March 17 Commissioners’ Meeting Update

News Release # 2026-039

Thursday, March 19, 2026

On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Charles County Commissioners held their first work session on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. This work session focused on the proposed budgets for Water and Sewer, Recreation, Landfill, Stormwater, Environmental Services, Inspection and Review, Cable, and Community Reinvestment and Repair Funds, and associated fees and charges. The proposed Tax Differential for the Town of La Plata and the Town of Indian Head was also presented.

Residents who wish to give feedback on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget can do so until March 31, 2026, by visiting the Charles County Fiscal Year 2027 Budget engage page and participating in the online survey. Budget work sessions will continue through April 28, 2026. The Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing on the budget on April 29, 2026. The budget is expected to be adopted on May 12, 2026.

Briefings

• Vincent DeMarco from Maryland Health Care for All Coalition led a presentation to the Charles County Commissioners on Maryland's Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) and ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of prescription medications for residents. The presentation explained how rising drug prices affect families, employers, and government budgets, and outlined the state's approach to addressing these costs through the PDAB, created in 2019 and later expanded to set upper payment limits on certain high-cost drugs.

• Staff from the Department of Emergency Services, Department of Public Works, and the County Attorney's office presented an overview highlighting how the County's Emergency Medical Services & Special Operations Division (EMS&SOD) is planning for Capital Improvement Projects to add EMS Station Locations to meet community needs. The presentation outlined a detailed statistical analysis of proposed locations for new career EMS & SOD stations in growing areas of the County to improve coverage, reduce response times, and better serve increasing call volumes.

• Christie Burnett, Executive Director of the Charles County Charitable Trust, led a presentation to the Charles County Commissioners, providing an overview of the Trust's annual report and its impact on the local nonprofit community. Burnett shared that the Trust awarded 25 grants totaling just over $1 million in Fiscal Year 2025. The presentation highlighted how the Trust administers grant funding to support nonprofit organizations that deliver critical services to residents, including housing, food assistance, health care, education, and community development programs.

• Planning and Growth Management staff led a presentation to the Charles County Commissioners, providing an update on the County's Water Supply Program and ongoing efforts to ensure a reliable and sustainable water system for current and future residents. The presentation outlined both short- and long-term strategies to meet growing demand, including a planned interconnection with the WSSC water system to bring additional treated surface water into Waldorf and reduce reliance on groundwater sources. Staff also discussed plans for a future water treatment plant to expand capacity and support long-term growth, as well as improvements in water quality through blending and treatment processes. The update highlighted project timelines, funding through the County's Capital Improvement Program, and the importance of planning for population growth and environmental sustainability.

Actions on Boards and Commissions

• Commissioners appointed LaVon Proctor as an At-Large member and Kerry-Ann Williams as a District 2 Member to the Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board).

Legislative Update

• Danielle Mitchell, Acting Deputy County Administrator, provided an update on the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. Commissioners reached consensus to support SB987, which would remove tax deductions for the cost of direct advertising of prescription drugs to consumers. The status of the bills proposed by the Commissioners to the Charles County Delegation remains unchanged since the last update.

Approval Items

Commissioners approved:

• A budget transfer request for $65,700 to support the cost of updating the Land Preservation Parks and Recreation Plan.
• A letter of support for the Banana Ball World Tour at Blue Crabs Stadium.
• A letter of support for Fiscal Year 2027 Congressional Earmark funding for Melwood's Nanjemoy Campus.

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