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

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From YouTube: 1/20/21 Economic Development Commission for St. Mary's County

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A

Whatever you want to do hello and welcome to the october 21st 2014, today january, 20th, 2021.

B

uh Economic development commission meeting my name is elizabeth torgerson. I am the chairperson.

B

First order of business is the approval of the october 21st 2020 meeting minutes.

B

If I could turn that over to gerald our secretary, I have not had an opportunity to.

C

See the minutes, actually, I've just returned so I've not had an opportunity to read.

A

Anybody else well I'd the copy that I had online was the july. I didn't even get the.

D

I didn't see that I read the minutes. Okay, um I make a motion to.

E

To approve those minutes, yes, any second motion passed and just another reminder: if.

A

You can make sure you're speaking right into the microphone that'd be better, for we are.

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Taping, as we usually do, but actually it's live and we tape it. So thank you. Yes,.

B

And next up is announcements. Okay, thank you. So we're on number four presentations, new business.

A

Announcements just a few announcements, uh I think we told you before we've had a series of community.

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Discussions around certain industries and we'll talk about this more later in the presentation.

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But we had a discussion with restaurant tours at the during the beginning of kovid. The idea was to.

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An opportunity for them to share information among themselves and also to speak to resource.

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Partners such as us, small business development center and others, the second one we had was.

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Just about small businesses in general and the third one is coming up next week.

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It's with child care providers and with the state child care agencies.

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uh This actually is kind of two-pronged. First is again to get that industry together, so they can.

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Speak to each other and kind of share ideas a little bit. The second reason is because.

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We've heard that there's a shortage of quality child care in st mary's county. We heard this.

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Numerous employers, during our talks with them, so we did have a conversation with the state.

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And they talked about, they have a rating system for child care, so they want to make sure that.

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The state is connected with the child care providers in our discussions with the state.

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They said that saint mary's county is probably less organized than both calvert and charles.

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Counties in terms of child care providers, where they have a little bit stronger of an association.

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So it'll be good to have a formal connection, so the date of that is that next thursday, kelly the.

F

28Th of january at two o'clock and that's open to anybody, is that correct, yeah. It is correct. It is.

A

Correct so we will pass that information out to you in case you care to listen in.

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Next announcement is with our uh grants program, as you know, during almost all.

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Of kovad we've kind of turned it into a grant agency. We've given out money from the federal.

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Government cares, act, funding and also money from the state, and we have given state money.

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To restaurants, through a restaurant relief fund, we gave 780 000 out that funding expired and.

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The governor recently allocated another chunk of money for restaurants and also allocated chunks.

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For hotels, so our restaurant relief fund opened a week and a half ago we have 470 thousand dollars.

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More to give out to restaurants, grants are up to 10 thousand dollars, and now we have a hotel relief.

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Fund which opened up last friday and um grants there our maximum grant is thirty. One thousand.

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Dollars that's set by the state. The grants are going to be based on the number of rooms per.

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Per um the accommodation, so that is open so again we're in the business of handing out money much.

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Needed money altogether, the restaurants will have provided 1.25 million dollars through this date.

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And the hotel is 370 thousand dollars, hotel grants and that's for certain bed and breakfasts also.

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um On our ag and seafood side, as you know, we're in the process of moving our north.

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County farmer's market, currently, the charlotte hall farmers market, is up in the parking lot of.

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The charlotte hall library we've chosen a site and we've selected rc d to help us manage that project.

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We did a groundbreaking um about a week ago, a week and a half ago, which will actually be oh. We did. We.

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Did the filming for the groundbreaking we don't do live groundbreakings anymore, but that video.

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Will be shown next tuesday at the commissioner meeting so on january, 26 you'll see the video.

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Of the groundbreaking for the north county farmers market, the the regional agriculture center.

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Is going to be about a mile from the new north county, farmer's market? That's where we're going.

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To process meats, we have funding from the southern maryland agricultural agricultural development.

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Commission sematic they've, given us 1.5 million dollars, to stand that up so we're working out the.

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Details with them we're actually in the process of hiring a consultant to put together a site.

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Plan for us, from which we can then get bids for actually doing the work, so we're a little slow.

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On that one, but we're made good progress with hiring this consultant. So we're happy about that.

A

There's an event next week at techport with the southern st mary's county, young professionals,.

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And I don't know the specifics of that- I think destiny if you're on the line, if you want to give.

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Little details on that young professionals event next week. Yes, I can so um next week on january.

G

26Th um there's a joint event with saint mary's young professionals and tech report um and at that.

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Event, it will be a trivia night, so it's a fun way to for young professionals to come in and.

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Also, those who are interested in innovation and learning more about tech port and that incubator.

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But the trivia night will have questions from a wide spectrum, so please feel free to sign up and.

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Come online and there will be teams and a lot of sponsors who will be sponsoring prizes as well and.

G

I sent that out in our newsletter, but I can also send it to you all again too. Thank you. Destiny.

A

That's it for announcements, so uh tonight we're going to be going through a powerpoint.

A

um In relation to the comprehensive economic development strategy.

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Just um to as a recollection, um the economic development commission, your primary purpose is.

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To put together the comprehensive economic development strategy that was done in 2017.

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Approved by the commissioners, and your role is also to monitor the progress of that and.

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To update it, so our next update is due in the year 2022, so we're kind of getting a jump start on that.

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And tonight we're going to provide a little bit more information that will feed into that process.

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So we're going to go through a quick powerpoint after that we're going to.

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Ask you guys to contribute what you think we have in terms of local economy, strengths.

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And what covid the impact of code may have on those strengths that we have.

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We'll talk about future seds work session dates, our chairs and some others have.

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Echoed a desire to have additional meetings because we only meet quarterly and we can talk.

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About that we'll move into our open discussion and then we'll have election of officers.

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So without any delay, we'll move into our powerpoint.

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And please feel free to interrupt us or ask questions or add comments.

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Whatever you like to do so, the first the first section of this powerpoint, uh it's labeled, 21,.

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Predictions for 2021 economics by anaban, anarbanzo, honor, ban basu. Many of you know him he's the.

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Ceo and chairman of sage policy group he's a chairman of the maryland economic development.

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Commission he's a teacher at john hopkins he's a chief economist for several large corporations in.

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The state very well respected when audubon says this is what he thinks the economy is going to.

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Happen with the economy is usually pretty accurate, very well respected, he's a keynote at many. Many.

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Functions and an entertainer highly entertaining I'm going to go through some of his some of his.

H

Very dynamic, extremely dynamic- I I'm not honor bond, so I don't have all the jokes that he has but.

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I want to go through some of his points. I thought his points were right on and very relevant, so this.

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Came out a couple weeks ago, so first you talked a little bit about the economy.

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Talking about the second half of 2021, so we know that our economy has been in a slump.

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But he says- and this is this is a big statement- that the second half of 2021 will be the most.

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Dynamic period of economic growth, most of us will experience in our lifetimes, so we're really going.

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To ramp up, I I think his feeling is once we get covered under control with vaccines. Things are.

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Going to start opening up and people are going to have that pent up demand to do everything.

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And spend money and go out and do things. And so that's something to look forward to.

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That's obviously a positive prediction. Second point there about the equity markets. He thought.

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That they would, um he talked about that they would give back a little bit of their gains.

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I still think that I think his point is that the equity market will do pretty well, but not as good.

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As it's been doing, probably in terms of travel, his point there book your vacations now he thinks.

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Travel is going to come back with a vengeance. People who are used to traveling have not been.

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Traveling and they're going to hop on the internet and book their flights and book their vacations. So.

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Look forward to that. I business travel, though, will not be the same and with he'll get into.

A

That a little bit with teleworking people are not going to be traveling as much next slide.

A

Hey chris yeah tom sanders did he say anything uh specific to the government contracting market.

I

And and uh that rebound in the second half of 2021 as compared to the greater overall, um not.

A

That I know of I don't think tom's question was, did he did he call out specifically what's going.

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To happen to the defense contracting community in terms of travel, and he did not, as far as I know,.

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Speak to that, no just just generally business travel would would not bounce back as quickly.

F

A

uh Then he went into about the curt commercial market. He thought bankruptcy is among retailers.

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Department stores would continue in large numbers as the year progresses. We've seen.

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A lot of retailers, this happened pre-covered. You know, retailers are having a tough time.

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Many people are doing internet shopping, so it's difficult and then, with you, add covert into that.

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People aren't going into stores makes it very very challenging commercial construction also he's also.

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He thought would be challenging with respect to new buildings and he had a comment about churches.

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uh Construction prices, which have been increasing quite a bit lately due to the building demand of.

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Homes and different things he thought they'd be increased by two percent, which is modest.

A

And he also thought that I think, with the new administration, we're going to really put together.

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An infrastructure rebuilding plan for the country, which I think is good for us chris.

D

Can I have a good question: did he say anything about why he thought there would be less spending.

D

For construction of churches, that's kind of an odd one- I don't recall why he called out churches.

A

Specifically, you know you know what, when, when I read that I thought it was because we were going.

D

To have so much office space available that maybe that, instead of building something they'd occupy.

D

Space, well that that's that's reasonable, because I think many churches, as uh in fact that was on the.

A

It's much easier. I was on the search team for my church and we were looking to build and the.

A

First thing we do is: is there anything that's vacant that we could convert and that's that's.

D

Probably the same is why he may have said that yeah, that's, probably accurate. Okay, certainly.

C

I was recently in california and I saw that the shopping centers were being filled with churches.

C

You know because it has great parking, it has great open spaces and.

C

You know mass seating and the number of malls currently not being used that are.

B

And that's encouraging they're not going to be used for a while yeah. It's encouraging that we're.

A

They always say that's a bad sign for a shopping center when churches go in there.

A

Things aren't going great for retail, though that's kind of been the trend for retail, for.

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A while, but it's good for churches and it's good, it's good space is occupied, so you want to have.

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Some kind of activity in all centers nice to see the church's reign profitable. Yes,.

A

All right next slide, please, uh the residential market, supply of u.s homes very low, and I.

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Can talk more about this in a little bit, suburban home prices will continue to rise.

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Talks a lot about the out migration from cities, there's more of a demand for people.

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Living in the suburban areas and rural areas and I'll talk about that in a little bit.

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Housing starts will reach very high levels, not seen since the mid 2000s 2003 four and five.

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And then the last bolt there, maybe it speaks to what laura's talking about immense amount of.

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Design work seeking to position vacant retail space for adaptive reuse. So that's probably.

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The church element right there in terms of office. Many firms will seek to relocate from.

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Expensive city offices to class b space in the suburbs, the next bullet talking about the demand.

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To work from home from from workers, so companies- I think we talked about this last time, companies.

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Have kind of figured out how to have their employees telework and still be functional still.

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Be effective companies, employees, many of them like being home, sometimes maybe a lot of the times.

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So there's going to be a continued demand for employees, especially talented ones. That say I.

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Want to spend some of my time, teleworking and employers are going to have to accommodate that.

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Because if they don't they'll go to the next employer and it will allow them to telework.

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And final slide.

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Those retailers apparel retailers that are going to survive will have substantial sales.

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Volume growth, many nurses- will leave the workforce. I imagine that's because of the.

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Immense pressure on them these days, wedding, is to industry, will surge.

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More of a vow than a prediction: I'm not sure why he talked about the wedding industry, electric.

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Vehicles he thought there'd be still very, very strong, even stronger demand for electric vehicles.

A

And many kids will be helping for fewer snow days. I think they don't want to stay home anymore.

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I think that's speaking to schools, so those were kind of getting high level, but I think.

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On target points, I think that kind of can help us inform our discussion a little bit.

A

So so I'm going to turn it over to destiny. Now, who's going to talk a little bit about.

A

Some of the impacts on kobit for some of the industries we've spoken to so destiny. Take it away.

F

We can hear you.

G

Can you all hear me yes,.

G

Okay, perfect sorry, um so um chris went over um what we did a little bit, um but I'm gonna go over.

G

Some data with our helping you navigate now series that we started in august um in an effort to.

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um Speak with businesses who have been severely affected and hardest hit by clove.

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At 19 requirements, so through the series we hope to listen to business owners and assisting their.

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Recovery, reinvestment and workforce retention for our local businesses, and so we go to the.

G

First site um we had the saint mary's county, restaurant industry survey and event. So in august.

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We hosted our first session. We had 17 responses to the survey we send out. However, we had about.

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23 people attend that first meeting we had in august, which turned out to be a really good event.

G

So in the next on the next slide- and this is just a few of those data points from the survey system.

G

In the survey just a note, the survey is a little dated because this was done in.

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August, but we want to give you a context of the response we received from these businesses so.

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When asking them have your total sales increase with the addition of dining options about 58.

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Of them said yes, this is a good indication of where we were going in august. um The next one.

G

um Since there's a six foot distance regulations and fifty percent capacity, uh we asked how do how.

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Does this get you to your pre-covet, normal seating capacity, and we see that about 41.

G

I mean between 35 about 35, said they were at between 41 and 60 capacity. So this is.

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Just showing different capacities of different restaurants we're experiencing during this time.

G

um The next slide under current guidelines, are you approaching capacity during peak times and 70.

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Said yes and then we I'm sorry might be going out of order.

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um And then we asked them had you had to lay off workers, um 58 said no, and that probably.

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Had to do with some of the funding that we received, and that goes into our next question,.

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um Have you applied for covert 19 release funding um everyone that answered the survey said yes,.

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Because you know this time, you're pushing out a lot of information about funding opportunities.

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um And then did you receive funding? 88 said yes, 11 about 11 said no and of those who said no.

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We did, you know, we'd, ask them if they applied for our um county grant or if they apply for.

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Any of the sba grants and loans, and things like that and if they didn't.

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Qualify, it may have had to do with paperwork or things of that nature.

G

um The next one we have the saint mary's county, small business, retail and services industry.

G

So this session was held in october and we had 14 responses to this survey.

G

um So when we asked have your total sales increase at the evening of copay 19 restrictions.

G

um About 60 percent said no, um then we asked by how much was revenue impacted in the third quarter.

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2020 compared to last year- um and you see the majority answer- that they were down by 11 to 30.

G

And then the next highest um category was those who were down by 31.

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Or more um so, we can see a lot of people were hurt by this in the small business and retail sector.

G

And then um we asked about how much do you expect revenue to be impacted in q4.

G

Compared to last year and again, we see that down by 11 to 30 percent and down by 31 or more percent.

G

Were the highest category, um then we asked once the 2019 outbreak is contained. How long do you.

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Estimate it will take for your business to get back to business as usual, um so we see that.

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Majority of these answers, were you know, oblique but realistic outlook. um So we see um majority of.

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People who answered it it would take more than a year about 42 percent, said it would take more than.

G

A year for them to get back to business as usual, and then um we see for the 9 to 12 month, category.

G

We had about 21 percent of people answered that one, um and then we under current guidelines are.

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You approaching capacity during peak times and um about 15 said yes and over 85 said now.

G

All right, all right um majority did not have to lay off workers. um Then we asked what are your key.

G

Priorities over the next four weeks, um so this was cash flow management, was the largest one and next.

G

To maintaining operations and then workforce and health system, those are the top three categories.

G

um Then we again, we asked the question again: did you apply for cover 19 release, funding.

G

um Everyone who took the survey said yes, and um if you answer yes did you receive funding.

G

um And the same thing applied that we did for the restaurant survey um and the good thing.

G

About asking the funding question doing these surveys is that while we had these events, we.

G

Had the um we had our covet um 19 release fund open and we also had the restaurant release fund.

G

Open, so we were able to share that information with those businesses. During these questions.

E

On your last slide, can you go back to that last slide? How do you define federal state, local.

E

What would you say is included in those numbers.

G

Yes, so federal would be um any of those sba loans, people like ida and.

G

Exactly and then state would be anything coming from the state of maryland, so there were some.

G

There were some funds by department of commerce that were pushed down, so that would be state.

G

And then local would be the actual grants that we did at the county level, which were locally.

F

Administered does that make sense, but some were federal funds and some were state funds.

G

That last year, that's true, but the um so like the cover relief fund that we actually did at our.

G

Office in the restaurant release fund that we did out of our offer. We also counted those as local.

E

Say again that was about the restaurants, you said say again.

G

The grant programs that you know if the funds may have came from somewhere else, but that we actually.

G

Administered in our office, we counted those as local grants. We had a restaurant gift card.

A

Program where we provide an additional amount, buy gift cards that was actual county money.

E

All right, thank you.

I

Chris, that gift thing- I don't know whose idea that was, but that was great, can you say that again it's.

A

Tom, I think it's tom yeah, sorry, I don't know whose idea or where the gift card thing came from, but.

I

That was fantastic from a hardcore user standpoint. We gave a bunch of those out to our employees.

I

And it was very well appreciated and whoever came up with that idea.

I

um Should be recognized somehow because that was a great idea, so I would say I did, but I didn't, but.

A

I I actually he introduced it here. I stole it from tucson and we checked with tucson, see what they're.

A

Doing tucson was doing it, so that's a great idea- and I brought it here- I'm not the originator.

A

Of it, but I did bring it here good for you I'll, take I'll. Take this much credit that all counts.

I

Take all the credits, stealing the ideas.

G

Yeah, so this is the last one. We don't have um survey data for this one yet because the surveys.

G

Are still open, but this event is next thursday january 28th. So after that event we will be.

G

Happy to share that data with you guys if you want to receive it via email, but we also we did.

G

Two surveys for this sector: we did a consumer survey which we pushed out and we also did a.

G

Provider survey as well, so I would definitely encourage anyone on the edc or if you have any.

G

Family members who have children who are of the child care age to definitely share that survey.

G

With your family, so we can get more responses on the consumer side, um but that's all I have for.

G

For the help you navigate now portion and I'll kick it over to kelly. Can I ask a question.

D

Yeah before we learn, did we take the pulse of businesses that we lost that went under? We have.

A

Not you know, unless you look at the list of your business list from last year to this year, just to.

D

Know I mean because a lot of people went under these real little ones and if there's a way to.

D

Bring them back or it would be nice to know how many we actually lost and piggybacking.

B

Off of that of the businesses that received funding, whether it be federal, state or local,.

B

How many of those would for? How many of those was it a adequate enough amount to keep them.

B

Sustain them yeah. That's a that's a really good question. We didn't ask that question. I know.

A

For some I remember, we first opened the restaurant grant program. I had a local restaurant telling me.

A

That it would basically cover one, maybe one and a half payrolls without him. So.

A

Yeah many cases it was a drop in the bucket, even for the hotel grant. We may be able to give a 30.

A

000 grant to some of the larger hotels that have over 100 rooms, but the amount of money they've.

A

Lost yeah, I mean it's still much appreciated, I spoke to them and they said they said. Oh, we.

A

Really really want this grant, but we've lost so much money so and- and I can even speak to the ppp.

H

Loan, which was calculated at 2.5 times, a one month's average salary, and so that was of.

H

Course put together very early in the crises, and nobody expected that we were going to be.

H

Now we're nine months later and they're offering a second ppp, but for some it's coming way too late.

H

Yeah, I think one of the issues for the whole pandemic was, if you were to tell a business owner.

A

You need to survive until may right, some definite time where you could plan out.

A

Your spending you could save and you'd know that I'll be okay, but things have gone on longer. So.

A

For many businesses and business owners, it's I'm losing money every month and do I want to.

A

Keep going, I don't know when this is going to end, should I cut my losses and go out of business now.

A

Or should I just kind of hang on so you know a lot of times these loans and these grants will.

A

Help them just kind of maintain minimal operations, kind of keep the blood flowing until they get to.

A

That point some haven't been able to hold on you know have gone under. Is there any way to develop.

B

A database of that of the the companies that have gone under the ones that are still afloat, the ones.

B

That have taken in funding that are still afloat, the ones that have taken in funding that aren't.

B

Just so we can pull that information because it especially with when these slides you know they.

B

um With the six-foot distancing regulation, 50 percent of fire marshal capacity.

B

The ones that are in the zero to 20 percent or the 21 to 40 percent range that seems like they.

B

Very well could be in the danger zone of going under if that continues much longer. So if we can.

B

Sort of head that off or anticipate it and.

B

Put a priority on those businesses that are really struggling even more than yet the.

B

Average business is struggling right now that that could pay significant dividends in the end.

A

And I know some of this information. Some is a little bit dated now because it's gone out for.

A

A while, so I think we can talk about doing an updated survey, you know what else might be good.

D

Is and- and I mean this is- I know you guys are busy but is to find out from some of these businesses.

D

What helped them make it work that it might help some of these other businesses.

D

I mean there were some businesses, you know like letting them go out and you know use the parking.

D

Lots for the restaurants right and they're still doing it. That was a great idea right and health.

D

Department got out of the way all the regulators kind of stepped back to allow that to happen.

D

But I mean they, a lot of them got creative and if we can share that information we might save.

D

Some of some of the others, and that's one of the ideas of having these conversations is for them to.

A

Connect to each other and share information, so the restaurant tours we're doing that during our phone.

A

Call and afterwards, so it is helpful for them. You know many of them just need money. You know so.

A

Yeah also, some of the ones that need money most have such a negative opinion of government.

C

And such a lack of resources to to put their proposals together, yes, that I know several that.

C

Have simply said, I'm not going to deal with that. It's just a waste of money to pay. My accountant.

C

And my lawyer to look at these documents right, and so they don't have the capacity to put it together.

D

And some of them don't have an accountant or a lawyer well yeah, even if they do yeah the.

C

Paperwork, especially initially mm-hmm, you know, was, it was quite complex. You know the the the.

C

Grants that you administered were very simple. You know, but many of the ppp things have been so many.

C

Changes in regulations right, you know that if you have to go back and talk to your accountant and.

C

Your lawyer, every time you can sign a check over to them right, I think some of the sbd stuff was.

A

Complicated at the beginning and they've since simplified it quite a bit. Yes yeah, sba yeah. I.

E

Think too, updating this data is a good idea. I know there's so few with 17 in one section, 14.

E

In another section for the survey, I don't think that really reflects where everyone's at I think.

E

A lot of the folks that probably didn't answer the survey might be the ones that are struggling and.

E

Will not participate in this because they can't say those good numbers that other folks can share.

E

And it is kind of humility, it puts you in a very humble position when you have to say and put it on.

E

Paper that, yes, uh I realize that I'm struggling, so I think that that information will actually help.

E

In and giving us guidelines aware or or some sort of direction where we need to go to support all of.

E

Our community, not those just that, are doing very, very well, but those that are struggling and are.

E

Afraid some or just hesitate to say so yeah one of one of the real problems, obviously is, is that ppp.

C

Focuses almost entirely on payroll, which is very good in terms of keeping the unemployment down or.

C

Getting people back to work, but payroll probably represents about 20 of the operating costs of most.

C

Restaurants, you know the the the lease goes on. The electricity continues to go on the workman's.

C

Compensation check goes on, you know, so so it's a huge amount of money that flows out so to borrow.

C

Money to keep people doing nothing, yep isn't all that attractive. If you're going to go broke in.

C

Any case yeah with those elements that are not covered and that you cannot cover out of revenue.

A

I think yeah, I think some of these are band-aids and don't really go the full length and some are.

A

Gonna, obviously not survive. I mean, even with the um federal government giving out checks to people.

A

You know for some people, that's it's a drop in the bucket for what they really need. I mean it's.

A

Certainly appreciated and something that they need to sometimes just to eat and pay their rent.

A

But it's not what people really need, and you know this is very tough times right now.

E

I'd be curious to see how our credit card debt has gone up to me. I think that would.

E

Be very telling of where their needs really are. It's come down actually are very used to.

E

Putting things on credit as a just as an aid to move forward, but in this case it hasn't helped.

E

Because it just amplifies the issue, so I do think that'll be very telling on where we are.

E

As a county and how we are how stable we are as a county understanding, what the credit card debt is.

E

For our citizenship, I understand that nationwide credit card debt has surprisingly gone down. That.

C

Is yeah why that is probably because of less consumption in restaurants and public basis.

C

So that would be a negative to us, but you know, but it's a big big item for many families. I.

C

Was surprised I mean I couldn't and I and I will say that I said it last time like.

A

Go ahead, I was going to say one more thing I want to ask before it gets too far away.

G

For me to elicit this point about the capacity issue um when we had the conversation with the.

G

Restaurant in the food services industry, one of the takeaways we took from that meeting, was.

G

A lot of those restaurant owners were saying that you know there was just a general fear.

G

But this was back in august there was just a fear of people coming back to restaurants,.

G

um And you know, and a fear of people not wearing masks and things of that nature. um So one of the.

G

Well, two of the things that came from that is that we talked to you know the health department.

G

In coordinated restaurants a little bit, but the second thing that katherine was a huge.

G

um Help- and you know pushing this out was there was a campaign that was developed called.

G

Where your love campaign, that was that came out the conversation with.

G

um Restaurants, uh the restaurant industry, because they, you know they needed some help to get people.

G

One to comply to the you know different, you know the new cove.

G

Rules and things like that, but they they wanted a little more support. So that was one of the.

G

Things that came out of that um that conversation with the restaurant here.

B

Thanks for saying I'll also mention- I mentioned this last time that saint mary's counties fared.

A

Pretty well I mean compared to many many places in many counties, even in the state.

A

I think we had the lowest unemployment and we were definitely top three and we probably still.

A

Are I haven't checked it lately, but we haven't had as many business closings. We have the base.

A

Which is not really reduced, salaries doesn't hasn't, had cuts like other places, so the closures.

A

That we have seen have been non-um government related and we don't have that. Many non-government.

A

Companies new government-related companies, so we've done fairly well here.

A

In the county, um actually so chris yeah tom a couple of things on that, so I guess one comment.

I

Is that I think most of us that are defense contractors are not so concerned about what.

I

Happened over the past nine months and what's going to happen over the next four months,.

I

But a lot of us are concerned and I think you're going to see more businesses go away in the next.

I

9 to 18 months, because the government processes are not very quick a lot of times, and so I think.

I

A lot of the impacts are not actually going to hit until about six months from now, and so so I.

I

Think we need to be ready for that as ready as we can be. I guess um and- and I think even with the.

I

Vaccine and everything getting better from uh from a medical standpoint, I think the business impacts.

I

For the government contractors are still down the road. A few more months is what I'm hearing.

I

From the people, from our outlook and from the people that I talk to and then a question for.

I

The county money that was allocated did most of it get spent on the programs that it was allocated to.

F

It's a good segue good segue. Do you want to answer that kelly.

F

So the the infographic in front of you represents uh the small business and nonprofit relief grant.

F

That we administered, which was federal money and um we had 361 applicants, 302 grants approved.

F

So is almost 60 grants approved that were not approved for various reasons.

F

It could have been that they didn't meet the minimum requirements or they did not submit.

F

The required paperwork, but that grant program was open for six months. We opened it the first week.

F

In december, or excuse me first week in june and closed it the first week in december, so it was.

F

Open for a very long time uh we're the longest, I think in southern maryland, some of the other two.

F

Counties abandoned their grant programs after a few months and moved those funds to other programs.

F

Some of them were completely worthy programs. Definitely, I think in calvert they moved them.

F

To some rental assistance, but all of the funding that the board of county commissioners allocated.

F

To small business and non-profits were used for small business and non-profits in st mary's county.

F

We actually started the grant program with five thousand and seventy five hundred dollar grants.

F

And the grant applications were coming in slow, so we increased. Those dollar amounts to six.

F

Thousand and eighty five hundred and then the county reallocated additional cares act. Funding.

F

And the grants ended at around 9 100 and a little over 11 000. So.

F

To speak, to did the was it ever enough money for most of the businesses? The answer is, no. You know.

F

When, when we would when, I would send an email that said, we've done another reallocation of cares, act.

F

Funding and you're getting an additional fifteen hundred dollars. The businesses were ecstatic every.

F

Little bit helps you know. I had one that we uh sent another fifteen hundred dollars to and they.

F

Said you've kept my uh employees on payroll through the first of the year. Thank you so.

F

Much so I think everybody every little bit helps, but it's it's. It's definitely not enough, and I.

F

Think it helps that they can cobble together the state, the local and the federal dollars.

F

um The second round of ppp will help for people, um but you know it's just we're doing everything.

F

We can locally and we're trying to make it as easy as possible local locally and and not make.

F

The our application process cumbersome, um but the businesses have been incredibly appreciative and.

F

And you know they they can always use more, you know and tom just so. You know every single.

A

Grantee has had to sign a grant agreement with the county. It says you will spend it on these approved.

A

Expenses, so if they've had it all entered to that agreement,.

F

So I did a breakdown of those 302 grant recipients based on sector, and you have a chart there.

F

Some of them rise to the top construction industry. We had about 17 successful, grant applicants gyms.

F

And wellness businesses, which you can imagine they were hit really hard. They were closed completely.

F

40 food service businesses received grant funding and then the other top one was hair salons, which.

F

I think we don't talk about a lot, but you know they didn't: have the opportunity to cut hair on.

F

The sidewalk, when you know when their capacity was limited, so um there's a lot of businesses.

F

That have been struggling and we saw applications across the board that professional services- that's.

F

A that's a high uh spike, that's almost a 70.! That's uh represents a lot of different industries.

F

Law offices, accounting firms, tree services, it's kind of what I had to you know just lump a lot.

F

Of different businesses in and just to reiterate, a point that kelly made earlier, maybe destiny. uh We.

A

Had this grant process open for was it six months six months six months, so we were really beating.

A

The bushes trying to make sure that people knew about it. We did radio ads, we did electronic signs.

A

Social media: every single day uh I went door to door to shopping centers for several days and.

A

He I think chris is the reason we got so many nail and hair salons. I went to every nail hail right in.

A

The count so and it just kind of dried up after a while, we were not getting applications in after a.

A

While and maybe it's some of the distrust, I mean, I think, some of the restaurants, um some of the nail.

A

Salons, they were a little, you know they weren't. I said I'm from the government and here to give you.

A

Money and they didn't- I was emailing it to anybody that I knew that were in those businesses. That's.

A

Interesting there so that took a long time the restaurant and we had 78 780 thousand dollars for.

A

Our first round of restaurants, ten thousand dollar grants that was closed and go ahead.

F

Steal my thunder, so the infographic in front of you is for our first round of the restaurant.

F

Relief and as chris said, we had 780 000 from the state of maryland. That was the rainy day fund.

F

And we uh decided to do ten thousand dollar grants we heard from the cares act. uh Grant.

F

Fund that people wanted larger amounts, um so we responded to that so it was ten thousand. So we.

F

Were able to do 78 applications and we received 97 applications in two weeks and we did receive.

F

A second round of restaurant relief funding from the state of maryland uh that was 470 470 000.

F

That grant portal closes on friday and right now we have 23 new applications, so we'll go back and.

F

Evaluate those 19 that didn't make the first round of funding, but we're in that process right now,.

F

Those grants in the second round are up to ten thousand dollars.

F

So if we would, if we'd get more applications, then we could a lot ten thousand dollars.

F

They'd, we would just divide it equally among the applicants. However, I don't think that's.

F

Going to happen because, like I said, we have 23 new applications at this point.

A

um So a little information we did do a survey in office space. This was again early on in the process.

A

Next line, so we didn't get a whole lot of responses, but.

A

I think we talked about this last time. Will you be expanding? One defense contractor thought they'd be.

A

Expanding will you be reducing the amount of office space, at least in saint mary's county.

A

Four thought they would be reducing what about the same amount of space. The majority were kind.

A

Of in that, in that arena, since then I spoke to one of the largest commercial office space owners.

A

Lessors in the county and try to get his take on what he thought, the.

A

Office market was going to be, and the big answer was uncertainty he's a little uncertain right now.

A

He felt that I mean. Obviously um more people are teleworking, but people weren't necessarily.

A

Giving up their office space so some are locked in for one to five years and they can't just.

A

Walk away from them, but the employers were also a little bit unsure what they were going to do.

A

So in some cases, while they know they're going to have to do telework, they still like the idea of.

A

Having people come in at least one or two days, you know, so they can get together and there's a lot of.

A

Reasons so you can have good organic conversations and a lot of strategy sessions with people in the.

A

Office and people like to relate to one another when they come back, they want to be a little more.

A

Spaced than they were before, so he thought that we kind of get rid of a lot of the cube areas and do.

A

More individual offices there might be some tenant improvements in that area. You know and there's a.

D

Lot of people a lot of these young people want to go to work right. Everybody wants to work at.

D

Home a lot of them want the interaction and they they really do so. I think, there's a real market.

D

Out there for a lot of them that want to go to work, I think there's going to be absolutely. I.

H

Have clients that are sitting in cars to talk to me because they have no privacy sitting in.

H

Their homes because they have such a full house right now, yeah and some are single that want.

D

Interaction they just want to you know: socialize yeah. I had an opportunity to meet with a bunch of.

C

Judges and lawyers recently and the comment was made- we're not going to be hiring new graduates.

C

Until such time as we can actually get them to come into the office every day and work, we cannot.

C

Incorporate new workers into a workforce you know and into the culture of of our law firm without.

C

Having them actually present yeah yeah, that makes sense, and that is something that for new graduates.

C

Should be devastating, of course, and that's that's a really important point gerald. I think.

A

If you've got most, companies have a certain culture and to especially if you're, new.

A

How do you really learn what the culture is of that company if you're not interacting on a.

A

Daily basis, if you're not observing, what's going on in that office and how people are behaving.

A

It's hard for you to pick up what the culture is. So it's it's a challenge, so I think.

A

My opinion is we're going to have a combination of there's going to be definitely a lot of telework.

A

But there's going to be times where you know, maybe it's uh three days a week telework or.

A

Two days a week in the office, or vice versa, or something there's going to be some, I think some.

A

Some organizations are doing well with teleworking almost completely, but I think there's still going.

A

To be demand, but you know bottom line from this gentleman was that it's still uncertain. It's still.

A

To be played out, and they don't know the answer yet yeah, I think that's, I think, that's a good.

E

Answer, I think folks are going to go hybrid. Just listening to some of the conversations I've heard.

E

um I don't think folks will be back full-time. I don't see that happening.

E

I think that some folks really like what they're doing right now, when they're at home doing.

G

Really like it, so I do think that there might be a possibility. Some folks won't.

E

Return they'll like they like what they're doing for a while. So that's something for companies are.

E

Really looking at pretty closely as well yeah, you know- and some folks are very, very against.

E

Very concerned about covet vaccines won't be in probably to june or july. At this rate,.

E

um So and they don't see a need to go back to work until that's 100 sure, so I think there's um I.

E

Think it's going to take a while. I really do and I do think it's going to come back in a hybrid type.

E

Way which it's going definitely going to affect our workforce in the fact that you know we're.

E

Counting on our restaurants to come back along, especially along the base you know, base isn't even.

E

Thinking about it just yet, you know those folks, the livelihood there, all those retail stores just.

E

Outside the gate, they're struggling um look at the ihop good indications the ihop closed down. I.

E

Have that's been there forever? You had to wait in line for everything at the ihop close down, coral.

E

On that um golden count, yeah yeah that closed down and a lot of those places closed down and.

E

I think that it's going to take a little while and we need to just be aware of that well related to.

A

Telework we um kelly and I had a long conversation with the southern maryland association of realtors.

A

About the residential market and, as you may have heard, the housing market right now has.

A

Kind of gone crazy: it's super super hot. They explained that people are paying 10 to 20 000.

A

Over asking price for homes now inventory is super low. I think we have a one month, 30 day inventory.

A

And I think they said.

A

Year-To-Date sales are up 73 percent from a year ago, sales prices are up, 12 percent.

A

And we asked a little bit about why they thought that was happening.

A

It gets back to people being in their homes, so if you're teleworking, let's say you have a husband.

A

And a wife and kids, so you've got three people who are trying to telework and they all need.

A

Their space. So if you're at the kitchen and I'm in the living room and right and john someplace else,.

A

So people are looking for expanded space they're looking at their home.

A

It's not just a place to relax after work, but a place to actually work during. You know during.

A

The day so people looking for more space as anna honor bond talked about, there is a little bit of.

A

Out-Migration from cities, so we have people from cities who are looking to go to more rural areas.

A

You know if I can telework and I don't have to be in dc- I'm not that big on dc and I.

A

Don't like being so close to people because of covid, maybe I'll move south or some other area.

A

In the suburbs, so there's a demand for that, and some of that has happened.

A

Pre-Covered, some of that demand has happened. Kind of pre-covered, so they're, seeing um a tremendous.

A

Demand in saint mary's county and all southern maryland, some of this is happening. You know.

A

Throughout the country a little bit too one of the concerns they felt for saint mary's particular.

A

In particular was that there weren't a lot of new home developments happening in saint mary's county.

A

So there were some that have been going on, I think clark's rest and there's a couple other.

A

Come to mind in the leonardtown area, maybe three but other than that. There's not a lot of projects.

A

In the works for new residential neighborhoods, they just thought that without new building that.

A

If there's a demand for people looking to buy new homes and there's lots of supplies, not there.

A

That's not a good situation. We also talked about something we've talked about before.

A

Is a housing variety, so if in saint mary's county their homes are three 350 400 thousand dollars.

A

They're colonials with three and four bedrooms: if you're 25 years old and you're looking to.

A

Buy a home or 28 you're younger you don't have that kind of money. You don't want that kind of.

A

Space, do you have? Is there enough variety in our housing market, meaning? Are there count.

A

Town homes are there, condos. Are there other types of living, even starter homes, they're.

A

Just smaller on smaller lots, they're still kind of nice. um We don't have a lot of that.

A

We have a lot of the same sameness in our housing market and that's a challenge for a lot of buyers.

B

And uh actually, chris to piggyback somewhat off of uh a honor bonds, predictions that you.

B

Were discussing the significant shortage of nurses, or this significant number of nurses.

B

Leaving the workforce that uh it looks like we'll have coming up here once the coveted crisis is.

B

Relatively past us, it occurred to me that we might want to expand our retract attract and retain.

B

Effort to nurses, health care workers, anyone in anticipation of backfilling from that new shortage.

B

I mean where, um for an article a while ago, that hospitals were literally in a bidding war.

B

For especially in the hard-hit areas for nurses and that the nurse had been earning, you know, 50.

B

000 before was earning 120 or was offered 125.

B

Okay, you know to go work in the dakotas or somewhere because they were in such short supply.

B

If there is already a shortage after that, and then on top of that, there's going to be another.

B

Shortage, we need all the help that we can get. We need all of the the nurses and healthcare.

B

Workers that we can get, especially given that the size of the county is just it's expected to.

B

Grow we're trying to get it to grow and medstar is one of our largest employers. On top of that,.

A

So we've worked with employers who will are interested to put together.

A

Packets for recruitment of them of workers and deals a little bit with quality of life.

A

Talks about the county put together folders. So when companies go out to universities to.

A

Do recruitment fairs we've got packets for them because many times they go and they sell the job.

A

So here's what you're going to be doing and you have these kids come. They know nothing about the.

A

County, so what we put together is here's here's, some quality of life, things, here's some fun things.

A

To do if you're, a young person, here's the way to get engaged, here's some tourism sites, here's.

A

Some you know so, basically, it's an entire package that helps them see a more clearer picture about.

A

What it's like living in saint mary's county- that's been, that's been well received, so we.

A

Could reach out to the hospitals and see if they need any of our help? In that respect, of course,.

C

If we can, if you can look at ander ban again, he was also talking about becoming inflation.

C

You know and and that's fairly understandable if you think that our national debt in 2010 was.

C

Was nine and a half billion we're now pushing 30 billion per trillion rather and we're adding.

C

Another 2 trillion in the next couple of months somewhere that money has to come from at some.

C

Stage, I'm afraid some of it may come from the defense budget yeah and that will impact.

A

Us very heavily here, but it also justifies if, if inflation is running higher than the interest rate.

C

That you're paying on a 30-year loan or a 15 or 20-year loan, it's a real incentive to get in now.

C

So so I think a lot of people. I think, if you look at the statistics, they look very very.

C

Similar to 1970 77, you know in the time jimmy carter was elected. You saw this this tremendous.

C

Boom of people rushing into the housing market, as interest rates started to rise very steeply right.

E

I think when you're talking about the workforce for our healthcare folks, we should lump that.

E

In with our um educators, our teachers and our emergent services and our police force, because.

E

The that's where we really need blended housing. We need a blended housing environment where you have.

E

Single family homes and and condos and townhomes and apartments meaning I was just visiting.

E

A little bit not even far from here in this one housing area and in this one housing area.

E

So in itself it had single family homes, had town homes and apartments to satisfy any needed per.

E

Any person that would need a different level of income and to support different types of work so.

E

I think we really do need blended real estate and supporting not just single-family homes, because.

E

That didn't support everybody right, but just look at um all these young folks and I think not just.

E

Young folks, we have senior citizens that don't want a big house anymore. You know they want to.

E

Go smaller too, so I do think we need to really add more of that type of real estate to our.

E

Community agreed- and we do the rules do allow for that. I mean you know our regulations support that.

D

I mean we talk about the needs for affordable housing and housing types that we have to have.

D

A diverse form of housing types, it's a matter of finding the right. I guess the.

D

Developer and maybe it's maybe some kind of incentives for them, because I think if you're.

A

And you would know this better than I do laura. But if you're a home builder and you can sell.

A

450 000 homes, 500 000 homes versus 250, 000 homes, you're, probably profit margin, is probably more on.

A

Those big ones, if there's a demand for that which it sounds like there's a demand yeah the condos.

D

Can make it yeah make work, make it work a little better, but, okay, you know you. I, the county needs to.

D

Express that, though, yeah right exactly and also reflected in the in the planning program, though.

C

You know so because if you get small lots, for example, where do you put your septic tank.

D

Well, that's why things aren't always affordable when we say it's affordable having a small.

D

House might be affordable to construct, but the infrastructure to it kicks you out of affordable.

D

And those are the types of rules that have to change it's just like tiny houses. You know a tiny.

D

House you can think about what that might cost, but to put that tiny house on a septic system.

D

Put the driveway in connect the electric and everything it can knock you out of that.

D

Price range and those are some of the design, standards and regulations that have to change.

D

To make things really affordable right, so just the construction yeah. So I think if you're, if.

A

You have a chunk of land and you're thinking of you're a home builder. By the time you invest.

A

The infrastructure you meet all the state requirements, you do everything you need to do.

A

You need to make x amount of dollars to make that project work, so I think that drives up the.

A

Prices right and that's where we really need the incentives, tax incentives that that come to land.

D

You know not just um talk about, and it's and it's not um you know, it is a density issue too.

D

Because if, when you're doing single-family housing, the density's, not it's not that.

D

Dense but when you get into the townhouses and the condos- and you know when we talk about all.

D

These different things about people wanting to come this way and live in more urban areas and.

D

We've got all these people working at home now you know what does that mean to smart growth policies.

D

I mean we've been told all along that we are to send people to the urban areas right and.

D

Now we've got everybody in the urban areas wanting to come to the ruler areas, so we've gotta, you know.

D

We got a lot of thinking to do no company ever said no to a tax break. That's true! Well and but.

D

Everybody's, you know every jurisdiction is hurting for money too, because of the covet and everything.

D

Else but ins, you know incentives to get us what we need. uh What we believe we need for that.

D

For housing there are, there are opportunities in some of the design standards that are out there.

D

To to eliminate some of the infrastructure costs to accom, you know that could help make things.

D

Truly more affordable, and there still is a demand I mean, I think, there's um some of the smart growth.

A

Principles being able to to walk within the neighborhood being connected to a retail area.

A

I mean that's why leonardtown has had so much demand in the past few years, because it's a.

A

Dense little retail urban area, people can walk to it. People neighborhoods, like leonard, grant where.

A

Homes are kind of close together, but you can walk and meet your neighbors and go to the library and.

A

Go to the school, I mean that's still um highly prized by many many people and the crime like.

H

And the crime rate's low because there's eyes on the street, there's people there yeah it's foot.

D

Traffic yeah and the regulations are much more development friendly than the counties. Frankly,.

D

Yes, so chris is there anything that we can do to help create more affordable housing, because it's.

I

As we've all talked about it's a big problem, it limits us on our abilities to.

I

Increase manufacturing uh and other of those types of jobs, so is there anything more that.

I

That we can do to help with this. um There are other communities that have initiated efforts.

A

To increase, affordable housing and we can bring back information about that. I don't have.

A

Anything off the top of my head, I mean many it. It involves incentives, relaxing regulations, sometimes.

A

But we can certainly do a scan and bring back that information. Tom.

I

Right and if there's anything, we can do to help you with any of that, please let us know, because we.

I

uh If we want to bring in the other types of jobs that are not.

I

Dependent on the government, uh um we're gonna have to be able to do that.

A

All right, thank you.

A

So this next slide talks about pax river, our largest employer, the implications of teleworking.

A

We're already talking spoken about how retail.

A

Around the base, restaurants right around the base they're having a difficult time.

A

If you're not on base, obviously you're not going off base to go to lunch.

A

People are if they're, telling working they're, either eating at home or eating nearby their home.

A

And, as we know from the traffic on 235 pre-covered, a lot of people don't live right next to the base.

A

They live someplace else and they drive they drive to pax river. So um there are um implications. I.

A

Think pax river, maybe mike schroeder, can speak a little bit to tell working in the base. I know that.

A

The base has had pushed people off base employees that can work from home and they've set. Many of.

A

Them up with equipment, but there are many people who need to be on base because they're on secure.

A

Servers or they're working in labs or on planes or some kind of aircraft, and they have to be there.

A

I don't know if the again, it's probably still a little uncertain what the future is going to bring.

A

Mike, do you have any comments you want to add about teleworking and pax river yeah sure can.

J

You hear me: okay, yeah yeah, so uh I mean we are looking at long-term, going to more of a hybrid.

J

Approach as barbara had mentioned, where we'd have folks coming on site when they needed to, but also.

J

Having the opportunity to work off off station, you know and sort of a floating schedule, so to speak.

J

We're also, we do have a fair number of folks that do have to come in, as you alluded to.

J

Several thousand actually to cover our flight testing and our ground test facilities and.

J

Just work work on the aircraft that includes our contractor support too. So, there's always.

J

Going to be that demand in there, one of the things we're doing right now is we're actually.

J

Shifting some of our priorities to incorporate some additional classified spaces, which is kind.

J

Of changing the dynamic of relocating folks that have been sitting in various locations.

J

For the last several years into other locations, as we look at possibly raising the uh security.

J

Level of some of our existing buildings, so a lot of that is in churn, but but overall our.

J

The the long-term outlook is to go to more of a hybrid, less density of seeding requirements, even.

J

Post covid, so that's kind of a summary of where we are right now and just as a reminder mike is.

A

The chief of staff for the executive director of knock ad, so he speaks from a position of knowledge.

A

Thank you mike thanks for that honor.

A

Well, that concludes our powerpoint. um Next item on the agenda is to talk about.

A

What you feel are our strengths in our economy here in saint mary's county and then we can.

A

Kind of transition into maybe even related to this, how is koved.

A

Maybe changing those strengths, so this is kind of an open time for you guys to voice what you.

A

Think the strengths are in the economy. I think destiny is going to jot down what she hears.

A

From everybody- and we can get that back out to everybody so again, just hoping anybody.

A

Wants to talk about what they think is good about our economy. What our course drinks are.

D

Pax river chris: this is.

J

Mike good to go, yeah hey just this reminds me back to the beginning. When we started the seds, I don't.

J

Know how many years ago- and I remember one of our strengths- was obviously you know. You know.

J

The base, the federal work that happens here and it's interesting to me just an observation. You.

J

As you're going through, all the you know, status updates around the community. I mean in some ways.

J

The fact that we were a federal lab created a lot of resiliency through this particular.

J

Situation I mean the work kept going on. As far as I know, our contractor support. You know their.

J

Contracts kept flowing things like that, um then I've heard tom sanders kind of allude to the.

J

Well, the future. You know the bills have to be paid at some point, so there could be a.

J

Hit against the defense budget, things like that so interesting.

J

Just just an observation I had to kind of put out there, so I guess.

J

I still see us as a strength, but obviously there's always that concern that someday. It won't be.

D

I think a big strength is the commercialization of a lot of our technologies from the federal.

D

Government that we're doing at st mary's airport- that's huge.

A

So we know that the base comes up with a lot of innovations, a lot of things, some.

A

Of that technology can be licensed and can be put into the commercial market.

A

So that's uh we that's one of the reasons why we established through mike's office, the tech port.

A

Business incubator. We haven't seen a whole lot of that, but that's still.

A

Obviously, a lot of innovation happens on the base and with defense contractors. Also, I think another.

H

Strength that we have is the presence of higher education. We have the community college that.

H

Services this county, we also have saint mary's college and then umd has a strong presence here.

B

I would certainly say our status as a faa uas, test type uas test site.

J

I think the autonomy research facility again back to the university of maryland presence. I.

J

Think that's an opportunity we did capture several years ago. That's coming online here in september.

A

Is that the you talking about the third building at the? U university system in maryland, at southern.

A

Maryland, yes, so just to refresh your memories, the higher ed center was taken over by a university.

A

System of maryland they're in the process of finishing construction on a 90 million dollar.

A

Building which will be dedicated to autonomous research, development and teaching that comes.

A

Online, I think in the fall, so obviously that is an important asset for us in the strength. I think.

H

The other strength that I see every day is the really strong supporting partnerships that we have.

H

That are supporting small businesses, the economic development department's very strong and.

H

And then we have the tri-county council. We have good partnerships with the other two.

H

Counties, economic development: we have great support from the state of maryland commerce.

H

And then the chambers are very active in all three counties and everybody works together.

H

And right now there are several task forces that have come out of these various uh stakeholders.

H

To support businesses um trying to recover and and or stay in business during this crisis yeah, so I.

H

Think that's a really important strength that we are very fortunate to have yep. I would agree.

C

Another major strength is obviously the the I-95 corridor. Being so close, you know being 60 miles.

C

Away from for many markets, and talking about my own business a little bit, we opened the bed and.

C

Breakfast with two rooms in june of 2019, we picked a wonderful time to open, obviously, but since then.

C

We've had over 1200 guests over these years and we've gone up from two rooms to four rooms, to.

C

Six rooms and the common theme from all 1290 is: we never knew what there was in st mary's county.

C

We never realized that it was so beautiful and so rural that there were so many interested.

C

Interesting historic sites there were so many nice beaches that there were so many nice parks.

C

But the fact that you hear this constantly of we never thought of that. We never heard.

C

Of it, we never believed it. You know so in the last months since since last spring and.

C

We've had many of the senior doctors from cdc who are working on the vaccine.

C

Came to our inn, spread the papers on the floor and said we're working from home.

C

But if I stay at home, people bother me so I'm coming out here, so they can actually work. We've.

C

Had diplomats from most of the leading embassies we've had an influx of people.

C

That all say they are referred by somebody who has already been here. So you know so to a great extent.

C

I see saint mary's and calvert. You know counties emulating what has happened in the eastern shore.

K

You know 15 or 20 years ago. The benefit is we don't have a bridge to get here. You know it's.

C

So much closer, so I think that hospitality, you know and that whole service industry, that is not.

C

Strictly restaurant related or not strictly hotel related is going to feed many different sectors.

C

Of the of the economy, all of our clients go for dinner and restaurants. You know they go to to pier.

C

450 they go to raleigh duck, they go to leonard town, they go to solomon's island. They do not stay.

C

In generally speaking, they go out and they spend money and they're not afraid to spend the money.

C

And so I think that is something that we we really also have to think about very carefully.

C

It's a huge selling point that we're within 60 miles of the I I-95 corridor right absolutely.

C

Absolutely I don't know if you contributed to this chris or kelly, but.

C

We just got a call from the state of maryland, saying that they would like to feature.

C

Us in their annual publication, that's coming up fantastic. Oh that's! Wonderful! Yeah! Congratulations!.

H

Thank you. I don't know if you had anything, I did.

C

Of outstanding inns- and we are not the only one in south of baltimore and east of ottawa,.

C

Or ottawa um washington yeah, you know on the western shore, wonderful, congratulations.

H

Chris, can I back up and add sbdc as one of the stakeholders? Yes, how did I not mention them? I.

A

Wrote it down, even though you didn't say thank you. Somebody else on the phone had a comment.

L

uh Chris, this is phil, hey, phil, yeah, hey, I uh kind of want to piggyback on what gerald was.

L

Touching on- and I think one of our strengths here in southern maryland- is opportunity.

L

You know and and basically gerald just kind of scratched the surface. But uh you know with.

L

Covid right now uh it has really pushed a lot of people and um into the suburbs of.

L

Exploring uh saint mary's county more remote areas, uh I think, there's there's a huge opportunity.

L

To expand wedding venues, tourism in in southern maryland and there's growing pains because we're.

L

Not really known for that, but as we move forward and discover, uh you know where our strengths.

L

Are there I think, there's going to be a lot of strengths and opportunity in those particular.

L

Areas agreed, thank you phil. I think another item too, that is our strength, is our historical.

E

Appreciation and recognition of this county and the tourism that is generated or interest.

E

Is generated from the historical uh areas that we have here we have so many.

E

Different locations- and I think that draws folks in and I think it's truly a good acclimate agreed.

B

I would add, being a or striking a balance between our rural and agrarian history and being a one of.

B

The lesser known, certainly up and coming high-tech corridors for dc and for these coasts in general.

D

Our waterfront, the fact that we have both here, that you can be in a high-tech environment and.

A

Drive a half mile and you're in the rural farmland and we definitely appreciate our farmland and we.

A

Have preservation programs to keep a lot of it in in that state for perpetuity yeah we're probably.

A

One of the more robust land preservation programs in the entire state, our waterfront.

D

Which we should preserve more of too to make sure we have it with access public access.

A

Other ideas or thoughts.

A

What about related to workforce? I think that lisa touched on this a little bit with education, but.

A

Do you think our workforce is a strength, and if it is what how would you characterize it.

H

I think if I had a wish list, I I guess I wouldn't put it in strengths. I I think where we.

H

Are in need is developing programs to help the more poverty stricken residents that we have.

H

To be brought up to an education level where they can be employed by these technology.

H

Manufacturers, yeah and manufacturers. I think I think that we have a perpetual uh web of.

H

Passing down from generation to generation, uh welfare and- and I we're not unusual- I think that.

H

Happens, it becomes a trap, but um you know there are some really successful programs that have been.

H

um Used in phoenix, for example, where they had.

H

Worked together with these technology companies to put in place opportunities for employees.

H

To be partially funded by the state um unemployment department, um while they're doing.

H

An apprenticeship and, and so they get on-the-job training where the business only has to pay them a.

H

Small portion of what that job eventually would be valued at and then the government.

H

Subsidizes part of that pay as well and then at some point, the the determination is made.

H

This person is now capable of doing the job and the business hires them on at the value of the.

H

Full value because now they can give them so um it's. It was called aprenti and um is excellent.

H

Prototype and um I can provide you with some more detail- I've pitched this idea repeatedly.

H

To various organizations- and I really think it would be.

H

Wonderful to do something like that, especially when I look at how poverty stricken stricken.

H

Lexington park residents are and um not just lexington park, not just all over the.

C

County, if you look at the quality of the elementary schools and secondary schools,.

C

They're in the fives and six out of ten you know there does not appear to be a strong stem program.

C

Or a science and criminal technology program well gerald, and- and you mentioned that and another.

H

Part of apprentice was that they were offering teachers during the summer to come into technology.

H

Businesses and learn what kind of education to provide.

H

Elementary and high school students to put them on the path and and barbara of course, has a great.

H

Deal of experience in the stem program from her days at right, riken, breaking and just, and I should.

A

Have done this when I started this topic, but you know part of the analysis for our seds. Is this.

A

Swot analysis, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and um I don't want to cut off the.

A

Conversation, but I think what you identify is really more of an opportunity. Yes, um it's not.

A

It's not a strength now, but it's an opportunity for us to take people who are lower income, who.

A

May not have the skills, we know that manufacturers and other businesses need workers. So we have this.

A

This disconnection here between people that need work and may not have the skills they need and.

A

The employers that are looking for people all the time, yes great opportunity, I think the sense that.

H

So much of our workforce is transient, it's coming from outside in and and then the people that live.

H

Here are stuck taking, you know the the minimum wage jobs because they don't have the education.

E

So I think it's an opportunity indeed. I know tom sanders is on today and he knows exactly what I'm.

E

Talking about when I'm gonna say this, you know we did a gap. Analysis in 2016-17 results came out.

E

And they what they found was there's a big gap between high school graduation and what's next.

E

In the person's life, that's a huge gap, yes, and we need to figure that out. We need to.

E

Bridge it and there's some good answers to that. We haven't gotten that far. We need to get there.

E

We need to put a priority on that because we look at our workforce. Our workforce is aging.

E

The workforce we have in place is aging. We need to bring our young folks in, and we've got a good.

E

We have a good number of young people here that are in this county and they want to work. They.

E

Just don't know how to do it; they just they need to be able to have that confidence level.

E

To be able to take that next step and to get some job skills, and I think that um that is.

E

The answer I mean, I'm convinced, that's, I say it a lot. I know you've heard me talk about it. Chris.

E

It's a way to resolve the workforce issue and we can get incredibly qualified folks.

E

That just live down the road they don't have to come from someplace else. That's right.

E

And I do think we have some great gifts, there's a great bit of talent. I think that um industry is so.

E

Willing to work with that, I know they're working with the defense industry and developing.

E

Contracts now that'll bring in apprenticeships. Apprenticeships is the answer. That's the link.

E

But do not wait uh to graduation. My thought would be to wait to the um to have this happen. Their.

E

Senior year in high school and get the forest tax and tech uh center more fired up, more people.

E

Participating in that because I know there's a lot of number that want to get in, but they can't.

E

Because they don't support it, but you know that would support if we could expand that program.

E

Get the apprenticeships going their senior year work with industry, which.

E

um I know there's a number of folks that are on this call that know about that.

E

And their senior year, that's when they develop their soft skills right so that upon grad and.

E

Most seniors only work and only go to school for a couple classes for graduation requirements.

E

They could go to work that second part of the day and then at that point, they've got.

E

Those skills in place they've been working with the industry, they know what's required,.

E

So upon graduation is a seamless transition from graduation to a job. That's an ideal situation.

E

It's not not hard to do and there's so many folks willing to do that and there's a lot.

E

Of companies expanding that are looking for that kind of talent and I think it's doable.

E

And I do think it's an incredible opportunity to replenish our workforce absolutely and.

B

Springboarding off of that, I think even the the kids that do receive post-secondary education, the.

B

Problem we've had for so long and are still having is you know? Yes, saint mary's.

B

County is getting more desirable to for young professionals, but the there are so many kids that.

B

Go away to college or to grad school and they don't come back. So while we're bringing in all.

B

These transient people, that you know their homes are somewhere else and hoping that they stay.

B

We need to put more of an emphasis on bringing back the people that or the.

B

The people that went to high school here in the first place I went away for college one.

B

Way for grad school because then they have a they come back and they have a real, meaningful reason.

B

To stay here, their family's here, their friend, a lot of the friends are here.

B

That is that's going to represent a higher chance of likelihood of them.

B

Really setting down long-term roots that I think any you know any given.

B

Transplant or transient person, the likelihood would be of them setting down roots.

A

One of the things I failed to mention during the announcements was that saint mary's county.

A

Entered into an agreement for a program called the act, work ready community program.

A

Act is the college testing agency, so ellen flowers, fields from csm has had several stakeholder.

A

Meetings with the three southern maryland counties- other stakeholders, superintendents schools, other.

A

Players to to introduce this concept and we're all interested and we're all going to sign this.

A

Agreement, what it is it's a certification for workers, so they certify workers at a certain level.

A

And if we're, if we join this process, which we are, we can become become a work ready community.

A

Meaning that, if we're trying to attract companies, we can say we're a ct work, ready community.

A

If you're an employer, you can say we're looking for people who are act, work ready. We have.

A

Certificates, if you're a worker you can you can go and get a certificate. You can get it by testing.

A

If you're deficient, you can take courses at csm or other places to get that level and get that.

A

Certification, so you can go to an employer, an employer may say I'm looking for someone who's.

A

A ct work ready got their certification. Employee can say I have that it can be an easier connection.

A

For the employer and for the employee and good for us in economic development, also so we're having a.

A

All-Day boot camp on the 29th, I think it is and next friday to learn more about the program.

A

Excuse me learn more about the program and get trained by the ect folks. So we're excited about.

M

That sounds good yeah, so I would say I would say the challenge in most programs, especially.

M

Internship programs are the applicants that get that receive. Those internships are usually the.

M

Kids, that are going to end up going to college and they're going to those going to, because that.

M

Looks really good on a on a college application and then those kids usually stay away right. So.

M

When we're developing programs, we need to think about um how we can cater to the kids, who are.

M

Stuck in perpetual uh of poverty and kind of meet those kids where they are now and.

M

um Give them a ladder to to that next step. We don't necessarily need a program of the.

M

Of our top students, because our top students are going to find their way, they've they've always.

M

Done and that's that's kind of where we're stuck right now, that's kind of why we have the problem.

M

We have is because you know our top students, like, like elizabeth, said they they receive their.

M

Internship, when they're in in high school their senior year, they graduate they graduate. They go.

M

To a college- and they just decide to stay away to where you know we have a base of of people here.

M

That we need to cultivate and educate, and then those will end up being the workers that go to.

M

Work in the manufacturing sector yep another great and that's perhaps one of the areas that we've.

C

Not talked about in terms of what assistance can be provided during the during the year of covet.

C

You know we're now probably heading to the third year school year of interruption yeah, you know and.

C

From talking to some of the teachers, they say that a good portion of their students.

C

They haven't heard from since cobot started, so remote learning is fine, except for the weaker.

C

Students and those who don't have the resources and don't have the support at home to actually.

C

Stick with it, what is happening, those to those children? You know we are already ranked in the.

C

Industrialized world, I think the u.s rex ranks 38 in in first in elementary and secondary education.

C

Most countries are back in school; they have not been out of school for as long as we had.

K

And yet, like I said, we're going into the third school year, probably.

C

What can we do to to support that and to see if we can maybe supplement, I hate to say, give.

C

Money to the school board because it doesn't seem that that's the issue it doesn't seem to.

C

Be an effort to to provide other mechanisms to bring those children who children will be.

C

Left behind back into the education system, so that's a real problem. Fairfax county just put.

E

Just before thanksgiving it came out and they made this announcement, fairfax county, which is one of.

E

The largest in the united states, um 70 over 70 of their students, were failing because of covet.

E

They need to see teachers, they need to be with a teacher. They need to interact with teachers.

E

So within our own county, I know I do a lot of work with with teachers. I work with a lot of students.

E

And uh I it's not unfamiliar to see some students have zeros at this point. They started the year.

E

And in september they have zeros. What does that mean? Well, zeros mean they're, not attending class.

E

Yeah right now they don't have that discipline. Why? Because we've been educated with teachers so that.

E

Is that is a serious issue with our education? It's going to be an issue. That's going to follow us for.

E

A long time is that from the lack of discipline, or is it from lack of network infrastructure? It's.

E

From not attending the class, they have to check in to say that they're at school and they get a zero.

E

They're not doing that, but I'm thinking, if they don't have the reliable internet or if they don't.

B

Have access to even a basic laptop or have to share it with their brothers and sisters that the.

B

The accessibility of you know the bearer essentials is.

B

Even before we look at this, one is one of the the more foundational aspects of this is you need to.

B

Give them the tools first, so that they and you know that they are able to attend class and then.

B

If they still don't want to, if they still don't have the discipline or if they still.

B

Aren't getting the support at home or from their teachers, then we look at that, so the county did.

M

Offer they did offer wi-fi hotspots right um and laptops too to students. Let's not forget that we.

H

Do have a large number of homeless in this county, as does calvert county and then how do you how.

H

I mean that now you're, not even talking about computers or internet you're, talking about basics,.

A

So I don't want to cut off this good discussion, we're deviating from strengths a little bit.

A

Which is fine, I think we want to morph into that when we talk about weaknesses and.

A

Opportunities and threats, I think, we've hit some of those. I know we're.

A

Starting to come up on eight o'clock soon here, so it's okay with the chair, I'd like to move on we've.

A

Recorded the the comments that you guys have put um put down, I also want to mention that.

A

County department budgets were due last friday or the friday before last friday, and I did put.

A

In my budget, a request for thirty five thousand dollars for a consultant to help us put together.

A

The update of the seds just to kind of help us frame that a little bit so we'll see if that.

A

Gets traction with the commissioners we probably won't know until april or.

A

May have a good idea, then, but I'll report on that when I hear some positive news, hopefully.

A

So if it's okay, uh we can move on to d in the on the agenda, is that okay, elizabeth and then maybe.

A

You can take that one future sets of work sessions. uh Yes, so this is essentially determining.

B

Considering that we have you know these meetings, I don't want to keep you guys here until nine.

B

O'clock, I know everyone has lives outside this place um I, and that we are finding different focus.

B

Areas for each meeting and we're really delving into them. It seems to me that the best way to.

B

Break down and to update and revise and edit sets and the strategic plan would to be, how would.

B

Be separate work sessions outside of this, whether it's once every four weeks once every six weeks.

B

We can determine that um the location. I believe that we had already tentatively planned on room.

B

104 so governmental center. I think the way it works and kelly can uh help me out if I'm.

A

Saying this wrong, but I think if we want to meet in person, given the code of restrictions.

B

Yeah yeah: well, if we want to meet in person, it's got to be in this room.

A

We can meet on if everybody's on the phone, with no.

A

Visual just a conference call. We can do that at any time. But if you want to meet like this, for.

A

Webex, it has to be in this room. Okay, so 104 is no longer an option. What are these work sessions.

B

Specifically, it would be to uh go over the sets and we can also determine the work structure.

B

Kind of section by section determine what um what we want to see updated whether it's.

B

Quantitative data qualitative data determine, if you know, maybe we need to take a.

B

Different trajectory when it comes to certain items and then once.

B

You know we've sort of looked at the entire sets and then we would take those principles and update.

B

And really rehab try to rehash the strategic plan, so it better represents the newly revised sets.

A

So just one comment that, because I have put in for a consultant who may help us frame this a little.

A

Bit, I think I think, as a next meeting, probably in april right end of april, do we have a date for the.

A

Next meeting it's quarterly yeah, but I don't know the date okay. So let's just assume it's.

A

April 20th or something whatever the wednesday is through wednesday. um We, if you we can certainly.

A

If the, if the commission wants to set work sessions now, we could also possibly wait.

A

Till the april meeting, when I'll have a better idea, whether we're going to get a consultant.

A

If we're going to have a consultant, we may want to marry. Have that person help us kind of lead.

A

Maybe some of those discussions or help us lead us in this in this project and because we're not.

D

Starting from scratch, like we were last time, we're updating right. So I don't know how much.

B

But with the material that we cover in the regular eight quarter meetings and adding probably.

B

Half an hour 45 minutes worth of covering the uh update of the sets into each meeting. That.

B

Really has us pushing two and a half hours yeah I was just. I was just questioning. You know what.

D

We were going to do at them, but if you know, if we're meeting quarterly what if we met monthly.

D

Yeah and had every other meeting was about sets or something, but then you would still.

C

You still need to look at at what you're going to develop, and I last year we talked about this.

C

It seems strange that it's a year ago, but that you really have to start with the existing sets.

C

And see what was discussed, what was done, what was accomplished and, more importantly, what was.

C

Not accomplished and if it wasn't accomplished, why not and how do we need and how can we, how.

C

Can we move forward and accomplish that in the next period of time, and we did.

A

Have those discussions we went through the sets point by point to talk about what we've.

A

Accomplished and our progress in all those very specific areas, we took several meetings to do.

A

That so we did have a little, not that we can't certainly re refresh that and bring that to the.

A

Force we can use that as a discussion point, but that um yep okay and that that document, where you.

H

Reviewed is in our board, docks from prior meetings. Correct, yes, yes, and just to remind everyone. This.

B

Is the said it's not in its entirety? Not you know, it doesn't have the appendix and it doesn't have.

B

The tourism and hospitality master plan it doesn't have the ag plan doesn't have.

B

The this isn't even the strategic plan included in it. So we have, we do have a fair amount of material.

B

That, if nothing else, we need to refresh ourselves on and be able to bring it up to date, call.

B

Know what sorry be able to call out the metrics that need to be updated from it? You know even.

B

Things like the uh what the urban areas or from the one that's currently in here.

B

Is what the urban areas were in st mary's county in 20 2002, and what the urban areas.

B

Were in 2010 so bring that up to date more to like 2017, to reflect it and make sure.

B

That everything's, in line to then condense it down into the strategic plan.

B

So considering that amount of workload, I really think that it would behoove us to set aside a.

B

Series of separate work sessions, so we can tackle that. Isn't some of this going to be done by staff.

D

And the consultants well yeah, I mean we'll look for your, I mean we can continue. Yes, I mean if.

A

You ask for specific information, and what do you want us to do next and you guys can help direct.

A

What you, what you want us to prevent, provide for you? We can certainly do research. We can bring back.

A

The other document go through that it's kind of up to you to you guys to do that, and even I mean.

A

Setting work sessions- that's totally up to the the group, you guys can vote on it. If you want.

A

You know the meetings we have, the official meetings are quarterly doesn't mean.

A

You can't have additional meetings if you want, if you want to have them again,.

A

It might be a little difficult to get this room, it's typically a pretty busy room, so it may have.

A

To be phone just conference calls, but we can do it that way or we can check on this room also.

D

Okay, one of the real issues with consultants. I've worked with quite a few of them.

C

Is that if you have an existing document, they work off that, but now there's very little.

C

Opportunity for for public hearings very little opportunity for public discussions.

C

So you're bringing somebody in who is basically reworking.

C

An old document and how up to date it is, and how relevant it is, is something that really is up.

C

To us, I think you know so you cannot simply say to the consultant good luck to you. This is nice.

C

And get a get a very glossy document, suggesting that I was just saying from having the document.

D

That we have, I would think that staff would have would before we got started, would have already.

D

Brought in the updated information that you're talking about, I think that would already happen.

A

Yeah I mean just speaking to the consultant, I mean 35. 000 is a pretty small amount.

A

It's not, I mean, I think, when we did that when we it was over a hundred thousand dollars to get that.

A

Kind of data that we got more than that, so this is just to kind of help us frame it. No one's going to.

A

Do the complete plan, it's still going to be up to staff and the commission to actually put the.

A

Update together, in terms of you know, the strategic plan was approved in 2017, so we're not that far.

A

Removed from that, so it shouldn't be that outdated. So, in terms of lawyers, comment about we're not.

A

Starting from scratch, we have a good basis. I think the strategic plan, in my opinion, is pretty solid.

A

And will it have to be tweaked a little bit? It can certainly be updated. We have covid now, which.

A

Is something kind of an unknown, so that's going to maybe have an effect on what we think we want to.

A

Focus on in the in the coming years, yeah there's also an educational aspect to developing this. You.

C

Know, although the previous plan was approved by by the commissioners by the county commissioners,.

C

You know to what extent they were really into the detail of this and whether they agreed with many.

C

Of these policies, yeah, you know that were proposed is really questionable. If you look at the action.

C

Since, since the plan was put in place, yeah, okay, so that's also important in terms of and if anyone is.

B

Looking for bedtime reading, this is an excellent source better than sleeping. If you have insomnia.

B

So, um yes, I guess we can. uh Ideally, I would like to vote on the if nothing else setting the first.

B

Work session day, I guess at the next meeting we can or at the work session we can determine.

B

When the next one needs to be after that and or we can pre-schedule it with regularity, we can do four.

B

Weeks within five weeks, six weeks, whatever the uh the commission feels is appropriate.

C

Why not set one meeting between now and the next regular meeting dedicate that solely.

C

To to looking at this and and planning out how this is going to proceed.

D

That works for me and then that and then maybe you guys could check and see the availability of.

D

This space or okay- so maybe about six weeks from now but you're thinking, sounds reasonable. Yeah.

A

Okay is there because I think it would be better if we were, if we could be in here than trying to.

D

Be on a telephone, I think it would be they're difficult meetings when you have everybody on.

H

The phone: it's really hard to get your voice heard, and it's a lot of information too.

D

Yes to to share, um I think it would be better if we could do it more. Can I possibly get a.

B

Motion to approve the first work session for six weeks from now, I move to approve.

H

The first session work session for six weeks from now and second, approximately.

A

Six weeks from now, depending on the availability of this room, yeah availability, yes,.

D

We're there around that period, yeah awesome uh those on webex. What is the census from you.

J

Yes, yes, for mike, I'm in all right, yeah, it's for kristin, sure, okay, yes,.

B

And in the room? Yes, yes, yes, yes, okay, motion, passed.

B

So we will uh set the date of six weeks from now. I think wednesday same time, depending on we'll.

C

Have to get back to you, okay, yep, yeah, okay and um six weeks from our first work session.

A

And are you going to do you want us to bring stuff to you? Are you going to use that time.

A

For yourself to set your agenda for how you want to proceed, uh ideally, I um I think me and lisa.

B

Can uh work with you in the time leading up to it and figure out a structure? Okay, that's good.

A

All right, the next item on the agenda's open discussion, um that's a time for everyone on.

A

The commission to provide any comment or update or whatever announcement that they want to provide so.

A

What you want to start with the people on the line in columbus- I don't know who's there.

F

Mike, do you have anything you want to contribute to open discussion.

J

No, nothing additional thanks, rich.

N

uh No, it's been a good discussion, but I mean in spite of what we talked about just to kind.

N

Of let you know the chamber's kind of held his own, but last year we had 36 new members.

N

Join and 23 of those joined actually during the during the coven between march and december.

N

And we've actually had three new members so far this year. Good, so obviously you know there's.

N

Things still happening down in st mary's with businesses, and the thing is most all these. You.

N

Know they're overwhelmingly small businesses, so people you know seem to still be holding on.

N

To everything, so I think we're we're still kind of holding our own we've had some members.

N

Who have dropped, but not a lot of them have been that we've got notice of just because.

N

They're going out of business, so I think we're holding our own that's great in the county tom.

I

You know I'm nothing major. I think um my biggest comment uh based on what I've said.

I

Something I said earlier is: I think we need to make sure that we're prepared.

I

From a government contracting standpoint uh for the the worst may be yet to come,.

I

But but I think for the most part the county's done quite well. I appreciate specifically the.

I

Financial support: that's come from the county to a lot of our small businesses and hopefully.

I

You guys can keep that going so so good job. We appreciate it chris yeah. Thank you. Phil.

L

uh Not much just a couple of things uh it, it has been a challenging year.

L

Certainly, for a lot of small businesses, the water community, the watermen got hit pretty.

L

Hard this year, just because of you know a lot of what they do is directly related to.

L

How well the restaurant business is doing so it all kind of trickles downhill, but.

L

You know on a positive note and looking forward to things getting back to some normalcy this year.

L

I think that we do have a lot of opportunity in the future uh we're working on a lot of positive.

L

Things behind the scenes uh with tourism and whatnot so kind of rolling up our sleeves and.

L

Looking forward to, hopefully a better prosperous year this year, tristan, are you on.

O

I am sorry I couldn't be there tonight, but I guess with restrictions. You know we got to do.

O

What we have to do, thank goodness for technology, but hope all is well with everyone. I appreciate.

O

Chris and your team for hearing us out as a board, I heard some great things tonight.

O

Highlighting the point of being engaged being involved, bridging the gap, I thought that's a.

O

Great thing- and you know being an involved board, I think- will just bounce back and service well.

O

And you know personally, I hope to be more engaged in the community. You know as a young.

O

Professional and I think that'll just garner more support from other professionals around so I know.

O

St mary's county is a strong community and I'm sure we'll see our way out of it. Ron.

F

That's probably, I can't tell who the other phone call is. That's right: okay, barb.

E

um I thought it was great discussion. I thought we had great conversation, a lot of great ideas.

E

I thought it was interesting that we were talking strengths and got into opportunities. How cool is.

E

That very good, very good two. I wanted to commend um the economic development department for its.

E

Work it did in helping especially the non-profits in getting extra funds to help keep going. You.

E

Know I I look at nonprofits, they always have. They always have a very limited budget. They're always.

E

Struggling and it's great to see the nonprofits um have a little help. So thank you for doing that.

H

Yeah I just would like to bring in the perspective from small business.

H

Development center and say that, in addition uh being able to help many businesses in the area.

H

With accessing the monies that were available, federally statewide and locally.

H

We also are still having multiple meetings with new businesses.

H

Businesses, people that are ready to start new businesses. So that's encouraging to me that.

H

Many of my meetings are made up of new small businesses, great love to hear that.

B

um I would just like to give a big thank you and shout out to chris kelly and the rest of.

B

The ded for such a successful grant program for the industries and the small businesses that.

B

Really, I know that that really has been the lifeblood of the county for the past.

B

Nine ten months and has given us a passing shot at being able to.

B

Recover from this quicker than those counties that may not have had the level of support that.

B

You guys have provided to st mary's, so thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you and I'll.

A

Specifically thank kelly hinkle at this time. Who's really led all of our grant program and.

A

All of our teams been involved, but kelly's really gone over and above and she gives out her personal.

A

Phone number cell number for anyone who is applying for granted west questions he's.

A

Personally, led many many people to get successful grant, so thank you kelly for all your work.

D

um I'd just like to state that I'm encouraged, I'm always when we get into these meetings and.

D

You think about what's going on and the things that are happening in the county. It's amazing. I.

D

Was born and raised here, and it's just amazing to me of where we've been and where we're going.

D

Even given everything we're we're into, I mean we're thinking about it.

D

You know we're planning for it and I'm encouraged and welcome to I'm sorry, you should've done at.

A

The beginning, but welcome to our newest member theresa mitchell, is that right. Thank you. Thank.

A

You for joining us thanks for saying you wanted to be part of the edc. Maybe if you want to take.

A

One second and say who you are and what you, what you do and why you're interested and anything.

P

Theresa mitchell and I own a campground in the area, take it easy campground in callaway, okay, we.

P

Have 240 sites and we actually cater to transient workers. We bring in quite a few transient workers.

P

uh That spend money within the count the county, so I I spent 22 years with the second district.

P

Volunteer fire department, okay, great yeah, so welcome. Thank you nothing from me. Okay,.

C

That leaves me, I guess it does well. First of all, I want to thank chris and kelly and and destiny and.

C

The others who have helped so much not only in in our business, you know, as we went through difficult.

C

Times, but uh but also for for the company and for everyone who is involved. Thank you. I recently had.

C

The opportunity to have a new neighbor move into our neighborhood, with a very large investment.

C

Who has just closed her transaction, fantastic and- and I was just delighted to see how.

C

With a call to chris and kelly, they put together effectively a work group of the county to really.

C

Encourage her to invest several million dollars and more to come in a new business on a street.

C

Where housing ranges from two million dollars to a hundred and twenty eight thousand dollars.

C

You know and where you have really a mixture of old, saint mary's and the influx of businesses.

C

From in this case, from annapolis coming here, so it was a great demonstration to me of.

C

Of how the economic development group can really be influential in convincing people that this is.

C

Where they want to come, and this is where they want to invest well, thank you that was.

C

Not her original plan, she was looking at calvert county. You guys convinced her okay and she's here.

A

um I want to thank you for being an extension of our office. Really you.

A

You kind of went through the development process and you encouraged her and gave her.

A

Kind of like 101 on how to do development in the county and you brought us in so I want to thank.

A

You gerald for that. If I may now move on to a sadder topic and and it's something that we talked.

C

About a year ago, I had concerns a year ago, and we talked about it at that time that the the review.

C

Of planning planning and zoning was going on and from some of the rumors that I heard at that time.

C

That this would have a very negative impact on some of our businesses and some of our industries.

C

But one of those has now come about and is going to go to a public hearing next week on the 25th.

C

By the county, commissioners, who are considering a draft resolution that has come forward from.

C

The planning and zoning review that was going on to, in my view, put a wedding industry out.

C

Of business, can I interrupt you because the commissioners did kill that? Yes, they they had.

A

A public forum last tuesday yeah and they passed a motion to move it to indefinitely.

D

Definitely postpone everything, so it's off the agenda and it's all right. Well, that's good! So.

C

For those who are not aware, it was a proposal to effectively rezone farm weddings by saying.

C

We, you could not have a farm wedding unless you get every uh homeowner within a thousand feet.

C

Of your boundaries to sign off on it and more egregious than that, it effectively said you know.

C

What we can do, we cannot just rezone it, but we can now force you to go out, come and get a new permit.

C

In order for you to conduct weddings, but you can't do more than one wedding a week, you can't do more.

C

Than 20 per year, you have to bring your entrance ways up to the standards of a public road. You.

C

Have to have speed signs on your roads. You have to have a number of conditions that would have simply.

C

Ended this industry altogether, and it is not just to rezoning. It was, in my view, an expropriation.

C

Of the investment that those people had made in those farms, I don't run a wedding site. I don't run.

C

I don't run a farm wedding uh proposal, but it would have a heavy impact on all businesses.

C

You know again coming back to and to the economists we talked about before.

C

There should be a real boom in weddings next year right, you know and we're going forward and trying.

C

To put them out of business, and what was most egregious was that this, according to one of the.

C

Commissioners in the december meeting was all motivated by two complaints that they received.

C

If two complaints can put the farm weddings out of business.

C

Are we going to put the bars out of business that are within the thousand feet of a house.

C

What about 7-eleven should we put them out of business? What about walmart.

C

You know so so this is where a group like like this should really be aware in developing the.

C

Ceds as well to sort of warn against those kind of retro retrograde steps and I'll just that can.

C

Really damage what we are trying to achieve and the visit st mary's md are tourism nonprofit. There.

A

Does all tourism activity for the county? They were heavily involved in that issue. They helped with.

A

Some alternate proposals: they helped organize some comments and stuff, so they were very instrumental.

A

They were all over it and we spent a lot of time on it. Also in our office, yeah, wonderful.

A

All right, so, thank you for all your comments. um Next item is the election of officers and.

A

I'll turn over to kelly for how we're going to do this, so you have received an email with.

F

The link to the surveymonkey to vote and the link has also but been put in the chat. So if you can't.

F

Access either the chat or your email to vote online, I do have paper ballots. So if you want to.

F

Raise your hand if you want a paper ballot I'll come around yeah. Are we going to do this now or.

A

So it's going to be so explain how some people are online, so explain the whole process.

A

Yes, we are doing it now: okay, yep yeah. We are voting now. So if you click the survey, monkey link.

F

In the chat or the email that you received, it'll bring up the ballot and it looks exactly like.

F

The nomination ballot, except for it, has just the the number of people that were nominated for each.

F

Office and just click on the person you're voting for and hit done at the bottom of the.

F

Survey monkey, so everybody was invited to nominate somebody or themselves and then we did go through.

A

For people who are nominated to make sure they would accept the position so, for example, more.

A

People were nominated for chair, but some people declined that opportunity. So this is where we are.

A

Now so does anybody need a paper ballot? We can anybody got it. I I'd be sure yeah, okay,.

C

A

And if amy can play the jeopardy music during this, we appreciate that.

F

Hey, oh okay, that's great bye and um just while you're doing that uh the officers serve for one.

A

Year so there's one year term, so thank you I mean you can be. Obviously you can be re-elected.

A

But we are required by the bylaws to do an election at the beginning of every calendar year.

A

And good opportunity to um thank the current slave officers and you may be on there again.

A

But you may not, but just thank you for serving elizabeth as chair and lisa's.

A

Vice chair and gerald is secretary, so thank you for helping us out. I wasn't listening.

A

I think kelly's communicating with destiny, who's got the. I am I'm.

F

Communicating with the person looking at the survey monkey.

A

I'm sorry, I don't have the date of the next meeting, but we will get that out to you guys.

A

Tomorrow, well, we'll get two things: one is the work session and then the next regular meeting.

A

While we're waiting, another update, um visit, st mary's md, um is still in the process of.

A

Searching for a new executive director, so we've interviewed a couple people and we're still in.

A

That process, so we've been without one for a while, but we hope to get one on board soon.

A

And visit st marriage will take a sales and I'm sorry, a marketing and media plan to the.

A

Commissioners next tuesday, so the chair of the board, uh regina faden, from historic, st mary's,.

A

She'll be giving that report next tuesday and the next meeting will be april 21st just fyi. Thank you.

A

A

Another quick update, while we're here waiting. uh I think you know that tech port was something.

A

That we stood up at the s incubator at the airport. We stood that up with funding from.

A

Mike schroeder's tech transfer office at knock ad, we did a three year operating agreement with.

A

The university of maryland to operate that that agreement came to a close december 31st.

A

So we're in the process. Now we did get some funding for five months to continue the lease.

A

uh Tommy logan bill's, a director he's paid, I think, currently through the end of march or.

A

Beginning of march, but we're in the process of working with various stakeholders to try.

A

To find continued funding for tech boards, it's an important asset for airport innovation district. We.

A

We know it's harder to start an incubator from scratch and keep on going so we've got various.

A

People kind of brainstorming and talking to people so more to come on that, but we're doing all we can.

F

We're channeling georgia. We need to have a runoff in the secretary position, yeah, okay,.

F

Destiny's gonna do a quick link or if you should well she's gonna, do a.

F

Quick link because the people on the phone are gonna need to.

F

F

So her secretary is between uh john barr and gerald merriman.

K

Okay. Well, since I voted for john barr very happily step aside and do something else,.

A

That's john: would you like to be secretary sure, no objection? Okay, good, okay, so our elected slate.

F

Of officers is elizabeth for chair lisa, for vice chair and john for secretary. All right.

A

Good good! Congratulations to everybody! Thank you. Thank you. The team. Yes, yes, good team. I think yes,.

A

I think we're ready to entertain a motion to adjourn unless anybody has anything else.

D

Make a motion to adjourn questions. We are yearned and the next meeting will be.

B

April 21st of 2021 for the next schedule, regular official quarterly meeting of the commission.

B

Quarterly meeting will be april 21st and we will email you with the date of the next workstation.

A

Section approximately six weeks away. Okay, thank you. Everybody appreciate it.