

You know I, I appreciate it and keep keep calling that 800 number I saw it was posted and let let.

K

Them know what you think: that's the only way your voices are going to be heard. So thank you.

C

Thank you uh a couple. Let me just jump on commissioner um o'connor's statements on.

C

The vaccines he's right and I think all the members of our commissioner board are correct.

C

And dr brewster just she's just doing what a hell of a great job out there but you're. Basically in.

C

A boxing match with one hand tied behind your back at the will of whatever annapolis decides, to give.

C

You at any one particular time and commissioner o'connor I haven't discussed this, I'm glad he.

C

Went up to the deputy director of health and said you know what you're doing you don't have it's.

C

Making no sense so I just want to continue to tell the people out there we're doing the best we can.

C

Dr bruce is doing the best she can if you've got a promise at 475-4200 extension, 1049.

C

Number to help get us through, um as both the other commissioners mentioned, the budget's coming up.

C

Guys this is round number 11.. I got 11 and 12 and it's it, but it's going to be complicated and it's.

C

Complicated not just because of everyone's wish lists coming in and believe me, the wish list is.

C

Bigger than, as I said, there's no more leaves than the tree out there to grab right now and it's.

C

Going to be very complicated, how we work through this and figure out to provide allocations for.

C

Everybody- and I hope to tell you everyone's dreams and expectations is probably not going to get met.

C

At the same time, commissioner guy and are spending an incredible amount of time, this.

C

Year with annapolis and through mako and the I mean last night, you know our three-hour meeting.

C

Got cancelled because there's just so many bills! So I'm sure tomorrow morning, when we start at what.

C

9 30 we're going to be going until 12, 30 or 1 going through all these bills, but there's cause.

C

And effect, and for actions or consequences and the actions that are taken in annapolis,.

C

Are the consequences on us, so we go back to the budget and our concern is: what are the actions.

C

What are the consequences? We face, the consequences the actions are taken. It's you know a lot of stuff.

C

Sight unseen, just as the testimony this afternoon will be given um you know, get one person to.

C

Sit there there's your zoom, there's your box and there's what you got to live with, so we're working.

C

This really hard, but our concern at the end of the day, is you citizens what you're asking for.

C

What's required and what can we feasibly do to make sure that it works for everybody, so.

C

That's where we are there on some lighter notes. We talked about the farmers market february.

C

13Th flying farmers market at the airport, again sponsored by sauderly and our other retailers.

C

It's a lot of fun: it's not like going down to the red barn, which is saturday mornings, nine or it's.

C

Ten to one now at the red barn by gate, three, the fine farmers markets at the airport on february.

C

13Th, which I think makes what saturday too, so you got two farmers markets to choose from sports fans.

C

So if you want to patronize our local farmers and things like great place to go um snow.

C

I'm from buffalo I like the snow, okay, three inches this little dribble we're getting down here. I know.

C

It causes a lot of heartache and pain and nobody here likes snow, but you know I really don't think.

C

It's going to snow, okay, I've listened to this aside, dr brewster or dr bridge, and I laugh a.

C

Little every once well about the snow, so you know I'm betting on three to four inches max.

C

Other people can bet on more, but you know let it snow, let it snow, but it's snow.

C

And finally, it's valentine's day coming up on sunday, so I want to wish all. Ladies out there.

C

Happy valentine's, especially my daughter's my girlfriend, happy valentine's day if it snows.

C

I don't get to see you if it doesn't snow. I look forward to seeing at least some of you.

C

But that thanks and have a great time and we'll see you again in two weeks.

A

Thank you doctor doctor. Thank you. Thank you, mr morgan. That's very good. uh My week was uh sort.

A

Of complicated this past week, unfortunately, I had to get some eye surgery done at john hopkins.

A

University hospital and was called the wilmer institute, and it's amazing what they have in.

A

Our area and the connections that we have for some unbelievable things uh thursday morning.

A

Actually, I went up there and uh by one o'clock they were cutting open, my eye on my right side and.

A

Actually doing a partial transplant in my cornea now this is probably unknown to many people, but.

A

Rather than total cornea transplants, they can actually take the tissue. That's bad in your eye.

A

Remove it and they're replacing it with a transplant from some donor eye.

A

And I I gotta admit, I'm not even wearing glasses right now and I I'm sort of blurry in my right.

A

Eye but uh the vision is slowly coming back every day and it's an amazing surgery and.

A

And I'm grateful for my wife who waited for me. She had to drive me up here.

A

And she actually, they would not allow her inside the surgery center she's literally sat outside.

A

In the car for almost six hours, I think she went up to the main hospital for a little bit, but.

A

uh They wouldn't even this they're, so restrictive about this covid thing. You can't even go into the.

A

Waiting area anymore, you definitely can't go in the surgery center at all. So it's uh it's! uh It's.

A

A trying time for all of us here, but I'm mending well, but I spent most of my time after the surgery.

A

I had to lay a flat on my back for two days because of this they put a bubble in your eye to.

A

Hold this tissue in place, it's almost impossible to sew it in place. I mean I it's amazing. What.

A

They do but I'm recovering well so most that was done there. I got to say uh I do think.

A

Everybody out there has been the great volunteers during our vaccination clinics here and everything.

A

It's been tremendous, my wife and I worked a couple thursdays ago and I was amazed at all the people.

A

That were there and how dedicated they were and how quickly removing these vehicles through the.

A

Hollywood fire department center, uh like everybody, said here, and you heard the.

A

Testimony from dr brewster: it's not nothing to do with the way we can administer it. It's just the.

A

Availability of the vaccine- now I will say I did tell my brother- I got a younger brother believe.

A

It or not, I got five younger brothers. This was the young one of the younger ones, 69 years old,.

A

But anyway I he complained about not being able to get on, and I said, hey.

A

Call the health department, I mean, call the aging and human services department. I gave the number.

A

You know 301-475-4200-1049 he did and of course, the next week he got on so uh for those of you 65.

A

And older, please do use that number and they are using that list to get to us that are in the aging.

A

Population, so I I say please sign up, remember extension: one zero, four, nine as easier processing.

A

Going online believe it or not, so that said, mr president, one more thing out there: sports fans.

C

Bipartisanship and working together for a number of months, the county has been.

C

Working hard on getting fema money back for hurricane isis, if remember two times.

C

We had a lost and we had to go back and to appeal that decision and we've been dr. It's been dragging.

C

So congressman [, __, ] and I've been in touch a lot on this stuff. Two things getting the money.

C

Back to the county for fema for the issues and getting the route 6 bridge up at persimmon, creek.

C

Repaired this week he called me, and his staff called me earlier in the week to let us know.

C

That fema has approved the the redistribution money. So it's not. When we come back to the budget.

C

We have to find 1.2 1.4 million dollars along the way out of our budget to pay for the damages.

C

But fema is going to reimburse us, so you know in the game of politics, is local and I know there's.

C

A lot of angst out there with everything going on dc, but I want to thank gerald gardner, steve.

C

Walker and congressman hoyer for helping get us the money back here for fema and making sure.

C

That you know our budget gets refreshed along the way, and uh so there is still some bipartisanship.

C

Out there so with that, thank you, mr president. Thank you. That is very good and uh it's a lot.

A

Of hard work and everybody's parts and there's a lot of behind the scenes, things that go on.

A

Not just in the local county here, but we we go outside to county as much as possible to help you.

A

And so we appreciate those who are following uh commissioner morgan and I.

A

Work a lot with annapolis through mako and the rural county coalition.

A

And trying to follow these bills that in in the end, we try to get no, no more unfunded mandates.

A

Passed on down to the county, but unfortunately I think we have a lot of them to pass down this year.

A

With that said, I need to have a recommendation to go into closed session. I move to enter into closed.

J

Session to discuss real property, our first and second, all in favor and I'd like to have about a.

A

Five minute recess is that, okay, with everybody sure, okay, we reconvene there at quarter up.

A