St. Mary's County, MD Economic Development Commission for St. Mary's County, 20 Oct 2021

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From YouTube: 10/20/21 Economic Development Commission for St. Mary's County

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A

Good evening and welcome to the october 20th meeting of the saint mary's county economic.

A

Development commission, my name, is elizabeth torgerson. I am the chairman of the edc and.

A

uh Ordinarily, the first topic would be to approve the minutes, but we just completed them, and so we.

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Do not yet have them up for approval uh going on to the next item is the comprehensive plan update.

A

Overview and chris, I believe that you will be uh leading that one so actually, first we're going to.

B

Announce announcements again: I'm chris kaslemus, I'm the director of economic development for.

B

The county and with me is destiny mitchell, and I'm going to turn it over to destiny for announcements.

C

Okay, so we have a few things happening next week, trying to talk and move this. At the same time,.

C

So next week is economic development week for the state of maryland.

C

So, in support of economic development week we went ahead and highlighted a few events happening.

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In saint mary's county and some throughout the state southern maryland, so I do want to point out.

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Next tuesday is an arrow park, business, our aeropark business tour and smart building tour.

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um So each edc member uh received the calendar invitation from kelly um about a week or two ago.

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um So if you do plan on attending, please make sure you respond to that link that was sent out.

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At 1 30 we will have the the smart building. Tour is going to be 30 minutes from 1 30 to 2 o'clock.

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And then you can choose to just do that tour or you can also attend the aeropark business.

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Business walk so we'll be reviewing five businesses um so.

C

We'll see, um I don't have all of them in front of me right now, but we'll see a lion you'll see.

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The uas test, site tech, port um and I think absi as well. So it's five five organizations you'll.

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See and we'll get to walk through and see the inside of those hangar spaces and hear about those.

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Companies organizations as well so definitely rsvp to that invite if you received it.

C

um And then I also want to highlight um the on the october 28th. There is a telemetry innovate.

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And small business development center event, which is just a trivia night, because this month is also.

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Manufacturers month so we're inviting all manufacturers makers and those who are curious.

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About that to join our trivia night and there will be prizes and giveaways, but there are handouts for.

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Each of those um right here on this table and um yeah, and then I think I didn't show the flyer but.

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This is flyer for the trivia night. This is the flyer for um I didn't mention, but there is a.

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Community event called halloween in the square next saturday, so this is one of the.

C

First, efforts for the lexington park, business association to be it's not completely foreign.

C

But the lex ba is definitely supporting this event. It's going to be a community event for the kids.

C

So there's going to be a lot of there's going to be a magician there's going to be food and candy.

C

And they're asking businesses to support with candy or you can even set up a table.

C

And give out trinkets information, and so those are all the announcements I have. Thank you. Destiny.

B

So, as elizabeth said that our first presentation item number four on the agenda is a comprehensive.

B

Plan update so with us today is bill. Hunt he's the director of land use and growth.

B

Management department for the county- and he has a power point for us and he's going to.

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Explain what they're doing so, I will move out of the way to make room for bill hunt.

D

Thank you. Everyone, it's nice to be here, to meet you not to worry. If you've looked at.

D

The powerpoint on board docs- that was the the reason why it's there, I'm not going to go through.

D

The whole thing I see, I've got five minutes and I'm going to respect that I can get to you what.

D

I think is important within that time, because, basically, what I want to do next slide destiny.

D

Is tell you where you can find what it's important for you to know as the comprehensive plan update.

D

Gets underway, this is a banner that's on the county home page. If you click on that next destiny.

D

That will take you to a page that that at the bottom has a link to a survey.

D

That we're trying to get residents input regarding what they like about st.

D

Mary's, what they would like change, what they think about comprehensive planning and things like that.

D

Next, then, if you go to the land use and growth management home page- which this is a copy of.

D

You see the two boxes, the first one, the top one is the update page and then underneath that is.

D

Another link to the survey which I've just gone over next one. So if you go to the update page.

D

This is the important one. You see some information on it's my left.

D

I guess it's the left side of the screen, I'm not sure where it says website, links that have.

D

Some information about comprehensive planning in general, but the important part about this to me.

D

Is that what we've done is taken the comprehensive plans that you see the dates there.

D

And we've scanned those and made them searchable pdfs and going along with that. We've separated out.

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The goals, objectives and policies of those plans and put them into separate pdfs. The reason why.

D

This was done is there's an archive of saint mary's county plans. That's over 50 years old.

D

The key is, I think, as this is an update, we're not trying to rewrite. It is to look and see.

D

What has been important in the past and then link that with what you see today.

D

Next one, the state requires the update and this one was delayed because of the the census.

D

Just for information you may already know, but the 2020 population is.

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11377 increase of 8.2 percent.

D

Next, that's again the comprehensive plans that have been done and scanned next.

D

The state requires visions to be included in a comprehensive plan and there are some of the.

D

Important ones, and then economic development is one of the visions is on the next slide.

D

The county also has the economic development.

D

You don't need to keep up with me at this point. I'm just going to go off script. Okay,.

D

And get done at four and a half minutes! What what you'll see in the rest of the.

D

Powerpoint on board, docs is what I've done is I've I've gone into the 2010 comprehensive plan.

D

And pulled out those items related to economic development, including goals, objectives and.

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Policies and the chapter devoted to economic development, the visions, the aspirations so that.

D

You can easily find them. I think, what's important for the county is that you know, as a group.

D

What has been thought about in the recent past and to the extent that you're able to do it either.

D

This group, or in your own businesses or your own personal interests, provide input as to how.

D

Can the aspirations either those that you see recorded or those that you might have.

D

Be linked with implementation actions, because if you go through the powerpoint that I've done.

D

And then, if you look at these other plans that are scanned, there's usually, I would almost say always.

D

A disconnect between aspiration and implementation and that's where things fall apart, so what I'm.

D

Going to try to suggest for this update with the planning commission is to ask them to focus on.

D

What's been constant for the last 50 years, or so sorry, amy and.

D

What aspirations are still valid, but as they're thinking about that? What can be done to implement.

D

Those things that residents have consistently considered to be important for the county.

D

One thing I'd like to remind, or perhaps tell you, for the first time, land use and growth management.

D

Has six divisions of those six one is comprehensive planning? We have 29 employees when.

D

We're fully staffed, which hasn't happened in a number of years, but in the comprehensive planning.

D

Division there are three full-time employees in addition to trying to do long-range planning this.

D

Comprehensive plan, those planners also review concept, site plans, minor site plans, subdivisions.

D

For consistency with the comprehensive plan, we have a capital facilities, planner, who also.

D

Is is in planning division? He looks at things like sewer availability and, to a certain extent,.

D

Roads, though, the most of the roads is done by department of public works and transportation.

D

And then the third one is primarily historic preservation and the metropolitan planning.

D

Organization, which is regional planning for the region, so with all of that, I'd say that to say.

D

That, when it comes to any element of the plan, any help that we can get with distilling down, what's.

D

Important and how to implement it would be a big big benefit to land use and growth management.

D

That's what I have for you tonight within five minutes. If there's any some general questions.

D

I'll be happy to try to answer them, but really I wanted to show and get it out where to find.

D

The survey and where to find the comprehensive plans so that people can do the research and.

D

Make up their own minds as to to what is important for the county for the next update to the plan.

E

I did have a comment to make regarding that survey as kind of interesting on social media.

E

I was forwarded that link and I did fill it out so it's kind of neat to see that.

E

It's getting out there and getting some some visibility from the community. Thank you. Thanks.

D

Yeah, that was, uh we were excited to do that. Recreation and parks has been doing.

D

Survey monkeys for a long time, land use and growth management hasn't been. This was the.

D

First, one that we tried, the planning commission, actually wrote the text.

D

With our help, but it was, we thought it was well edited by them and I hope it's effective.

F

What is the time frame for getting uh comments in through the survey.

F

You might have mentioned, I missed it, I didn't mention it.

D

The first run of it will end october 31st. We started in mid-august we're going to run to.

D

October 31st, as we go forward, we may either modify it or do a different one depending upon what seems.

D

To be appropriate based on public response, either to that or to the process in general. Thank you.

D

Excellent. Thank you very much.

G

Hi bill just a question: you know when you look at the the last economic development plan. There's.

G

A great emphasis on south county and one of the things that is pointed out there is the.

G

Difficulty of having development in the part of a county where there is so much waterfront.

G

And so many areas that cannot be used for development and how that ties in with the lack of.

G

Economic development and poverty, quite frankly in the southern county and the decision by the.

G

Commissioners, if I am interpreting this correctly- and you can correct me chris- was that there.

G

Should be a level of forbearance to permit the development in those counties? One of the issues of.

G

Course was, for example, how can you get a license to build a waterfront restaurant in the south.

G

County, well, you can't simply because the zoning and the plan that you've come up with is such.

G

That it really is virtually impossible, and yet you can within the bones of leonardtown. So what can.

G

Be done in order to create some equivalency there and what is the interaction between your new plan.

G

And the new economic development plan that we are currently developing recommendations.

G

From your site, in terms of how we can develop economically in some of these areas, that are.

G

Really limited because of the zoning regulations, etc. You're conflating three things there.

D

My office will be happy to defer, in large measure, to the economic development plan.

D

Developed by the department of economic development, just like we will defer to the.

D

Transportation plan that's being worked on by the department of planning department of public works.

D

And transportation we won't put in this plan any goals or policies or objectives that contradict.

D

Economic development, when you talk about zoning zoning, implements the complex, comprehensive plan.

D

So the zoning regulations will be consistent with the comprehensive plan as they are now.

G

Would it be possible for you to review some of the recommendations we come up with and add comments.

G

Before we go too far down the line as soon as you get them to us, we'll review them good. Thank you.

G

B

Thank you bill.

B

Thank you bill and I know a lot of discussions that we've had at this table with your work groups.

B

Have been around issues that are almost more land use and growth management, comprehensive.

B

Plan related than economic development, so I would encourage you to get involved. Take the survey.

B

Any other methods there is to get involved. I would encourage you to do so.

B

All right, the other person we invited tonight was arthur shepard. Our recreation and parks director.

B

They're going through a process now to update their land preservation, parks and recreation plan.

B

Lpprp but unfortunately, tonight they're actually well not unfortunate for us not.

B

Unfortunate for them they're, actually at what kamikoz golf course getting input.

B

For their plan, so they and christina bishop from his office. I haven't, have an open meeting tonight.

B

At wicomico shores, so I did include it was a little bit late, but I did include their latest.

B

um Strategic plan, practical strategic plan, which is an annual, an annual um kind of update of their.

B

Five years, so that their land preservation, parks and recreation plan is a five-year plan and every.

B

Year they come through and they do an update, so that is was included in your board. Docs materials.

B

Today, but I just kind of wanted to go through that they sent over a couple of slides and I'll just go.

B

Through them quickly, I'm certainly not the expert in the recreational parks plan. But what is the.

B

Plan- and you have this in your materials also, it serves two functions. It's a comprehensive master.

B

Planning document for the department, in terms of where they're going to go, what their objectives.

B

Basically, a strategic plan- and it also is needed for maryland's program, open space program, so.

B

Much of the funding that they get for things like some fields and different parks and stuff.

B

Comes from program open space estate space and you need to have an lpprp in order to do that.

B

It establishes goals, recommendations, so it's okay,.

B

To guide st mary's county, providing improving kind of what they do, public parks, rec services.

B

And open space and again they get input to find what people are looking for and if you.

B

Look through this plan that I included in your materials, they actually go at the at the end of it.

B

They actually have they go through each goal and have what the specific recommendations are.

B

And what the actions items are and they went through and crossed off the ones that they.

B

Already completed so you'll see, most of these are are strike throughs. It says, completed complete in.

B

Fiscal year 21 or whatever it is so they've done a good job, and this plan explains that next slide.

B

And again, like any strategic plan, it's got some standard sections mission goals, objectives.

B

The recreation leisure trend analysis, that's a little different specific to their.

B

Specific plan needs assessment, inventory level of service standards, so you know they get a lot.

B

Of input from people saying, what do you think we need, and then they take action.

B

On that, so there was a remember last time they had. There was a great great need for.

B

All weather fields, turf fields, they call them synthetic fields.

B

And they went out and they had three beautiful synthetic field, turfs turf fields built, so they.

B

Check that off their list- and so they do listen very closely to what the public's looking for.

B

And this go back sorry and there's an ag and natural resources section which we actually our.

B

Agriculture and um division rights that with them, so we actually that has really has to do with more.

B

Land preservation, in terms of the open space that we do for land preservation efforts next slide.

B

So there are three ways to give input and guide the next five years community survey you can.

B

Pre-Register for a focus group and you can attend a public open house which they have one tonight.

B

And then there's also a slide, I think I included, I don't know if you can pull that up destiny.

B

And this is in your packet too. This is just a little more specific. The survey monkey like.

B

Bill mentioned they're doing the survey monkey and here's some upcoming focus group meetings october.

B

26Th 27th and 28th also public forum october 28th, at back at wacomico shores and christina.

B

Bishop is the program, the project manager for that and she's in obviously in parks and rec.

B

So take a look at that and participate in that, if you can.

B

And that's all I have for that.

A

Okay, next item on the list is the seds work group updates and.

A

Let's see tristan mourinho is the co-chair of the economic resilience subcommittee. I am the co-chair.

A

Of the document review committee and christine bergmark and dale moore are the coaches for the.

A

New initiative, so whichever one of you would like to uh take a step at it first, yes, sir.

F

You want to start with new initiatives: yep, okay, very good! Why not? Okay! So in spite of.

F

Of our best efforts, we, um it was hard to get our group together in the two months that we had and.

F

uh So dale and I and catherine stormont had a number of talks. Excuse me a number of talks. I'm.

F

Sort of brainstorming through things, and so what we'll present to you very briefly tonight is sort.

F

Of high level, what our thinking was recognizing that it's our thinking not necessarily the whole.

F

Committee at this point in time, what our hope is is to bring some of these ideas forward and then.

F

To turn it over to the consultant and as a whole, you know edc to stay engaged with the process.

F

So, at the highest of high levels, we talked about. First of all, the need for sort of a vision and a.

F

Mission statement and where we're going, I will say that we um dale and I sort of felt a little.

F

Bit like we were a little um are a little out of sync because you guys were doing the document.

F

Reviews so we didn't have the advantage of having all the updated rev. You know updated material and.

F

The resiliency plan, which I think had we had more time it would have been nice to have that sequence.

F

um But anyway, so thinking about you know the need for a vision and a mission statement. Where do we.

F

Where do we want the county to be? What do we want it to look like, and what do we want? It.

F

To be in terms of providing a business, friendly environment and a quality of life, attractiveness.

F

For for our citizens, um so we identified the need for a business friendly climate that would.

F

Entice more businesses to operate in the county.

F

And you know: how can the department of economic development address these the permitting.

F

Barriers that were mentioned earlier and some of the regulatory processes, and indeed all the.

F

Barriers to businesses becoming established and staying established in in our county.

F

Identified workforce, the need for uh for the nature of work what's happening right now with.

F

Workforce as the pandemic has changed the way that we work, we've got hybrid, we've got in-person, we've.

F

Got virtual, and what does that look like for for our region and for our businesses talked.

F

About land preservation and how we might be able to better activate the use of some of.

F

That land, not just with the wonderful work that the ag commission is doing um the ag and seafood.

F

Board on targeting specific commodities, but also looking at things like greenway trails or mountain.

F

Bike trails, or are there other things that we could be doing with some of that preserved land.

F

One two three, fourth is transportation. This is everywhere. We go cited as a hindrance.

F

It's hard because we're a peninsula! So why not start looking at some of our.

F

Manned or unmanned or unwoman uh drones uh to move people around, we know the airport.

F

Is expanding, what's that going to look like? Can we get in bigger planes? Can we get in commuter planes.

F

um You know what impact would a ferry service have in our region and then finally,.

F

We talked about arts and entertainment and that being so important in every meeting we go to for.

F

The quality of life not just of our citizens, but also to attract outsiders, recognizing that tourism.

F

Is our second largest industry in the county, um so the need for for for more greater emphasis.

F

On that I'll quickly turn to dale for some more deep dive and there we go I'll pull my charts up.

F

Oh sorry, unbusiness friendly, of course, broadband- and that was mentioned earlier too, but the.

F

The need for expanded access to broadband across all the businesses and all the.

F

Households in the county right, okay, great, uh go ahead and get a second chart. Please.

H

ah It's back all right, it is christine talk, we're really thinking about. You know.

H

This says: what do we want to be when we grow up, makes an assumption that we want change.

H

And we're going to have to evolve in the context of the world around us. So it's a great vision and.

H

Exercise because we have so many natural resources, so many possibilities and there's a lot going on.

H

In the world that we can take advantage of, this is just a list that we came up with to describe the.

H

Kinds of things that this county can become and be as descriptors. So when people think of branding.

H

And perceptions, these are the kind of words we would love for them to to come forward with.

H

You know work-life balance, energetic thriving collaborative connected learning. All these.

H

All these words, I think, really kind of evoke an image, a vision.

H

Of where we'd like to go into the future compared to today, many of these do apply today,.

H

Anyway, be open to any ideas, people have along these lines next chart.

H

So uh u.s news and world reports just came out with their 2021 list. The best places to live.

H

In the u.s and my question is why isn't it st mary's county, I just got back from two weeks in.

H

Colorado I visited boulder very vibrant activity. You know the university colorado.

H

Flagship university is co-located there. They have a beautiful area called pratt street, where all the.

H

All the visitors come and they go to restaurants and and coffee shops and stores, and it's just a.

H

Great place for the kind of innovation collisions that occur and dialogues. I went to a restaurant.

H

Next thing you know three people sat down next to me and were making business deals on a startup. I.

H

Mean just out of nowhere, and so anyway, just to give you some idea um and the question becomes.

H

You know what do we need to do to be a best place to live recognized as such next chart.

H

There's a website, that's called livability.com and they have a number of criteria that they, you know.

H

Examine different areas about livability and along here along the left left side. You see different.

H

Categories- this is just an example. I just kind of threw it together.

H

But you know one to ten kind of thing: how we would rate amenities, the demographics.

H

That we currently have compared to where we want to be economy, education, health care.

H

Housing, social and civic capital, transportation infrastructure- and these certainly are all the.

H

Categories but it's nice to think about the, as is today and the 2b that we want to get to as.

H

Part of that vision that christine talked about that we want to go to in the future next chart.

H

So some of the discussion topics we just want to throw out. There are seeds of thought to get the.

H

Discussion going that can help us to consider where we want to go into the future next chart.

H

So uh as I socialize this leslie taylor, vice commander, navair, former executive.

H

Director of knock ad actually brought up machine learning in ai. There is a global.

H

Phenomena that's occurring right now. um I don't know that we're fully aware of all that, but.

H

The sense of urgency in this space is pretty critical, um and so we we've kind of described it.

H

And this is for the consultant to pick up and run with, but the idea is uh to research and benchmark.

H

Critical applications where it makes good sense to apply it and develop an infrastructure and plan.

H

Training plan, et cetera, that would fit in with the other plans that we have within the county.

H

Next chart there's a lot going on around the world in smart cities a whole lot by the way.

H

Well, no one's really talking about smart counties and I think we have an opportunity.

H

To leverage digital infrastructure broadband, these kinds of things.

H

For the betterment of the county so to think through how and where that would apply and there's.

H

I sent out a note yesterday. There's a white house initiative metro network. I think it's called where.

H

um You know uh universities are partnering with cities. A colleague of mine from atlanta uh was.

H

On the mayor's staff- and they were engaged in this so georgia, tech is directly helping.

H

The city of atlanta to become a smart city, and these are being benchmarked around the.

H

World, I think helsinki is probably number one in the world in this space, but you know we're.

H

Not really aware of this, and it's something for us to think about and consider next chart.

H

Esports is a growing area. You can turn on the tv and you'll see drone racing. This is large.

H

Scale, it's very cool, it is publicized, it's fun, it's something I think will really take it to.

H

The next level for our youth and get them familiar and comfortable with electronics with aerodynamics.

H

With the competitiveness to try to out-think each other and all that, so it also brings some.

H

Notoriety to the region so something to consider going forward. I think it's a stem related thing.

H

But it's also creativity, there's all sorts of spin-outs that we could get in this space.

H

And business models to consider- and there is a professional league associated with all this.

H

That that major cities are embracing, so they do this inside stadiums by the way, and it's just.

H

uh It's really really neat next chart and oh by the way the drones go about 90 miles an hour and.

H

And they're wearing vr, goggles and they've got the cameras and in real time, they're racing each other.

H

3D immersive visualization: this is real, really interesting. We actually prototyped this out in.

H

Town in 2012, at knock ad when I ran the strategic cell and we had avatars there's a couple pictures.

H

Down there at the bottom, that kind of show you so it's a lot less expensive to build virtual.

H

3D space than actual real 3d space, but the beauty of it is, is you can collaborate, 24, 7, 365,.

H

With avatars in a 3d space is very experiential and you can interface digital tools that we're.

H

All using for analysis and modeling and simulation with these kinds of environments.

H

And nvidia and facebook are now recognizing that 3d virtual space is the next natural evolution.

H

Of their platforms, um nvidia has a platform called omniverse and metaverse that is taken.

H

Off like lightspeed, so I just this is like forewarning. This has been around for a while.

H

I actually had a dialogue with the chief of naval research saying that this would take everything to.

H

Next level, in terms of our product development so expect more along these lines. Next chart.

H

Three out of manufacturing um we're just at the very beginning of this this this is just.

H

Started it started with um with plastics it's now metals, and now it's hybrids and composite.

H

Materials, so all of a sudden you've got this ability to create structures.

H

uh In manufacturing that you couldn't create with regular machine tools.

H

The shapes are mimicking biological designs uh and it's clean, it's and, and so the flexibility.

H

Is amazing, um miter has just as one example created a uh an aesa radar about this big. That was.

H

Printed with metals and polymers that you could now put on an unmanned vehicle as one of their.

H

Developmental just as one example, but there's many out there and there's actually a company, I've been.

H

Talking to in north of baltimore, that's actually building the equipment for all this next job.

H

Software development, we tend to have a hardware orientation and how we think about.

H

Things but the quote is software's eating the world, so the question would be you know where are.

H

We with software development, it's extraordinarily complex and uh area, but it it basically is driving.

H

uh The future, in terms of everything that we're doing so mastering software and everything about.

H

Software, the hardware is going to come, it's absolutely going to come and that's.

H

Still moving out like crazy, even though we have the the chip problem.

H

um But uh anyway, so what's what are we doing in software? It's just you can't see it. You.

H

Can't really touch it, you can do with it on the computer, but you can see its effects everywhere.

H

Algorithmic warfare is really where things are going. You can imagine that in a competitiveness.

H

Economic environment as well next chart digital transformation.

H

It's uh you know, we think in analog terms, we have, you know all of our senses that we use.

H

But you can capture that you can take the data you can analyze it, you can integrate it.

H

You can better understand things that you didn't understand at this stage of the game.

H

Everyone's moving in this direction, so capturing data leveraging data using data to help out with.

H

Our plans to help inform uh human decision making uh is, is moving out like lightspeed next chart.

H

Regional collaboration models and tools, there's a lot of fragmentation.

H

All over the state, the nation everywhere, you look so understanding the the networks, the topology.

H

The interconnections how they can be energized synergized um is really interesting and and.

H

Enabling and uh with uh information technology there's ways you can really promote that.

H

Certainly, face-to-face communications builds mutual trust and respect. We need to promote that.

H

But once you have that in place, um it's it's wide open and what we find is in the research community.

H

That researchers are normally collaborating all over the world um in very deep specialty areas.

H

It's not unusual to have two or three names on patents um from different countries, so anyway,.

H

I think that's something that we can really take advantage of where we have a lot of fragmentation.

H

Today, next chart um we have an innovation, district and, and chris you've got huge.

H

Kudos here for all that, you've done there what and that's really an academic focus in terms of.

H

The research piece of it um realize that in 1995- and I was one of the first people to break down.

H

From headquarters and we moved warminster down and we lost about two-thirds of our researchers.

H

And we haven't recovered ever since, but research is the feedstock for innovation.

H

And when you think about a place like research triangle in north carolina.

H

They are professional researchers, they're, not students. These are like no kidding. You know who's.

H

Inventing moderna right vaccines and you know all the different things so thinking in terms of.

H

um Of research as an emphasis area, because it's not really an emphasis area that we see much.

H

Of in many places, I'll just kind of leave it at that, but it it leveraging those research networks.

H

Doing this, research work and feeding that into innovation and product development and delivery.

H

To customers is kind of the the pathway to competitiveness in the future next chart. I.

H

Think that might be it yeah, that's the last fight. Did it okay, yeah? That's that's all I had thank you.

A

Okay, so for uh document review committee we did only get the opportunity to meet.

A

Two maybe three times uh during those meetings we were able to cover the introduction.

A

To the sets chapter, one the uh factors influencing economic development chapter, two uh agriculture.

A

And aquaculture, as well as chapter three, which is the tourism hospitality, mr faster plan um in the.

A

Course of that, we kind of identified right off the bat that the areas that um definitely need.

A

More attention within the current sets are, of course, ag and aqua, with particular attention to.

A

Aquaculture, as dale mentioned, the possibilities for additive manufacturing. That was.

A

One of the topics or the possibilities that was included in the set that hasn't really gotten.

A

The attention that I think saint mary's county could be poised to give it, especially with the new.

A

Aero park expanding the research again in the arrow park, now that we have building three open.

A

That that area is ripe to explode with it and clarifying the importance of encouraging homegrown.

A

Innovation and tech, rather than going out there and you know, sort of going to outside environments.

A

Outside locations and hunting those companies, even if they're startups, to really encourage.

A

The talent that we have already the um the sort of pluck from things like airworks tech, port.

A

Wherever the incubators or pseudo-incubators are in the county and really encourage that.

A

Growth and it'll do more than just you know the obvious of improving innovation, but it will be.

A

uh Yet another company that sets up roots here and won't be leaving anytime soon, for you.

A

The next best town that comes along that they they will stay here for the long term. They will.

A

Increase the likelihood of long-term uh sustainability and success um as to.

A

Rewind a bit as far as the intro destiny had been working on bringing all of the metrics identified.

A

Especially in the intro and throughout the sets up to date with the new 2020 census numbers.

A

So hopefully, that's coming along well, um the the really interesting meeting was when we got to.

A

Chapters uh two and three, the agriculture and aquaculture and um later on, we were fortunate.

A

Enough or later on, the meeting we're fortunate enough to be able to bring in the um again seafood.

A

And forestry division representative and the amount of knowledge and current state.

A

Of those two industries in the county that we got was invaluable and such a tremendous insight into.

A

Where we are right now and the current goals that we have and where we can go.

A

One of the things that was highlighted was given the.

A

Amount of critical area in saint mary's county, especially the areas that are.

A

Given climate change are extra vulnerable to flooding, to erosion, to any number of things.

A

How do we address that now and prepare for it now, while expanding the economy, while placing an.

A

Increased emphasis on aquaculture and the farms that you know are down in south county are down.

A

Off of buds, creek growth in chaptico, we saw just a few years ago the devastation.

A

That flooding created just from you know one event, one isolated event: it wasn't even a hurricane.

A

um Profitability of current crops that, given that it's decreased markedly since.

A

Tobacco was sort of the the king crop in saint mary's county that ever since 2002.

A

There's been yes, you know over the long term, farms have remained relatively or the.

A

Number of farms has remained relatively stable fluctuating a bit from year to year, but that.

A

They still have not identified a crop that has yielded the profit margin that.

A

Tobacco has especially when it comes to the amount of work required to to harvest the.

A

Current crops, um we brought up the topic of land, use and tdrs, and is it a.

A

uh Is that system practical and working the way it's currently set up and the the in this.

A

Is was something that I found rather interesting between the time that the seds was first developed.

A

And when they were looking at that and now the vast majority of reclaimed agricultural land.

A

Has gone to low density housing with virtually none of it going to medium or high density.

A

So you've got all these subdivisions of single-family homes that have.

A

Been created, but the number of apartments or the number of town homes has not kept.

A

Pace with that, excuse me um again highlighted the uh oh excuse me. I need to take a drink of water.

A

The uh um lack of priority on aquaculture and gerald- I'm sorry you may uh have to take over from here.

A

I'm I seem to be uh popping a lot so if he could.

A

I only still have so much voice to go around drink, some more water.

I

I hate to see your coffee like right now, where do you want to sit just sit right here.

A

Right here I have the notes.

G

Where were we, agriculture right.

G

So aquaculture, it was emphasized in in the sense before the situational analysis and.

G

Recommendations were captured by jamie rayley during the set's development. Now an appendix.

G

Two sets concerns over long-term viability was expressed by the community in agriculture.

G

Obviously you have the rural legacy preservation areas, the medium and high density residential.

G

Housing which we talked about and due to lack of tdrs tdrs, is um technical development rights.

A

I believe transferable transfers, yes, yeah, the current zoning code and costs of tdrs, the probably.

G

Of course, the prices increased, the diamond, isn't sustainable or supportable industrial.

G

Zoning requests for status of agriculture and aquaculture recommendations for seds tourism.

G

Hospital the master plan highlights this is basically a listing of everything that has to be.

G

Included there right highlights and promote the nuka and the north county for our farmers market.

G

Expansion, great opportunities for more outdoor concerts venues and promote existing ones more.

G

Opportunities for cycling to go mountain off road biking, etc. There, I should add, from a discussion.

G

We had, I think, already two years ago or a year and a half ago, about the possibility of using the old.

G

Right-Of-Way, which runs all the way down to point lookout and has been done in the northern portion.

G

Of the county, but does not seem to have extended as far down as you know, beyond the base, basically.

G

um I think my voice may have come. You may okay. Thank you for that. Sorry about the. uh I think.

G

It's related to sitting here, because my voice is not really right. Interesting, maybe the air is.

A

Dryer over here, what's going on, okay, so for the uh seafood and forestry board update that we had.

A

They provided uh some data from the 2017 agriculture profile for the uh county.

A

Center census now they they did remind us to take it with a grain of salt. Considering that.

A

The responses were voluntary, but the number of farms is down three percent from.

A

2012., however, there is an increase in the number of farms between one and nine acres.

A

Which is somewhat interesting only currently only two certified organic farms in the county, but and.

A

This is a big, but there are others practicing organic methods. They just haven't been certified.

A

They highlighted the unique farming community.

A

In saint mary's county, traditional farming, as well as amish and mennonite, the three farmers.

A

Markets in the county north county, the one at bae and the homegrown market, just south of gate, 3.

A

So the recommendations that we were able to draw from that or for the sets or the adoption of.

A

More digital technology uh kovid forced a lot of farmers, especially those that participate.

A

In the farmers markets to go cashless because of the contact issue and rely more uh on.

A

That, rather than you know, or rely more on credit card point of sales rather than.

A

uh Cash, but um enough have reverted back to their previous, less digitalized systems since.

A

The peak of covet, so a system that could benefit overall, is waning and needs to.

A

Be the reintroduction of it or re-adoption of it rather needs to be encouraged. There is a new.

A

Effort among the future of farming in the county and young farmer type initiatives, and there is.

A

Actually, a young farmer's group taking up you know a um or a young farms group. That's been recently.

A

Established and um sort of the next generation taking up the wheel for uh farming in the county.

A

One of the interesting things is that they really identified the future of farming in retail.

A

Yeah agri-tourism um farmers markets that sort of thing rather than in wholesale, which would sort.

A

Of be the equivalent of sending grain over to the eastern shore for purdue and the.

A

Chicken farms over there and uh they struck the the importance of excuse me, the importance of.

A

uh Balancing agriculture and aquaculture in general and the county and the um emphasis on.

A

That we need more farmers period, we need grain farmers, we need commodity farmers to support the.

A

The potential output that the county has and has since waned in the last few decades.

A

um There was discussion of bringing a bargain.

A

For the grain that kind of faded in and out, considering that there even just having trouble.

A

um Keeping up with the grain elevator, I believe it is in um the the northern area of the state.

A

And again, encouraging farmers to keep raising crops, encourage them to.

A

Encouraging the county as a whole to purchase from local and regional food producers rather than.

A

Even down to the grocery stores, rather than going outside the county and outside the state,.

A

They are attempting to get the cottage food revenue limit rates to 40 000 from.

A

25 000.. I know that that was an area that uh john had kind of been leading.

A

And uh further discussion of the that the barnes and the new north county market will be a.

A

Major asset to the county, I believe, curtis you were discussing the possibility of further down.

A

The road even adding on to restaurants around the shop, so it could be a almost direct farm-to-table.

A

Concept also, discussion of.

A

Alternative crops and ultimate conclusion that you know there's.

A

There's no magic bullet to being able to replicate the success that tobacco had done here.

A

Both just in terms of growing and in terms of the financial and economic rewards that have reaped.

A

But there are a variety of commodities and crops that can be used to try and um mitigate the loss.

A

And then even going on to tourism and hospitality,.

A

Master plans- and I will try to sum this up as quickly as possible um primary goal for the new.

A

Director is to make the area a premier premier, weekend destination for the mid-atlantic region.

A

And most attractive tourism destination in the capital region, which I think is well within reach.

A

Priorities were overall increase in engagement.

A

And training for the partners, stakeholders and tourism and hospitality workers.

A

Again highlighted the agriculture sustainability for far for small farms lies in agritourism.

A

And really pushing that effort in the same vein, going green ecotourism, eco villages.

A

The possibility of walking the farm with walking the farm.

A

Which would essentially create public walking trails on slash across farmland.

A

Farmers market capture potential for airbnb, I think at last count. There were roughly 150 to 200.

A

Listings down here- and that was at any given point, but that the potential for it is uh significantly.

A

More if we can capture that market well, especially in the areas that have waterfront access.

A

um And the uh we hi we um again went over the progress on streamlining business.

A

Processes in the last few years and the important role that pier 450 played in sort of a live trial.

A

Of the county's strengths and weaknesses when it comes to that and creating as bill mentioned.

A

Earlier, creating a closer relationship with land use and growth management to foster that so.

A

That about sums it up.

I

B

I think you have one more committee, the economic resilience committee.

B

Yes, well, they really saved the best for last. Don't blink, but.

J

Very nice elizabeth, our economic resilience sessions. We were able to meet about three times.

J

I think, unfortunately um I wasn't able to attend the last one, but I do have uh the notes from our.

J

Major disrupter disruptors working session um just highlighting lisa john and elizabeth and brooke.

J

Who isn't here tonight, but they all were able to discuss uh the disruptors that we highlighted.

J

And give a you know overview, and so this is the overview of brooks food supply disruption.

J

Elizabeth highlighted the warning tools and economic indicators for geographic.

J

Vulnerabilities john highlighted cyber attacks and how they've occurred in the area in baltimore. Even.

J

In north beach and elizabeth lisa actually highlighted sequestration, I don't know if.

J

Any of you wanted to touch into any of that I'll give a quick brief on cyber attacks, so.

K

This past summer, in july, the town of leonard town and also north beach over calvary county.

K

um Were victims of a ransomware attack, um it's specifically for leonardtown.

K

It resulted in a loss of service to computers. I mean the impact, was quarterly. Bills were delayed.

K

And customers were unable to access their online utility bills, the ransomware they demanded 45 000.

K

Per computer um to allow access to the computer into the information.

K

And the the town of leonard town was able to restore the computers. It took some time.

K

um But they were able to restore the computers to some backups. um How this relates to to.

K

What we're doing here is when we start to think about resiliency and how we should.

K

um Build systems within the county um so cisa the cyber security and infrastructure security agency.

K

Has a ton of free resources on their website? um Specifically, they have a section on cyber hygiene.

K

Which is just ways that you can reduce the risk of successful.

K

Cyber attacks- um and they also have some cyber attack, assessment and evaluation tools on there.

K

um And it's a free resource that um as a county, we can go on and utilize those tools.

K

But when we're thinking about building our systems, something that's kind of counter-intuitive to.

K

Moving forward is both redundancy and segmentation, so redundancy having backups to our systems right.

K

So we store a lot of information on servers. um So can we think of ways that we can air gap.

K

That server to where that server is not connected online to the internet, um so that will one way to.

K

Reduce to reduce cyber attacks and successful cyber attacks, and then also segmentation when.

K

We think about having the thought process is: let's have systems and have all the systems talk.

K

Together, well, when you do that, there's a threat and there's a possibility if all the systems are.

K

Talking together, if you can get in one system, then you've got in all systems. So I'm just kind.

K

Of counterintuitive to think that way, but as far as cyber security, it's it's one of the best ways.

K

To protect yourself is to have you know you don't want to use the same password for for all of you.

K

Everything that you have right, if you use the same password for everything you have once one person.

K

Gets that one password they can get into all your systems. So it's kind of that same concept of.

K

You know: um can we utilize different I.t companies, so can we utilize different software? So um if one.

K

Company so in leonardtown's case, they contracted with a company called just tech and just tech used.

K

A company I believe, cassia and so cassia, uh the company cassia, was attacked and once they got into.

K

That system, I think 90 of their clients, um had problems. So when we started to think about our.

K

Systems- and you know how we are interacting with the public, you know: do we really want to just use.

K

One company because there's that once again that threat, if that one company is attacked and then.

K

All of our systems are runnable, can we, you know possibly utilize multiple companies, so.

K

That way, we're going to minimize any um any impact that we have if we are attacked again.

K

And that's about all I have thank you, john yep nopro.

K

um Lisa elizabeth, it's okay! I'm putting you on the spot if you had anything to discuss, but if not.

J

I can just carry on take us home sure, okay, well I'll, just I'll just summarize quickly,.

L

Sequestration, pretty uh still pretty raw for all of us. We it wasn't too long ago that we had to.

L

Live through it and, uh of course it impacted every level of um residents, businesses, food safety and.

L

Right here on base big impact financially to the area, so I do have 12 slides. I don't.

L

Think you need to see them they're all full of lots of numbers and words and everything, but.

L

If you'd like me to share them with you through email, I'd be glad to do that.

B

That'd be great yeah them to us and we'll send them around. Okay,.

L

Did you want to add anything? um I don't really want it for the commission with.

A

Another long-winded speech about economic indicators and jobs, reports and all that good.

A

Stuff as well yeah understood uh yeah. I have a question this may go back to you, john I'm, not sure.

M

But uh you know, as far as like cyber attacks and whatnot, the the loss to a business to rent revenue.

M

And this sort of thing is this: something that insurance companies are are insuring. Companies now.

M

For cyber attacks, or things like this or basically, if, if you get hit, it's just a total loss for that.

M

Business, so does anybody know so nationally? Yes, so I think I can think of some national um national.

K

Attacks where the uh the the perpetrator uh asks for the exact amount of the insurance policy.

K

Right so they figured out what the insurance policy is. If it's a 100 million dollar insurance.

K

Policy, my cyber attack, I'm going to ask you for 100 million dollars, because I know you.

K

Can get that from your insurance from your? uh So so? Yes, I think it's something that can be insured.

K

But I also think it's something that all businesses don't want to do because then.

K

You become a target right if, if a company knows that, I mean, if uh you know, potential uh somebody.

K

Knows that that's how much they can get from you, then that's what makes you more vulnerable right.

M

Thank you, yeah, no problem, good question, so a lot of businesses are moving to the cloud and.

H

And the cloud gives a lot of security protection generally, not so much on the computer you have, but.

H

You know for your data and the backups, and all that you know when you outsource to the cloud they.

H

You know it's expandable contraction, you know so I know a lot of small businesses are using the cloud.

J

Well, awesome: well, the goal all in all was the major uh narrow down the just.

J

Major disrupters in the area, um so we you know, have those briefs and would hope.

J

We're gonna be meeting, probably I think, once or twice yeah before the end of the year at least.

J

And then we would have more narrow down for those disruptors and we'd.

J

Offer up the breeze to the consultant, obviously, um and so yeah. That concludes.

J

More in my pink today in recognition of breast cancer awareness month, so there's that okay.

A

Okay- and I would christine oh yes, sorry just make making a comment. I'm really struck by the.

F

The convergence of all three committees or groups, um and in a couple of areas I noted um you know.

F

Dale, you talked about you know the increased manufacturing or, and you reference that in terms.

F

Of aquaculture, we all talked about in different ways, but access to digital resources, you mentioned.

F

Farmers who shifted over to using more digital resources, dale, you talked about smart counties and.

F

Smart, we all are aware of smart homes, but we all need internet to be able to reach those and and.

F

To reach all the the cloud and all those things you talked about secret um about the the hacker.

F

You know, and and how that has impacted our economy, and I was just I was struck by we two of us talked.

F

To two of our groups talked about tourism and how we can use some of that preserved land for things.

F

Like trails or mountain bikes, other things like that um and then and in resiliency tying into.

F

Flooded lands and the impact on our infrastructure that way, the roadways then also um you mentioned,.

F

The in terms of farming, there are actual things that do could replace tobacco. It's a question.

F

Of whether or not in the state of maryland, you can can grow them. Medical marijuana being one.

F

Where we are hampered in our state, I just came back from a week in washington, uh the state of.

F

Washington, where you know things are operate in a very, very different way, but there are things.

F

um If we can open our minds to think about how we could produce them in a way that is, is safe,.

F

For all of us, are they scalable to the same degree that tobacco was because, before the tobacco buyout.

A

Program went into effect, virtually every single farm that you came across was, I think, probably at.

A

Least, 50 percent of the crop was tobacco. It was pervasive yeah down here almost and the.

A

Replicating you know not only the profit margin per farm but overall within the agriculture sector,.

A

Is what's proving to be the challenge, so if young, by any means, if that's scalable to the same degree,.

A

Or up to the same degree that tobacco was then you know it would just be a question of if it's.

A

Legal in maryland and if all the boxes are checked well and to christine's point, hemp has been shown.

H

To be a big potential crop, it's just about the legalization issue right, and is it right for the.

A

Area yeah um in terms of the the growing climate and it is allowed in the state. But there's very.

B

Limited licenses and very expensive to get the licenses yeah, isn't yeah yeah, very, very regulated.

F

At the moment, right, you're right kind of giving a mixed signal whether we want it or not. I guess.

H

So I I had a couple comments said good discussion time uh yeah. I think we can officially open the.

A

Four for open discussion, so I wanted to resonate on something you brought up, which was the climate.

H

Change and flooding. If you just look at this picture and the 400 miles of coastline and.

H

If you accept it, climate change is real. I live on the water, it's a real concern and we probably.

H

Ought to have a serious hard look at that because that's going to affect a whole lot of stuff.

H

And there may be remediation efforts we can put in place today that protect us in the future.

H

And so I just I want to bring that up. I forgot to mention a major nasa effort in urban air mobility.

H

uh This takes, you know, unmanned quadcopters, to a whole other level. They have a nasa-wide initiative.

H

In this it's around the country and given our emphasis with the new um uh airport area, you.

H

Know the runway and all that I just think that we are well poised. You know rural suburbs suburbs.

H

Suburbs are much more amenable than cities to this kind of thing, so as a first mover advantage.

H

I think we're really well positioned, there's over a hundred companies working on.

H

These systems, air force afworks, is funding a bunch of them. They have a whole initiative in that space.

H

So I'm just saying this stuff is going on and- and I can just imagine, 3d printing manufacturing of.

H

Of a quadcopter for human taxis and uh you know being able to go, and you know as wherever you.

H

Want um and then that gets into a more pragmatic, just a question. I don't know the answer to this.

H

Is have we looked at ferries over to the different shores because, right now, it's really difficult to.

H

Tran, you know, and and my sister-in-law lives in vashan island in in washington and uh by seattle,.

H

And they run ferries all the time and it really connects everything and they've got a drum, beat.

H

It's a regular cycle and uh you know just imagine the possibilities of being able to offer that.

H

Option to everyone, I think it'd be a game changer in a huge way. Now whether you want.

H

That or not I don't know, that's another question, because that that opens up a lot of things.

H

Very very rapidly the other thing and I've been stressing this with the people at pax river.

H

Talking to their strategic education office, we're in a serious war for talent.

H

This is a war, and so everything we're doing here to build this work. Life balance.

H

Quality of life, the reputation of perception all these things, you know to get the kind of people we.

H

Need to do we're up against tremendous competition right, amazon's now looking up and to hire 100.

H

000 people I mean these companies have deep pockets. The government doesn't they're cutting.

H

Salaries, they're cutting that count. In my opinion, I think they need to relook at all that, but.

H

It's a war for talent and that talent has to have the skills they can add value into the future.

H

I wanted to resonate on the organic farming. I think that that with green kind of orientation.

H

And and farm the table, I I did farm to table out in colorado. It was fantastic and I think, from.

H

A a reputational perspective, a perception perspective, you know emphasizing organic.

H

Farm to table that whole kind of thing, I think, would really be a a great thing to kind of wave.

H

A flag on uh my opinion: I took a shot at looking at the tourism website, absolutely first class. I.

H

Thought it was outstanding. I was now looking for. Well, what is the economic development equivalent.

H

To that right to entice these companies to come down here, to tell the story.

H

About what the possibilities are, so I would get the same company to put the same.

H

You know same kind of thing together to build that excitement, because you know it's it's. How.

H

You're perceived and and the branding uh for the area, so I think this is just in defense. I think we.

B

Do we have a pretty good website if you've been to our yes, st mary's md? Have you been there? I.

H

I I know we have the book and I haven't checked out, I'm just saying I'll, take a look at it: okay,.

B

I was taken aback by how good the tourism was and I'm like, wow wow. I live right. There.

H

So that's pretty awesome yeah um just bring that up. That's that's what I have.

H

Logan there you go um actually to piggyback off of um the comments. Yes,.

A

We had it up um to piggyback off the comment that you made about climate change and tristan.

A

This uh actually interfaces with um the geographic vulnerabilities that I covered.

A

Route 5 is a if climate change becomes more of a problem. If we get bigger storms, if we get more.

A

Flooding route for word, five is, and the roads off of it newtown neck buds. Creek road are a serious.

A

Liability there is flood prone and massively so in multiple spots, essentially along the entire.

A

Stretch from, I would say, forestall farm all the way down to point lookout. You know not even.

A

Looking at the areas of vulnerability in south county newtown, neck road, the lex leonardtown.

A

Business district that sits right there, especially the buildings right next to macintosh, run, have.

A

Been flooded multiple times just over the past 10 years, brighton bay is at risk. The.

A

The uh conference center down there, the I think in it brooms howard.

A

um Or the other one that doesn't uh come to mind right now, but.

A

That entire area, the entire area like essentially um the businesses, are certain down newtown neck.

A

Buds creek road, the area uh chaptico road and the roundabout that I discussed. That was.

A

Flooded a few years ago, I think, took several weeks to finally try out and that corridor really is.

A

Where most of the aquaculture in the county comes from is where most of the.

A

A lot of the farms and agriculture comes from so if that gets flooded out, you're looking at.

A

Beyond just transportation problems getting the product to market.

A

Farmers not being able to recover from short-term to long-term whether it's because.

A

You know their their crops were ruined just before harvesting, and you know hurricane came along and.

A

Completely, you know when destroyed them, or god forbid, they just planted the seeds and a flood.

A

uh Happen again and wash out that really entire year of uh profits and revenue for them. So it's.

A

To say it is a linchpin in or sort of a worst case scenario. Sorry worst case scenario, linchpin.

A

In the success of the county and in the economic development of the county, is I don't think it.

A

Would be an understatement and phil if you want to add anything to that from your experience of.

A

What you've seen over the years, if I'm not sure if you know my mystery areas, are climate change.

M

Sea level rise is what you're talking about yeah, and actually I can speak to that a little bit, but.

M

uh And- and things are certainly changing and um see it in a natural resource with.

M

Southern species moving farther and farther north uh the air climate. Right now I mean.

M

Just until recently, we didn't need jackets and we're almost at the end of october.

M

So uh it's it's real, whether you accept the fact or not, but uh it is. It is certainly a.

M

Big difference from being from the county and growing up here as a kid in the climate, there's.

M

There's a major change that that we've experienced over the years some disadvantages of certainly.

M

The climate change is freshets tropical depressions and whatnot. If we get more of them.

M

You were talking about uh agriculture and agriculture, but even natural. The natural.

M

Oysters and the potomac river, the chesapeake bay they're, if you get above the 301 bridge,.

M

Going into virginia or you get above baltimore, there is a a ton of shell in those areas, but there.

M

Are no live animals, no live oysters in these areas and at one time the shell is there, because there.

M

Used to be live animals there, but I think oysters don't survive in fresh water and if you get below.

M

Like five parts per thousand salinity, they don't they don't do very well and when you get above.

M

These bridges now it's almost at zero, and you know I contribute a lot of it. Unfortunately, to.

M

um You know at one time all of our major cities and whatnot there. They were all developed on the.

M

Coastlines and around the shorelines, and at one time you had buffers that were to water. Instead of.

M

All the runoff, the storm water drains everything going into the estuaries uh used to allow it to.

M

To filter through the soils and whatnot, but I think you've you've got so much fresh water.

M

Now that enters the estuaries to through runoff- I don't I'm not sure you'll ever see.

M

Oysters or or natural oysters, wild oysters come back or even farm-raised. You can't you.

M

Can't grow farm-raised oysters in low salinity conditions either. That's why this area as far as.

M

Aquaculture say: mary's county is an ideal location or the eastern shore or the lower half of the bay.

M

Because their salinity levels are are to the point that we're more isolated from.

M

From freshest, if, if you get within, you know 10 to 20 miles of the bridge, if you have a.

M

Tropical depression, it can kill all the oysters because of so much fresh water, where you know.

M

I'm not saying that you know, there's there's a saying, like you know here at patch river, we're.

M

Recession-Proof we're not really recession-proof, because uh you know we we are subject to.

M

uh The same factors that everybody else is, but at the same time you know the oysters, aren't.

M

Protected totally from freshettes, but in this part of the county and in southern maryland area,.

M

uh It's it's a much better location than it would be in a lot of other areas. So there is.

M

Opportunity there: okay, good good, but it's become a much more delicate balance to maintain that level.

A

Of salinity, it sounds like, then it sort of then it. It had been in years past that we risk that number.

A

Dropping even more and that's what's going right the whole way yeah. I did have a kind of a question.

E

You mentioned runoff in the cities and all that house affecting the salinity in the in the water.

E

I heard someone say once that, like all the developments were having built around the county.

E

Or just placing where water would typically go and absorb into the soil and therefore.

E

Running off a lot at a greater volume than it did historically, which is causing some of these.

E

Flooding issues we're seeing like in brenton bay and other places we had.

E

Discussed and I'm wondering it's probably more of a land use and management sort of question or.

E

Scope there, but I'm wondering, is there been any consideration regarding that and how to curb that.

E

Impact um and lessen the flooding it's kind of a double a two-sided sword. Isn't it because.

F

There's the increased number of housing developments, but there's also the increased.

F

Intensity of storms that we're seeing right, like you say whether or not you call it climate.

F

Change but we're definitely seeing that and so greater runoff because of more asphalt and.

F

Intense storms with much much much more rainfall in a very short amount of time,.

F

So yeah it's a good, it's a good question and to your point phil, you know that that we think.

F

About buffers around our our our beautiful waterways um is, is really germane to. I think.

F

The future of our our fishing in our seafood industry and the state does have pretty strict.

B

Regulations in the critical area, so you get 1000 feet around, you know or 500 miles of shoreline and.

B

Yeah you, you can't cover up the ground without you have to make sure it's you. Can you know water can.

B

Get through and everything so there's you know the argument for some is that it's too strict, so you.

B

Try to strike a balance, but the state is aware. I don't know, I think the magnitude like.

B

Phil's talking about is you know, especially up in the bigger cities.

B

You know they don't have the ability to do what we can do down here. I think maybe sometimes the.

B

Regulations seem like they're, stricter on us than in some of the urban areas of county yeah.

M

And this is something that's been done over hundreds of years now right right, you know.

M

As far as the development and in the major cities and the impervious surface and the.

M

Concrete and asphalt and whatnot and it it has impacted air natural resources. You know, but the.

M

Good thing is we're aware of it. We know it now and, and we plan for it as we as we move forward.

B

I mean you could go, you know if you go down to like historic, st mary city and you're in.

B

The parking lot and the surface is pervious. You know you can it's not. On a south surface.

B

That's so the water can get through, but if you go up to target it's impervious right, do we.

B

Want to have impervious everywhere I mean you probably wouldn't get very far with a.

B

Proposal like that, but you know that sounds like a deal with target you could make right. I mean.

H

Seriously, I mean that's a good point right I mean if you want to build something, then.

H

You have to do this. The um enforcement of the critical area raises a question, so I live right.

A

Down by gate three- and I can say with absolute certainty that there is a set of townhomes.

A

And a parking lot right, a large set of townhomes and a parking lot right next to it, and the bay is.

A

Directly on the other side of the town homes- and it's maybe maybe 500 feet from the uh the dunes.

A

Of the bay to where the parking lot starts, it may even be less than that. It may be. You.

A

Know closer to two or three hundred feet, but I my question would be how.

A

Strictly is that critical area amount being adhered to and what loopholes exist.

A

That developers would see and say I can take advantage of that or oh I don't really have to.

A

Apply or adhere by the thousand feet requirement yeah, I'm not an expert in the critical area. I.

B

Don't know if any other people are here, but you know it is pretty strict here I mean they do.

B

Enforce it, they'll they'll cite people they'll. Even you know you can get reports of people.

B

Cutting down trees, that's in a critical area and they'll be out there and they'll.

B

Find people I mean so they're they're kind of on it, especially now with.

B

Satellite images and all this other kind of stuff they know what's happening, so the state is very.

B

Strict, I don't know that developers can just get around it. I mean that's, I think that's one of the.

B

Complaints we hear more on the other side from economic development. Is. Why can't I.

B

Do this I want to, you know: we talked about a waterfront restaurant well,.

B

There's a lot of hoops you have to jump through. If you want to do a waterfront restaurant, you know and we do see a lot of waterfront restaurants um in other places, and you know.

B

There are the critical areas, got three different levels of intensity. What you can build and.

B

There are sometimes you can do mitigation in other places or if you have a large enough lot, you can.

B

Have a certain percentage of coverage you know so there's some. Maybe in your the case.

B

You're talking about maybe there's, maybe it's a large parcel and someplace else, they're planting.

B

Trees or something I don't know, but there's some kind of mitigation you can sometimes do.

B

But you know, suvith is in our on our staff and she's, really the kind of the county expert on a.

B

Lot of that stuff, and if we you want to have her come in, she can talk more about critical area.

G

May I add something for this.

G

Sometime about two years ago, there was a major study by the department.

G

Of national resources of maryland and it looked at the impact of global warming.

G

And waters rising and the impact after the new hurricane that we had about eight years ago.

G

It pointed out a study pointed out that a lot of the low-lying areas were wetlands.

G

100 years ago, 200 years ago, 300 years ago, that had been recovered for the purpose of growing tobacco.

G

And that, with the losses that were incurred by the state in terms of covering crop losses, etc,.

G

That the most likely solution would be to return those areas to wetlands.

G

In other words, for the state to buy them and to simply remove the obstructions that have been.

G

Built in order to prevent flooding and simply turn them back into wetlands, so it should have.

G

A positive impact in terms of the environment in terms of fisheries, in terms of crabs, in terms of.

G

All kinds of other things I wasn't around 300 years ago, so I don't really know.

G

You know exactly where those lands are located, but I was around when I was born, I'm told I was around.

G

In a country called the netherlands, and I was born about 21 feet below sea level,.

G

With devastating results, because when I was nine years old, I lived through a flood that.

G

Killed 2 300 people, but at the same time, even in that country, they are flooding. Many of.

G

The areas that they had recovered over several hundred years and returning it back to wetlands.

G

As buffer zones to absorb sudden floods as buffer zones to absorb the liquid, the the water that is.

G

Coming down the big rivers, we all saw the big floods in belgium and germany. You know just.

G

This in the last few months that was mitigated by the fact that they now had all these buffer zones.

G

That they could simply let the water in you know and let it flood. So I think that in in looking.

G

At land use management, that's certainly an issue that has to be looked at. You certainly don't want.

G

To be in a position where you continue to build on land that you know is going to be very fragile.

G

In terms of global warming and rising of water, certainly you see it in the county. Try to have.

G

Lunch at at courtney's at high tide, you know bring your boots or don't worry about getting your feet.

G

Wet you know it's, it's fine, but it's it's simply a fact of life, but that is not something that is.

G

New for the world, it's not something that is new for for any most countries um spent some time.

G

Living in greece and in albania not so long ago and looking at the geography it, I was told that.

G

The level of the mediterranean has come up 38 feet since roman times over the last 2000 years.

G

So the island of corfu was part of the mainland at one stage now, there's 40 feet of water between.

G

The mainland and the island of corfu, etc people live with it, people move away from the water.

G

Even if they build things in the water once they get flooded a few times, they tend to move on. You.

G

Know so resilience is also in the individual in the decisions that are made as to where to.

G

Build and how to build, you know and what the alternatives are. But in terms of what we're.

G

Talking about, I would really recommend seeing if you could find that study that was done by dne.

G

And and- and look at that because they did talk about about the county extensively interesting.

G

Since I'm hassling john's john just a couple of other things, first of all, dale, I think that was.

G

An excellent presentation: it was something that was very, very impressive and extremely well done.

G

I sort of noticed in terms of what we've been talking about, that we're talking.

G

Less about the base and less about aviation and less about several things than some of.

G

The other areas, and, of course that is still coming up, I think in the in the final chapters.

G

In terms of, I also notice in resilience that the last time this whole discussion took place, most of.

G

The resilience was about what do we do if the base decides to move somewhere else, and I didn't notice.

G

That mentioned this time, probably because we've been such a such an investment, but perhaps it's.

G

Becoming irrational to move the base, at least in the medium medium term, that we have to worry about.

G

The other thing that I notice is that we talk about the development of the county.

G

Largely at the highest level, so we talk about. You know the the technology that is implicit in what.

G

You were talking about, you know your presentation, dale in terms of all of the the inventions and.

G

Everything else that is coming along three etc, and I asked myself the question how many of the people.

G

Who work in these fields who are actually born in this county or live in this county?.

G

And are any of them who live in this county ever going to work in those fields.

G

And if they don't, then our issue is how to retain. You know the technical immigrants who come here.

G

And we've talked about that fairly extensively, but what we have not talked about is: how can we.

G

Grow the participation of residents of this county and the youth of this county in these changes that.

G

We're talking about this is one area. Someone mentioned the airport, I'm on the airport board.

G

One of the things that came up at the airport board chris- and you know more about this than I do.

G

Was that recently, there was an opportunity for the development of a technical school.

G

For aircraft mechanics and this county was one of the counties that was under consideration.

G

Apparently, there are only nine such schools in in the eastern united states at this time.

G

Their entry level jobs basically from people coming out of high school and receiving training.

G

But going into aviation mechanics, which is a rapidly growing field, where there are very few.

G

People actually available at this stage so.

G

It is a real opportunity for a place such as in mary's county that has perhaps weaker high schools.

G

But it certainly would have the ability to to have intelligent people becoming aircraft, mechanics.

G

Which should be an entry level position going into the aviation industry and the technologies.

G

That we're talking about, I was told at the airport board. There was very little interest.

G

In the meetings that took place and the people that they met with in in pursuing this and and.

G

Are you aware, that's not true, so they they came by invitation. I can't think of the name of the school.

B

But they did come and do a presentation. There were many stakeholders in the room. um The colleges were.

B

There and the public school folks there and it was just an initial presentation of here's. What we do.

B

To the introductory it wasn't, there was no other, there hasn't been a follow-up at this point.

B

But there was interest, I mean there. It was just again one way: here's what we do if you want to.

B

Do something like this we're interested um they would, I don't think they would.

B

Put up a new school without funding from the local area, they would be looking for that, probably, but.

B

It was very, very high level, just here's what we do thanks for having us come down. Here's who we are.

B

So we only got to that point so far yeah, but there is interest.

G

But I thought it was an interesting opportunity in terms of of drawing yes, you know our our youth.

G

Into an area that is much closer to the aviation industry into the things that we're talking about.

G

Even if it is an entry level, one of the reasons, apparently, why they're so keen.

G

Is because they're losing so many mechanics to to the higher-up technology.

G

um The providers, you know so that it becomes a stepping point, you know so, but it may be.

G

Interesting for us to think about that, you know and and what perhaps we can do to to promote.

G

That, or to at least explore, explore to a greater extent, so um I was basically I I agree. George. I.

F

Was at that meeting it's the pittsburgh aviation institute. I think it was called and I thought it.

F

Was very enlightening and yes, it provides another opportunity to train our our young in in something.

F

That's needed in the county that supports the naval industry that we've got here, so I.

B

Thought it was very exciting possibility. I think there was one of the questions was. Can the kids.

B

That come out of that school or the students. Can they actually get jobs here? Do they need.

B

Another level of experience or certification, I think, there's maybe a little bit of a disconnect.

B

There is, there are jobs, certainly for kids, that can graduate out of that school, but maybe not as.

B

Many as you would think, because we're an aviation place because there's, I think the base and other.

B

Places need something besides just what they can get from those schools, but still, I think.

B

There was an interest, I mean you were there, so it seemed like there was a high interest.

B

There's also dr murphy was there from csm who said that if there is a need, we want an opportunity.

B

To fill that need too, so she felt like that's something that csm could maybe take on mm-hmm.

H

Yeah I used to run the becker materials lab and- and uh you know we had a number of technicians.

H

And they were the most ingenious people hands-on coming up with. You know all sorts of new things.

H

I mean it was mind-blowing what what they were capable of doing and we don't emphasize that.

H

Piece of it- and I think you know the creative end of it- is uh if you want innovation right.

H

You need hands-on kind of experience. We have the prototype facility now on the base. So you.

H

Know we're doing all sorts of stuff hands-on so anyway, I just throw it out right good. Thank you.

E

And I just wanted to comment as well that a lot of these things that dale had presented for the new.

E

Initiatives committee um and what we're talking about at the airport, uh getting some amp mechanics.

E

And other things I know airtight would hire a couple, um but I think if we create this, which I.

E

Think we're moving toward creating the environment where these different things can uh interchange.

E

And grow and then maybe if they, if we had an amp school here and then if we had a research park.

E

And then a 3d immersive, visualization and machine learning and all these different things sort of.

E

Co-Located, they would probably cross-pollinate and influence each other, and then that would create.

E

Foster new innovation and things we can't even think of at the moment, but I think it's important.

E

That we create the environment where these things can happen. These interchanges can occur.

E

Naturally, and organically in a community, it's a rural and agricultural and aquacultural as well.

E

Keeping that heritage, and uh so it's kind of a I could see it in my mind, based on what is being.

E

Presented tonight, there's like a value stream to change right. You have to be aware of it. You have.

H

To learn about it to understand it, and then you can embrace it and make decisions to move forward.

H

And and what I've always tried to do is is highlight these kinds of opportunities to.

H

Get people familiar and comfortable what I found through my career is leaders, don't lead things.

H

They're not comfortable with they'll just avoid them like the plague. Right I mean they will and.

H

Usually, if they're expert at something it's like one thing, um you know I gave you like nine ten.

H

Things here right so, um but these are all things that we need to be thinking about, that others.

H

Are already doing in a big way, do we want to be early adopters or late adopters? It's the rate of.

H

Learning so if we can create a learning community, that's open-minded and aware, and thinking.

H

And collaborating and discussing then we've got thought leadership which ends up leadership in.

H

Change- and I think that's one of the things we need to consider, then I think about incentivizing.

E

Entrepreneurs, existing businesses and other things, people to come here, uh yeah in some different ways.

E

And kind of fostering that growth- I guess from a governmental level, but I'm kind of new here so.

E

We'll see what happens, it's a branding challenge as well as a reality challenge right perception.

H

And reality and money and money yeah, but but that all comes in right and you mentioned the synergies.

H

Of collisions right, if you take an unmanned vehicle, how many different technologies converge.

H

Into an unmanned vehicle, almost everything you described in the yeah absolutely right.

H

And just the implications of 5g alone is such a game. Changer, it's just not even funny. Sensors are.

H

Getting cheap right, ai is all about data at scale that you can make sense of look at patterns and.

H

And get relationships and those kinds of all this stuff fits together, but we have to educate folks.

H

And and one area that's of interest to me- is you have a lot of these big companies, the microsoft's.

H

Amazons nvidia's, where are those certification programs to leverage their tools and capabilities.

H

um You know, and you can do, that out of high school right. You can take these. Oh, I got a certification.

H

In cloud technology from right next thing, you know you're highly applicable and and that's like a.

H

A jump start uh you know into this high tech world that we can. We can do.

A

Okay, uh any more comments from anyone, yeah so theresa barbara on the phone. I don't know if she.

B

Has any she's gonna? Let me take his shoes, hey barbara. Can you hear us can't heart? It's really.

N

Hard, I am very poor, but I do have a couple things to say again. Are you doing your hand.

C

Yes, so you are free to go okay! I just have a kid. Oh great. Thank you. First of.

N

All can everyone hear me yes, kind of yes, I'm moving the mic towards you. Okay, all right.

N

All right, thank you. um Just a couple things just to double check what was said. First of all, great.

N

Conversation great information, I appreciate what everyone has shared and the hard work has been put.

N

Into that all the reports out that that is very, very helpful and definitely beneficial in helping.

N

Us move forward, so thank you for doing that. A couple of thoughts when you're talking about the.

N

Opera, agriculture, I do think it's still a priority to look at fat. I think spat is a huge.

N

Money maker for our community and something we should look to nurture and look at developing.

N

In support of our watermen and helping move that forward, I don't think it will take much to do that.

N

But I do think it should be on our agenda for the next few years. um The next item I wanted to share.

N

Was um the conversation came up about the airport? I'm really. I won't be up at the tr um at the tour.

N

This week I saw a good portion of it when I was at the um university southern maryland uh university.

N

Southern maryland southern maryland university system of southern maryland.

C

Yeah yeah ceremonial friday, that was outstanding. I know um a few folks. Were there dale, you were there.

N

And a few others- and it was outstanding ceremony great kudo for our community- just felt good about.

N

It all over it was wonderful for everyone to be there, so, um but one of the things that he.

N

Talked about was um aircraft well was mentioned as aircraft. The important death focusing air moving.

N

Young people forward in that peace, certification is the answer. There are so many young people that.

N

Love to give their pilot's license, but they're not going to take that drive to annapolis.

N

So again the thought is of bringing that to us and how that would how that difficult. Would that be.

N

I know I looked into that a couple years ago and I talked to a few of the players at that point.

N

And that and they were willing to negotiate there and talk about that, but what it does.

N

For us is that reduces that gap that we were talking about and it allows students to see it.

N

What I've learned is, if students can't see it and touch it and and go and participate in it.

N

They won't even consider it. So I think that's a big piece and we can't forget our civil laws.

N

Patrol civil air patrol those those are young people that get involved in civil air patrol and.

N

They could be very active and proactive for our community and for our young people, especially and.

N

It is a growing community of interest, especially just being down the road from um patch river, so.

N

Just want to keep that on the on the um on your radar and, lastly, I wanted to share.

N

I don't know how many of you participated in orchestra festival this weekend.

N

Did a lot did a lot of you go? Was she first oyster festival? She was asking who participated.

N

Yeah, what's festival was a huge success and this was a huge success for rotary. You know last year.

N

They did a virtual, which is okay, but nothing's like being there and seeing it and participating.

N

In the festival and then participating in a national competition, so the folks that win go to.

N

And go to ireland, they represent the united states, it was, there were crowds. The parking lot was full.

N

They were, in fact there was a waiting line running fair round roads just to get into the parking lot.

N

So that just speaks very um strongly of what our community wants to do. They want to get involved.

N

They want to participate, so that's something we need to remember, because I think that's what most.

N

Folks want to do. They want to be a part of a big, big, big thing, oyster full festival. This weekend.

N

Was a big big thing all right, so that's all I want to share. I just wanted to again great talking with.

N

All you great conversation, I look forward to seeing you all soon. Thank you, barbara. Thank you.

A

Okay, I, if that's well actually uh theresa did you have anything to add well, I did want to ask.

O

About the fairies, if, if you know phil, if there's any been any studies that uh you brought up the.

M

The ferries, uh as far as transportation, and there had been discussion uh in in the past.

M

As far as creating a ferry, whether it be one from the st mary's county side over to virginia.

M

Or something to the eastern shore, but it just uh it never really has has grown legs. uh You know the.

M

The areas you know our roadways are getting more congested and travel is, is becoming. uh You know.

M

More expensive and uh critical as far as different areas that so uh I think it you know, certainly.

M

Would be something worth exploring um down where we're located to the eastern shore, which is about.

M

20 miles to get to the east side of of the bay, uh depending on where you cross, you get down to.

M

Chris field areas farther than that the potomac river, the mouth of it, is close to seven miles.

M

Across so there there is a a commute, but it I guess what you'd have to look at.

M

Is you know, where is the destination and most people are trying to get to and at what crossing.

M

Point would be best to entertain. You know if you were able to measure right data analytics right.

H

The number of people have to go up to 301 bridge and back down to go to virginia shore or the.

H

People have to go up to annapolis and bat down and and how many people don't make the trip, because.

H

It's so far right, right um anyway, so and- and I think the perception in saint mary's is that.

H

You know you have to go down to come and go back up right. There is no going through.

H

Right and and that I think, is a stigma uh from a developmental point of view right and if we.

H

Want more traffic tourism business? You know, I I like that. One picture you had up there.

H

Of uh the launches up to the different um cities and stuff right yeah and I'm thinking, air urban.

H

Admirability right, I'm thinking, you know little little quadcopter taxis right. Think about it. I.

H

Mean there you are, there are um there's actually a restaurant. That's out! That's attached to virginia.

O

Out in st mary's waters across from piney point tall, timbers, that's actually saint mary's county.

O

Business and it's only accessible if you go two and a half hours by car or have a boat wow. So even.

M

Yeah intermittent fairy service to that some county residents might appreciate that.

O

You know: well, it's also a notoriety right. It's something! That's different! That's distinctive.

H

That kind of sets us apart. We need to have a number of those kinds of things.

H

That kind of form a mental model right of how people think about the county.

M

Yeah yeah they're they're and that's what gerald was just saying: they they.

M

Did restart the smith island ferry to uh from point look out to to smith island.

M

uh But it's basically tourists that it takes over to uh smith, island that it didn't run.

M

Last year, because of covet, but they started up again, yeah so and and actually a ferry too.

M

Once you get to chris field, you know it's only about an hour to ocean city.

M

Drive at that point. So if, if you had some type of ferry that left saint mary's county and with the.

M

Bay bridge and the traffic and the congestion and some people that, especially in the lower counties.

M

Or tri-county area may elect possibly to go that route versus as you're speaking up going all the.

M

Way up to the imagine the gas you'd save right, I mean yeah when you get to the time. You'd save.

H

I mean during the year: oh no, it would open up all the options. It's a five-hour trip.

H

Oh yeah, when you guys say ferry you're talking like I've, been to seattle seatac before, and I.

E

Rode on a big ferry that had multiple vehicles on it. Are you talking that size fairy yeah different.

H

Sizes but yeah I mean yeah, that's the one I'm used to shawn island. It's running all the time. Yeah.

H

Residents on the island and they have one down to tacoma, you know at the same time so louis cape may.

H

Yeah, okay may right: you're right, block, island, rhode, island stanton. It just would be mainly. I.

H

Think would be a game changer. You know. I think it would be a game changer yeah right. It would create.

M

A throughput oh yeah, no, it would it would keep us from being as isolated as we are.

H

Yeah and it would help with connectivity, help with growth and I'll. Tell you from a navair perspective.

H

The fleet in norfolk would absolutely come here more often.

H

And that's a big deal because they don't come here much so we're working for the warfighter.

H

But the warfighter is not on, but not with us right. We don't really have that interaction that we need.

A

Okay, well, if that's everything I moved to adjourn in the october 20th.

A

2021 meeting of the edc do I have any seconds second motion seconded all in favor.

B

Thank you, everybody. Thank you.

H