[0:00] I'd like to ask the Associate Pastor Maurice Mason with new creation Bible Church and Saint Leonard to come forward for invocation.

[0:12] Good morning and thank you all for the invitation to come, amen. Let us pray. Dear eternal God, Father Lord, as you sit high and look low, Lord God, you know the state of affairs, Lord God in our nation, Lord God. Lord, as you, Lord God, have.

[0:35] called men, Lord God, should to govern, Lord God.

[0:39] Father, I do pray, Lord God, for those, Lord God, who you have placed, Lord God, over this

[0:47] county, Lord God, over this nation, over this country, Lord God.

[0:53] Father, Lord God, I pray for unity in the body, Lord God, in the nation, Lord God.

[0:59] Lord, for you said in your word, Lord, that Lord, how's the body cannot stand?

[1:07] So God, I do thank you, Lord, for this opportunity, Lord God.

[1:11] For your word tells us, Lord, to pray for all men and those in authority, Lord God.

[1:18] Lord, it doesn't matter.

[1:20] Their name, it doesn't matter where they from, Lord God.

[1:24] But it's that you place them, Lord God, where they are, Lord God.

[1:28] I pray, Lord God, that we would humble ourselves and pray and seek your face and

[1:33] Lord, for those of us who know you that we would turn from our wicked ways, so you would hear from heaven

[1:38] for give our sins and heal this land, Lord God.

[1:42] You know everything that's going on in the county, Lord God, but God, if we seek you, Lord

[1:47] God, you are the one who can change it, Lord God, you will set things in order, and I pray for

[1:54] Each of these commissioners, Lord God, all of the representatives, Lord God, Lord everyone

[1:59] that's here, Lord God, that we would seek you, Lord God.

[2:04] Because you're able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask to think according

[2:09] to the power of that work within us, Lord God.

[2:13] Father, keep us humble, Lord God.

[2:15] Keep your people the church, Lord God.

[2:18] For ever looking unto you and your Son, Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Lord God.

[2:26] Now, Father, whatever is done, Lord God,

[2:29] Lord may aglorify you, Lord God, not bring shame to your name, Lord God.

[2:34] Lord, may we be a people of peace and unity, Lord God.

[2:39] Lord, we would show others the way, Lord God.

[2:43] Lord, I thank you for this, and I pray this,

[2:46] in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

[3:13] Thank you for the opportunity.

[3:18] Good morning, Mr. Hans Commissioner.

[3:21] Hans, we basically grew up together.

[3:24] But yes, I'm with new creation Bible Church.

[3:26] We're at 50, 50, 50 St. Leonard Road in St.

[3:29] Leonard Merrill and there at the auction house. Many people may know the auction house where

[3:34] Bible teaching ministry we do we love to do outreach and looking indeed for more opportunities

[3:42] in the county to do outreach to the homeless and we see the population growing there. That's

[3:49] a focus we need to get a hold of in prayer first and then work along with the commissioners and

[3:54] agencies in the county to better our communities and safeguard our communities.

[4:01] But we do indeed have an upcoming event on September 20th, friends and family day, but

[4:08] you don't have to wait until then.

[4:10] We're always open on Sundays, 9.30 a.m. we have SOS, which is study of scripture.

[4:18] 11 a.m. we have our regular service on Friday nights.

[4:23] We have prayer service at 7 o'clock.

[4:25] You're welcome to come by or you're welcome to submit prayer requests to us.

[4:30] We love to pray.

[4:32] That's what the Word of God calls us to do.

[4:35] So if you felt led to, please do so, but drop by any time.

[4:40] Just because I'm dressed in a suit, we're blue jeans and tennis shoes.

[4:42] I just let you know that.

[4:44] Amen.

[4:44] So we really don't have any excuse to not to come by.

[4:48] of there's anything, anything that we can do.

[4:53] As a even as a small ministry,

[4:55] we may be small in numbers, but we walk and operate in the...

[5:00] I will of God. And so that's how we are able to accomplish the things that God is calling us to. So again, thank

[5:08] you for the opportunity. Indeed, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance if I had not major

[5:14] acquaintance in person. I look forward to in the future. Amen. Thank you.

[5:19] Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am.

[5:21] Thanks, ma'am.

[5:21] Thanks. Thanks, Mr. Provely, agenda.

[5:24] Mr. President, I move that we approve and adopt the agenda, estimate it.

[5:30] So, if a motion is second, we approve and adopt the agenda, submit as any changes or amendments

[5:35] to the agenda.

[5:37] Hearing none.

[5:38] All those in favor say aye.

[5:39] The pose.

[5:41] Motion carries.

[5:42] It takes us to public service announcements.

[5:47] Open meetings compliance board opinion.

[5:48] The Maryland Open meetings compliance board,

[5:50] on August 10th in response to a file complaint.

[5:55] Facilent to Maryland Code 3-211 of the Open Meetings Act, the following summary is provided.

[6:01] On August 10th, 2026, the Open Meetings Act compliance board issued an opinion advising that

[6:06] Calvary County was not in compliance with the Open Meetings Act requirements for public

[6:10] disclosures before and after meeting in closed sessions.

[6:13] with respect to the county's written closing statements from March 11, 18 and August 26, 2025.

[6:21] Excuse me, can you please pull the mic up closer? It's hard to recognize.

[6:25] Okay.

[6:25] All right.

[6:29] On August 10, 2026, the open meetings compliance board issued an opinion advising the

[6:33] decovered county was not compliance with the open meetings act requirements for public

[6:38] disclosures before and after meeting and closed sessions. With respect to the county's written closing statements from March 11, 18

[6:44] In August 26, 2025, the compliance board found that the county aired by only completing part of the required closing statement prior to intervening in closed session.

[6:56] Additionally, the compliance board found that the county aired by not providing enough of a description of the topics to be discussed in the reasons for discussing those topics in closed session.

[7:06] The closed session summaries from May 13, 2025 and April 28, 2026 did not present enough of a

[7:14] description to satisfy the Open Meetings Act.

[7:17] Additionally, the summaries should have included more detail about the reasons for having

[7:22] the meetings in closed session.

[7:25] Finally, the compliance board concluded that the county's website does not violate the Act.

[7:30] The county takes its obligations under the Open Meetings Act seriously, has already implemented

[7:35] changes and will continue to do so as necessary.

[7:38] The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board also rendered an opinion on August 17th in response

[7:43] to a separate file complaint.

[7:46] pursuant to Maryland Code 3-2-11 of the Open Meetings Act, the following summary is provided.

[7:52] On August 17th, 2026, the Open Meetings Compliance issued an opinion advising that

[7:57] government was not in compliance with the Open Meetings Act requirements for public disclosures

[8:04] before and after meeting in closed session.

[8:07] With respect to the county's written closing statements for August 27, 2024, the compliance

[8:14] board found that the county aired by only completing part of the required closing statement

[8:19] prior to convening in closed session or identify why it wanted to discuss it in closed

[8:25] session.

[8:25] Similarly, the closed session summary of the August 27th, 2024 meeting did not present

[8:33] enough of a description to satisfy the open meetings act, and the closed session summary needed

[8:39] to provide more detail.

[8:42] The open meetings compliance board found that it did not have the authority to address

[8:46] whether ratification of the President's signature at the August 27th.

[8:51] Those session was lawful and that there was no violation with respect to the scope of the discussion in that closed session.

[8:59] Additionally, the compliance board found that the county did not violate the act when a boat was conducted at the April 7th, 2026 work session.

[9:08] The county takes its obligations under the Open Meetings Act seriously, has already implemented changes, and will continue to do so as necessary.

[9:16] We would also like to notify the public that there is one additional over-meeting at

[9:20] complaint that the compliance board is currently reviewing.

[9:25] The board anticipates receiving an opinion soon, we will continue to keep the public informed

[9:30] as that opinion is passed down.

[9:33] Maryland Association of Countries, MECO, several staff members as well as commissioners attended

[9:38] summer MECO last week.

[9:39] We had the opportunity to meet with several members of the Governor's Cabinet, including the Secretaries of Maryland Department of Transportation and Commerce.

[9:49] We were also able to meet with the Governor in the Comptroller to discuss the future of Maryland financial status.

[9:55] Thank you to Maryland Association of Counties for another productive summer conference.

[10:00] Back to school. Calvary County Public School students returned to classes Tuesday, August 25, followed by pre-cinder garden and kindergarten students later that week.

[10:09] Be aware, the school buses will soon be back on the roads in Calvary County, be prepared to slow down and stop for students, being picked up and dropped off.

[10:20] Clear the shelters, 2026 promotion, the Lendale Kelly Animal Shelter invites residents to adopt a pet during the month-long clear the shelters, 2026 adoption event, which runs through Saturday August 29.

[10:33] During this campaign, the Shelter will waive adoption fees for all animals, animals of all ages are available for adoption, including dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, roosters, pigs, and more.

[10:44] The shelter recently had a surge of animals for intake, and staff is currently updating their website to reflect many animals available for adoption.

[10:53] Those interested in adopting our encourage to schedule an appointment by calling 14, 535-7387.

[11:01] Shelter hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

[11:04] Parks and Recreation launches new amenity dashboard, Parks and Recreation has launched a new online amenity status dashboard.

[11:12] This new dashboard was developed in-house by technology services and collaboration with Parks and Recreation and provides real-time information on athletic fields and outdoor pools affected by weather and other conditions.

[11:27] Users can quickly check the status of fields and pools from a computer, tablet or smartphone.

[11:33] Residents are encouraged to book market dashboard and use it as their primary source for athletic field and outdoor pool status information.

[11:40] As Facebook, we'll no longer be used to communicate field and pool closers.

[11:46] View the new dashboard at www.caverkonymd.gov, CCPRD, Asport.

[11:55] The weather hotline at 410-535-1600, extension 2640, will remain available for athletic field updates.

[12:03] Storm preparation.

[12:04] Coward has experienced strong storms and recent weeks.

[12:07] Residents are encouraged to download the Catholic Prepare mobile app, which provides residents, businesses and visitors access to emergency alerts, and preparedness guidance.

[12:19] The app includes several key features, emergency checklists, push notifications from emergency management, flood and damage reporting tools, interactive map with locations of interest.

[12:30] The app is free for Apple and Android devices through the Apple App Store or Google Play.

[12:37] Property Tax Bill update.

[12:38] County Treasury Mended Alena has advised that property tax bills are now available online

[12:43] at www.cabricountymd.gov slash slash real property tax.

[12:50] Printed bills are currently being mailed.

[12:53] Residents can make payments online by mail and in person at the Treasury's office,

[13:00] the

[13:00] County administration building for questions call 405 through 5,600 extension 20,630.

[13:07] The North Beach Volunteer Fire Department's 100-year celebration carnival starts Tuesday, August

[13:12] 18, running through Saturday, August 22.

[13:16] The carnival opens at 6 p.m. each night and is located at 8536 Bayside Road in Chesapeake

[13:22] Beach.

[13:24] The 15th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Day is scheduled for Saturday, August 29th from

[13:28] before at the Coward County Fairgrounds. All Coward County volunteer fire rescue

[13:33] the MS volunteers and their immediate family members are invited to attend. This

[13:37] event is an opportunity to celebrate the incredible volunteers and their families

[13:41] who help make our community safer and stronger every day.

[13:48] That takes us to appointments.

[13:52] Coward County Commission for Women. Good morning.

[14:00] Good morning. Good morning.

[14:01] I'm Alicia Yves constituent services specialist. I am here today with just one round of appointments for the Calvert County Commission for women.

[14:11] Stop recommends that you appoint Veronica Burnett, Mary Brown, Christy Jones, Josephine Caprarro, Ashley Adoko and Tracy Lloyd following this action. No vacancies would remain on the commission.

[14:30] Mr. President, I move that the B.O.C.C. appoint the following individuals to the

[14:35] Kaverkana Commission for Women, Veronica Burnett, Mary Bowen, Brown, Christy Jones,

[14:40] Josephine Cabrero, Ashley Adabco, and Tracy Lord.

[14:48] So I have a motion of second of B.O.C.C. appoint the following individuals to Kaverkana

[14:51] Commission for Women, Brown, Cabrana, Mary Brown, Christy Jones, Josephine Cabrero,

[14:56] Ashley.co and Tracy Lourdes, I need to discuss one.

[15:00] And it is us hearing none all of us at their side. The pose, motion carries. That takes us to an award. Bob

[15:09] Brandham, Director of Parks and Recreation.

[15:14] It's the Thurmond Graham Memorial Scholarship Educational

[15:16] Award Program. Thank you. I'm late for your question. Thank you.

[15:22] Good morning, Mr. Bob Brandham, Director of Parks and Recreation. Good morning. Good morning.

[15:27] My name is Emily Roe. So, in the interest of your time, I'm just going to read the conclusion

[15:33] recommendation for the memo that I wrote and then a brief portion of the letter that was sent to Emily.

[15:39] The Department of Parks and Recreation requests that the Board of County Commissioners recognize Emily Rowe,

[15:44] representing the first district, and Jaden Eversal, Jaden couldn't be here today,

[15:48] representing the second district as recipients of the Thurmin Graham Memorial Scholarship Award,

[15:53] no qualified applicants were received from the third district.

[15:56] Part of the memo that we sent to Emily when she was selected to receive the Parks and Recreation Thurmin Grace Scholarship Award

[16:02] read this such. Your commitment to academic excellence combined with your passion for

[16:06] economics has qualified you for this award. The scholarship committee recognized your exceptional

[16:11] talents, potential, and the positive impact that you have demonstrated both in your academic

[16:15] pursuits and your community involvement, especially your committed membership to the

[16:19] environmental team. Receiving this scholarship not only acknowledges your past achievements,

[16:24] but also serves as a testament to your capacity to make a significant contribution in your chosen

[16:29] field. As you embark on this next chapter of the educational journey, we encourage you to

[16:34] make the most of the scholarship and embrace every opportunity it presents both academically

[16:39] and beyond the classroom. So Emily's joining us to receive the Thurmin Graham Memorial

[16:44] Scholarship today.

[16:58] Well, congratulations, Emily. And where are you going to go to school, anyone talk about?

[17:02] I will be attending the University of Maryland this fall and I'll be studying economics.

[17:08] I'm very excited.

[18:05] All

[18:22] right, it takes us to our consent agenda, several items on the consent agenda.

[18:26] Item number one, Office of the County Attorney Southern Coward, Land Trust, requests for tax credits for conservation

[18:32] lot.

[18:33] Item number two, Department of Public Safety, Federal Episcopal Year, 2026 State, Homeland Security,

[18:38] Grant, Program Application, Item number three, Department of Public Works, County Radio

[18:43] Dedication Policy.

[18:45] Item number four, Calvary County Sheriff's Office of Physical Year 2027, Police Recruitment

[18:49] retention grant program, and number five Department of Community Resources, Budget Amendment

[18:54] for Coward Library, State Aid, and Creason Certification, item number six, off to the

[18:59] County Administrator, to lease an operating agreement for Amoree Sculpture Garden in

[19:03] Arts Center, and item number seven, Department of Parks and Recreation, Landon, and Permission

[19:08] Letter from Maryland State Arts Council, Public Art Grant.

[19:13] Go to the motion.

[19:14] I move that the board of County Commission is approved and adopt the consent agenda items.

[19:20] Second.

[19:21] So motion and second it board County Commission is approved and adopt the consent agenda items.

[19:25] Is there any discussion on any of these?

[19:28] Hearing none all those of the papers say aye.

[19:30] Aye.

[19:30] Opposed.

[19:31] Motion carries.

[19:34] Thanks to the public hearing.

[19:36] First public hearing is it 10 30?

[19:38] No.

[19:39] Okay.

[19:42] Should we go to new business item one?

[19:45] So work. Department of Planning and Planning and Planning, purchase and retirement fund and

[19:50] transfer of old development rights reserved for fiscal year 2027.

[19:57] Mr. Franklin.

[20:00] Good morning. Good morning. I have a recusal. I need to read with this as well before we get into it. Commissioner Cox Hans and Ireland would normally have to recuse themselves from considering a voting when items related to TDRs, but doing so with either board without a form and unable to perform business on issues related to TDRs.

[20:18] The Acting County Attorney has advised that is permissible for said commissioner to consider a vote on TDR related business so that the board does not lose a quorum and the county's business may continue

[20:28] Recusal forms will be noted according

[20:31] Okay, good answer

[20:32] Good morning commissioner Jason Bringley director of planning and zoning with me is Jennifer David planner two

[20:38] I'm going to turn it over to Jennifer to walk through this item

[20:42] Good morning commissioner. I'm going to go ahead and read the men the memo since there is no formal presentation

[20:47] So the background for this item is that the Board of County Commissioners established the purchase and retirement or par fund in 1992 to purchase retire and permanently remove transferable development rights which are called TDRs from the development rights market thereby protecting additional farmland acres from development.

[21:07] The TDR Reserve is a county managed program that facilitates TDR sales between farmers and developers and acts as a revolving fund.

[21:18] Discussion.

[21:20] There is $12,950,067 available for part-fund purchases and $980,2,425 available for the TDR Reserve in the budget for fiscal year 2027.

[21:38] The Agricultural Land Preservation Fund is supported by $1.70 of each $5 collected in

[21:46] Recordation Taxes to support Land Preservation in Calvary County.

[21:51] The Power Fund receives General Fund's support from Intergovernmental Revenue Generated

[21:57] by the State Agricultural Transfer Tax and the Recordation Tax revenue dedicated to

[22:02] the Land Preservation Fund.

[22:04] The amount available for transfer is dependent on actual revenues received.

[22:13] The agricultural preservation and advisory board reviewed land prices and various programs

[22:25] and recommends a purchase price of $6,500 per TDR for the fiscal year 2027 par cycle.

[22:32] The Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board also recommends that it difference in the purchase price between the power program and the TDR Reserve be considered to offer a premium for the retirement of TDRs.

[22:48] The Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board assessed TDR and land values when establishing the recommended price.

[22:55] Private market sales of TDRs in the county program averaged $4,755 per TDR in calendar year 2025,

[23:05] and $5,459 in 2026 to date.

[23:13] The agricultural preservation advisory board continues to support the need to fairly compensate participants for the value of land they have protected,

[23:20] while seeking to reach as many applicants as possible and utilize the available funding to its maximum potential.

[23:30] The maximum fiscal impact is 13 million $932,562 in the fiscal year 2027 budget.

[23:42] Staff recommends the VACC consider the agricultural preservation advisory boards recommended purchase price for both programs

[23:49] and direct staff to open the part cycle to receive applications and to continue with the TDR reserve program.

[23:57] And we have coordinated this effort with the Finance and Budget Office.

[24:01] Can I answer any questions?

[24:06] I have any questions?

[24:08] No, I'm Mr. President.

[24:10] Is the Ag Board pretty consistent with this as well?

[24:15] Yes.

[24:16] Okay.

[24:16] In terms of the price or in terms of the price?

[24:20] Yes.

[24:20] Yes, there is a letter that has been attached, that has requested that the Agboard feels the

[24:29] modest increase in the power prices fair after reviewing recent private market TDR sales

[24:34] and comparing land values in Calvary County with other active land preservation programs.

[24:39] And so they have recommended that the fair market value for the price of a TDR is $6500 based on what they have reviewed.

[24:53] Mr. President, I've moved the Board of County Commission to set the purchase price,

[24:58] recommended by the AP.

[25:00] AB of $6,500 per TDR for both the par and reserve programs and direct staff to open the par cycle

[25:08] to receive applications and continue with the TDR reserve program.

[25:19] So, I have a motion and second board countermeasures. That's the purpose. I recommend by the

[25:23] APA of $6,500 per TDR for both the PAR and reserve programs and direct staff to open the PAR

[25:29] cycle to receive applications and continue with the TDR reserve program is during discussion on this.

[25:36] Hearing none all those of the paper say aye.

[25:39] Opposed.

[25:40] Opposed.

[25:41] Opposed.

[25:42] Opposed.

[25:44] Opposed.

[25:46] Opposed.

[25:57] Opposed.

[25:58] is there a body here for that?

[26:02] Yes. Okay. Good.

[26:06] Good morning.

[26:06] Good morning, listeners.

[26:09] Mary Andy's deputy director of budget.

[26:11] I'm going to go ahead and read the memo of this as standard.

[26:14] We do this every year.

[26:16] Okay. The background following adoption of the

[26:19] Cover County's fiscal year, 2027 budget.

[26:22] The Maryland State Department of Education requires the Board of

[26:25] County Commissioners to execute the annual Board of

[26:28] Education Budget Certification Statement.

[26:31] Submission of the Executive Certification is a

[26:36] required component of the Maryland State Department

[26:38] of Education's Annual Budget Reporting Process,

[26:42] and serves as the county's official confirmation

[26:44] of its adopted education funding level.

[26:47] The FY27 Annual Budget Certification Statement

[26:51] requests certification of a recurring local appropriation

[26:55] of $169,794,696 per current expense to gather with the related FY27 annual budget submission

[27:08] to the Maryland State Department of Education. This submission provides the detailed revenue,

[27:14] expenditure, staffing, school construction, debt service, and other schedule supporting the

[27:23] 169,794,696 in appropriations. The FY27 Board of Education statement reflects the appropriation

[27:35] approved by the Board of County Commissioners through adoption of the fiscal 2027 budget.

[27:42] The Board President's signature is required to certify the adopted appropriation and authorize

[27:48] submission of the certification to the Maryland State Department of Education.

[27:52] There is no additional fiscal impact.

[27:56] The certification and reflects funding previously approved as part of the adopted budget.

[28:01] The Department of Finance and Budget requests that the Board of County Commissioners

[28:05] review and if appropriate, authorize the Board President to sign the 27-Cowder County, I'm

[28:11] sorry, fiscal year 27, Cower County Public Schools Annual Budget Certification Statement

[28:16] for submission to the Maryland State Department of Education, certifying the FY27 recurring

[28:22] local current expense appropriation, as reflected in the annual budget certification statement.

[28:30] Do you have any questions for me?

[28:38] I move that the Board of County Commissioners authorized the Board President to sign FY

[28:44] 2027 Calvary County Public Schools Annual Budget Certification Statement for submission to

[28:49] the Maryland Department of Education.

[28:52] Second. So I have a motion and a second in the Board of

[28:55] County Commission's authorised the Board President to sign FY-2027

[28:58] to our County Public Schools annual budget certification statement

[29:01] for submission to Maryland's Department of Education.

[29:05] I'm just going to discuss it on this.

[29:07] Here you know, all those of favor say aye.

[29:10] Aye. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries. Thank you.

[29:13] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[29:14] Thank you. So we're good to go on time now.

[29:18] Here, one minute to pro-reserve.

[29:23] We might have to take a one minute basis.

[29:47] All right, takes 10-30.

[29:50] So first item is public hearing, Department of Finance and Budget,

[29:53] 2026, General Obligation, Bonseau, and Resolution.

[29:59] Good morning.

[30:00] Again, Mary and these Deputy Director of Budget.

[30:04] Good morning to see you in the given Deputy County, Ms. Rader.

[30:08] There are two public hearings scheduled for today. All hearings were duly advertised and the certificate of publication is made part of the record for each hearing.

[30:17] Citizens were invited to provide comment on any or all of the hearings after each presentation has included.

[30:24] Both hearings may have a will have a separate comment period following their brief presentation.

[30:29] Anyone here in person must sign in on this on the sheet next to the attorney to speak.

[30:36] The Department of Finance and Budget is conducting a public hearing on the upcoming

[30:40] Bond sale for previously approved capital projects appropriations.

[30:46] During the FY-2024 through FY-2026 cycle, attending virtually is

[30:52] and stop, stop, Dickerson and Ann Alhorve.

[30:59] Jen, if you could, on my, on your,

[31:02] your mic please, for introductions.

[31:07] Thank you, sorry.

[31:08] I could have net first, then didn't have the ability.

[31:10] Good morning commissioners.

[31:12] Thank you for having me today.

[31:14] My name is Jennifer Dierick,

[31:15] Senate and I am a Senior Vice President

[31:16] with Davenporting Company, the County's Financial Advisor.

[31:20] Davenport has served as the County's Financial Advisor

[31:22] for over 20 years.

[31:25] During this time, we've assisted the County

[31:26] with multiple successful bonds sales, as well as helping the county achieve its triple AAA ratings,

[31:32] which have had a positive impact on the competitive borrowing rates the county has achieved

[31:37] on these bond issuances. As Miss Andy's mentioned, the county is currently prepared to

[31:43] go to market to issue bonds to fund various capital projects related to general government,

[31:48] solid ways and water and sewer funds. These projects have been included in the county's annual

[31:54] capital improvement plans, which are adopted annually along with the budget.

[31:58] Issuing debt is a common practice for local governments in Maryland and across the U.S. with

[32:03] a number of Maryland counties issuing debt on an annual basis.

[32:07] Issuing debt to fund capital projects is an important financing option for local governments.

[32:12] This option allows a government like the county to preserve its liquidity, helping the

[32:17] government to maintain its financial flexibility in case of any one-time, a future one-time

[32:22] rest.

[32:22] If liquidity is preserved, these reserves can continue to earn interest that can help offset the debt service costs.

[32:31] These reserves are also important in maintaining the county's AAA ratings.

[32:35] Utilizing debt also allows for the local government to benefit from intergenerational equity,

[32:41] which allows a government to match the repayment of debt with the useful lives of the assets that are being financed,

[32:48] which means that the future users of these capital investments help to pay for what they

[32:53] will utilize. Just to give some context, the last, Bonsale, the county had was in December

[33:00] 23. All those three years ago since that time, the county has retired approximately 46 million

[33:07] in outstanding bond principle with another almost 14 million in principle to be retired in fiscal

[33:12] 27 before debt service on the 26 spawns would begin and even with the projected 26 bond issuance

[33:20] the county is projected to remain well below it's 9.5% debt service to reserve to revenues

[33:27] policy and they're at the county that's estimated to be at 5.2% as of fiscal 27. The county's

[33:36] 9.5% debt service to revenue policy is below those policies of like-rated peers, which tend

[33:45] to have a 10% policy, which is the industry standard.

[33:49] This more restrictive policy that the county has adopted ensures that the county's debt

[33:54] profile remains affordable, compared to other AAA-rated peers, and the county's debt ratios

[33:59] as calculated by Moody's are the lowest among the AAA peers providing flexibility for the

[34:04] six bonds without any anticipated reading impact.

[34:08] So with that, I think I'm going to turn it over to Anna to introduce herself and provide some additional comments.

[34:17] Hi.

[34:17] My name is Anna Horve, and I'm a partner at McGuire Woods.

[34:21] We serve as bond council to the county, and we fill that role for close to 20 years for the sure section.

[34:29] Just to some background, some of the projects that are included in this list have been noted.

[34:35] and other instances such as the realignment resolutions and the forward funding resolutions that

[34:42] have been presented previously to this body. Just for the sake of clarity to understand why

[34:48] they're being included as projects now is in part because of the tax rules. So one of our jobs

[34:54] this bond council is to make sure that we're able to give a clean opinion as to the tactics.

[35:00] And in order for us to do that, we have to make sure that those projects are right for inclusion on the project list, which for us means that you're going to need spend-down exemptions, I'm sorry, exceptions for the project at different intervals of time.

[35:18] Most notably at 18 months, 24 months and 36 months following the issuance of the bonds.

[35:25] So with that in mind, in order for a project to be funded as a part of this particular bond issuance,

[35:33] we need to have some certainty that a portion of those funds will be used to pay for the project within 1824 and 36 months for a completion of that project.

[35:43] So some of these projects haven't been right for inclusion yet, but now that we know with more certainty as to when these projects will actually go live with shovels in the ground, we're able to include them as a part of the scope of the projects that will be included for this particular issuance.

[36:01] So it's been good policy on the side of the finance department to make sure that you're meeting those restrictions.

[36:08] It helps avoid unnecessary payments to the federal government, should there be any issues with the tax exempt status and ensures good stewardship of the county's funds in that way.

[36:20] If you have any questions, I think Mary is there to help and she's going to read a memo now regarding the financing.

[36:28] Thank you, Anna. Mary, may I interrupt you before you read the memo.

[36:31] We have such a large amount of citizens in our audience today.

[36:38] This doesn't mean anything to them.

[36:41] When you are finished with the memo, would you, or Steven, or both of you,

[36:47] please put in layments terms what we're doing here.

[36:50] The issuance of $84 million is very, very large.

[36:54] What is that going to be used for?

[36:57] talk a little bit about triple a bond rating and what we do to maintain that.

[37:03] So if you could put it in layments terms once we get through this, so we can all understand.

[37:09] Thank you.

[37:12] So background, the county is planning to issue new bonds in an amount up to $84 million.

[37:20] The county has not issued bonds since December of 2023.

[37:23] This sale encompasses all financing needs through fiscal year 2026.

[37:30] The use is, amount of general fund issuance is $48,987,500.

[37:39] The amount of general fund issuance costs are approximately 500,000,

[37:45] making the total issuance for the general fund $49,487,500.

[37:51] The amount of the enterprise fund issuance is approximately 31,500,000.

[37:59] The amount of the enterprise fund issuance cost is approximately 300,000.

[38:05] So the total issuance for the enterprise fund is 31,800,000.

[38:10] Making for the total bond issuance of approximately 81,000,

[38:15] 270, I'm sorry, 81,000, 287,500.

[38:19] dollars. Departments within the Calvary County Government will be participating in credit rating

[38:25] calls with all three reporting agencies which will occur on September 3rd, 2026. A report will

[38:33] be released on September 15 by the agencies with the results. Once the sale occurs, the Department

[38:39] of Finance and Budget will return with the terms of the sale to supplement the resolution.

[38:44] The resolution authorizes up to 84 million of borrowing to finance the capital projects identified in the resolution, establishes the terms and competitive sale process for the bonds, pledges the county's full faith and credit for repayment, and authorizes the appropriate county officials to take the actions necessary to complete the sale.

[39:08] The current project schedule anticipates approximately 81.3 million upon proceeds including issuance costs.

[39:18] The county's debt will increase by approximately 81 million 278,500 dollars.

[39:25] The estimated increase to debt service for the general and enterprise fund would be 4,305,875 dollars,

[39:34] and $3,1111,912, respectively.

[39:41] The Department of Finance and Budget

[39:42] request that the Board of County Commissioners

[39:45] reviewed and if appropriate, approve, adopt,

[39:49] and enact the resolution pertaining to the issuance

[39:52] and sale of the bonds, disbursement of proceeds,

[39:56] and levy of taxes and authorize the counting to proceed to market with it.

[40:00] A bit of 2020, 26. General obligation bond to finance the approved capital program. Do you have any questions or would you prefer me?

[40:10] I could just give the background that Commissioner Grasso.

[40:15] Stephen, may interrupt you for a moment please, and it would probably be helpful to define a general fund and an enterprise fund for the public.

[40:25] Okay. So when we issue bonds, and we'll get into definitions a little bit later, but I just

[40:34] want to talk in the broader concept. Again, this is Steve McGiven, Deputy County Administrator.

[40:39] Bonds are issued for your key infrastructure assets for the county government. These are the assets that

[40:45] make the quality of life possible for your citizens. These are not cheap assets. These are your roads,

[40:53] bridges, your large equipment, a large equipment that public works uses. These are the multi-generational

[41:02] assets that are going to live many of us because of the nature of the kind of assets that they are.

[41:10] So that's why they have a high price tag on it. You have an 84 million dollar issuance here.

[41:16] We bear in mind that we have not issued since 2023, so therefore there is a catch-up component to this particular issue and it runs all the way through fiscal year 26.

[41:31] So it's catching up with all the past projects.

[41:34] So we do reimburse the county government through the debt from the proceeds that are issued.

[41:42] We reimburse the general fund because it for funds, certain things to make sure that

[41:48] the projects are ongoing and the completion of these projects will occur in a timely manner.

[41:55] Mary, do you just want to touch on the enterprise and the general fund differences?

[41:59] Absolutely.

[42:01] So the general fund is, you know, everyday services, right?

[42:04] general government, public safety, technology services, community resources, anything that

[42:10] tax dollars or income tax dollars used to pay for services for the community.

[42:16] The enterprise fund is kept separately because it is paid for directly by the residents

[42:21] for those services.

[42:23] It is split into two funds, one is for water and sewer and the second is for solid waste.

[42:28] for this particular sale, there's only one project for solid waste.

[42:34] I'm sorry, I don't have the list with me, but it is listed in the resolution,

[42:39] and the rest are for water and sewer.

[42:43] So we'll entertain any questions at this point, and then I think you have the-

[42:48] Yeah, and then we'll move to public comment.

[42:51] I have a question.

[42:52] You say there's a catch-up component,

[42:55] And I would, that is, for CIP projects that are out there that we're trying to finish off,

[43:02] is that what this catch up component is?

[43:05] Yes.

[43:06] Yes.

[43:06] It's part of your month.

[43:08] So yes.

[43:09] So, you know, projects are appropriated in the fiscal year, the departments receive approval

[43:16] from the board, you know, a million dollars for a project day.

[43:20] We work with the departments to figure out our reimbursement schedule if it is going to

[43:26] be debt funded.

[43:29] So, you know, we take some time to try to figure out exactly when are they going to start,

[43:33] as Anna mentioned, because there is a tax-exense situation to consider before we sell the bonds.

[43:42] So, did that answer your question?

[43:44] So that's a catch-up component.

[43:47] This is 84 million dollars.

[43:49] What projects are we looking to accomplish

[43:51] with this money with this bond sale?

[43:56] So the projects specifics, like I said,

[43:59] are listed in the resolution.

[44:02] As far as a highlight of the projects,

[44:04] I probably would want to lean on Danielle Russell,

[44:07] capital projects manager, who is in the audience.

[44:12] Do we have a list for the public?

[44:14] Yeah, absolutely.

[44:15] It was provided with the agenda where they would find this list.

[44:20] Yes, it was provided in the agenda, I'm sorry, I just, I didn't print it with me.

[44:24] I was here in the Senate because yeah, because I'm looking at it.

[44:27] Commissioner Hart and his labeled Bonseille Project list.

[44:31] Just for the public to know that as well.

[44:33] On the agenda.

[44:34] And it's quite an extensive list.

[44:37] Just for the public to give it a quick look and see where this money is going there.

[44:44] It really keeps the wheels rolling and the county with services that we provide as a county to our constituency.

[44:57] But, but your paying for it as well. So please take a look at it.

[45:01] And as I mentioned, these are projects that were previously approved by the Board, and previous fiscal years.

[45:09] Good morning, commissioners, Danielle Russell, capital improvement projects in grants manager.

[45:13] In addition to the projects being part of the approved budgets.

[45:17] As a commissioner form of government, we do not have the ability to authorize debt on our own, so these projects were also included in previous years legislative requests.

[45:25] so legislative request for bonding authority,

[45:28] the state does need to approve,

[45:30] cover county government can go out and sell these bonds.

[45:33] So the list that is attached to the resolution

[45:35] is a result of that same legislative authority.

[45:40] So we have to match legislative authority

[45:41] to what we are requesting those bonds for.

[45:45] So on the list, we have things like our ADA transition plan.

[45:47] Those are our infrastructure adjustments

[45:50] to make sure that our buildings

[45:52] and our other infrastructure are our ADA compliant.

[45:53] We have school projects such as Northern Middle School.

[45:58] Northern Middle School is achieving its final phases of construction.

[46:03] So this is bonding for that project.

[46:05] We have things like field lighting.

[46:08] We have apparatus that FMV life pack.

[46:12] That is attached to apparatus.

[46:14] We have security upgrades for count Marine Museum.

[46:18] See.

[46:20] We have road improvements.

[46:22] we have things like paving. We have final bond issuances for the Twin Beach's Library,

[46:27] which recently opened when we discussed, when Mary mentioned that there was a solid-based

[46:31] project. We have the Barsido Convenience Center upgrades and then we also have a number of water

[46:36] and sewer projects like the Back Creek Loop Water Main and things like that. Do you have any

[46:41] projects specifically that you were looking at Commissioner Grasseau? No, I just want the public to

[46:46] aware of it, and I see Calvord Elementary HVAC. Of course, we, with the kids have to go to school,

[46:52] and they, um, comfortable environment, and when we talk apparatus, we're talking ambulances,

[46:58] we're talking our fire departments, and we have to keep them up to speed, so they can provide

[47:04] services for us. So just wanted to give the public an overview, Danielle. Thank you.

[47:09] And if I may just add and just reiterate what our bond council and who are they had said,

[47:17] the reason why we have to put many of these in the resolution is because of the spend-down

[47:21] requirements of the IRS. These are tax exempt bond issuances. And as a result of that,

[47:28] there are certain rules associated with how those proceeds are used. The IRS is not in the business

[47:34] of giving out tax exemptions on public money because they don't want you to go earn an interest

[47:40] on that. So arbitrage rules kick into play which is what we won't get into that here,

[47:46] but I just want to give you an understanding that there are because of the tax exempt rules,

[47:51] we have to then bring all of these into a resolution form, and then we have to hit certain

[47:56] spend down requirements at the 18 month, the three or all the way through three or requirements

[48:03] to make sure that we are not holding the funds in-house without using them for the particular

[48:09] purposes that they are authorized for.

[48:11] So we have to hit spend on benchmarks.

[48:15] Thank you.

[48:22] Okay.

[48:23] Mr. President, would you public hear it?

[48:26] Yes.

[48:27] The floor has been open for public comment on this hearing.

[48:30] Resolution 6-89 was adopted and is available here today to maintain the order and

[48:36] the core of the governmental process.

[48:39] Those attending in person will be invited to speak first

[48:43] for those joining virtually.

[48:45] If you wish to speak, please, please, please, press,

[48:49] star five, or use the raise your hand function.

[48:52] Virtual participants will be identified

[48:54] by their screen name or a last four digits of their phone number

[48:58] and I'm muted one at a time.

[49:00] Speakers will be asked to state their name and address.

[49:02] Speakers who are providing comment

[49:04] individuals will be allocated two minutes, speakers who are designated representative of a group will be allocated five minutes.

[49:12] The first speaker we have today is Patrick Flattardy, Wattardy.

[49:21] Good morning Patrick Flattardy, loads of be speaking for myself.

[49:25] I support using long-term bonds for true capital projects, major school construction, large road improvements,

[49:31] significant facility on random renovations and long-lived water and sewer infrastructure.

[49:37] Those assets last decades, so spreading the cost is fair.

[49:40] However, they close look at the final list that shows 28 individual projects that each

[49:45] cost less than 500,000.

[49:47] Together, those 28 anonymous total approximately 5.7 million.

[49:51] The county's own debt policy states that projects under $500,000 should generally not

[49:56] Be funded through long-term borrowing on Leslie

[50:00] Partly we large a group. And that pay as you go funding should be considered first. Cellular of these items are also maintenance, reoccurring contracts, or shorter lived equipment and software, not long-term capital assets.

[50:13] Borrowing 5.7 million does not need to be borrowed. Means taxpayers will pay interest on that amount for the next 15 years or so.

[50:29] policy. Given the number of items that I raised these questions, I respectfully asked the board

[50:35] to table the final action on this ban sale onto the new board to seat it in December. A short

[50:40] delay would allow the incoming commissioners with fresh eyes, different perspectives and new

[50:44] ideas to review the list carefully and decide what truly belongs in long-term debt versus what

[50:50] can be paid with money already in hand. That approach protects taxpayers, preserves our strong

[50:55] Tripoli credit standing and the shares every dollar borrowed is used only for lasting capital needs. Thank you.

[51:11] Next speaker is Timothy.

[51:13] Sorry.

[51:16] Thank you. Thank you.

[51:22] Good morning, commissioners.

[51:24] I just want to speak.

[51:25] Can you please state your name for the record?

[51:27] Will you be speaking as a group for his individual today?

[51:29] Timothy Bromit.

[51:31] And speaking as for myself.

[51:33] I just want to thank commissioners.

[51:34] I want to support the bond amendment.

[51:36] I live in the Calvert Highlands been there for 39 years and we know part of this is to help with our sewer program

[51:42] that we're going over 70% of the neighborhood voted in favor of this now when there was going to be additional calls

[51:51] but anything the county government could help us would be greatly appreciated.

[51:56] Thank you.

[51:57] Thank you.

[52:03] Next speaker is Pastor Mason.

[52:11] Pastor Mason.

[52:14] I'll see you.

[52:16] Okay.

[52:17] Next speaker is Ethan Cox.

[52:24] Good morning, commissioners. My name is Ethan Cox.

[52:28] Candidate for County Commission District 1.

[52:29] Speaking of behalf of myself today.

[52:32] So, we have a triple A bond read.

[52:35] St. Mary's County has double A1.

[52:37] One level below triple A.

[52:39] Our last interest rate on our last issue was 2.86%.

[52:43] St. Mary's County, 3.71%.

[52:47] There are homeowners in this room right now

[52:49] who have refinanced to get a 0.85% reduction on their mortgage.

[52:54] In terms of the county budget, this saves millions over the bond lifetime.

[52:59] Maintaining that AAA bond rating requires fiscal responsibly and fiscal conservative policies.

[53:07] When or lose, I will always fight to preserve the AAA rating to ensure that avoidable debt

[53:13] isn't thrown onto my generation.

[53:16] It was concerning to hear the gentleman representing District 1, and his willingness to tank that

[53:22] bond rating during the April 7 meeting, where he suggested that we, quote, could write that

[53:27] check on quote, for $9 million on turf fields if we rated the county's reserves. This

[53:32] is not the same tone that the gentleman struck when he went to New York to lobby Moody's to

[53:37] up our rating at Triple A. In fact, in an article from June 2017, he called the Triple A bond

[53:43] and extremely important thing.

[53:46] He even campaigned on maintaining that AAA bond rating

[53:49] at the June 28th, 2020 second Republican candidate for him,

[53:53] where he said, quote, I look at your money,

[53:55] the same as I look at my money,

[53:57] while highlighting six straight AAA ratings.

[53:59] I happen to agree with the 2017 and 2022 versions

[54:03] of the gentleman.

[54:04] This late edition just sounds fiscally irresponsible,

[54:07] and frankly, like fiscal flip flopping.

[54:10] So, as we look towards our next board,

[54:11] we must always work to maintain archipelay boundary. Period.

[54:23] Next speaker, Sherry Burton.

[54:57] Second.

[55:04] Okay. Good afternoon. Good morning, actually. I don't know. Up from down these days with all the numbers I've been looking at, but, um, good morning, Ms. Ferdin, can you please stage your name and will you be speaking to an individual with a critique?

[55:19] Yes, this is Sherry Verdun speaking for a group. And that is the, um, water sewer consumers, um, that received the, uh, 220 residential EDU bill.

[55:33] Connections. Okay. Please don't start my clock yet. Okay. I really would like to restart this because it's very important and everyone in the room should deserve a chance to hear it.

[55:43] Okay. Before all of these millions of dollars. Are you still going to call. Okay. Although in 2023 I asked you for an audit in 2026 I asked you for a timeline and now I believe I have found both.

[55:57] Just in time for today's public hearing on the 2026 bond sale and the data center moratorium at the same time.

[56:06] Still made it.

[56:08] And now I believe I have found both just in time.

[56:11] I studied the actual fiscal year 2024 new-gen water sewer rate study Excel workbook.

[56:18] Not the slides and I ran the two scenarios that were behind the rate structure presented to water sewer consumers on September 26.

[56:30] and I would like for the public to hear what I found in that workbook that was presented to us at the workshop.

[56:41] I see that the workbook, not the slides, ran two scenarios that were behind the rate structure presented to the water sewer consumers.

[56:49] And I need this board to reconcile what the cells actually do.

[56:53] Go to the Revenue Requirements tab.

[56:55] One scenario produces $1,120 million, $398, $950.

[57:04] And $46.49 plus $47 million, $255.74.

[57:11] Together, $167 million, $618,522.

[57:17] now run the alternate scenario, which are both listed in that workbook. The two

[57:23] different scenarios, two long-term projects, the difference, 69 cents. Why? And

[57:30] here is the question I want to answer before today's bond sale. What does that

[57:34] long-term amount appear to reconcile with? The financing represented in the

[57:39] 2023 bond sale and in this bond sale. Why am I seeing what appears to be two

[57:44] phases of county bonds, salary financing, reflected inside of a water sewer rate projection

[57:50] from 2023 in the notebook in the margins and everyone in this room should go to that

[57:56] work, book study, click on the tab and you'll read all of this, okay? And it will tell

[58:01] you the future projects too, which you'd be very interested to know, which ones have the

[58:07] in the margins, okay? So what exactly is 120.120 million and 47.2 million and why do they total

[58:16] 167.68 million? Six, one, eight million? Why does that alternative scenario arrive at essentially the

[58:23] exact same number and why do they appear in two phases in our bonding? And then I followed the

[58:28] cells backward and I see new jet. I see capital requirements. I see capital connection fee shortfall.

[58:34] Is this showing the revenue stream required to support the debt?

[58:37] If not, what is it showing?

[58:40] Because in 2020, new Jen's stuffy, something was very clear.

[58:44] Capital connection fees pay for the cost, new capacity

[58:47] pays for the system.

[58:49] And then I found the future capital connection allocation analysis.

[58:53] And the future project tab, under it contains

[58:56] Beatree Apartments 233 EDUs, the new County Office Building 13 EDUs,

[59:02] Calvert Hills Town homes, Calvert Hills apartments, Calvert Hills apartments, I'm sorry, Catherine Gesso did want to hear these future Calvert Hills apartments, all of which have notes in the margin that should be checked to against other projects that you were told were funded by HUD development projects, look at those notes in the margin and see what these future projects have allocated and what those notes say, okay.

[59:29] You'll be surprised which ones are all care because I was, especially when I saw Benedict Charles County 1,115 sewer EDUs.

[59:39] I saw co-point CR-E4,000 EDUs, but the connection for you short fall with all these new hookups coming.

[59:48] So I'd like to direct to the audit towards budget unit 575.

[59:52] But your unit 575 is the particular cell that went missing, okay, that you can look at to find

[1:00:00] Now, where that went to, when you zoom out all the surrounding cells, are existing go-bond principle, existing

[1:00:06] go-bond interest, refund refunding bond principle, refunding bond interest, contracted services, depreciation, electricity, transfers, maintenance, salaries, supplies, reserves.

[1:00:18] So, I would ask the board to reconcile budget unit 575 and I would ask the public to look at fiscal year 24 rate model for the

[1:00:28] who are studying and read those notes budget unit 575. Thank you.

[1:00:41] There are no

[1:00:42] colors. I'm sorry. And percent of these. Is there any other attendees in the room

[1:00:48] that would like to speak pertaining to this public hearing? All right. We'll switch

[1:00:52] it over now to Andrew Miller who will be online.

[1:00:59] Morning all. So we do have one person online right now. Call her ending in 6988. If you

[1:01:05] wish to speak please use the raise hand function on teams.

[1:01:15] Looks like there are no

[1:01:16] callers.

[1:01:30] Can I ask a question please? It was brought up that a long term

[1:01:35] bonding under $500,000 should not be a part of this. Is there an explanation?

[1:01:42] Yes. Okay. Absolutely. So some of these projects even though we are only borrowing

[1:01:47] $500,000, there a project that has been in the works for some time. So we may

[1:01:52] of borrowed, you know, a million dollars, two years previously, but we were not prepared to take

[1:01:57] on the additional debt of the 500,000 at that point, again, to meet the, as Juan Council

[1:02:02] mentioned, this was a $10,000 requirement, so now we're ready to take on that debt, because

[1:02:09] we can reimburse as advised.

[1:02:13] I hope that makes sense.

[1:02:15] It's a staging, right?

[1:02:17] I mean, if, sorry, when you issued, you issued the line-share up front, and then, as

[1:02:21] It kind of breaks down.

[1:02:22] Exactly.

[1:02:23] It's down to, right?

[1:02:24] It's standard one.

[1:02:26] Yeah.

[1:02:26] I have so many good.

[1:02:27] The entire idea of the projects.

[1:02:28] Yeah.

[1:02:28] The state earlier has sent me another three years.

[1:02:31] You just didn't have the breakdown.

[1:02:32] Sometimes in the past would be a breakdown when you see in the project of what we would pay

[1:02:36] in fiscal say 26 to 27 to 28.

[1:02:38] Yes, sir.

[1:02:39] Yeah.

[1:02:40] And that is that will appear in the adopted budget documents.

[1:02:44] It will show, you know, the stage.

[1:02:46] But again, you know, if the Board approves $8 million for our project, but we only

[1:02:49] need $2 million in debt.

[1:02:51] only going to get the 2 million.

[1:02:54] Thank you.

[1:03:00] Ms. Rose, I will move the Board of County Commission as an act. The resolution pertaining

[1:03:03] to the issue of the sale of vines this first. For proceeds and levy the ad value and taxes,

[1:03:10] authorize the county to proceed to market with the issuance of its 2026 general obligation

[1:03:17] vines. If I announce and approve the capital program.

[1:03:24] So, I have a motion in a second.

[1:03:26] Take a motion of Scott's.

[1:03:29] Is there any discussion on this?

[1:03:31] You're even known all this.

[1:03:32] Bear say aye.

[1:03:34] Opposed.

[1:03:35] Motion carries.

[1:03:36] Thank you.

[1:03:37] Thank you.

[1:03:44] Thanks, Mr. Sir.

[1:03:45] Next public hearing.

[1:03:46] Department of Planning and Zoning.

[1:03:47] Sicken off board.

[1:03:48] Torim on data center projects.

[1:03:50] Directed, frankly.

[1:03:56] Good morning.

[1:03:56] Again, Commissioner Chase Berkley, Director of Planning and Zoning.

[1:04:00] There's not a formal presentation for this item, so I'm going to read the memo.

[1:04:03] On background on July 21st, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to proceed with drafting and advertising of a public hearing to consider a six-month moratorium on data center projects in Calvert County.

[1:04:17] The discussion that development of large-scale data centers is a relatively new and evolving land use in miniature restrictions, including including Calvert County,

[1:04:26] and local governments are working to understand the long-term impacts on land use infrastructure and surrounding communities.

[1:04:32] A moratorium is a temporary suspension that would allow the county additional time to review

[1:04:36] an adoptive regulations and zoning ordinance text amendments related to data centers

[1:04:41] and to perform any needed studies or analysis related to the same as directed by the BOCC.

[1:04:48] Conclusion and recommendation staff request that the Board of County Commissioners

[1:04:51] conduct a public hearing. Receive public comment and close the record following the

[1:04:56] public hearing. The Board may review and take any other following actions.

[1:05:00] Approve, adopt, and enact the ordinance as presented. Approve, adopt, and enact the ordinance with amendments, or denial.

[1:05:08] And commissioners, we did receive 25 written comments that were provided to you prior to today's hearing.

[1:05:15] Do you have any questions or anything for me before we take public comment?

[1:05:20] I do. Part of this moratorium does not have that no site plans, no applications will be accepted

[1:05:29] during this six months period. One thing I've concerned about is no conversations with

[1:05:36] a potential data centers. I've spoken with our attorney that would be a, that would

[1:05:43] taking away their first amendment right. So, okay. So, four things I'm very interested in

[1:05:51] in accomplishing. No site plans will be accepted. No applications, period. No conversations

[1:05:57] with potential data center inquiries that probably isn't going to happen because of the first

[1:06:04] amendment. So, within the next month, I want the zoning reverse fact to its original form.

[1:06:11] I also want a study that is not general, not off the shelf.

[1:06:16] I want a study that is unique to our unique community and our makeup.

[1:06:22] So that's what I want to accomplish in the next four weeks.

[1:06:27] And I want you to come before us with the proposal, proposed zoning change as well.

[1:06:35] I don't know that the moratorium is strong enough if it doesn't have no site plans or applications will would be considered.

[1:06:45] Can you speak to that?

[1:06:48] You are correct right now.

[1:06:49] It's just site plan approvals.

[1:06:51] If the board following the public hearing wishes to modify that ordinance, that is the

[1:07:05] Commissioner you don't meet within the next month. So I can come back at the next meeting with a

[1:07:12] A work session on

[1:07:14] On that my suggestion would where we're discussing text amendments later in this meeting to have that discussion on

[1:07:21] Directing staff regarding text amendments during that item would be my recommendation. And I know we're getting so ganged with

[1:07:27] you know, opens meeting act and so on and so forth, but

[1:07:33] it

[1:07:34] I will address it them, but it is very important to me because I don't think this moratorium

[1:07:41] as it stands has the teeth the public wants to have unless we reverse the zoning and that

[1:07:49] is imperative that it go hand in hand with this moratorium.

[1:07:54] So we'll talk about that later.

[1:07:56] The director, I have a question for you.

[1:07:59] Can we get a lot of people sitting here listening today?

[1:08:03] Can you talk a little bit about if we don't have a site plan,

[1:08:10] how do we move full with studies and the costs of them studies?

[1:08:15] Could you just talk about that for a minute?

[1:08:18] And I do know some of the public feedback we have received so far

[1:08:22] is requesting specifics on studies.

[1:08:27] I think that it's probably needs to be a separate discussion if you want my two cents on it,

[1:08:33] because I think there's a cost factor to the studies if there's no,

[1:08:38] ideally in an ideal world you would have those studies paid for by an applicant,

[1:08:43] or an end user or something, a developer.

[1:08:46] If that's not happening, I think the analysis on what studies are needed,

[1:08:50] and the fiscal impact of those studies needs to be a, that's part of what Commissioner

[1:08:54] Grasso mentioned on zoning text amendments or everything.

[1:08:58] I think that's where that discussion needs to be.

[1:09:00] I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but I would caution against putting it in an ordinance

[1:09:04] that requires you to do it and then you end up seeing the price tag, which will likely be

[1:09:08] seven or eight figures.

[1:09:09] And do you really spend that if there is no end user?

[1:09:13] Is that the best path forward?

[1:09:16] I think that discussion needs we had separate, then including it in an ordinance itself.

[1:09:20] Thank you.

[1:09:23] Also another comment is our governor has says about data centers, it's not a case of if but when.

[1:09:31] So that's what we're going to be up against so we really need to tighten ourselves up.

[1:09:37] I saw that Governor Abbott and Texas and they have data centers there as you know,

[1:09:43] but they put a pause on them and it's mainly been because the cost to the community

[1:09:48] with the water, the electricity, so on and so forth.

[1:09:53] It is just astronomical,

[1:09:54] but I wanted to say one thing that I thought was interesting.

[1:09:57] He said, as part of their...

[1:10:00] Pause, and what they will put in their recommendations is no disturbance to rural areas, and we are a rural area.

[1:10:09] So we've got to be as tight as we can pay. Thank you.

[1:10:16] Director, I agree with Commissioner Grosso, but when you come back, until we get these environmental studies,

[1:10:23] and even at what she just said, you know, in the past with any projects, you know, as apartments, what have you,

[1:10:30] It's always been on the user to pay it,

[1:10:33] but we've seen you from past history.

[1:10:35] If they pay it, they're gonna come back with

[1:10:37] what they know they can pass.

[1:10:39] So the only way to protect ourselves

[1:10:41] is we're gonna have to eat this,

[1:10:42] but I want to expand it for more than just data centers.

[1:10:46] You know, in the past, you know, we're a county,

[1:10:47] we've got a nuclear facility,

[1:10:50] the only energy facility.

[1:10:52] We've never had our own tighter

[1:10:54] in environmental regulations.

[1:10:55] We've relied on the state and the federal government.

[1:10:57] We need to expand this to what is next, is it solar farms, is it lithium batteries, whatever

[1:11:04] comes down.

[1:11:04] So we're going to need, I think when we're writing that, it's going to have to be written

[1:11:08] to whatever environmental impacts could be in the future.

[1:11:13] And it'll be a lot of standard things of how far from you to streams, how else it thinks

[1:11:17] that nature.

[1:11:19] But until that firm comes in, I don't want to have any verbiets where we're putting on the

[1:11:25] to pay because you know they're going to make it to something they can pass and that's not

[1:11:30] going to be good enough. So I think the life lesson with having all these big facilities is

[1:11:36] whatever the future brings we have a policy that's curtailed back to Commissioner Grasso said

[1:11:44] that's for us. Understood.

[1:11:52] If there's no further questions at the moment I'm going to jump right

[1:11:55] to the speakers we do have signed up.

[1:12:02] The floor is open for public comment on this hearing resolution 6-89 was adopted and is available

[1:12:06] today to maintain the order and decorum of the governmental process.

[1:12:10] Those attending in person are about to speak first for those joining virtually if you wish

[1:12:14] to speak please press star 9 or use the raise your hand function.

[1:12:18] Virtual participants will be identified by the screen name or last four digits of their phone

[1:12:22] number and unmuted one at a time.

[1:12:24] speakers will be asked to state their name and address speaking speakers who are providing

[1:12:28] comments as individuals are allocated two minutes speakers that are designated representative

[1:12:33] for group are allocated five minutes and I'm going to go ahead and apologize before we even

[1:12:38] get going if I missed pronounce any names. That is entirely my my fault. First speaker is Patrick

[1:12:45] Flerty.

[1:12:52] Good morning again Patrick Flerty, Loseby speaking on behalf of myself. There's a

[1:12:57] about life that you have to show up for, participate in it. And by the looks of the people here

[1:13:01] today, I'd say that statement is true. It's also said that you can't win a badly,

[1:13:06] you don't fight, and it's clear everyone here is ready to battle for the future of

[1:13:10] cover counting. People want to know why this board is pushing a water-down

[1:13:14] moratorium when so many residents, including myself, have submitted clear reasonable suggestions,

[1:13:20] drawn from language that other Maryland counties have used successfully. Those suggestions

[1:13:25] would make this moratorium iron clad, freezing the acceptance, processing, review, and approval

[1:13:30] of all related applications, site plans, conditional uses, and building permits, and removing

[1:13:35] the automatic sunset that forces us to start this entire process over again in just six months.

[1:13:41] Instead, the version before us only calls the site plan a approvals, leaves other pathways open,

[1:13:47] and includes an automatic expiration that is not the strong cause of the public has asked for.

[1:13:52] We have already seen massive delays, years of secrecy, exclusive negotiating agreements,

[1:13:58] india's and closed sessions while data center plans move forward.

[1:14:02] Any major strengthening of this week text would most likely require a new two week

[1:14:06] advertisement period.

[1:14:08] And after today's meeting, the next scheduled board meeting is not until September 22nd.

[1:14:13] Full five weeks from now.

[1:14:15] That combination means real protection gets pushed even further into the future.

[1:14:20] People of Caver County have shown up.

[1:14:24] We are ready to fight for a clean reset and real transparency.

[1:14:28] I respectfully urge just board not to settle for the water down the version before us today.

[1:14:32] Instead, direct staff to bring forward a stronger iron-clad language that residents have

[1:14:37] submitted, language proven, and other Maryland counties.

[1:14:41] So the public can see a real moratorium advertised and enacted as the law allows.

[1:14:48] Thank you.

[1:14:57] The next speaker is Daniel.

[1:15:00] Local peck and following that, we will have Michael Block.

[1:15:11] Daniel Pock, I'll be speaking for a group.

[1:15:14] Okay. What group will you be speaking for today?

[1:15:17] Citizens for Calvert.

[1:15:20] My name is Daniel Pock and I am the vice president of Citizens for Calvert.

[1:15:25] First, I want to be very clear. Citizens for Calvert supports the moratorium before you this morning

[1:15:29] and we're asking you to pass it today.

[1:15:32] It is an honor to stand here representing an organization and a community that has spent months pushing

[1:15:37] organizing, researching, and demanding action.

[1:15:41] Calvert residents have come together again and again to voice their concerns, advocate for

[1:15:46] this pause and data center development, and we could now be more proud of the incredible

[1:15:50] people who have joined this effort.

[1:15:52] But I also want to be candid because I think otherwise would do a disservice to everyone

[1:15:56] in this room.

[1:15:58] This process has been exhausting.

[1:16:00] We understand the public discourse can get ugly, and we understand that people say things

[1:16:05] online that are unfair, inflammatory, and sometimes completely inappropriate, but it is important

[1:16:11] that we never conflate the worst behavior that you see on the internet with legitimate

[1:16:16] activists and concerns residents who have been working desperately to pull the breaks on

[1:16:21] this train.

[1:16:22] These meeting rooms have been filled with some of the most thoughtful, informed, and committed

[1:16:26] people in this county.

[1:16:28] Individuals who have read through documents, attended meetings, learned issues, and continued

[1:16:33] showing up because they care deeply about what happens here and that's not a problem, that's

[1:16:38] civic engagement. And in fact this outpouring of participation is a testament to how democracy

[1:16:44] is supposed to work. People pay attention, they ask questions, and they're demanding answers

[1:16:49] from the people that they elected to represent them. But that relationship requires trust. Residents

[1:16:54] trusted their government to ask these questions before opening the door to development of this

[1:16:59] And instead, a lot of these residents were left asking these questions by themselves.

[1:17:05] That's why the trust is damaged, and you cannot rebuild trust by telling residents to stop asking questions.

[1:17:11] You cannot rebuild trust.

[1:17:12] You can only rebuild trust through listening, transparency, and a willingness to change course if necessary.

[1:17:18] This is an opportunity to begin repairing that trust.

[1:17:22] And this moment belongs to communities beyond Calvert County, though, too.

[1:17:25] We stand on the shoulders of working class communities in places like Memphis and Northern Virginia that sounded the alarm before us.

[1:17:32] And we stand alongside communities in Utah, New Jersey and everywhere else that have wrestled with unchecked data center development,

[1:17:38] convened for the people who actually live there.

[1:17:41] And we've learned from them.

[1:17:42] And now, Calvary County has an opportunity to demonstrate what meaningful civic engagement can really accomplish.

[1:17:48] And this is because people showed up.

[1:17:50] because people ask questions and organized and because residents refuse to accept that

[1:17:55] sacrificing their community was simply the inevitable price of economic or technological progress.

[1:18:02] This moratorium is a first step, but it cannot be the last. We understand why projects like this can

[1:18:07] be tempting. When some of the wealthiest companies in the world come knocking on a small county promising

[1:18:12] investment, jobs, tax revenue, saying yes can feel like the easy button. But governing a community

[1:18:18] is not simply about maximizing revenue, and not everything we value can be measured in dollars.

[1:18:23] So please, pause this process, give the county time to do the work that should have

[1:18:28] been done long before we got here.

[1:18:30] Study the impacts on our electricity, our water, wastewater, roads, emergency services,

[1:18:36] environment, air quality, and what that could mean for our schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

[1:18:42] But don't stop there.

[1:18:43] Communities across Maryland and across the country are grappling with the same extraordinary

[1:18:47] Any other questions about data centers, energy, land, technology and community voice?

[1:18:52] We should not be reinventing the wheel in every county and Maryland.

[1:18:56] Let Calvert be part of that conversation.

[1:18:58] Let what happens here and what we have learned from it help other communities make better

[1:19:03] decisions before they find themselves where we did.

[1:19:06] We have an opportunity to do more than protect our own backyard here.

[1:19:09] Today we can rebuild trust, lead responsibly, and be part of the solution.

[1:19:15] Please pass the moratorium.

[1:19:23] Next speaker is Michael Block following that. We will have William Goodwin.

[1:19:29] Hello, I am Michael Block, and I am speaking as concerned citizen. During the Board of

[1:19:34] Commission's meeting, I am telling you, I am sorry about that. Hello, I am Michael

[1:19:43] Block, and I am speaking as a concerned citizen. During the Board of Commission's meeting

[1:19:48] with Natelli holding on 29 June 2020,

[1:19:52] they're acoustic consultant,

[1:19:54] Jeff Sermansky stayed the Natelli data center.

[1:19:58] We're going to hear it to Maryland noise.

[1:20:00] Maryland Noise Code deals with BDA, which is the noise from a human hearing ranging from 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz.

[1:20:12] The Tally Holden also mentions that they were adhered to ISO, 9613-2, standard for acoustics and

[1:20:20] of sound. However, this standard only covers between 44 hertz and 11.3 kilohertz. This

[1:20:30] standard does not cover the full hearing range. Neither of these standards cover

[1:20:35] infrasound. Infrasound is below 20 hertz and ranges from 20 hertz to 0.001 hertz.

[1:20:43] Infrason can cause human health problems, also small animals use Infrason to detect predators.

[1:20:52] I urge the Board of Commissioner to create a two-year moratorium.

[1:20:56] During the spaceline study, should be conducted to measure the amount of low-frequency noise

[1:21:02] 20 to 500 Hz, as well as Infrason, they currently exist in the environment.

[1:21:09] Carole Cliff nuclear power plant is not using turbines to cool their water, so I

[1:21:15] suspect very little in for some is being produced by the nuclear plant.

[1:21:20] I would suggest that an independent acoustic contractor be hired to measure based on

[1:21:27] in for some measured levels, as well as in for some levels at various data centers.

[1:21:33] The consultant needs to model attenuation of sound both in the ground and air at various distances away from the surface.

[1:21:43] Thank you.

[1:21:49] William Goodwin, and following that, there's Chuck Borges.

[1:21:58] There's a nice name as William Goodwin.

[1:22:01] I'm speaking on behalf of myself.

[1:22:04] Other speakers have spoken to some of the points that were in my mind.

[1:22:08] I have brought in an article that was on Yahoo this morning and it was published by Pennsylvania Capital Star.

[1:22:23] This article was published this morning by Pennsylvania Capital Star and one of the graphics in there is one of the state of Maryland and the counties and what state of affairs they have with regard to either banning or creating moratorium on data centers.

[1:22:42] And what struck me as I was looking through this and listening to the other speakers and having been here before is whenever I've been faced with the decision I thought I was making the best decision.

[1:22:57] In hindsight over the more than 65 years of being a legal adult, the biggest regrets I have is when I made decisions without sufficient information to make a good decision.

[1:23:08] And that's what the whole crux of this matter is.

[1:23:12] I know it's a fast-paced process with the fiscal realities that are there facing the county.

[1:23:20] Yet we don't know the fiscal, mental, social, environmental factors that data centers would bring.

[1:23:29] And I just reflect on one example, data centers shut down suddenly in Virginia.

[1:23:34] I think about four maybe six weeks ago, and it had the effect of creating a tsunami like wave that's spread from Virginia all the way to Chicago and bounce back several times throughout the entire power grid.

[1:23:50] That's what we're being exposed to with the headlong rush to create data centers for short term benefit.

[1:23:56] So I just ask you to do all in your power and concert with others in Maryland and other jurisdictions to look at all of these factors before deciding.

[1:24:07] Thank you.

[1:24:13] Chuck Horgus and following that, there's Hara Watts.

[1:24:18] Good morning, my name is Chuck Horgus.

[1:24:20] I'm running for State Senate District 29, which is southern Maryland, including all the data center installations, but I'm not here today's candidate.

[1:24:27] I'm here's a federal data expert.

[1:24:29] Last year I was the Chief Data Officer, Social Security, I was the business analytics lead at CDC.

[1:24:34] I was never a first chief data officer. I literally wrote the federal data strategy.

[1:24:39] While in all of those roles, I never signed an NDA and I never violated the open meetings or transparency acts.

[1:24:45] I'll leave it to the citizens of Calvert to decide if you are competent to sit in those chairs

[1:24:50] and if those that follow your policies are competent to follow you.

[1:24:53] Again, I'm speaking as a federal data expert and I come speaking today with a warning. This will

[1:25:00] Not stop. We are too close to the centers of power for our government and the literal power that we generate for industrial encroachment to stop pushing into our region.

[1:25:14] Celebrate the removal of the site plan, but that's all it was. AWS could submit another site plan tomorrow or November 4th, depending on who you elect or the day after this week, moratorium ends.

[1:25:27] I ask you to consider two things.

[1:25:30] One, Natelli, who's faced resistance over here,

[1:25:34] is meeting with the Republican Party in St. Mary's County.

[1:25:38] We breathe at the same air.

[1:25:39] We drink the same water.

[1:25:41] We have the same wildlife.

[1:25:44] The data center there affects Calvary County.

[1:25:46] Southern Maryland's problems are not ending

[1:25:48] at the boundaries of our counties or our districts.

[1:25:52] Number two, chat GPT.

[1:25:54] Everybody's heard of ChatGPT is four years old.

[1:25:58] What happens in the next four years

[1:25:59] if you make an choice in November

[1:26:01] that perpetuates the same obfuscation,

[1:26:05] the same delay, and the same weak leadership

[1:26:07] at the county and state level.

[1:26:10] It is time to make a choice for leadership that puts community first

[1:26:14] and last in every discussion

[1:26:16] and they can think outside the box

[1:26:18] when you blame revenue problem that you partly created

[1:26:21] and you need a data center to solve it.

[1:26:23] I'm sorry, innovation outside the box thinking and new leadership

[1:26:27] can solve these problems.

[1:26:29] This will not stop.

[1:26:31] Pass this moratorium and then make it stronger.

[1:26:34] Thank you.

[1:26:44] So, Hara Watts and the next speaker following is Pam Warner.

[1:26:48] My name is Shara Watts.

[1:26:51] Now, I speak as an individual and as a candidate for state delegate

[1:26:54] for district 29C, which includes the lesbian and central

[1:26:59] St. Mary's County.

[1:27:00] I have a couple of points. One, save our water. A data center uses the water for 21,000 houses and

[1:27:09] coolant for coolant, and the current use are aquiferous or declining at 2 to 3 feet per year. Protect our jobs.

[1:27:17] AI will replace everything from administrative to physician jobs. We need to re-tool the workforce to get ready. Protect our privacy.

[1:27:25] They have already, they already have more information than we would like and are accumulating

[1:27:31] more to what end.

[1:27:33] To serve our power, data centers stress our power group with their needs, which are

[1:27:38] that of a small city, driving utility costs even higher.

[1:27:42] Protect our environment, from air, water, noise, and light pollution, they are a poor

[1:27:48] net news of land and they also have our wildlife.

[1:27:51] keep our elected officials honest no more in the days. And to quote Eric Brinn y'all in the

[1:27:59] New York Times yesterday, we must act now. Governments everywhere must build the incentives,

[1:28:06] third rails, and institutions needed to steer AI in a direction that complements humans and

[1:28:13] it's society. In other words, we need to plan, study, and regulate AI and data centers until

[1:28:21] we know what we're getting into. Thank you.

[1:28:31] Pam Warner and following that speaker, Nancy

[1:28:33] L. One. Morning commissioners. My name is Pam Warner and I'm representing

[1:28:38] Indivisible Calvert County. I reviewed the draft moratorium and was it's just an amendment.

[1:28:43] The moratorium is drafted only depends suspends the approval of site plans, not the acceptance

[1:28:50] processing or review of site plans during the moratorium.

[1:28:54] Yet the draft states that the purpose of the pause is to suspend these approvals in order

[1:28:59] to provide the county with an opportunity to review and adopt regulations and zoning

[1:29:03] ordinance text amendments related to Deguitor Center, use conditions, and perform any

[1:29:09] needed studies or analysis related to the same.

[1:29:12] If the purpose of the pause is to review and adopt text amendments in new studies, why would

[1:29:18] you want staff to simultaneously be obligated to review a new submission by AWS or Natalya

[1:29:24] or another data center developer during the moratorium using the existing rules, it makes

[1:29:30] no sense to burden staff with this if the zoning rules and conditions are going to change.

[1:29:36] More importantly now, AWS has officially withdrawn their site plan, and therefore today,

[1:29:43] no data center company, including AWS, can alleged any harm or damage by pausing the county review process.

[1:29:52] Why should data center companies even submit site plans based on a county code under revision as we speak?

[1:30:00] Taxes of the current ordinance findings provide the rationale for this proposed amendment, and no new findings would be required.

[1:30:09] As stated in the ordinance, the board finds that additional time is needed to review regulations concerning data center developments, and to prepare and consider related zoning ordinance steps amendments.

[1:30:20] As stated in the ordinance, data centers may involve substantial land disturbance, electrical and mechanical equipment,

[1:30:28] backup generators, cooling systems, storm water, and wastewater considerations, noise, heat, water demand,

[1:30:35] and other environmental and infrastructure impacts that weren't careful review.

[1:30:40] As already stated in the draft, the development of large scale data centers

[1:30:45] is a relatively new and evolving land use in many jurisdictions, including the county, and local governments are working to understand their long-term impacts on land use, infrastructure, and surrounding communities.

[1:30:59] All these findings in the draft ordinance provide a foundation for a total pause, not just on site plan approvals, but that county processing and review.

[1:31:09] Please consider thisological amendment to the moratorium, but in any event, please pass the

[1:31:15] moratorium to ensure that the county has the proper rules in place.

[1:31:20] Please vote for the final finding of the ordinance which states that, based on due consideration

[1:31:26] of the comments of the public and staff and in furtherance of the public health, safety and welfare,

[1:31:32] it is in the best interest of citizens of Calvert County to impose a temporary moratorium.

[1:31:38] Thank you.

[1:31:45] Nancy L. Wine, following that Bob Estes.

[1:31:52] Nancy L. Wine, Camp Canoy Road, speaking as an individual.

[1:31:56] At the last board meeting, we celebrated the news that Amazon had withdrawn their site plan,

[1:32:01] but this does not stop other big tech corporations from trying to build here.

[1:32:06] You see, consolation will stop at nothing to get what they want.

[1:32:10] Accountee followed massive hyperscale data centers that will increase their own income.

[1:32:14] It doesn't matter to them that they would literally destroy

[1:32:17] cover county in the process.

[1:32:20] We need to stop playing whack-a-mal with the tech giants.

[1:32:23] The answer is simple.

[1:32:24] It's all about the zoning.

[1:32:27] Consolation either hoodwinked or strong-armed

[1:32:29] the county to change the zoning on their 800 acres

[1:32:33] from forced and farming to heavy industrial.

[1:32:36] This was done illegally without due notice to affected neighbors.

[1:32:41] It was simply slipped into the comprehensive plan

[1:32:43] in a completely illegal maneuver.

[1:32:46] Again, the answer is simple.

[1:32:48] Change that 800 acres from heavy industrial

[1:32:51] back to the forest and farming that it has been for many decades.

[1:32:55] Then no big tech corporation can build that.

[1:33:04] Change it back.

[1:33:06] Change it back.

[1:33:07] There are then no big tech corporation can build data centers

[1:33:10] on that pristine forest land.

[1:33:12] The requested moratorium would be the perfect time to get that done.

[1:33:16] It will also provide the necessary time to prove how that land

[1:33:19] is completely unsuited to any heavy industrial use.

[1:33:25] Commissioners,

[1:33:29] commissioners, over 10,000 residents of

[1:33:32] Cover County, your constituents signed a petition requesting a

[1:33:36] moratorium. Please honor their wishes and do the right thing for

[1:33:40] Cover County by voting for this moratorium.

[1:33:43] Thank you.

[1:33:55] Bob Estys and following that speaker, Ethan Cox.

[1:34:02] My name is Bob Estys and let's see which group do I want to

[1:34:06] And let's just say it's a friends of, friends of hunting in any way, and by the way, folks,

[1:34:19] I do have a legitimate problem in my brain, not just that I'm old, but if I'm staggering.

[1:34:26] Mr. Resties, we cannot hear you on mine, I'm sorry.

[1:34:29] I know.

[1:34:30] I know, I didn't want anyone else to hear you.

[1:34:36] Okay, so I don't get all excited, but I'm not in favor of a six-month moratorium, wait.

[1:34:47] Part of the reason is if you've ever tried to get something like that in place and get

[1:34:53] you have to have basically a lot of time.

[1:35:00] Before you can actually get anything out of whoever is looking into that, and you're going to end up with maybe two months. Maybe three months of trying to get everything done. Well, can you extend it? Yes, legally, but that takes time too. So if you want that moratorium, it needs to be bigger, longer.

[1:35:24] But there's another potentially simple thing and I think at least one of the commissioners knows what I'm going to say, although they rarely know, but, and that is just make it not possible for any data center anywhere in Calber County for two, three, five years, whatever it takes.

[1:35:57] That will give whoever is up there in that amount of time, time to figure out what kind

[1:36:06] of information they need.

[1:36:08] They can study a lot of the surrounding areas and not so surrounding areas.

[1:36:16] What are they done and what's going to help?

[1:36:18] They're not going to have to sit there and rush through it while who knows what other things

[1:36:24] in the county is not getting done.

[1:36:26] You know, they can only do so much. I mean, I know they look like superstars to you all maybe, but uh, or maybe not, but uh

[1:36:34] But they have an entire county to take care of not just a moratorium, or trying to figure out how to get that started

[1:36:43] They need time. They need a lot of time

[1:36:46] And I think if you just say no data centers period for

[1:36:51] or an extended period of time, you will get what is in effect the moratorium without

[1:36:59] half net actually have it, because you'll be doing the same thing, getting more information

[1:37:06] from all over the place, going out and seeing the other counties, the other places, other

[1:37:12] states, you will have time, and you can say, okay, we've had enough time, say you start out

[1:37:18] say, we want five years that we're not going to allow any data centers in Calvary County.

[1:37:26] Well, you can always vote and say, well, after three years, we've got all the information,

[1:37:32] and we know like it.

[1:37:34] Or you could say, well, they've changed their way of doing business.

[1:37:39] Maybe for some reason, we decided that maybe it is a reasonable thing to do for the county.

[1:37:44] I'm not saying it is, but they can change it.

[1:37:47] think about that. It's a lot more flexible and it'll give you plenty of time to get it right. Thank you.

[1:38:01] Ethan Cox and following that speaker Sandra Quinn.

[1:38:08] Good morning again commissioners.

[1:38:10] Ethan Cox candidate for district one speaking of behalf of myself today.

[1:38:16] I'll cover it to the

[1:38:16] chase. This moratorium must be stronger. It has to be stronger. Together we put together a movement

[1:38:24] Democrats and Republicans and independence, North County and South County, new and old

[1:38:29] Calvert, cat and dog people willing. Together, we put together a movement, the likes of which

[1:38:35] Calvert County has never seen. And the people united were not defeated. We beat Jeff Bezos.

[1:38:44] But right now, our neighbors on Camp Canoy Road and our parents and students at Southern Middle

[1:38:51] will still live in purgatory.

[1:38:53] The way the moratorium is written right now,

[1:38:56] a data center can come in with another site plan,

[1:38:58] the county can consider it and engage on the process.

[1:39:00] Do everything except get the final approval.

[1:39:02] All it takes right now is one blink,

[1:39:04] one day between moratoriums for a data center

[1:39:07] to go through right across the street from them.

[1:39:10] The camp can only road and southern middle school communities

[1:39:13] have not had peace for six months.

[1:39:17] Since that job posting became public on March 2nd.

[1:39:20] This six-month moratorium still does not give them the peace that they enjoy before you took it away from them when you voted to rezone data centers in

[1:39:31] Las Vegas

[1:39:33] No application should be allowed to be accepted by the county County government should not be taken fees from them

[1:39:40] The camp canoy and southern middle school communities deserve to sleep tonight for the first time in six months with peace

[1:39:47] knowing that a multi-billionaire, wanting to pay over their paradise, is it welcome here?

[1:39:53] Extend the moratorium, make it stronger, no data centers in Calber County.

[1:40:06] Next speaker is Sandra Glenn following that, Sharon Cargo.

[1:40:11] Good morning, everybody. Hello, commissioners. I'm Sandra Glenn. I am the chair of the Southern Maryland Zero Club, and I am speaking for that group.

[1:40:21] Our group represents the members and supporters of the Environmental Group, the Zero Club, in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties.

[1:40:29] Our motto is explore, enjoy, and protect the planet.

[1:40:33] I'm also a resident of Howard County.

[1:40:35] I have owned by home and lived in Lesby, Maryland for over 20 years.

[1:40:40] When I tell people I live in Howard County,

[1:40:42] I don't say I live in Howard County by the nuclear power plant

[1:40:46] or I live in Howard County by the liquid natural gas depot.

[1:40:50] I say I live in Howard County by the Chesapeake Bay.

[1:40:54] That bay and the historic protection river define the southern part of this county.

[1:41:00] People moved here centuries ago to live near the water.

[1:41:03] They retired here and they vacation here because of the Shest Peak Bay.

[1:41:08] We owe it to future generations to protect this water and I hope we can also preserve

[1:41:13] this wonderful way of life because there may be industrial zoning currently in areas

[1:41:18] of Southern Coward County, but Lesby is first and foremost a community.

[1:41:25] The developers of two large residential communities in Lesby, in the middle of the last

[1:41:29] century, may not have intended to do it, but by keeping the lots in Chesapeake Ranch and

[1:41:33] White Sand's wooded, they have preserved trees that help to cool our area clean our air

[1:41:38] and prevent runoff into the bay.

[1:41:41] I also think personally that driving down Rock 4 in the fall when the trees are turning

[1:41:45] color is one of the most beautiful drives in the world.

[1:41:50] So where do large AI data centers fit in this area? They don't.

[1:41:55] They take up too much space with non-permeable buildings and parking lots.

[1:41:59] They pollute the air if they use back of diesel generators and if they're powered by fossil fuels.

[1:42:05] Many of them are noisy and we are just learning about the possible effects of

[1:42:09] sound on humans and animals. They need huge amounts of electricity and Maryland doesn't have

[1:42:15] the means to supply it. The Southern Maryland Sierra Club supports the moratorium and I would

[1:42:21] like to add I agree with Commissioner Grasso and Individual Coward County that the moratorium

[1:42:27] should include no new applications. Now submissions, no new applications for data centers,

[1:42:32] while the moratorium is going on. We request that the Board of Commissioners consider

[1:42:39] making it long enough to do independent environmental and health studies on these hyperscal

[1:42:45] data centers. And if the studies determine as we think they will, that they will harm us

[1:42:51] our environment or our quality of life, ban them. Thank you.

[1:43:04] Next speaker is Sharon Cargo

[1:43:05] following that Lauren Guykex. My name is Sharon Cargo and I'm representing myself, I live in St.

[1:43:13] letter. I'm grateful for this public hearing on the Montatorium on data centers. I want

[1:43:20] to state that I support moratorium data centers, and that it should also include a citizen

[1:43:25] advisory or working group that works hand in hand with the county officials on working on

[1:43:31] this understanding this issue. When I first talked to friends and family about plans for building

[1:43:37] a data center in California.

[1:43:40] Some people said, data centers are coming,

[1:43:43] whether we like it or not.

[1:43:44] It's just going to happen.

[1:43:46] We can't stop it.

[1:43:48] The implication being that people shouldn't even

[1:43:50] try to stop it.

[1:43:52] This California community has proved

[1:43:55] that this is absolutely the wrong way to think about data centers.

[1:44:00] Sure, government corporations want us to think

[1:44:02] that we can't do anything to stop their projects.

[1:44:04] In fact, we, the people of this community, are the only ones who can slow down and stop plants for data centers, thereby slowing down artificial intelligence development.

[1:44:18] We have many examples of the destructive impact of data centers across the country. It's well known.

[1:44:24] I'm grateful to all those who spoke about loaded written letters, petitioned, demonstrated, attended meetings in any way to express their opposition.

[1:44:34] and to data centers in Calvary County.

[1:44:37] Again, I strongly support a moratorium on data centers

[1:44:40] and support a citizen or a community group

[1:44:44] assembled to work hand-in-hand with county staff

[1:44:46] and officials on any possible data center development

[1:44:50] plans in the future.

[1:44:51] We have many professional and intelligent, highly educated people

[1:44:55] in this county who would be very useful,

[1:44:58] I'm sure, to the county commission.

[1:45:00] And to the county, looking at this issue carefully.

[1:45:11] Lauren Geigax, following that Chris Stromberg.

[1:45:23] Good morning. My name is Lauren Geigax, and I'm

[1:45:25] testifying on behalf of an organization, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund.

[1:45:32] This is an environmental nonprofit that is working with local communities in Calvert County and

[1:45:37] Maryland to fight back against the rapid construction of hyperscale data centers.

[1:45:44] Data centers, drain our energy and water resources, they harm our environment,

[1:45:49] all wall, tech companies, rake and record profits for the expansion of AI and

[1:45:53] surveillance systems that we do not want. This expansion of data centers

[1:45:57] is happening faster than local and state governments have been able to

[1:46:01] create legislation that protects against the many harms of data centers.

[1:46:05] We are seeing data centers around the country that are spiking energy prices.

[1:46:11] Hyperscale data centers use as much energy as 100,000 households and some instances.

[1:46:18] And energy bills have already risen 74% in Maryland in part due to data center expansion in Virginia and other states in the PJM region.

[1:46:27] In addition, data centers are causing water issues.

[1:46:32] Hyperskill data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water a day and a community in Georgia found their well water was drying up and contaminated after a data center was an operation nearby.

[1:46:43] Additionally, there are health impacts from noise and air pollution data centers using diesel generators for even less than an hour per week.

[1:46:53] creates the same public health impact as five power plants and it's enough to worse and

[1:47:00] long and cardiovascular conditions for people in the region. So do we want this in Calvert County?

[1:47:06] We have to really, really consider these impacts and we're also seeing that now around 80%

[1:47:14] of Maryland's population lives in a county with a moratorium or ban on new data center development.

[1:47:19] In Calvert County, over 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for a moratorium.

[1:47:25] So Calvert County commissioners, you must do the right thing.

[1:47:28] Listen to the will of your constituents and do what many other jurisdictions across Maryland

[1:47:32] have done and adopt a moratorium.

[1:47:35] Taking this step would allow you to develop appropriate responses to the many issues inherent

[1:47:40] in large data center development.

[1:47:42] Currently, FERC and PGM, our regional grid manager, are working out new rules for large

[1:47:48] users such as data centers, counties across the state are putting processes in place to identify

[1:47:54] that key questions and develop answers and a state report on data centers is due in the

[1:48:00] late fall. And there may as well be action in the general assembly that will help to clarify

[1:48:06] new state requirements. So there's no reason to proceed now without those inputs. A more

[1:48:12] is a tool to give more time to research the effects that data centers would have on the unique ecosystem in Calvert County.

[1:48:20] And create the strongest possible zoning regulations to protect against data centers.

[1:48:24] If residents choose to allow them at all.

[1:48:28] We believe that this moratorium should be lengthened to at least 12 months to give time to fully understand the impacts with a study

[1:48:39] that looks at energy, water, environment, noise, and construction, but ultimately, a more

[1:48:45] TORM is the way forward here.

[1:48:47] Thank you so much.

[1:48:55] Chris Drumberg, following that Jeff Dixon,

[1:49:02] Chris Drumberg, speaking on behalf of myself as the

[1:49:06] county taxpayer.

[1:49:08] So people have talked a lot about the effects of the data centers on our community.

[1:49:14] And I think I want to talk briefly about the economic effects.

[1:49:19] I strongly support a moratorium that is both longer and stronger than we've discussed today.

[1:49:26] I think that what we have here is the beginnings.

[1:49:29] It's a down payment, but what we need to do is think hard about what needs to be done next.

[1:49:35] And that will take a lot of time and work.

[1:49:36] You know, we have, get this count to, we have cooked point, we have Calvert Cliffs, and these

[1:49:45] are multi-generational investments in our count to you.

[1:49:48] I have lasted for decades.

[1:49:50] Data centers will be the same for us.

[1:49:53] So we need to think about this in those terms.

[1:49:55] This is a big investment that will last a long time for us.

[1:50:00] Data Centers, the people who place those data centers, they measure them in two ways. Where's the water? Where's the power? That's what they want.

[1:50:09] So what do they give us? Well, they give us millions of dollars in tax revenue.

[1:50:14] And if you look at the county, economic development plan, where are data centers in that plan? I don't know. I haven't seen it.

[1:50:21] So I think we need to think about this in terms of the greater development of the county. We're losing population. We need to create jobs.

[1:50:29] Data Centers give us revenue, but that revenue may go.

[1:50:35] Next year, a new technology comes out.

[1:50:37] Elon Musk puts data centers in space.

[1:50:40] This thing here, obsolete.

[1:50:43] No more tax revenue.

[1:50:45] So, we need to think in terms of the long run.

[1:50:49] So, what do we do with our economic development plan and how do these investments fit that?

[1:50:55] So that's my ask for the commission to think about that.

[1:51:01] Thank you.

[1:51:02] Thank you.

[1:51:08] Next speaker, Jeff Dixon, following that, Elena Davis.

[1:51:14] Good morning.

[1:51:15] Good afternoon, commissioners.

[1:51:17] I'm speaking for myself.

[1:51:18] My name is Jeff Dixon.

[1:51:19] Let's be Maryland.

[1:51:21] First, I'd like to thank commissioners.

[1:51:22] My card.

[1:51:24] Thank Catherine Kugrasso for being persistent to introduce the moratorium for at least six times in the past.

[1:51:29] It's been a bumpy road with vehicle procedures changing or being forced.

[1:51:33] Hopefully this time it will get finally approved.

[1:51:37] Second,

[1:51:40] Commissioner Grasso, I saw your video yesterday.

[1:51:44] Thank you for creating guidelines during the moratorium.

[1:51:48] Thanks for addressing the zoning ordinances.

[1:51:51] Ordnance needs to be rolled back to the original comprehensive plan.

[1:51:56] Thanks for addressing an environmental study for this, for that is a unique to cover counting.

[1:52:03] It is my hope, Hans Cox and Ireland commissioners finally approve the more which one

[1:52:08] and make it stronger.

[1:52:10] Let's get this approved.

[1:52:11] Thank you very much.

[1:52:17] Elena Davis and following that Jake Burdett.

[1:52:28] I'm going to be speaking for our group.

[1:52:30] are you going to be seeking for?

[1:52:33] Charles County Against Data Centers Coalition.

[1:52:38] Hello commissioners. My name is Alana Davis.

[1:52:42] I'm here along with others as part of the Charles County Against Data Centers Coalition.

[1:52:47] To so solidarity against data centers with our fellow Southern Maryland residents here in Calvert County.

[1:52:55] We also just passed a moratorium in Charles County on July 21st that would effectively

[1:53:01] put a stop to all data center development and zoning, and so I came here to testify in

[1:53:08] support of a moratorium here in Calvary County as well because this issue crosses county

[1:53:14] lines.

[1:53:16] There were a lot of people in our community and even within our own coalition who questioned

[1:53:20] the validity of pushing for a moratorium because of past failures, but myself and others

[1:53:26] saw the potential continuing the call for one and through education and community support

[1:53:31] we finally got a moratorium past and even if not on the first time, even if not on the first

[1:53:36] time it was proposed. I am happy that our county commissioners and Charles County learned

[1:53:41] from their past mistakes and after voting down a moratorium the first time around that

[1:53:46] unanimously voted to pass a moratorium when it came up again for a vote a second time last month.

[1:53:53] I'm excited that you all as the Calberate County Commissioners now have an opportunity to pursue a similar course of action here.

[1:54:01] For those of you who lost your primary elections for voting against the status and a moratorium in the past,

[1:54:06] it may be too late for you to win your elections, but it's definitely still not too late to come over to the correct side of history.

[1:54:13] and vote in favor of the environment, health, safety, property values, and quality of life for your constituents.

[1:54:21] That is what this vote today allows you to do.

[1:54:25] To clearly show that you are on the side of regular working people, rather than with the tele, Amazon and the data center industry,

[1:54:33] and I hope that you all will vote accordingly.

[1:54:40] I should also add that even if you do all do the right thing today and vote to pass this moratorium,

[1:54:45] The fight does not stop there, a moratorium only provides temporary relief from these harmful

[1:54:51] data centers for Calbrac County residents.

[1:54:54] But the only thing that guarantees permanent safety for Calbrac County residents is an outright.

[1:55:00] Countywide permanent ban on data centers.

[1:55:05] This is what we are now calling for on child's county and we encourage

[1:55:09] county residents to do the same, rather than allowing the data center companies to use the extra time that a more

[1:55:16] time will grant them to regroup and make a renewable, donated push for, say, regulated data centers or renewable energy

[1:55:24] powered data centers, six months from now. By calling for a permanent ban on data centers, we are not

[1:55:31] asking for anything at all unreasonable, unprecedented, unprecedented, or extreme.

[1:55:36] Instead, we are just asking that you all do what the county council and county executive

[1:55:41] already unanimously did in Hartford County,

[1:55:45] and pass the legislative ban on data centers.

[1:55:49] If they can ban data centers in Hartford County, then they can ban them here in Southern Maryland,

[1:55:54] which is an even more delicate environment environment farmland to protect, thank you all.

[1:56:08] Next speaker is Jake Burdett following that Bob Landon.

[1:56:18] Name is Jake Burdett speaking on behalf of myself today.

[1:56:22] I currently live in Howard County, Maryland, but I've been involved with the Charles

[1:56:26] County against data centers coalition for the last six months or so.

[1:56:30] Where I currently live in Howard County, our county council there passed a 17 month

[1:56:34] moratorium on data center development.

[1:56:37] And yes, in Charles County where I've been organizing in status centers more recently

[1:56:40] may move too soon. They also just implemented an effective moratorium last month. Howard County

[1:56:46] and Charles County are just two of many jurisdictions all across the state and country who are

[1:56:50] making the wise decision to hesitate before deciding to just jump right into opening the flood

[1:56:55] gates to data center construction. I hope that Howard County joins that growing consensus by voting

[1:57:01] and support of this moratorium today. However, I would also call for the need for this moratorium

[1:57:07] to be significantly strengthened through amendments, including by lengthening it.

[1:57:11] For my understanding, this more toy mass proposed would only prevent site plan approvals

[1:57:15] for this six month period.

[1:57:17] But very importantly, this more toy would not have any effect on the acceptance, processing

[1:57:21] review or approval of new and pending applications, conditional use permits or building permits.

[1:57:26] This, in effect, means that even if data center developers won't be able to receive final approval

[1:57:31] for their projects during this six month period, they'll still be able to continue shepherding

[1:57:36] their projects along in the county process so that as soon as that six month more

[1:57:40] toym ends, they can almost immediately receive approval right after that.

[1:57:44] I highly doubt that this is what residents who are calling for a more toym had in mind,

[1:57:48] and that the more toym is passing this current iteration, it would appear to just have the

[1:57:53] illusion of standing up to the data center industry without the actual effect of it.

[1:57:57] In Charles County, we had similar concerns that a more toym, if it didn't address the

[1:58:03] Potential zoning changes to allow for data centers. It would be toothless, luckily, the moratorium there

[1:58:09] Does pause the zoning process, and so all that is say, I would strongly urge you all to follow commissioner

[1:58:15] Grasso's recommendation to revert Calvert County zoning code back to what it was before data centers

[1:58:22] We'll allow the bill fair

[1:58:23] And then after that after the moratorium ends the county can decide if they want to move forward again

[1:58:29] with considering the zoning changes needed for data centers in counter-counting.

[1:58:33] Thank you.

[1:58:40] Next speaker is Bob Landon and following that, Mark Sennfrieda.

[1:58:49] Excuse me.

[1:58:52] Before I get started, I just want to make a point from Mr. Grasso.

[1:58:55] I mentioned something earlier about corporations

[1:58:58] or some companies worrying about their first amendment, right?

[1:59:01] I'm pretty sure that the first amendment is not

[1:59:05] protected.

[1:59:05] Corporations are accomplished.

[1:59:08] But onto the point.

[1:59:12] Okay, I'll be better about it.

[1:59:14] I should know the guys in the back are laughing at me.

[1:59:16] Mr. Lannick, can you please state, are you speaking as an individual today or is it a group?

[1:59:19] Oh, I'm sorry.

[1:59:20] Hi.

[1:59:21] Bob Landau, I'm from Tuskegee Beach, and I'm speaking as an individual.

[1:59:23] Sorry about that.

[1:59:26] In my almost 30 years here in this county, I've never heard or smelled an issue that got so much attention and controversy.

[1:59:34] And I think there's a good reason for it, but today, we're not deciding on anything about whether the data center will go in or not.

[1:59:43] It's about the moratorium.

[1:59:45] And I think Mr. Grausio and Mike, for putting that up.

[1:59:49] But I'm richly, Mike, I'm sorry, Mr. Mishkaard.

[1:59:52] That's fine.

[1:59:53] I'm sorry.

[1:59:54] I'm sorry.

[2:00:00] But some of the other counties around have done. I'm just trying to figure out where that went and became down to this candy ass six month deal.

[2:00:08] Because that doesn't do any good, as people said. And the real deal is that we don't know enough. Nobody in this county, we don't want very few people in this county are experts on it, but no disrespect intended.

[2:00:23] And you are not experts on this area either.

[2:00:27] So it is your duty as civic leaders to take the information in from the people who are.

[2:00:35] We need to have proper studies and opinions from people who have gone through this time and

[2:00:42] do this for a living.

[2:00:43] So they know what's really going on.

[2:00:45] We cannot make a decision without knowing the full facts.

[2:00:48] That's the whole point of a democracy.

[2:00:49] Now, I'm against data centers personally, but I don't know enough, so I'm also a reasonable

[2:00:56] person, I think, and think that if there's time a lot of it, if the experts get together

[2:01:02] and put together hard information data and what their professional opinions are, we should

[2:01:10] be listening to them, because what happens here, most of us are on the wrong side of the

[2:01:16] But this can be affecting people for generations to come, and that's our responsibility, too.

[2:01:26] And I guess that's what I have to say, so thank you for asking me.

[2:01:34] Mark Sinfrieda, I'm sorry if I'm mispronounced in that name and following that Megan Faringer.

[2:01:46] Mark, you're free to.

[2:01:47] It's always mismilled.

[2:01:49] That mispronounced all of 75 years I've been that name.

[2:01:54] I've been here down here for a little bit.

[2:01:56] Sir, what are you speaking as an individual today, or is it a group?

[2:01:59] What?

[2:01:59] Will you be speaking today for your testimony as a group or an individual?

[2:02:04] I'm an individual.

[2:02:07] I've moved in, uh,

[2:02:09] those of you for 38 years, 48 years in this county.

[2:02:14] And I've helped the poor and disadvantaged here.

[2:02:21] The AI centers are not needed in America.

[2:02:27] It's not data centers as AI data centers are

[2:02:31] trying to produce in our county.

[2:02:34] If the data centers are so good for this county,

[2:02:37] why don't you put them in Owens or Dunkirk?

[2:02:41] Why don't you, you know, we in love

[2:02:43] be have a no pollution, the sound and air pollution.

[2:02:47] I have, I've met a couple that came from my Baltimore County to vacation in Les B and

[2:02:55] Solomon's last week and they, the electricity went out and they opened the windows up and

[2:03:01] they heard this jet sound at 10 o'clock at night and they couldn't figure out what that was and

[2:03:06] I said, well that's the LNG plant and you know, you can't really hear it during the day but

[2:03:12] definitely here at it night in the morning.

[2:03:17] We don't, we don't need the AI data center and the

[2:03:23] moratorium great. Try to get that done for for election reasons or whatever reasons you're doing it,

[2:03:30] but we don't, we don't need it, we don't want it, and please just say no to it completely for a

[2:03:38] Thank you.

[2:03:46] Next speaker is Megan Farringer, following that Lily Sheeline.

[2:03:53] Megan Farringer from Lesby and I'll be speaking as an individual.

[2:03:57] Good morning.

[2:03:58] Before I address the board, I'd like to take the opportunity to say something to the

[2:04:01] People of Calvary County.

[2:04:04] Thank you.

[2:04:05] Thank you for standing with the residents of Lesby, including the residents of Camp Canoybro.

[2:04:10] Thank you for seeing a third large-scale project,

[2:04:14] slide through coming into Las B and join us in demanding answers, transparency and a pause.

[2:04:20] Thank you for organizing, whether it was for information sessions in public libraries,

[2:04:25] for organizing protests and rallies, and for organizing individual groups and non-profits

[2:04:30] to help give support to those who want to continue to exercise their rights as an American citizen.

[2:04:36] To the board, it's taken six months to get here, where your constituents have been heard

[2:04:42] after months of demands, as much as I'm tempted to say,

[2:04:45] thank you for finally listening to us.

[2:04:47] It shouldn't have taken us this long.

[2:04:49] You should note that this has unified this county

[2:04:52] in a way that I never thought would happen.

[2:04:55] We had three political parties that could

[2:04:57] converge with each other on one singular topic with-

[2:05:00] Now shouting obscenities at each other, especially during the primaries, everyone was hanging out and talking

[2:05:05] together and not shouting out of each other. We had youth and elder individuals who weren't sitting

[2:05:11] around waving fist at each other and complaining about back in my day, this thing would happen.

[2:05:17] If you strengthen this moreatorium and approve it today, it's going to solidify this unity

[2:05:22] that we can all come together as a Calvary County, and focus on the betterment of Calvary County's

[2:05:27] I also want to say thank you to Charles County for coming out to support us as well.

[2:05:37] Perhaps that we are not like other counties.

[2:05:39] We are still different.

[2:05:41] We are covered strong, we are loves be strong, and we deserve to have a strong impactful

[2:05:46] moratorium.

[2:05:47] Thank you.

[2:05:55] Lily, she-line, following that, Lynn Zousa.

[2:05:59] Hi.

[2:05:59] Thank you.

[2:06:00] I'm Lily, she-line, a reporter public speaking for myself.

[2:06:04] Thank you for having us here in commissioners.

[2:06:06] It's been a long haul.

[2:06:08] I want to let you know that I have already submitted comments, more detailed comments in advance,

[2:06:12] but I want to make a few points here.

[2:06:15] Now that we are dealing with a moratorium, let's make it meaningful.

[2:06:19] One of the first ways to do that is to make an actual time frame that makes sense.

[2:06:23] We need to extend it.

[2:06:24] In six months, you can't even just looking at the studies aspect of it.

[2:06:28] To identify the studies you want to get to review existing studies, to design new studies,

[2:06:33] together the information to review the information, to present the information to the public,

[2:06:38] which I assume the board would do, to get common to review all of that. It's never going

[2:06:44] to happen in six months. So please extend it. At least a year, two years would be better, make

[2:06:50] it meaningful. Please make this more to our meaningful. Secondly, also along the lines of making

[2:06:57] more Tory meaningful. The language is so vague as to be meaningless. It needs to be strengthened.

[2:07:04] There's been a lot of suggestions about it. Patrick Flaherty has presented with you guys

[2:07:09] with a very well-constructed proposal. Please adopt the language in that proposal for

[2:07:16] more Tory of language. Make it work. Thirdly, well, also we need immediate reversion of the zoning.

[2:07:23] I just wanted to make that and reiterate that point of gratitude.

[2:07:27] Lastly, please look around this room.

[2:07:32] Almost everybody here has gray hair if they have hair at all,

[2:07:36] or it's not colored, okay?

[2:07:39] So you guys, and this pre-seeds you, okay?

[2:07:43] I get this.

[2:07:44] These public hearings cannot continue to happen during the work day.

[2:07:49] People are working, they're taking care of their kids,

[2:07:53] They're taking care of their parents, people cannot attend this.

[2:07:58] It's been a lot of the same people, and thank you to folks who are showing up here for the

[2:08:02] first time including from our neighboring counties.

[2:08:05] But these things to be meaningful have got to be made here in that people can attend.

[2:08:10] Thank you.

[2:08:17] Lynn Zousa, and following that Andy Ellis.

[2:08:25] Hello, commissioners.

[2:08:26] I'm Lynn Zousa, I live in Solomon's, and I'm speaking on behalf of Concerned Citizens

[2:08:31] of Calder.

[2:08:32] As a surprise to you, I'm here to thank you for holding this hearing and I want to make

[2:08:39] clear that I support the more of the moratorium was proposed.

[2:08:43] I also support those individuals who have been proposing strengthening the moratorium.

[2:08:49] I'm not sure whether you're actually going to do that if you do vote on it, but if you

[2:08:54] do, there's one other step that you can take that will really strengthen our protections as residents

[2:08:59] here in Calvert County, and that is changing the zoning back to forest and farming instead

[2:09:05] of heavy industry.

[2:09:11] Combination of those two activities, namely adopting a moratorium and changing the zoning,

[2:09:20] will give us the protection that we need, long enough for you, for your environmental

[2:09:26] commission, for citizens' groups, to do the studies necessary, to identify the potential

[2:09:32] problems that we could see here in the county.

[2:09:36] I'd also like to shift the focus a little bit.

[2:09:39] Most people today who have been talking

[2:09:41] have been addressing the environmental impact.

[2:09:44] That's legitimate, it's appropriate, and it should be done.

[2:09:47] Only two people have addressed the question of financing.

[2:09:51] Commissioner Grasso pointed out that in February,

[2:09:54] her electric bill tripled.

[2:09:57] Even if we totally block a data set.

[2:10:00] Senator Ian Calvert County. We will still be affected by the price increases that data centers are generating throughout the PGM system.

[2:10:10] I think that we need to look at that not just because of the billing that we're going to get.

[2:10:16] But the increase in electrical consumption by data centers that are going to be coming online in the PGM system are going to be jeopardizing the stability of that electrical system.

[2:10:29] There will be brownouts, and PJM has reported repeatedly the potential of blackouts.

[2:10:36] There's an additional problem that we have to face that we ask you to keep in mind.

[2:10:41] And that is that there is an increase in power companies shutting off the electricity to clients that can't afford to pay their electrical bills.

[2:10:51] And they certainly could not afford to pay increased electrical bills.

[2:10:55] So, I am proposing that in addition to the environmental studies that you're proposing in the

[2:11:01] moratorium, you also add a dimension to the work done by the several bodies that you're

[2:11:08] going to be empowering to do the studies here so that we will not only be looking to the

[2:11:14] environmental impact of data centers, we will also be looking to the economic impact that's

[2:11:19] going to be having on corporate residents, retirees, students, businesses, nurses, newly graduates,

[2:11:31] come in as shares companies and so forth, so that we can get a comprehensive view of what

[2:11:38] data centers could, what their impact could be on all of us.

[2:11:41] So, thank you for this opportunity to address you, and I look forward to your taking seriously,

[2:11:48] the numerous recommendations to strengthen the moratorium.

[2:11:53] Thank you.

[2:11:59] Andy Ellis, and following that, Sherry Verdun.

[2:12:05] Can you hear me?

[2:12:06] My name is Andy Ellis.

[2:12:07] I'm speaking as an individual.

[2:12:10] I'm Andy Ellis.

[2:12:11] I'm running for Governor as a Green Party candidate.

[2:12:13] We're running on a platform of a statewide band of data centers,

[2:12:16] repealing the tax breaks that exist right now,

[2:12:19] and making sure that the MDE actually does its job in places where data centers exist.

[2:12:23] and so in that regard I've been traveling around the state to all the counties that are fighting

[2:12:27] against data centers that are coming.

[2:12:29] I live in Baltimore City and May we passed a one-year moratorium and our county, our city leaders

[2:12:35] told us at the time that we had a year to figure out what we were going to do.

[2:12:38] Well, next Thursday there's a zoning hearing in order to allow data centers in industrial

[2:12:43] areas in Baltimore City.

[2:12:44] What do industrial areas in Baltimore City look like?

[2:12:47] We looked at the map.

[2:12:47] They look like places next to rivers, streams, forests.

[2:12:50] They look like places next to farms and homes.

[2:12:53] We know that we're going to have data,

[2:12:55] and even though we're under a moratorium,

[2:12:58] we're still faced with zoning that's

[2:13:00] going to put it right in our neighborhoods.

[2:13:01] So I'd say that it's a caution about what the moratorium does.

[2:13:04] Second thing I want to say is that I was on Frederick

[2:13:06] last night, we're 17-day-to-centered already

[2:13:08] exist in the county, and I was talking to somebody

[2:13:10] who has an active project, 500 feet from her home.

[2:13:13] She explained to us that it has destroyed her community.

[2:13:16] It has destroyed her home.

[2:13:17] She can't get peace.

[2:13:18] She can't get sleep.

[2:13:19] She cannot enjoy the home that she's built, the yard, her garden, any of those things.

[2:13:25] So I encourage anybody who wants to think about data centers coming here to go visit the

[2:13:29] people on Adam's time.

[2:13:30] You don't got to go to Valden County, you don't got to go to Virginia, you don't

[2:13:32] go to a Frederick where it's already happening where they're already being built and people

[2:13:36] are already feeling the effects of it.

[2:13:38] The third thing, as I heard mentioned, the Governor Moore says the data centers are inevitable

[2:13:42] and I know some of you were at make-o this weekend where there were panels for people who

[2:13:46] on his administration said the same thing.

[2:13:49] MPJM said the same thing.

[2:13:50] With all due respect to Governor Moore,

[2:13:52] he does not get to decide that.

[2:13:54] The people of Calvary County, the people of Maryland,

[2:13:56] are local and state officials decide that.

[2:14:04] And I encourage you to make the decision

[2:14:05] that is best for the people of Calvary County today.

[2:14:08] Thank you.

[2:14:14] Sherry Verdon and following that Joseph Oliver.

[2:14:22] I'm sure he said that for those

[2:14:23] actually directed to the past somewhere.

[2:14:26] We will, Joseph Oliver and following that

[2:14:29] Amanda Johnston.

[2:14:41] Good afternoon.

[2:14:41] My name is Joseph Oliver, and I'm speaking for myself.

[2:14:46] We have to pass the data center of moratorium as it is.

[2:14:51] Any moratorium is better than none.

[2:14:53] If it needs to be refined, it can be between now and September.

[2:15:00] News is a room full of people that already know that a data center is a bad thing.

[2:15:05] They don't need a study. We've heard everything about it. It's a cancer, and once it gets here, you can't get rid of it.

[2:15:13] We have to get this moratorium in place so that a new board of county commissioners can be put in place that will be sympathetic to and listen to the wishes of the people of Calvary County.

[2:15:24] And put a stop to this nightmare before it becomes a reality.

[2:15:29] Thank you.

[2:15:35] Amanda Johnson and following that nail fuller.

[2:15:48] My name is Amanda Johnson and I'm from Charles County and I'm here speaking as an individual.

[2:15:56] I'm just here to show my support for banning and stopping data centers and coward.

[2:16:01] I'm from Charles and we did pass a moratorium, which was good.

[2:16:06] I would think I would support something stronger, I would actually support it out right

[2:16:11] ban, but if we only get six months, I will let you know that I will be here to help you

[2:16:16] guys fight every step of the way,

[2:16:22] and it's all for me.

[2:16:28] Now, Fuller, and following that, Sherry Verdun.

[2:16:38] I am Fuller.

[2:16:39] I am Fuller.

[2:16:39] Can you speak into the mic?

[2:16:41] Sorry about that.

[2:16:41] Greetings.

[2:16:42] I am Fuller.

[2:16:43] I am speaking on behalf of the Calvert County Environmental Commission.

[2:16:57] I'm Dr. Dave Campbell.

[2:17:00] Dr. Jeanette Walsauki.

[2:17:05] Our role in the town needs to advise the board to provide outreach to the public and to hear them on environmental matters.

[2:17:12] We are the experts.

[2:17:15] The submitted document last week saved not been posted yet.

[2:17:18] It is our third submission.

[2:17:19] We submitted our first submission in April and our second.

[2:17:22] some 30-page recommendation in July, I believe.

[2:17:28] We are supportive of the six-month auditorium.

[2:17:32] Thank you to the board for pivoting.

[2:17:34] As you have, we are supportive, but there are several things that need to occur first.

[2:17:43] First, as we have said before, scientific studies are necessary.

[2:17:48] They cannot be completed in six months.

[2:17:50] I'm an environmental review expert and I know you cannot complete scientifically valid studies in six months.

[2:17:57] We need studies that look at at a minimum, water, heat, 16 degrees.

[2:18:05] It could increase our temperature by 16 degrees. One data center could.

[2:18:10] You need to look at noise, including at how that will impact schools.

[2:18:15] We need a worst case analysis.

[2:18:19] We've heard from elsewhere in the country when these things go terribly wrong.

[2:18:24] And it's too late then because the impacts have already been felt.

[2:18:29] Additionally, we need cumulative effects analysis,

[2:18:33] and that will look at things that both says suggested,

[2:18:37] like electricity usage and the prices that go with that.

[2:18:43] Additionally, we need an environmental justice review because the rezoning to put more industrial

[2:18:49] development in LUSPY is textbook environmental injustice.

[2:18:59] And while I heard you that you want the data center applications to guide where the science

[2:19:07] goes pay for by the applicants, that will not get you independently valid scientific data.

[2:19:14] you can do a common wide analysis. It's called a cumulative effects analysis. We can do this.

[2:19:22] And we should do this. We need to do this. We owe it to our county.

[2:19:26] And our public.

[2:19:31] We request an expansion of a moratorium to a two minimum of twenty four months or better yet

[2:19:37] until the scientific analysis demonstrates that it's appropriate for our county.

[2:19:45] The moratorium must be expanded to include the entire process as Commissioner Grossos suggested, not limited to approvals, don't take proposals, don't take applications, no cyclans, none of it.

[2:19:59] And limit.

[2:20:00] We did conversations with data centers. If you have to have them, that's all, all look.

[2:20:06] Yeah. Yeah. Our county is unique, and we need unique studies to evaluate how this will impact our county.

[2:20:16] Let's see. The most cost-effective solution to avoid studies, to avoid planning and zoning staff from doing this.

[2:20:25] You could ban it, and that would eliminate those of our actual communities.

[2:20:35] Put in the ordinance that science must support data centers.

[2:20:40] From what we know, it does not.

[2:20:43] Our resources do not support data centers and the impacts that will come with them.

[2:20:49] Again, we are the experts.

[2:20:51] The data does not exist currently to show that this will not be an adverse impact to our county.

[2:20:59] So, somebody else suggested a motto, you can't say yes if we don't ask the question.

[2:21:07] So, we ask and we advise you to expand the moratorium to a minimum of 12-24 months to allow

[2:21:13] the scientists, science to proceed, independent science to proceed to be specific and

[2:21:21] pause the entirety of the process, not just the approvals, because as you've heard several

[2:21:26] people say the next day, six months in one day from now, we can have data centers all over the

[2:21:31] place. If the planning and zoning keep going because that's, it only takes planning and zoning

[2:21:37] six months from start to finish. Required county wife. Yep. Required county wife. Studies and

[2:21:45] show that it won't hurt our resources. Reson would be awesome and a lot of size of relief would

[2:21:52] heard, put data centers where the communities want them, where there's

[2:21:56] own for it, and where resources are appropriate.

[2:21:58] Thank you.

[2:21:59] Calvert County is not that count off.

[2:22:14] Sherry Verdun, and following that Jason Skaggs.

[2:22:19] OK, so remember, we left off at that row, which was.

[2:22:25] They spurred in.

[2:22:25] We'll be speaking as a group today.

[2:22:27] Isn't it a big deal?

[2:22:27] Yeah, OK.

[2:22:28] I'll remember, you know, OK.

[2:22:30] So we're going to reconcile those numbers.

[2:22:31] And we're gonna talk about five 75 budget unit five 75, which is an entire row. Okay, and it's not I'm sorry

[2:22:38] It's not missing essentially, but three fields of

[2:22:43] Data in that row were questioned in our rate study. There are notes on that

[2:22:48] Mike maker with new gen study, which all of you should know because you listened to his presentation

[2:22:52] We did two in September 26, but I mean September 23, we just didn't realize that but I'll break it down for you

[2:22:59] If the 6167.618 million is indeed the model's long-term capital debt outcome,

[2:23:07] under the no-growth scenario, remember that no cap fees, then you told us, no cap fee revenue,

[2:23:13] that was our shortfall. Then the critical fact is not merely that debt exists. It is that the

[2:23:18] model is testing whether the existing customer base can financially sustain the capital program

[2:23:26] without relying on the future growth.

[2:23:29] So I have to ask myself why there was a tab that said,

[2:23:33] future hookups and what those projects were

[2:23:37] and what the notes were next to those hookups.

[2:23:39] And among them was the Charles County,

[2:23:43] 1, 115 EDU allocation facility and I had a note next to it that said,

[2:23:49] depending on what the commissioners decide.

[2:23:51] Why was that in your rate model that you presented to us

[2:23:54] In September of 2023, if you didn't start talking to any data center industrial users until

[2:24:00] after 2024 and doing these studies, the timeline does not reconcile, but the budget does.

[2:24:07] Using 4,600 residential accounts merely as an illustration, because that is the consumer

[2:24:13] base of which you ran these projections and it came your model.

[2:24:18] Not an allocation because commercial accounts also pay 167.620 million is about 36,439 per residential account.

[2:24:29] Do you hear me water sewer enterprise fund consumers?

[2:24:32] 2555 is when your next bond sale that you were just approved right here in front of everybody.

[2:24:37] That's when that debt ends 255 beyond the comp plan.

[2:24:41] And that projected debt really does match that bond sale and all those numbers line up pretty well, but let's talk about budget unit 575, which was explicitly noted by your rate study consultant, not ours, because it wasn't an independent study, at least not the one we were talking about.

[2:25:00] The mysterious What is Budget Unit 575? It is a spreadsheet row. It is an intact sequence, Solomon's

[2:25:08] Water. Okay? They form a completely intact sequence. So the consultant was asking, you know, where is it? They were asking, what is it?

[2:25:17] The intact sequence for budget unit 561. I hope the budget person's here paying attention. Solomon's Water is 2014.

[2:25:24] go bond interest. 2014 go principal. 2016 geo interest, you know, general obligation bonds,

[2:25:31] the ones we're here approving today. Without a second thought, 2016 geo principle, 2020

[2:25:37] refunding bond interest, 2020 refunding bond principle, compensated absences, other leave,

[2:25:44] contracted services, laboratory analysis, depreciation, electricity, intersystem transfer,

[2:25:52] maintenance, salaries, supplies, maintenance reserve, that's the full line and I just

[2:25:57] read it out loud to everyone so they can hear it, okay? The historical columns

[2:26:00] beside those records are three-year-to-date periods followed by the fiscal year 24

[2:26:05] budget followed by proposed fiscal years, okay? So the 575 visible in that

[2:26:13] neighborhood is simply model line 575. And that particular line happens to be

[2:26:21] Solomon's water, slash salaries, slash colon pay, slash budget unit 561.

[2:26:29] So remember I said, I asked you for an audit back then, and you didn't give me one.

[2:26:36] So I guess I had to do my own before you pass the second phase.

[2:26:39] This is not a second separate fluke.

[2:26:42] This is a separate phase of funding that you're funding with this wholesale.

[2:26:47] And the projected model for no growth

[2:26:49] with no additional users, but massive, massive, massive,

[2:26:54] capacity with a listed project that we know is already sold

[2:26:58] to a data center on your rate model that you approved in fiscal year,

[2:27:02] 24, which everyone can look at.

[2:27:04] I'll put it out there today.

[2:27:05] You can look at these numbers.

[2:27:06] You can reconcile them yourself.

[2:27:08] Take the budget, run it through your AI,

[2:27:09] whatever you do to research, and see how those numbers match up.

[2:27:12] Okay, because that's what I did for the last four years,

[2:27:15] except I did it by hand.

[2:27:17] I didn't use chatGBT.

[2:27:18] And I did it by asking the people that you see in this room because they're smart, they're experts, and you're not going to trick us.

[2:27:25] So I would encourage everybody in this room to look at those budget numbers and find out why there was a question on that read study about

[2:27:32] Solomon's water salaries, call and pay.

[2:27:35] Thank you.

[2:27:41] Next speaker is Jason Skaggs, and it's following that Sylvia Batong.

[2:27:52] My name is Jason Skaggs, I'm here for myself.

[2:27:55] I'm a resident of Owens, a little sick, sorry for the voice.

[2:28:01] I am also a county commissioner candidate at large.

[2:28:04] I have watched this data center topic cause an incredible amount of stress and anxiety for so many people in our community.

[2:28:11] Friends and neighbors are worried about millions of square sheet of buildings popping up in their backyard.

[2:28:16] They're worried about their electric bills doubling their tripling.

[2:28:20] They're worried about their water and they're well-possibly running dry.

[2:28:23] how many of us really ever? I mean, we really take that for granted, the fact that our well

[2:28:27] pumps water out of an unlimited amount of water out of our house.

[2:28:34] People, we have all lived through

[2:28:37] this topic and debate during the primary election process. The result of that primary election was

[2:28:43] a true mandate on data centers here in Calvert. It's now time to lower the stress and anxiety level

[2:28:49] of all of our friends and neighbors, it's actually quite overdue.

[2:28:54] I respectfully request that the Board vote on a moratorium of at least 12 months on any

[2:29:00] data center plan submission or site plan.

[2:29:04] And schedule a hearing to reason the Calvary Closed property.

[2:29:08] Effectively announcing to the world that the Calvary County is closed to big data.

[2:29:18] This debate and stress has gone on long enough.

[2:29:22] This will allow our community time to come together and decide as a group exactly what we want or don't want in our backyards.

[2:29:33] Thank you.

[2:29:40] Sylvia Batong and following that Linda Sumpner.

[2:29:49] Good afternoon, Sylvia Batong speaking for myself, live in Port Republic.

[2:29:54] Having been inspired by the speakers that I've heard today.

[2:29:58] I heard...

[2:30:00] Make a moratorium two years, three years, five years. I also heard a citizen ask, how will we pay for these costly studies since we don't have an end user. Commissioner Hart said a study by an end user would not be trustworthy.

[2:30:15] I rise to speak in favor of a five-year moratorium. Let's use a scientific method. Let coward county be the control group with no data center.

[2:30:26] Let all the other counties be the test cases and identify the risks of data centers

[2:30:35] over time.

[2:30:38] Save the Calvert Fiscal Coffers.

[2:30:41] At that point, surely we will have all the information to confidently ban status centers in our beautiful fragile county forever.

[2:30:49] Thank you.

[2:30:57] The next speaker is Linda Sumpter, and following that, Janette Wasaki.

[2:31:08] Good morning, everyone. I feel awkward with my back turned to the most important entity

[2:31:13] of this county, the resident. I apologize for that.

[2:31:18] And thank you for your support. I'm Linda's sister,

[2:31:22] resident, voter, taxpayer of Calvert County.

[2:31:26] And will you be speaking as an individual today?

[2:31:28] Yeah, it's a group, kind of individual.

[2:31:30] Before I begin, I employ the board to get this book

[2:31:36] and read it, although none of us in this room

[2:31:39] are experts on data centers.

[2:31:41] But if you get this, this will give you some knowledge.

[2:31:45] Firstly, I have a question asked, why are we here

[2:31:50] if the board respects its constituents?

[2:31:54] Why are we here?

[2:31:56] None of these people here

[2:31:57] one, a data center. So why are we here? What is the urgency of pushing this data center?

[2:32:06] Especially with the environmental impact, you don't have to go far for experts. You had a group

[2:32:12] of experts here in your county that you can consult with. So that tells me that I am responsible

[2:32:20] partly for this problem because I voted to put the members of the board here who are deciding

[2:32:27] again something that the residents do not want. That's a problem. It's somewhat

[2:32:33] self-inflicted. So we have to start voting smarter and be engaged and be

[2:32:40] engaged because this is the reason we're here now because we didn't use good

[2:32:45] judgment and as someone said earlier we trust it. We trust it easily and I

[2:32:52] think that trust has been broken and it has to be corrected. So I am not for a six month

[2:32:59] monitoria, absolutely not. Data centers should be banned.

[2:33:05] Yes, permanently.

[2:33:09] You know, at any board and I live throughout the United States and outside of the country,

[2:33:15] a board that would try to push and approve something that their constituents do not want.

[2:33:21] So, I'm asking the board, what is the rush?

[2:33:25] Why can't you do your job and help the community that ends my speak?

[2:33:38] And the last speaker I have signed up is Jeanette Walsokki.

[2:33:52] Hi, Dr. Jeanette Walsokki, speaking on behalf of myself.

[2:33:56] So this morning, I am going to talk about P.J.M. in Perk.

[2:34:00] So, I just learned that on August 13, P.J.N. submitted an application for FERC.

[2:34:09] After two auctions in their market that failed to secure enough electricity generation.

[2:34:16] So, their proposal is that, first, any new large load over 50 megawatts like data centers must bring their own power starting June 1.

[2:34:30] What will that mean for us?

[2:34:33] Well, that mean diesel generators?

[2:34:36] Well, that mean more nuclear power plants?

[2:34:39] What does that mean?

[2:34:40] We're a tiny county.

[2:34:43] The second thing is that data centers hooked up to the grid

[2:34:47] will be the first to have their power cut

[2:34:49] before other users one there is a strain on the electrical grid.

[2:34:53] So those are really good things.

[2:34:55] But, here's where it gets bad for us, and, and you

[2:35:00] You two, you guys too. The 2829 capacity auction hit 325 megawatt per day price, but came up 6.8 gigawatts short. They didn't get enough electricity.

[2:35:18] So, what they are going to do is have a one-time backstop procurement running between September

[2:35:26] 30th and October 21st, where the offers will be capped at $555 per megawatt date.

[2:35:36] Who pays that?

[2:35:39] We do.

[2:35:40] And P.J. Anne's Market Monitor attributed 75.5% jump in regional power costs directly the data center to ban.

[2:35:51] That's our wallets.

[2:35:56] Please strengthen this.

[2:36:08] That was the last of the in-person speakers.

[2:36:10] Okay, I will be turning it over now to Andrew Miller.

[2:36:14] We do have some speakers online,

[2:36:18] caller with the last four ending in 2, 9, 5, 3.

[2:36:21] We are ready to receive your comments.

[2:36:24] Please state your name and address,

[2:36:25] whether you'll be speaking as an individual,

[2:36:28] or as the designated representative of a group.

[2:36:31] Please press star 6 to unmute your phone,

[2:36:33] or press the unmute button on Teams.

[2:36:44] Good morning.

[2:36:44] Kathy Decker is speaking on behalf of Childhood Citizens

[2:36:47] for Student Safety and Responsible Development.

[2:36:49] Can you hear me?

[2:36:50] Yes, we can.

[2:36:53] We are here today because residents across California refuse to stay silent.

[2:36:58] From months, residents have been researching, asking questions and attending meetings, trying

[2:37:02] to understand what is happening in our community.

[2:37:06] Data centers are not ordinary neighbors, they are massive industrial facilities that require

[2:37:10] enormous amount of electricity, significant water resources, and substantial infrastructure,

[2:37:16] backup generation and large amount of land.

[2:37:18] So, when we are talking about ways in this type of industrial development and close proximity

[2:37:23] of our schools, neighborhoods, and environmental sensitive areas, we have an obligation

[2:37:28] to ask serious questions.

[2:37:30] Our students should not be the test case.

[2:37:33] Before approval of our allowing development of this scale, we need to understand the potential

[2:37:37] impacts on student safety, noise, air quality, water resources, traffic, emergency response

[2:37:43] and just around an environment.

[2:37:45] Our local environment from our creaks to our wetlands to Chesapeake Bay

[2:37:49] and the fragile ecosystem of Southern Maryland.

[2:37:52] This was a careful consideration

[2:37:53] before we commit ourselves to a massive industrial footprint.

[2:37:56] We cannot mortgage the long-term health,

[2:37:58] safety, and quality of life of our community

[2:38:00] simply to move development forward faster.

[2:38:04] I am not speaking here today.

[2:38:05] Claiming that consolation is doing something illegal.

[2:38:08] I am saying that residents of arrest and questions.

[2:38:10] Those questions deserve answers.

[2:38:12] People in the community include in tradesmen who have reported doing recent work on

[2:38:17] compilation property are reporting increased activities such as land clearance, electrical

[2:38:21] work, lions, b&n installs, and site works. What exactly is going on on that property?

[2:38:26] So the work taken place on the ground match the scope that the permits have been issued.

[2:38:32] If residents of the inactivity that raised questions shouldn't the county inspect its the

[2:38:36] out there to verify? Not because we are accused in any one of wrongdoin, but because

[2:38:41] that is exactly what inspections are for.

[2:38:44] Residence that concerned about peace and development,

[2:38:46] a subcision here, a great permit there,

[2:38:48] infrastructure somewhere else.

[2:38:50] Each individual piece may appear undilated

[2:38:52] when viewed by itself.

[2:38:55] A government has an obligation to look at the entire picture,

[2:38:58] which should not be approved in individual pieces

[2:39:00] without understanding what pieces ultimately create.

[2:39:03] It may be simply an upgrade to their infringed infrastructure,

[2:39:07] but we need to remain vigilant

[2:39:08] after all, consolation is who invited AWS to our neighborhood in the first place, and that's not

[2:39:14] made for us. When companies like AWS pull back, it is often a tactical play. They are just

[2:39:19] taking a step back to watch what happens with the moratorium, especially now that even major hubs

[2:39:24] and data center regions are starting to consider causes on development. They will most likely

[2:39:29] be back in six months. They care about the almighty dollar more than the almighty people.

[2:39:34] The planning and zoning rights need to be reversed back to the end of entirety to protect

[2:39:39] Calvert County.

[2:39:40] Let's roll back the clock and restart.

[2:39:43] Let's be sure not to be the sacrifice zones.

[2:39:46] It's time to stop treating Les B. as though it is a place where every major industrial

[2:39:50] impact can simply be concentrated because it is convenient.

[2:39:54] Our residents deserve the same consideration and protection as every other community in

[2:39:58] this county.

[2:39:59] Whether we...

[2:40:00] And again, within more time or move towards the permanent ban, I am asking this board to let

[2:40:05] the legal professionals do the work necessary to make those decisions legally defensible.

[2:40:11] We should not be afraid to establish reasonable protections because a well-funded corporation

[2:40:15] might challenge them. Our responsibility is to adopt thoughtful evidence-based policies

[2:40:20] and protect the public interest and stand within legal scrutiny. What we ask in for today, verify

[2:40:27] what's happening on consolation property, look at the cumulative impacts, stop them at these

[2:40:33] projects, excuse me. Someone, look at these projects is one piece, look at that as an

[2:40:38] ultimate purpose of the infrastructure, the advanced billion changes, remove data centers

[2:40:43] has allowed entirety, rather than continuing to create a framework that invites this type of

[2:40:49] industrial development into the community.

[2:40:53] It's like transparency,

[2:40:56] equipment and

[2:40:57] and staff and ordinance that explicitly banned secret NDAs once and for all, the public should not have to find out what is happening in their backyard afterwards.

[2:41:06] Commissioned if this isn't about being against technology, nor is it about being for.

[2:41:12] Nor is it for or against economic development is about asking whether this particular type of industrial development belongs to be in proposed and whether we have adequate protection for our children.

[2:41:23] our communities and environment, and our future being allowed to move forward.

[2:41:28] Whether we start with a more Tory on our straight-out ban, our legal team needs to do the

[2:41:31] heavy list and to ensure our ordinance is entirely legally defensible.

[2:41:35] We need measures that will hold up and courts against these money hungry, so we have

[2:41:39] to have the corporations that will buy a lawsuit in a heartbeat.

[2:41:42] Protect the people, reset the zone, and remove the data centers as allow youth, entirety,

[2:41:47] and pass an ordinance that banned secret NDAs.

[2:41:50] before closing I want to give offer major

[2:41:53] kudos to commissioner hands.

[2:41:55] If you can submit your

[2:41:56] part and commissioner grass.

[2:41:57] So for continuing support in the

[2:41:59] moratorium and remain in

[2:42:01] three commissioners.

[2:42:02] I wish that you had made a more

[2:42:04] charm decision before now.

[2:42:05] Not because of holding it because you

[2:42:08] have all poured so much part.

[2:42:18] 6 5.

[2:42:23] Coloring in 0 9 6 5.

[2:42:25] We're ready to receive your

[2:42:26] comment.

[2:42:27] Please state your name and address

[2:42:29] and whether you will be

[2:42:30] speaking as an individual or as the designated representative of a group, please press

[2:42:35] star six to unmute your phone or press the unmute button and teams.

[2:42:42] Yes, good afternoon, can you hear me? Yes, we can.

[2:42:44] Yes, we can.

[2:42:48] Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Parker Coyer and I'm a resident

[2:42:51] of Hunting Town. I want to start by saying that I don't view anyone on the days as an adversary.

[2:42:58] I believe you are good people who care about our county. In fact, shortly after my daughter

[2:43:03] was born this spring, I ran into Commissioner Buddy Hands at the hospital and

[2:43:07] hematology, and he kindly congratulated me on my new baby.

[2:43:11] That personal decency is why I choose to raise my family here.

[2:43:15] A good people can make that governing decision.

[2:43:19] Back in late February while doing the routine job search, I stumbled across

[2:43:23] the public posting for an AWS data site construction site manager

[2:43:26] right here in childbirth.

[2:43:29] I shared that link anonymously in local community groups or

[2:43:32] neighbors could see what was developing.

[2:43:34] Soon after, citizens raising those questions

[2:43:36] were casually dismissed from this room and state book warriors.

[2:43:40] I'm not a Facebook warrior.

[2:43:42] I'm a father of veteran, a neighbor, and a citizen

[2:43:44] who believes publicly as business belongs in the light of day.

[2:43:48] This is why I went through the official civic

[2:43:50] process and filed the open meetings compliance board

[2:43:53] complaint with the state.

[2:43:56] When the OMCD issue is finding on the complaint

[2:43:58] out files, it confirmed what we knew all along

[2:44:00] that the public business must not be conducted in the dark.

[2:44:04] Throughout this process, so much energy

[2:44:06] when in debating whether an NDA was strictly permissible

[2:44:09] underlaw that I think this board forgot to stop and ask

[2:44:12] whether it was right.

[2:44:14] Finding a legal loophole to operate in secrecy does not

[2:44:17] make it a leadership.

[2:44:19] Government transparency isn't a favor granted when convenient.

[2:44:22] It's an obligation.

[2:44:24] The OMCD finding wasn't a minor technicality.

[2:44:27] It was a clear reminder that you work for the residents

[2:44:29] of Calvary County. Going forward, I urge this board to rebuild that public trust and choose to

[2:44:35] open dialogue over non-disclosure agreements. Thank you.

[2:44:48] Collar with the last four ending in 888-86, we are ready to receive your comments. Please

[2:44:54] state your name and address and whether you'll be speaking as an individual or as the designated

[2:44:59] you'd represent it.

[2:45:00] If of a group, please press star 6 to unmute your phone or press the unmute button on teams.

[2:45:12] Yes. I'm speaking as an individual. And your name, please, for the record.

[2:45:20] My name is Judy Peterson.

[2:45:24] May I begin?

[2:45:25] Yes, you can.

[2:45:29] All right. Good afternoon. My name is Judy Peterson. Many of you know me as a democratic candidate for that large seat on the Board of County Commissioner.

[2:45:36] I'm also a lesbian resident.

[2:45:39] With the potential passage of the moratorium

[2:45:41] providing a short-term pause on data center approvals

[2:45:44] and with the possibility of additional protective

[2:45:47] text amendments and important rezoning,

[2:45:50] we might be tempted to feel that the storm has access

[2:45:52] as to take a deep breath and relax,

[2:45:56] but that would be a grave mistake.

[2:45:58] This is the time to remain vigilant

[2:46:00] and prepare for the next push by data center developers.

[2:46:03] We need the right studies, new leaders, the transparency and accountability to ensure future

[2:46:10] decisions protect our communities. Our proximity to the nuclear power plant makes continued

[2:46:15] interest in our county of very real positivity. And we're not alone. At this week's Maryland

[2:46:22] Association of Health and Conference lawmakers from across state express frustration about

[2:46:28] a growing reach of data centers.

[2:46:30] Fristor Frederick Howard, Montgomery and Washington County,

[2:46:33] they've all enacted temporary moratorium.

[2:46:36] Yet even among elected officials gathered

[2:46:38] from across Maryland, there was a growing recognition

[2:46:41] that regardless of the importance and public concern,

[2:46:45] the pressure to build data centers is not going to go away.

[2:46:49] So we cannot simply wait and see what happened.

[2:46:52] We must continue to protect the character

[2:46:54] and by-commissioned future of our community.

[2:46:56] Change is inevitable, but we can and must decide how that change occurs.

[2:47:02] I believe that strong and stiffens against data centers is robust and diversified local economy.

[2:47:08] And I believe we need trustworthy leadership, transparent and inclusive government,

[2:47:12] and I believe we need an informed, engaged, citizenry.

[2:47:16] These goals are all within our reach, but only if we remain vigilant and willing to make change.

[2:47:22] And it's about stepping out of our comfort zone.

[2:47:26] So let's get real comfortable and commit to the work that lives ahead.

[2:47:30] Thank you for your time today.

[2:47:40] Follow with the last four digits and then in 2540 we are ready to receive your comments.

[2:47:46] Please state your name and address and whether you'll be speaking as an individual or as the designated representative of a group.

[2:47:52] Please press star six to unmute your phone or press the unmute button and teams.

[2:47:57] Patty Stuckler, candidate for Commissioner at Large, North Beach, speaking for myself.

[2:48:04] I really wish I could have been there with all of you incredible people there today.

[2:48:08] I'm just so proud of you, and I just want to give you a shout out to all the people of

[2:48:13] California who really proved what people can do when we all joined forces.

[2:48:19] I mean, really, residents showed up, you spoke out, signed petitions, and demanded that your

[2:48:25] The voice has be heard to enact this moratorium, just like three-fourths of all the counties in Maryland.

[2:48:32] So just want to say, today I asked this forward to listen to the people's cover county and pass the proposed moratorium.

[2:48:40] But I also asked that the current board used the rest of their term to work on changing the zoning codes back to not allow for data centers.

[2:48:52] If we're there, our fourth requirement from any of you have any that's your

[2:48:56] question. Thank you.

[2:49:05] If anyone else wishes to speak, please press the

[2:49:08] raise hand function or a star five.

[2:49:17] There are no more speakers.

[2:49:30] Questions? We did have Jason, Director Brinkley. Can you hear me?

[2:49:39] Okay, I'm sorry. We did have one individual say.

[2:49:44] past the moratorium and then strengthened it.

[2:49:48] What would, and I believe in that,

[2:49:53] but paid me a picture as to how that would work,

[2:49:56] if we passed the six months and we came back to you.

[2:50:00] In a couple of weeks and said, okay, we want it for 24 months. We want this language to be stronger. Or if we said to you,

[2:50:10] pain as a picture, we want it for 24 months. Take the comments that the public gave us and use the comments to strengthen the moratorium for it to us for so we can see it and then take it out to the public.

[2:50:26] I guess what I'm asking, as I personally, with my comments in the beginning, I personally

[2:50:34] do not feel that this is strong enough, and we need this protection also with the reversal

[2:50:41] of the properties that were turned into high industrial back to farm to farming.

[2:50:49] So,

[2:50:55] and I know people don't want this to be put off, because they're sick of coming here.

[2:50:59] they want a moratorium, but I don't want us to agree to the moratorium that is on the table.

[2:51:05] When I as a commissioner and our constituents don't feel it's strong enough, I don't

[2:51:10] want this to fall by the wayside if we were to approve it today, what would it look like

[2:51:16] a strengthening this and how quickly could we get it done?

[2:51:19] I guess that's what I'm saying.

[2:51:22] So I will, I think the easiest thing to say is that this ordinance can be amended.

[2:51:27] It lays out a provision to amend it, it's a county ordinance, it can be amended, it's got to follow the same notice procedure that we did for today.

[2:51:37] So if it's the board's prerogative to strengthen it by adding a link, they're adding more details to anything you can do that.

[2:51:45] You just have to follow the same notice process that we followed to be here in front of you all today.

[2:51:50] So, could we agree today that, yes, we are passing this moratorium, we are passing this moratorium as it is, but can we instruct you today to strengthen the language and put a 24-month moratorium on top of this six-month moratorium, I guess I'm saying an 18-month add-on to it.

[2:52:13] When does that process start? I don't want. We're not coming back until September 1.

[2:52:19] And I would like to have language by September 1 and the possibility of a 24-month moratorium.

[2:52:28] Is that doable? So I believe the next meeting is the 20th, 20th,

[2:52:35] second. It's 22nd of September is the next meeting I believe. I have September 1 is our next meeting.

[2:52:43] I'll defer to the board.

[2:52:45] Okay, this is unacceptable.

[2:52:47] I will defer to the board.

[2:52:50] However, we can't have, if you put in place,

[2:52:54] and let me back up by saying that any substantive change

[2:52:58] in this, as it sits now, would restart that process.

[2:53:01] So if you said today that you wanna do a 24 months,

[2:53:05] you would restart this exact same process.

[2:53:07] If you wanna amend it, you would go through

[2:53:09] the same process.

[2:53:10] So I think there are some tweaks that can happen to this.

[2:53:13] and you've not, and you still be in line with what was advertised, and that's a discussion

[2:53:19] that I think is worth having, but if you wanted to strengthen it, we can come back

[2:53:24] in September and discuss what that language would be, and if it is in place, you do have

[2:53:31] that six-month period of time to continue to exclude it.

[2:53:37] I'm sorry.

[2:53:38] I don't focus.

[2:53:38] Keep it down, please.

[2:53:39] Thank you.

[2:53:40] shortly we're trying to work through this okay so we could go with the six

[2:53:47] month and we can start the process to strengthen it and come back in a couple of

[2:53:53] weeks. Come back at the next meeting.

[2:53:56] Commissioners I would like to make a note as we also have an individual online when we

[2:54:00] transferred over to Commissioner Grasso started talking. Their hand was raised but I

[2:54:04] just wanted to let you know that we do have one individual.

[2:54:06] It's not a problem.

[2:54:09] Good.

[2:54:09] Go to a mail.

[2:54:10] Okay.

[2:54:11] Andrew, go ahead.

[2:54:17] Yep.

[2:54:18] Could the user that had their hand raised please raise their hand again using the star 5 function.

[2:54:44] There they go.

[2:54:45] Hey, I'm not raised their hand again to a music.

[2:54:48] Here we go.

[2:54:50] Clorending in 5051.

[2:54:52] Please state your name and address and whether you'll be speaking as an individual or as the designated

[2:54:57] representative of a group.

[2:54:58] Please pray.

[2:55:00] Mr. Starr 6 to unmute your phone or press the unmute button on Teams.

[2:55:11] Can you all hear me?

[2:55:13] Yes, we can.

[2:55:15] Okay. Yes. My name is Josh Deamer. I live at 9898, Oben Lane, Waldorf, Maryland, 20636.

[2:55:26] And I also am a member of Charles County against data centers coalition.

[2:55:30] And I just wanted, I've been listening into the, to the hearing and my takeaways is that

[2:55:37] there's two consensus is clearly being reached by the residents of Calvert County.

[2:55:42] And that is that the moratorium is not long enough and not strong enough.

[2:55:49] And that there is openness towards a permanent ban on data centers and Calvert County.

[2:55:54] And so I just wanted to make everybody aware that on September 15th,

[2:56:00] Tuesday, September 15th, there is going to be a public hearing in Charles County on two bills,

[2:56:07] which would impact Calvert County residents and that is a regional ban on data centers

[2:56:15] that would apply to Charles County, St. Mary's County, and Calvert County, and also a three to five

[2:56:22] year moratorium on data center development that would apply to St. Mary's Calvert and Charles

[2:56:27] County. This would be a joint public hearing with the Charles County Commissioners and

[2:56:32] Charles County State delegation for potential public local laws that might be introduced

[2:56:39] this upcoming January for the Maryland General Assembly. And even though it's with the

[2:56:44] Charles County State delegation, Charles County Commissioners, this would apply to

[2:56:50] cover County as well. And so I wanted everybody in cover County to be aware of that date on

[2:56:56] Tuesday September 15th for that public hearing, and I hope that everybody who came and support

[2:57:00] of this moratorium today will also show up on September 15th.

[2:57:06] And so that's all.

[2:57:07] Thank you.

[2:57:14] So Mr. County Attorney, this hearing was advertised for six month or two and how far

[2:57:18] out can we extend that before we get in trouble of it's too much?

[2:57:22] Not today.

[2:57:25] Not today.

[2:57:26] You'd have to come back.

[2:57:27] Oh God.

[2:57:29] So commissioners, we do have one more person that did sign up.

[2:57:31] I don't know if you want to take that, Nick, and I can't just sign up, I don't understand

[2:57:39] if that's a G, F, or an H on your last name.

[2:57:49] I'm Nick Graziano speaking for SOMD for all, and I had, I had our groups and a letter out 17

[2:58:02] pages. Did you all get that? Oh, there you are. Mr. Brinkley, did you get that?

[2:58:11] Yes, I believe I got your hearing.

[2:58:14] And what I'd like to do is just briefly go over it. First of all, thank you all for all the

[2:58:22] work that you do. I know that you've been a little bit verbally beat up. And I know that

[2:58:28] We're tired to do what you've done.

[2:58:31] I do appreciate the idea of a moratorium, even if it's only six months.

[2:58:36] We're hoping to get one for two years anywhere from two to ten or twenty years.

[2:58:42] But anyway, the idea in the letter that we sent in the whole premise, all idea of sending

[2:58:52] you anything and getting formed was that what we want to do is assist

[2:58:58] the county in looking at some of the things that perhaps you might not have gotten the chance

[2:59:03] to think about. You know, all of you have expertise in your own fields, but most of us are

[2:59:10] an expertise in all the things that that centers are include myself. So there are all the different

[2:59:19] issues and what I'm here to suggest is perhaps we do extend it out to about a two year moratorium

[2:59:27] and the reasons are the following.

[2:59:30] First of all, it's hard to even get wet in six months

[2:59:37] in terms of all of the information that needs to be called

[2:59:42] put together and processed.

[2:59:46] It'd be lucky to find a good group of people

[2:59:50] within that six month period to assign a contract to.

[2:59:54] So my recommendation is far more than six months. The second thing I'm

[3:00:00] I would mention is, because you have so many various things from noise to land to the people

[3:00:09] who may have been slightly overlooked when this whole process started, all of these different,

[3:00:16] all of these different items. Perhaps a year, maybe two years would be a better focus rather

[3:00:25] in a six-month moratorium, and that would also give you guys, especially a few of you,

[3:00:33] will be ending your term this time, and that'll give you, you know, I think a grander

[3:00:42] way to go out in terms of presenting something that the whole county kind of wants.

[3:00:49] In fact, it's about 70% of the county that wants a moratorium on this and to research a little deeper into what we're doing here.

[3:00:59] There's so many moving parts.

[3:01:01] I mean, I understand the biology part and some of the development because it went background,

[3:01:07] but that doesn't mean I'm expert in any of those areas.

[3:01:11] But I know that if we do a more thorough job in terms of safeguarding against our county,

[3:01:24] assisting our county in getting better concessions from anyone who does determine that they're going to come in and build anything

[3:01:32] from a small to a larger data center and it wouldn't make us feel so beat ourselves as

[3:01:42] citizens. So I don't really want to belabor those issues. I think that our groups SOMD

[3:01:52] for all is going to be here for a long time now. It's not just a small group for a little

[3:02:00] We're here for the long haul, and we're here to assist in things like this, so of course you're always welcome to assist us and we'll continue to write letters in assist you that way.

[3:02:12] So thank you all for your time.

[3:02:14] Thank you.

[3:02:20] So Mr. County, we can't make any changes today.

[3:02:24] Well, as you know, as Mr. Brinkley indicated, substantive changes would require re-abortized and we've been through that in several meetings.

[3:02:34] that I've been present for, so that would be an issue.

[3:02:39] There are potentially not changes that could fall into the category of being non-substive.

[3:02:45] What are they?

[3:02:46] Well, from what you read today.

[3:02:49] One potential example that has been discussed would be the more

[3:03:06] The better course of action would be to put that off and address it as all part of one enacted.

[3:03:14] That would not prevent the board from enacting the moratorium that's in front of you today.

[3:03:25] I'm just trying to avoid all these people having to come back again.

[3:03:28] And I understand that.

[3:03:29] I said last week, I'll do two years, three years, I don't care.

[3:03:34] So Mr. President, we have a new month.

[3:03:39] So Mr.

[3:03:42] President, I have a motion for you, sir.

[3:03:45] Before we go into a motion, I have a discussion as well.

[3:03:51] I feel good.

[3:03:53] So once a go, I propose to two years.

[3:03:58] We've been all up and down a ladder, different durations and all.

[3:04:06] Stop.

[3:04:08] We'll pass some more to him today, the six months.

[3:04:13] You come back at the very next you have three weeks, four weeks to put another works

[3:04:20] that are shooting more to him in place.

[3:04:22] I know we're going to do another process, but here me out.

[3:04:27] During that process, excuse me, during that one, can we, in the verbiage, put a ban, still

[3:04:34] to your moratorium. Okay, put reverting the zoning back. And I'm going to take you back to

[3:04:43] Commissioner Hasty. Remember when we screwed up on guns on our second board? And everybody

[3:04:49] under the sun it told us, hey, this was the right thing. We were trying to be proactive.

[3:04:54] We didn't walk out the door two seconds. The phones were blowing up. We came back and basically

[3:04:58] We had a reset button.

[3:05:00] And I know I'm oversimplifying it. But we didn't have data centers in a language before. We'd go back to almost like this never happened. This nightmare never happened with the caveat of putting in it to your moratorium to still buy his time to bring in study, being in groups, to help us study the threats from the future. But to take all of this out of the realm, the zoning goes back. There's a data centers are not in our language.

[3:05:30] which it's over.

[3:05:35] Can that be done? So if you're asking about a text amendment, we're actually

[3:05:42] having a worse session right after this on text amendments, and that could be a text

[3:05:46] amendment to essentially remove data centers from the zoning ordinance. I know there's other

[3:05:52] counties that have effectively banned them. That does raise some legal questions, and I'm not

[3:05:58] to say whether that can or can't be done, but that obviously raises some legal questions

[3:06:02] that may have to be eventually feathered out.

[3:06:06] As far as the current zoning that was put in place in 2025,

[3:06:17] the best way to do that

[3:06:19] is to modify the comprehensive plan and to roll that back.

[3:06:23] And that's a process and as I've said, probably would take about six months to effectively

[3:06:27] do. So there's a couple of different avenues there and whether you'd like to do that as part

[3:06:33] of a second moratorium I think is well within your right to do or you could do it as part

[3:06:41] of this moratorium. It's up to the board on direction or whether you want to proceed with

[3:06:49] still having the data centers in there and putting conditions on. I think all those things are

[3:06:53] we got to this board's discretion to do and is within the part of the board.

[3:06:58] So to manage expectations, if this six months was put in today, that's effective today.

[3:07:05] 10 days after 10 days. Then, in the next segment, when we had the text amendments, we put the ban

[3:07:13] in it. How long? You could direct staff to basically remove data centers from the zoning ordinance

[3:07:22] and say they are not allowed in any manner.

[3:07:25] If you put that on the current trajectory of those text amendments, it would be passed

[3:07:30] probably October.

[3:07:32] So, three months?

[3:07:35] Three months?

[3:07:38] The zoning.

[3:07:39] That is the same.

[3:07:40] That is the same.

[3:07:40] The zoning maps would be six months.

[3:07:43] Does it have to go through that?

[3:07:46] I know we have to get back on with the Planning Commission, but does it have to go the full

[3:07:50] six months, can't we get that on the next plan of commission meeting?

[3:07:54] The next plan of commission meetings tomorrow night.

[3:07:56] So it would be on that one.

[3:07:59] But August September, you are modifying the comprehensive plan and any time you modify

[3:08:04] the comprehensive plan, you're likely to have to send that out to 60 day review of

[3:08:07] adjacent agencies, which is what adds to the timeline.

[3:08:11] So I don't know that you can get it done in as quick as you can just simply removing the

[3:08:16] zoning the text itself, but that would require comprehensive plan change, which would add to probably

[3:08:23] five to six months as fast as you could do that.

[3:08:26] So with the first step, then be to go ahead and at least get that scheduled.

[3:08:33] We could start that process and get it, I think you got two different things here.

[3:08:37] So you got removing it from the zoning ordinance.

[3:08:40] If that's the prerogative of the board, once again, there's a question on there's counties

[3:08:45] that have done it, but there are questions out there about the

[3:08:49] gallery. And they're there. This is a complete moving

[3:08:53] target. It's something that hasn't been seen. I'm not going to

[3:08:56] dive into the legal aspects of that, but it is something the

[3:08:58] county could choose to do. If you want to do that, it would be on

[3:09:03] the current trajectory of the text amendments for the next

[3:09:06] work session, literally after this item. And it could be done by

[3:09:11] October, mid-October when the BLCC and go into effect and go into

[3:09:14] effect 10 days after that.

[3:09:16] That's great.

[3:09:17] And we could do that on the next segment.

[3:09:19] And if it's not permitted to be built,

[3:09:22] that's effectively a permanent moratorium.

[3:09:26] And then you can figure out the rest on a reasonable timeline.

[3:09:30] And you don't have to rush the next steps after that.

[3:09:34] So I mean, because we know this as soon as I saw it,

[3:09:38] you know, we had a conversation.

[3:09:39] I'm like, they could still submit an application.

[3:09:41] and you can modify today's to include application as well. I don't think that would be a substantive change.

[3:09:48] So we get no applications can be accepted.

[3:09:57] We pass it in its form but no applications accepted.

[3:10:00] On the next work session, which right after this, we've put the ban in, you direct staff to start the process, which we have a work session with the planning commission tomorrow, regarding those text amendments that we're literally talking about next, public hearing in front of the planning commission in September, public hearing in front of you guys are not topper and pass it today's later, or make it a face to be.

[3:10:20] So in October we could have that passed, right?

[3:10:22] And on that, now as far as that's to now on to the zoning,

[3:10:27] could we have that on the very next meeting to start that process?

[3:10:30] You could, and I think that's, like I said,

[3:10:34] that's a longer process, but you can start that process,

[3:10:37] we can get to work on that.

[3:10:39] But on the right direction now to where, okay,

[3:10:41] did we get that started off to the planning commission?

[3:10:44] The agencies that needs to come back to be voted on as soon as,

[3:10:54] So let me just double check one thing, director Brinkley.

[3:11:01] We have a work session after this.

[3:11:05] Can you hear me now?

[3:11:06] Sorry about that.

[3:11:08] Director Brinkley, we have a work session after this.

[3:11:12] And that's when we can request that these two parcels be reverted back.

[3:11:19] right and then we'll go through the process and then our total become effective.

[3:11:24] So that not exactly so the work session would be to remove data centers from the zoning

[3:11:30] ordinance.

[3:11:30] Prohibit data centers in the zoning ordinance.

[3:11:32] The map itself is that process that has to change the comprehensive plan and go through that.

[3:11:37] That is at least the roughly a six month process.

[3:11:39] Thank you.

[3:11:41] But you could start the process to remove or prohibit data centers in the zoning ordinance.

[3:11:47] understanding that there is potential legal implications because that's kind of an unknown to be honest.

[3:11:55] County Attorney. I spoke with you. We spoke about more forums as opposed to bands and

[3:12:06] a band leaves us open for possible litigation. Could you speak to that? One is opposed to the

[3:12:16] and the pluses and the minuses for the public please?

[3:12:21] Well, so Commissioner,

[3:12:25] I have to be very careful because legal advice that has been given

[3:12:30] to the board can't be discussed in an open session.

[3:12:33] And in the context of this, it would be unwise to provide legal advice on the specific question.

[3:12:41] What I can say is that outright bands are more susceptible to a legal challenge than a reasonable time period for a moratorium.

[3:12:54] And generally speaking, you know, anywhere between six months and a two year moratorium is considered generally legally acceptable.

[3:13:07] however, the longer you get on the timeline, the more susceptible it is to illegal challenge.

[3:13:14] County Attorney, on that, now during that time, though, if I understand the law correctly,

[3:13:18] we could use that time for our own study to say why we're doing the band to back up our

[3:13:24] reasons, whether it's sound, you know, disruption to streams, water usage, whatever you

[3:13:31] Isn't that correct when that be the time we would build our case to protect us in case some some place wants to come in and say hey, you know, you're you're banning it, but this is why we're banning it. It's not just because we said so.

[3:13:45] Well, commissioner, I would frame it slightly differently and as you know, you and I have those discussions, but but the studies would be to make an objective determination is to.

[3:13:57] the impact of data centers one way or the other, and if the results are as you suggest,

[3:14:05] then that would be an argument against data centers. Obviously, if the results are the opposite,

[3:14:11] that would be a different argument. But the county's position, I would suggest,

[3:14:15] would be to study the issues objectively from a legal perspective.

[3:14:21] It sounds to me and audience, constituents, correct me if I'm wrong.

[3:14:29] It sounds to me the direction you want us to go in, is to pass the six-month moratorium

[3:14:36] today to include no applications will be accepted by any data centers.

[3:14:43] So we do that today, then you would like for us to reverse the zoning and we'll get started

[3:14:50] on that. Then you would like for us to check into a band as opposed to a two-year moratorium and

[3:14:58] see how well that will work.

[3:15:02] Okay, anything else? Oh, it also strength, if we go with a moratorium, probably a ban too, you want us to strengthen the language.

[3:15:16] We could do that if we could put the ban in the next segment.

[3:15:21] We could do that and then also come back with the two-year moratorium to bias the time for

[3:15:28] the studies to strengthen up that end by then, as you say, as well, to get the two pieces

[3:15:34] of property back.

[3:15:35] kind of those steps sound acceptable to you, right? In the timeline, the director?

[3:15:43] Yes, I think that that's a acceptable timeline for going forward. I think that, and I know

[3:15:51] that our county attorney can't provide you legal advice and I'm not stating this as legal advice,

[3:15:56] but if you ban a legal use, there may come a time where you are essentially forced to put that

[3:16:03] back in. And that is susceptible to legal challenge. Whether that's successful or not, it's

[3:16:12] who knows. And I'll go to this too, you know, our attorneys are already on retainer.

[3:16:18] You know, I'm not afraid of fight. So, you know, when a company says they have this long

[3:16:25] tree list of attorneys that's true, they do, and they're the best walk in the earth. But

[3:16:28] our guys make the same money, whether they handle the case for a year or three years.

[3:16:33] So we can wait to, we can fight the McCormack.

[3:16:35] Commissioner, I'm not advocating for one position or other.

[3:16:38] I'm just saying we go into this eyes wide open,

[3:16:40] if that's the, if that's the, if that's the talk.

[3:16:42] So, you know, it's like, it, you know,

[3:16:45] just make it easier for them to pick a different town.

[3:16:49] So, so Mr. President, I'm gonna make the same motion

[3:16:52] and made on July 16th.

[3:16:54] June 16th, June 16th, June 16th, correct.

[3:16:57] I'm sorry.

[3:16:58] I moved that the Board of County Commission,

[3:17:00] The close record approved an adopted ordinance with the file on amendments, no new site

[3:17:04] planned application for six months.

[3:17:13] So I have a motion in a second to Commissioner Cox's motion for the six month and more

[3:17:18] touring with the amendments that he mentioned.

[3:17:21] Is there any further discussion on that?

[3:17:25] We do have others that have signed up to speak, but it's after y'all already deliberating, so

[3:17:28] I don't have another question.

[3:17:29] Do I do that through the motion?

[3:17:30] They can come back to public comment, public comment, or were during the text amendment

[3:17:35] And if it's in line with that.

[3:17:37] But there's a motion on the floor.

[3:17:38] We're going to clear that up.

[3:17:41] Is there any further discussion?

[3:17:43] Hearing none, all those of you who say aye.

[3:17:45] Aye.

[3:17:46] Opposed?

[3:17:47] Motion carries.

[3:17:48] Thank you.

[3:18:07] Well, that was easy onto the next one, Director.

[3:18:10] So that does take us to

[3:18:15] a work session.

[3:18:16] Department of Planning, Zoning, Calvary County, Zoning coordinates.

[3:18:20] We're going to put this to the next.

[3:18:23] Let's give them a few minutes.

[3:18:24] Really even played a lot.

[3:18:29] Yeah, we're sure, we're good.

[3:18:31] We

[3:19:01] got the smoke.

[3:19:04] We got smoke.

[3:19:07] We're smoke.

[3:19:09] We're smoke.

[3:19:10] I know we're not from our neighbors.

[3:19:11] We're smoke.

[3:19:13] Thank you, Skith.

[3:19:15] Let's go.

[3:19:16] Thank you.

[3:19:18] You're welcome.

[3:19:20] Thank you.

[3:19:22] I'm sorry.

[3:19:23] I'm sorry.

[3:19:23] I was so nervous.

[3:19:24] I'm sorry.

[3:19:25] I'm sorry.

[3:19:26] I'm sorry.

[3:19:27] I'm sorry.

[3:19:54] We still have a meeting that's going to go on, so if you're leaving, please exit the room with your stay.

[3:20:00] You were welcome to stay. It's up to you, but we need to be able to continue with our meeting.

[3:21:05] Okay, Mr. Brinkley,

[3:21:09] you want to get started on sure your presentation?

[3:21:15] Jason Brinkley wants again director planning and zoning. This is a work session for

[3:21:19] text amendments on the zoning ordinance. With me is Will Hager, Pliner 3 and

[3:21:24] Rachel Shea, Deputy Director of Zoning, I'm going to turn it over to Will to walk

[3:21:28] through these six, and then we can talk about the one we've sort of already talked about.

[3:21:34] Okay.

[3:21:35] Good afternoon commissioners, and I'm going to try to get through these slides as quickly as a

[3:21:38] cancels.

[3:21:39] I have a feeling we're going to be talking a little bit more about data centers.

[3:21:43] Actually, not of any substance, and I think we can probably clear that up now.

[3:21:49] I spoke with our Mr. Turning our break, and I was pretty sure that we cannot go into any

[3:21:57] substantive conversation in regards to any text amendments that weren't advertised today in this meeting.

[3:22:06] How about a panel?

[3:22:08] No, no, no, no, no.

[3:22:08] However, we can request at our next meeting that be put on for a work session.

[3:22:15] So we can do that.

[3:22:16] But as far as going into any substantive conversation,

[3:22:20] for anything else regarding the data centers,

[3:22:23] outside of what's already listed in this presentation we cannot do.

[3:22:26] But we can take care of that right now if we can direct staff at the ground, okay, and that's just to make sure we're

[3:22:31] complying with the Open Meetings Act, the advertisement provisions, all of those other things, okay.

[3:22:37] And next week we do already have on the agenda, a text amendment to remove data centers as a use, which is basically a ban.

[3:22:47] Next week.

[3:22:49] It's next meeting.

[3:22:49] 10 or 20 seconds.

[3:22:50] Whenever that is.

[3:22:53] Why do I have September 1st as a meeting?

[3:22:56] All right, it was changed broadly six weeks ago, something like that.

[3:23:02] I'm like, come on, Garth.

[3:23:07] All right, let's go ahead with your presentation, sir.

[3:23:09] With that said, we're here today to review several proposed text amendments to the Zoning

[3:23:14] Ordnance.

[3:23:15] First we'll begin with some background, comprehensive rewrite, and updated the Zoning Ordnance

[3:23:19] was adopted and came into effect March 1st of last year with additional text amendments

[3:23:23] adopted September 30th, 2025, and July 28th, 2026, text amendments are being proposed

[3:23:28] to address outstanding issues now to address with the recent zoning ordinance update and

[3:23:31] tax amendments and over the next few slides, or we'll review proposed tax amendments 2625

[3:23:36] through 2630.

[3:23:43] So our first tax amendment is 2625. This amendment would allow electronic message

[3:23:48] centers at public recreation areas with reader boards and existence as of the effective date

[3:23:53] of March 1, 2025. In any district in the county, the sign face of the reader board may be

[3:24:01] placed in kind with an electronic message center and this policy is consistent with the

[3:24:06] policy for EMCs at places of worship that was adopted last year.

[3:24:16] Next amendment, 2626, this extends the sunset date for getting approval for exception

[3:24:22] lots by one year from March 1, 2027 to March 1, 2028.

[3:24:28] So after March 1, 2028 the ability to create exception lots would come to an end and this

[3:24:34] extension is being proposed because recent conditions have not been conducive for

[3:24:38] per per testing so to be fair to property owners who haven't been able to

[3:24:41] per test were proposed in an extension.

[3:24:44] Okay, can I ask you one question but that will, if some I has one engineering, what happens?

[3:24:52] And the per test is in conjunction with that engineering study, what happens if

[3:25:00] If we don't get that done by one year, the more it's won.

[3:25:03] So they have to, it's not that they have to have it approved. They just have to have it submitted.

[3:25:08] So that's, that's, and since there hasn't been a wet season in two years,

[3:25:13] are effectively not a wet season in two years, they haven't had a chance to utilize this.

[3:25:17] So we're just extending it one year. It's just the application has to be a nothing.

[3:25:20] Perfect. Thank you.

[3:25:25] So next amendment 2627, the amendment proposes to relax the replacement planting requirements for cutting and clearing

[3:25:32] in the critical area and certain circumstances, if 30% or more, but less than 50% of existing

[3:25:40] natural vegetation is cleared, replacement required for the amount of clearing would be

[3:25:44] two times the area of the entire clearing with this amendment.

[3:25:48] This would only apply for properties within the limited development area, LDA or LDA 3, and

[3:25:54] the clearing is limited to the minimum amount necessary to accommodate a principal structure,

[3:25:59] including decks, paddies and accessory structures. Currently the replacement vegetation required

[3:26:04] for clearing in these circumstances is on a three to one basis with the approval of a variance.

[3:26:10] Staff will use this the current replacement plan to requirement is two burdensome for property

[3:26:15] owners and the costs of meeting this requirement can get quite excessive. So we were able to get

[3:26:20] buy in from the critical area commission to relax these requirements in these specific circumstances

[3:26:25] in order to lower the financial burden on property owners.

[3:26:29] And he did that to put that in English because I had a gentleman this week.

[3:26:34] You know the case I'm talking about.

[3:26:35] Does this help him?

[3:26:37] I'd have to go back and look at that exact case.

[3:26:40] But it helps to break.

[3:26:41] And they wanted him to plant an acres where the trees, the fine.

[3:26:45] I mean that the cost was going to be a couple hundred thousand.

[3:26:48] And then the administrative fee was about 30k.

[3:26:51] And this was all on.

[3:26:53] plan that was already cleared it was a

[3:26:55] believe it tobacco area at one point there is no even trees that

[3:26:59] were going to be removed

[3:27:00] but he was going to be forced to plant an acres worth a trees so i can't tell you

[3:27:04] if it if it affects that exact property but it affects properties like that

[3:27:09] where you have individual especially if that's already wooded i mean

[3:27:13] this is we've had a quite a bit of discussion with critical air

[3:27:16] commission on this uh... this is actually borrowed from something very similar

[3:27:20] what anorundal is doing. I think their original interpretation of our regulation in Komaar

[3:27:26] is actually more stringent. So if we went with what they originally interpreted it as almost

[3:27:32] every case in the critical area would have to go to board of appeals, which would drastically

[3:27:35] increase the cost. So this is the compromise position we worked out with critical area to allow

[3:27:41] individuals to, you do reduce it from three to one down to two to one. So it is that number is

[3:27:48] still large a lot of times for homeowners, but it brings it down a by-third what about the

[3:27:53] administrative fee and the administrative fee you guys fix with your updated fees

[3:27:57] scheduled on and July so maybe need to be looked at now especially these with these

[3:28:05] strict guidelines from the state I have a hard time though I know it's a state rag but I have a hard

[3:28:12] time for the same so unfair for the one you mentioned it cut down his out of pocket

[3:28:20] cost for that fee it cut in half so it was a step in the right direction but I think

[3:28:24] that's more of a budget question that we might want to have separate from from this

[3:28:28] discussion. In the two to one taking that one from the three to one I mean it was 40,000 square

[3:28:34] feet. I was soon in now be like 28. I was like there with quick math. I do have

[3:28:45] Ron Marney our division chief for land management here. If he has anything

[3:28:48] additional to add to this some of the specifics.

[3:28:54] I mean as it's that's just totally

[3:28:56] unfair to the resident.

[3:29:00] Ron Marney our land management division chief. As far as that

[3:29:04] individual project without having the numbers basically redo the math I couldn't

[3:29:09] give you a specific but you're probably a ballpark. Again, you know, we went for the administrative

[3:29:16] fee for the bond, went from 25% of the bond amount to 10% so that's a hell of a lot.

[3:29:24] Now, that bond is still two years. Is that state regulated two years? So state requires two

[3:29:29] year bond. Correct. It's two full of growing season. So it ends up being out two years just kind of

[3:29:36] the bonds were fun to pull but you know when you get the cost of building as it is it's hard

[3:29:39] enough and and just another fee or another fee so okay catcher I don't like it but it's

[3:29:49] better than what it was a couple weeks ago

[3:29:54] okay moving on to 2628 this amendment clarifies

[3:29:58] in condition that applies

[3:30:00] As a home occupations for in-home daycares and home commercial canals that they are exempt from the condition

[3:30:08] that the occupation must be conducted entirely within the dwelling or an enclosed accessory structure.

[3:30:13] This is just to acknowledge the reality that these types of uses are going to have to utilize outdoor areas to some extent.

[3:30:20] And the amendment also adds a requirement that home occupation commercial canals obtained special exception approval from the Board of Appeals.

[3:30:27] We've had some issues come up where neighboring property owners are displeased with their neighbor operating and commercial panel out of their home.

[3:30:36] There are size restrictions 600 square feet that prevent a home occupation kennel from getting too out of hand, but nonetheless we do get some complaints.

[3:30:44] So staff believes requiring board of appeals approval where neighbors are notified of the application to run a home occupation kennel on the neighboring property and giving them an opportunity to comment either in writing or by

[3:30:56] voicing their concerns at the required public hearing and where the board can impose conditions

[3:31:01] such as minimum setbacks in certain cases is a way to resolve potential disputes before

[3:31:06] they become a problem.

[3:31:08] Why are these two linked together?

[3:31:12] I mean, daycares and canals completely two different sets of problems.

[3:31:15] These are home occupations.

[3:31:17] We have a lot of home occupations businesses out there.

[3:31:20] And we have such a shortage of home daycares as it is.

[3:31:23] I mean, that area is so stressed right now.

[3:31:27] this relaxes the condition with the understanding that we know kids have to go outside and utilize

[3:31:33] outdoor spaces for inform daycares and the same thing for in-home canals they are also

[3:31:38] not to use the number of action we're not making it time for anything more just yes

[3:31:44] making sure it's on the same slide just and the same text amendment for efficiency standpoint we are

[3:31:52] I'm not leaking back here as a commercial.

[3:31:57] It has given you latitude for being cautious.

[3:32:03] Okay, next amendment, 2629.

[3:32:05] This amendment is sort of a companion piece to the update of the agricultural preservation rules and regulations, which is tentatively scheduled to go to public hearing for adoption in late September.

[3:32:15] There are some provisions that are currently in the zoning ordinance that have been moved to the updated rules and regs or bylaws,

[3:32:21] because that's the more appropriate place for them to be.

[3:32:24] And so we're proposing to remove those provisions from the zoning ordinance because they don't need to be duplicated.

[3:32:29] This includes removing provisions addressing the agricultural preservation advisory board and provisions addressing transferable development rights for agricultural preservation districts.

[3:32:38] There are conditions for land clearing debris landfill that are that were removed from the updated rules and regs.

[3:32:44] And these are proposed to be included in the zoning ordinance with this amendment.

[3:32:47] And the amendment removes the special exception requirement for sand gravel or mineral extraction with no processing for APDs

[3:32:54] because the agricultural preservation advisory board approval is required for this use in APD so

[3:33:01] staff believes that Board of Appeals approval isn't necessary.

[3:33:09] And then last amendment, 2630, this amendment simply restores the setback policy for new commercial lots

[3:33:16] and Dr. Dunkirk Town Center that was in place prior to the zoning ordinance update last

[3:33:22] year. This was something that was omitted during the zoning ordinance update. So we're

[3:33:28] just correcting that omission with this amendment. It doesn't open it up for expansion.

[3:33:34] No, this doesn't change. This was the policy that was in place February of 2025.

[3:33:38] I can just make sure.

[3:33:39] I check that might.

[3:33:44] And so that concludes our presentation slides, work session, this work session was a discussion

[3:33:51] for informational purposes.

[3:33:52] That is conducting a work session with the Planning Commission tomorrow and staff will proceed

[3:33:57] with the public adoption process and scheduled public hearings with the Planning Commission

[3:34:02] and Board of County Commissioners in the future.

[3:34:08] Thank you.

[3:34:09] Thank you.

[3:34:10] Thank you.

[3:34:11] If I

[3:34:18] don't stand up, sir.

[3:34:21] It's very patient pool.

[3:34:22] Not as important as the next board.

[3:34:25] But as you said, the Department of Planning is in cover.

[3:34:29] It gives all the data transfer data program door.

[3:34:33] Once again, Jason Brickley, director of planning and zoning

[3:34:35] and I'll turn it over to Jessica Katano, planner 3,

[3:34:38] to give you guys an update.

[3:34:41] Good afternoon.

[3:34:42] Jessica Katano, a transportation planner for planning and zoning.

[3:34:46] I'm just going to go through the memo essentially what today is is informing the board as well as the citizens that the MBAT Secretary is performing the consolidated transportation or the CTP tour.

[3:35:00] And they're coming to our county September 22nd at 1 p.m. So, some background, the CTP is Maryland 6-year capital budget for transportation in fiscal year 2026, M.D. introduced a pilot prioritization process with no funding available for surface transportation and capacity enhancing projects.

[3:35:22] Last spring, the Calvary County Board of County Commissioners submitted their annual CTP

[3:35:27] priority letter through MDOT's online portal for consideration, while MDOT has continued

[3:35:33] the prioritization process, funding constraints, remain a significant challenge for advancing

[3:35:38] coverage transportation initiatives. At the time of this meeting, the draft fiscal year

[3:35:45] 2027 to 2032, CTP draft has not been released for review.

[3:35:52] Attached to the agenda was the previous years, for last years,

[3:35:58] consolidatory transportation program priority letter from the county commissioners.

[3:36:03] I'd be happy to go through those projects if you'd like, or if you have any questions.

[3:36:08] I have a question.

[3:36:12] I know there is money for the study at Dunkirk Park, the walkway, the crosswalk.

[3:36:22] Yeah, to go over to the shopping center.

[3:36:27] They're doing design now and there is money in there for that.

[3:36:31] But I've been told or we've all been told, if the governor needs that money,

[3:36:36] It's going to leave us.

[3:36:39] It's not in here.

[3:36:41] Is it not in here because it's already under consideration

[3:36:44] and moving forward?

[3:36:46] Yes.

[3:36:47] OK.

[3:36:47] That's probably probably helped you out with that.

[3:36:49] Because we actually talked about it.

[3:36:51] Linda, you can update from this this was last week.

[3:36:54] I think we haven't had a chance to talk to you about it.

[3:36:56] Sure.

[3:36:57] Linda Turner County Administrator.

[3:36:59] So we met with the Secretary Thompson last week

[3:37:02] and we brought up the crosswalks

[3:37:05] a long route for corridor, the specific one for Dunkirk requires additional funding for

[3:37:12] construction, so they did give us a date I believe it was FY2029.

[3:37:19] That project went over a million dollars.

[3:37:21] Yeah, so we're mainly dollars for the crosswalks.

[3:37:25] The three years from now.

[3:37:28] But they also mentioned that any project in the pipeline they were going to move forward

[3:37:34] board with unless there was inactivity, she said they would not be accepting any new project.

[3:37:42] Which I'm quite sure they're going to tell us out when they come to visit as well.

[3:37:45] So it's going to be a reiteration of that meeting.

[3:37:47] But, some deposit did come out of that meeting.

[3:37:51] So, was it our last meeting?

[3:37:53] Mr. SD's came in and did an issue with scouring for it.

[3:37:57] the orders are no pre- and we determined through conversation a lot of that's

[3:38:02] closed by State Red Ronald. And as soon as we start that conversation and

[3:38:08] brought it up, you could almost see the ad to change the room they were actually

[3:38:11] excited because they've been looking for projects like that. And the best thing about

[3:38:14] that project, as far as I was concerned with Mr. Estes and I told them that I

[3:38:18] said not only did they come to us with a problem, but they actually came with

[3:38:23] So, T.R. Costa is putting the S.A.T. people and thoughts with Mr. S.D.s in the front of

[3:38:29] on Creek, and hopefully that's going to be a success story.

[3:38:32] Absolutely.

[3:38:34] So, the smaller projects, obviously, we have some big projects, but the smaller projects

[3:38:39] we're definitely trying to push because we're hoping for greater success.

[3:38:44] I actually had a citizen come in yesterday afternoon as I was walking out and she was

[3:38:50] trying to advocate for, it is in this letter for sidewalks on Maryland 765 Main Street down

[3:39:00] to Hall-Kill Drive and we've requested that it goes from where the sidewalks end to

[3:39:08] Cover Town. So what the state and what I have been telling individuals is we will advocate

[3:39:17] on your behalf, but they also need to hear from the citizens as well.

[3:39:28] Well, thank you.

[3:39:29] Thank you.

[3:39:40] Set takes us to public comment.

[3:39:42] All remarks and conduct must be respectful and re-improved, refrained from personal

[3:39:45] attacks and inflammatory language or disruptive behavior prior to commencing your remarks.

[3:39:49] Please state your full name for the record.

[3:39:52] Individual speakers are allocated two minutes, doesn't need a representative speaking

[3:39:55] on behalf of an organization or a lot of five minutes.

[3:39:58] and the visual is taking the template.

[3:40:00] Government and decisions are categorized as lobbyists and a required register with the ethics commission, prior to their engagement with the board.

[3:40:07] In the event, any individual fails to maintain the quorum to presiding officer may take appropriate steps to restore order, including having the individual movement.

[3:40:19] All right, for speaker up is Mr. Patrick Flaherty.

[3:40:27] Good afternoon, Patrick Flaherty, love's of ease speaking on myself. I'm really flabbergasted.

[3:40:33] I'm really flabbergasted at the meeting today, what most likely could be considered an open

[3:40:40] meeting's violation act during the moratorium hearing, touched the amendment language

[3:40:45] as brought up during that hearing, and if not, the violation of the open meeting act definitely

[3:40:50] a parliamentary procedure violation, but not speaking to issues to remain to the issue at hand,

[3:40:57] which is really mind-boggling. In addition, it seems like there's more political

[3:41:02] the air going on here because as a commissioner of former government, we can't

[3:41:07] ban any business, zero, because we don't have a state approval to do so. So by

[3:41:12] just teasing the public that we're going to ban, we're going to put this language in

[3:41:18] there, we can't do that unless we get approval from the legislature to do so, and

[3:41:23] They're not going to do it, all right?

[3:41:25] So going back to what I just call a clean reset,

[3:41:29] yes, talk about text amendment.

[3:41:31] Let's talk about rolling back the zoning ordinance,

[3:41:33] the comprehensive plan of removing all data center language,

[3:41:36] down zoning the properties back again.

[3:41:38] You can do that, all right?

[3:41:40] And then if necessary, later on, we can come back here,

[3:41:44] if data center language needs to be added back into,

[3:41:47] and we can go this whole process all over again.

[3:41:49] But what you're doing today, what you've done today,

[3:41:51] It's basically just pull the wall over the eyes with the people with this basic and more

[3:41:56] and torn what has no teeth whatsoever.

[3:41:58] You know, that's all I had to say.

[3:42:00] I did have something that I wasn't going to read, but I figured this would have been this

[3:42:06] better.

[3:42:07] I know.

[3:42:07] Thank you very much.

[3:42:08] Thank you.

[3:42:08] Thank you very much.

[3:42:09] Next speaker is Sherry Reed.

[3:42:23] All right.

[3:42:23] Next speaker will be Mr. Kyle Russell.

[3:42:25] Kind

[3:42:42] of also I'll be speaking as the Commodore Solomon's Island Model Boat Club

[3:42:47] So our club is a nationally recognized organization under the AMIA and we're listed as club number 90 that recognition is independent and sovereign

[3:42:57] Okay, do they're Jeff Murray nor this board and make decisions about what the members of the club look like and who the Commodore is

[3:43:08] The museum makes use to require volunteer status for access to its workshop.

[3:43:14] That's fine.

[3:43:15] Our club does not require any volunteer status for membership.

[3:43:18] We're going to independent club.

[3:43:20] No external entity can impose such a condition.

[3:43:24] So, being an independent club, we work in cooperation with the Green Museum.

[3:43:31] We are not supporting it to them.

[3:43:33] We're partners, we're not a county control body.

[3:43:37] And in fact two years ago,

[3:43:38] Jeff Murray insisted that our club side of Charter

[3:43:40] basically stating that we were part of the museum.

[3:43:44] We unanimously stood in front of him and said,

[3:43:47] we are not part of the museum.

[3:43:49] We are an independent club.

[3:43:54] So it's been known for years that we are an independent club.

[3:43:59] I also need to address the closed session you guys have on the 28th.

[3:44:04] You guys, under the closed session, under a personal exemption, and we'll see, but it sure appears that you chose that opportunity to take a vote to vote me out of the, I'm not sure what board or commission.

[3:44:20] You think that was a part of, but, and then you also voted to, by consensus, give direction for future appointments to that board commission committee.

[3:44:32] interesting thing is two days after that I held a meeting with my club and they showed up

[3:44:38] with what was essentially an employment contract that Jeff Murray had handed them that he

[3:44:43] wanted them to all sign committing to whatever roles were on that. Now again, every one of them

[3:44:49] looked at this and said, what is this? That's not our club crumbled it up and threw it away.

[3:44:54] That'll come out as I'm sure you already know the Open Meeting Act of I.

[3:45:00] The issue of request has been filed. Since all this happened, the county's ADA report has been released in a confirmed that my grievance about the ADA violation was properly brought to the company museum and that the museum has revised its operating procedures to prevent this type of infraction from happening again.

[3:45:19] So I corrected it and they came back and said, hey, we are going to change our procedures to this doesn't happen again.

[3:45:26] So the underlying issue has been acknowledged and corrected and the accounts of the

[3:45:32] covering museum staff and the 911 call directly contradict the county's assertion that

[3:45:37] calls to disturb, it's in any way at that moment, or that I endangered anyone continuing

[3:45:43] the trust pass now serves only to retaliate against me and to prevent further members

[3:45:51] from coming forward and protesting against mistreatment.

[3:45:56] I'm a reasonable person, and this is an appropriate time for the county to reach out and try

[3:46:01] to settle this.

[3:46:02] Lift in the trust pass with demonstrate integrity, respect for the ADA compliance, and support

[3:46:07] for national, nationally recognized heritage club that serves community for decades.

[3:46:13] I urge you to act justly to lift the trust pass until allow our club to continue its

[3:46:18] mission without political influence.

[3:46:20] Additionally, I'd like you guys to direct your county administrator to respond to my request about a status for her investigation into the discriminatory practices that I raised her back in April, and the comments that Jeff Murray made about me and my club members being a danger to women.

[3:46:44] Nothing has been said to me about that since I've already said complaint, it hasn't even been acknowledged by the county administrator by the board or by any it turned.

[3:46:54] So I would appreciate that to actually be pushed forward. Obviously I'll pursue the other methods that I have, but it really shouldn't take that.

[3:47:02] You know, I raised an evidence of discrimination against older men, it's being ignored.

[3:47:11] Not even recognized as, hey, you know, we looked into this and we don't think that it's a thing.

[3:47:16] Just ignore.

[3:47:18] So, that's all I have to say.

[3:47:19] Thank you.

[3:47:20] Next speaker is the Antoine Wyatt.

[3:47:32] Well, good afternoon, everyone.

[3:47:33] Hello.

[3:47:34] President.

[3:47:35] Ireland, board members, staff.

[3:47:38] I brought my phone up here but I really didn't write out anything.

[3:47:41] just came to listen and to be a part of the meeting. But as I was sitting here and

[3:47:46] let's listen to it. Oh, sorry about that. You can ask it in the description.

[3:47:51] Thank you. But I actually just wanted to take the time to say thank you guys for

[3:47:56] everything that all of you do. I know it's not easy. Until you're an elected official,

[3:48:02] you really don't know what it's really like to have to make decisions sometimes.

[3:48:07] As I was sitting out here, there are a lot of people who had a lot of different

[3:48:10] things to say, and we have to take all that to consideration.

[3:48:15] Thank you, guys, for the school board budget.

[3:48:17] That's something that's very, very important to everyone.

[3:48:20] I know the Moratorium was really the main topic for the day.

[3:48:25] You look at the room now, and it's pretty much empty now,

[3:48:27] because that's something that was really, really important to a lot of people.

[3:48:31] So thank you for passing that Moratorium as well.

[3:48:34] The AAA bond rating, we got to spoke about that.

[3:48:38] And we all know that that's very important, so I wanted to say thank you for that as well.

[3:48:44] So now, you know, what people were saying, you know, as far as rezoning and, you know, possible ban or strengthening, you know, that.

[3:48:52] I know you guys are really listening now. You can do a hundred great things and maybe one bad and they're going to focus on that.

[3:49:00] But as a resident of Calvary County, all my life, I do know the benefits that we've received and the safety that we have in Calvary County.

[3:49:08] Under you guys leadership, you know, we're going to have at least three new commissioners coming up and then the next

[3:49:15] After the next election, so it's going to be very important that they have relationships

[3:49:20] I've had conversations with all of you I've had conversations with most of the staff

[3:49:25] And I think that a lot of things have to do with relationships

[3:49:28] You have to have a relationship and open communication with people

[3:49:32] So I just wanted to come because I was compelled to say I'm here

[3:49:35] I want to say for the entire meeting because it's not only about more

[3:49:40] toriums and data sentences about the county in general.

[3:49:43] So once again, just want to say, hey, thank you.

[3:49:46] And all that good stuff, and that's my time.

[3:49:49] Thank you.

[3:49:50] Speaker is Jake, is it for catch?

[3:49:55] Is there a Jake Burkhead?

[3:50:05] Hello,

[3:50:19] my name is Vicky Richardson. I'm speaking for myself. I hope you all do the moratorium. And the three that's going out, I'd like you to go out with class before I did vote for you. So please go out with class. And maybe next time it's vote, you'll be back in here.

[3:50:43] But I came up today for a problem I'm having that I can't get help.

[3:50:50] I am being harassed by a woman with false phone numbers, false Facebook page, people,

[3:51:02] and I know who it is, but I can't get anybody to look into it so I can get a restrained

[3:51:09] know what her. She used to be at the American Legion,

[3:51:14] Luz B-275, where I am.

[3:51:19] She has been saying that I need to leave a little bit.

[3:51:23] I don't want to cut you off by the means, but if this is a criminal matter and it

[3:51:27] could end up in a criminal matter and you need your restraining order really

[3:51:30] a sheriff's office is going to be here. I've been to this, they say they can't do

[3:51:34] anything about it. That's why I'm saying I need help where to go. Have you talked to a

[3:51:39] your core commissioner? No, I had called Jaws office. So a lot of times the

[3:51:46] lot of times people say go see the commissioner's office. This isn't the right

[3:51:49] commissioner's office. Okay where do I get the district court? The district court

[3:51:53] commissioner's office is over in a district court building here and they can

[3:51:57] probably help you with that matter. Yeah because now she's got people going meet

[3:52:01] petta- I wouldn't go out into depth here. I really wouldn't do that. That's only

[3:52:05] reason I got you all. So I go to go to the district court commissioners office. Okay. Okay, and they can help you there.

[3:52:13] Man, I'm the clerk as soon as we're done here. I will meet you on the hallway and give you other resources as well.

[3:52:18] Okay. Thank you. All right. Well, because I'm almost 70.

[3:52:22] You know, I'm like this is terrible. Yes, they should be able to help you.

[3:52:25] Okay. All right. You have a great rest of your day.

[3:52:28] Next speaker is Loryoung.

[3:52:32] Do we have a Loryoung in the audience?

[3:52:36] All right.

[3:52:36] Next speaker is Michael Pollock.

[3:52:45] Oh, Michael Block.

[3:52:46] I'm speaking as an individual.

[3:52:50] Good to just societies.

[3:52:51] Usually take a long time to perform.

[3:52:54] I've done a lot of them.

[3:52:55] I know some of them take years.

[3:52:58] Usually two years is not enough.

[3:53:01] Especially when there's a question about funding.

[3:53:06] Suggestion that the Commission changed the zoning toward it was before, as mentioned by

[3:53:13] Brassel and Haraj, I think that's an excellent idea that they should change it back and also

[3:53:19] band data centers. It takes a long time to do a good series of studies to evaluate the answers

[3:53:26] regarding it. Once these studies are done, then they can be re-evaluated.

[3:53:34] and our position could be really good.

[3:53:38] Calvert County also needs to allocate

[3:53:42] some money to fund these studies.

[3:53:46] Again, I've gone with the environmental,

[3:53:49] or I've attended the Environmental Commission meeting,

[3:53:53] and that's one of the big questions they have,

[3:53:56] is who's gonna fund or where are they gonna get funding

[3:53:59] for the stuff.

[3:54:01] And all these studies do take money.

[3:54:04] So, I want to thank you for your attendance and for your good suggestions.

[3:54:11] Thank you.

[3:54:13] Next speaker is Nancy Krauss.

[3:54:24] Good afternoon.

[3:54:25] Nancy Krauss speaking as an individual.

[3:54:27] Thank you.

[3:54:28] I want to thank the commissioners for doing the right thing.

[3:54:32] I had to step out to take a phone call from a physician.

[3:54:35] So I really didn't hear how it all ended.

[3:54:37] but I am hoping it ends well for everyone.

[3:54:43] I want to address a few other things.

[3:54:46] School will be starting soon, and we have amazing teachers

[3:54:49] and support staff for our kids.

[3:54:52] I hope many of the educators will take the opportunity

[3:54:56] to discuss how democracy works.

[3:55:00] I think Calvert County has demonstrated that. Our small county of Calvert is such a great example of the power of the people.

[3:55:08] Communities came together over a cause that we all felt strongly against. We worked together to change the flavor of the BOCC.

[3:55:18] Three long-established members were primary. It shocked many, many people.

[3:55:25] But that's how democracy works.

[3:55:29] People have the power.

[3:55:31] So I'm asking teachers, please take this opportunity

[3:55:34] to bring civics into the curriculum.

[3:55:38] The other thing I want to address is the recent decision

[3:55:41] that the BOCC had violated the open meetings act.

[3:55:45] I appreciate those findings being read at the beginning of the meeting.

[3:55:49] Much time and effort by several citizens and organizations

[3:55:52] went into obtaining that info to place this concern. Please know that when

[3:55:57] citizens ask the staff to obtain information, it is not to make them

[3:56:01] do busy work. It is not to harass them. Yet it is to gather information and

[3:56:07] documentation that proves a concern of the way things have happened. A lot of

[3:56:13] digging and puzzle-piece information went into making those reports. During

[3:56:18] Several meetings, some BOCC members sat up there and criticized the community community and

[3:56:24] making them ask for this information.

[3:56:28] I think it proved that that was vital information that needed to be shared.

[3:56:33] Thank you.

[3:56:34] Thank you for your time.

[3:56:35] Next speaker is Ethan Cox.

[3:56:42] Hello again.

[3:56:43] Commissioners.

[3:56:44] Ethan Cox can't at four district one county commissioners speaking on behalf of myself.

[3:56:50] So I just want to flash back to clock all the way to, if it was the January or February

[3:56:55] 2025, where, you know, we had concerns as a community about density in our town centers.

[3:57:03] And somehow the vote to address that also included rezoning the 800 acres.

[3:57:08] And I think, I'm not believing anyone for that vote because I think all of you did it with good

[3:57:13] intent in mind.

[3:57:14] And I don't think there is anything the ferry is going on, anyone saying otherwise is frankly wrong.

[3:57:19] But with that said, I think that there has been a dialogue about county revenue.

[3:57:24] That was shown even today where, you know, it's almost seen as this binary choice.

[3:57:30] Oh, we need high density housing, you know, we need 10,000 units or we need a data center.

[3:57:36] I don't think that's true.

[3:57:36] I don't think we need either of those things to ensure our physical

[3:57:43] stability moving forward and I'm mainly looking at two opportunities for this next

[3:57:48] board. Number one, Constellation's pilot agreement is up next year and according

[3:57:55] to some experts we're pretty undervalued on that current agreement. Right now it's

[3:57:59] 21 million. I'm here and it could be up to 10 million more that we could get if we

[3:58:02] Hopefully do this right based off some experts I talked to up in DC.

[3:58:07] So when we're looking at, say a medium sized data center is $25 million dollars.

[3:58:11] That's 10 million right there that we may have left on the table or maybe the economic

[3:58:14] conditions say right out of time to get some more money.

[3:58:17] The other thing that I'm looking at is we have a federal and state grant deficit.

[3:58:22] We're making 10% of what St. Mary's does and what Charles County does off of our grants

[3:58:27] from our federal and state partners.

[3:58:28] And I don't care what party they are because the Trump administration's doing it and

[3:58:31] more administration's doing it, and we're leaving money on the table.

[3:58:34] So really when we're talking about how do we get $30 million to make sure that issues such

[3:58:39] as our teachers' health care is covered, we can look other ways than just high-density

[3:58:44] housing and data centers.

[3:58:46] Thank you.

[3:58:47] Thank you.

[3:58:48] Thank you.

[3:58:48] Next speaker is Jeff Tixon.

[3:58:52] Good afternoon.

[3:58:52] My name is Jeff Tixon.

[3:58:54] I'll be representing myself.

[3:58:55] This will basically be a repeat because Mr. and Grasso had to step out.

[3:59:00] So, this is why I'm doing it again.

[3:59:03] So, first of all, I would like to thank Mike Hart and Catherine Gassau for the

[3:59:09] persistent to introduce a more thorium at the last six times in the past.

[3:59:16] It's been a bumpy road with legal procedures changing or being reinforced.

[3:59:21] Hopefully, hopefully you'll be finally approved.

[3:59:24] Second, I saw your video yesterday.

[3:59:27] Thank you for creating our guidelines to earn the more authority.

[3:59:34] Thanks for addressing the Arizona ordinance that needs to be rolled back to the original

[3:59:38] comprehensive plan.

[3:59:40] Thanks for addressing the environmental study that is unique for cover County.

[3:59:47] Thank you very much.

[3:59:48] Thank you.

[3:59:48] Next speaker is Dylan Johnson.

[4:00:07] Still in Johnson and St. Leonard speaking for myself today.

[4:00:11] Perfect.

[4:00:12] So congrats on the more touring book.

[4:00:15] I think everybody that showed up here was pretty happy about that.

[4:00:19] Like Mr. White said earlier.

[4:00:21] Clearly,

[4:00:24] a lot of them were here for that.

[4:00:26] I heard a lot of different counties and a lot of different areas coming out to support a more touring for liberal

[4:00:32] Calvary counties.

[4:00:34] So, you know, who does to them?

[4:00:35] I guess it reaches out, but, you know,

[4:00:38] they're the same counties in all the stuff.

[4:00:40] Also, you know, pollute everything around them.

[4:00:43] It's the determines that there is forever in the country.

[4:00:46] Well, we got Charles County up here saying,

[4:00:48] we need a more total amount of data centers

[4:00:49] because it affects us too.

[4:00:52] Sure, great.

[4:00:53] Fix your own stuff, though, you know?

[4:00:55] Go fix that first.

[4:00:57] We've been doing just fine, but that really is me

[4:01:01] to the only point I wanted to make today.

[4:01:02] with that moratorium, clearly everybody was in favor of that cool, I'm fine with that.

[4:01:09] The problem lies in where are you going to find the funding, right?

[4:01:13] So Marilyn has a status failing, we all know that.

[4:01:17] It seems like there's a correlation with poverty rates as opposed to state grant funding rates.

[4:01:24] We rank as one of the lowest counties, if not the lowest county in poverty rate, therefore

[4:01:29] where we get the least amount of state funding

[4:01:31] for any kind of programs.

[4:01:33] So is that where we're going to make up all the difference?

[4:01:37] We've had to make up teacher salaries out of our own pocket

[4:01:41] and all that good stuff.

[4:01:43] I just don't see an avenue out.

[4:01:46] And the three that are leaving, the two that

[4:01:48] are have made it to the next round, I guess.

[4:01:51] I'll say, anybody has in a running.

[4:01:53] I mean, I just want to hear a plan that you

[4:01:56] got elected by running on a simple platform

[4:01:58] no data centers. I haven't heard anything outside of that. That was it. That was where they drew

[4:02:05] the line. What is the plan moving forward? That's it. Thank you. Thank you.

[4:02:17] Commissioners, we have no other speakers in the audience at this time. I will turn it over to

[4:02:21] Andrew Miller, who is going to be our moderator.

[4:02:26] We do have some speakers online. If anyone else

[4:02:30] which is to speak, please raise your hand or press the start five function.

[4:02:35] Caller with the last four digits ending in 4, 4, 8, 5.

[4:02:38] We are ready to receive your comments, please state your name and address, and whether

[4:02:42] you'll be speaking as an individual, or as the designated representative of a group,

[4:02:48] please press star six to mute.

[4:02:56] Hi, my name is Teresa Jailer from Hunting Town, and I'm speaking on behalf of myself.

[4:03:01] I've been involved with the planning of voting process since January 2025, trying to do some

[4:03:08] family conveyances, and there were some major changes that got stuck up into the whole

[4:03:13] March 1st, rewrite, and I think it's going to cherry-picking, you know, just the data center

[4:03:18] stuff, now that we have community involvement, now we have a new sense of governance, now we have a new

[4:03:22] sense of transparency, let's roll back the entire planning of voting regulations to that pre-March

[4:03:29] first date, because as you can help them, all the techs of them, and for kind of that in clean up trying to fix all the things we rush through, and I think now that we have community engagement, and I have personal stake in it, I'm interested in going back. Instead of, you know, the whole smoke and mirrors that we were working with or at least things like we were working with, I think there's a real opportunity to come clean and start fresh, and I wish, such as the data center problem, it's really people protecting their properties.

[4:03:58] and having, you know, stay in what they do with their property.

[4:04:02] So, hope that can be considered.

[4:04:06] Thank you.

[4:04:07] Thank you.

[4:04:08] All right.

[4:04:10] There are no other speakers at this time with their hands raised.

[4:04:16] Okay.

[4:04:17] Thanks.

[4:04:18] Thank you.

[4:04:19] Well,

[4:04:26] there's been a lot of activity going on with North Beach Volunteer Fire Department.

[4:04:31] There are a hundredth anniversary.

[4:04:34] I attended the Bayside History Museum and Pat Nutter,

[4:04:37] who is a long time-covered county and he took us back decades with some great stories.

[4:04:46] Twin Beach Libraries John Tiffett, who is a firefighter, he is written a wonderful book

[4:04:52] on the history of North Beach Volunteer Fire Department.

[4:04:57] I also attended the Adult Treatment Court.

[4:05:00] I also attended First Friday. A American Chestnut Land Trust, they had a crab feast, and I attended that.

[4:05:09] The parade on Saturday for the fire department, I was unable to attend that, but I was lucky enough to be there as so many of the apparatus and apparatus as a word.

[4:05:21] I'm embracing. I didn't know what packet was when I first got here, but fire trucks and ambulances

[4:05:28] and the old apparatus. It was great seeing that. Also attended the master, which was a lot

[4:05:34] of fun. The One Room Schoolhouse had a ice cream social and I attended that and also had a

[4:05:41] tour of the One Room Schoolhouse. On Friday, I attended the Calvert House celebration. It was held

[4:05:49] at the Rod and Real.

[4:05:51] My suggestion is, covered hospital, do more of these.

[4:05:56] It was affordable, got to connect with people.

[4:06:00] I raised my children with.

[4:06:02] I've been on committees with.

[4:06:04] I've, you know, it just was great.

[4:06:06] See, and so many people.

[4:06:08] And I think we saw them because it was an affordable event.

[4:06:11] And it was done very, very well.

[4:06:15] Tonight starts the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department's Carnival, and it goes to Saturday.

[4:06:22] Also, I wanted to thank everyone who has participated with your comments,

[4:06:28] who is showing up with your rallies, with your protest.

[4:06:32] This is what democracy is all about.

[4:06:35] And four years ago, I was you.

[4:06:37] I was very pissed off because we, we were growing at such a rate in this county and, and I know that

[4:06:48] um, people did not want it and this goes back to two, three previous boards.

[4:06:54] A lot of people think my, my regalance doesn't know what she's talking about.

[4:07:00] She had the right information on that, the backroom deals that were made and we're still,

[4:07:05] We're still going to be suffering from more development in our county that's been on the books for at least 10 years.

[4:07:13] So I appreciate you all. I appreciate you all coming out.

[4:07:17] You know, raise hell with us. That's what we're here for.

[4:07:20] We're here to hear the good and the bad that we do.

[4:07:23] Because you know what? We work for you all.

[4:07:27] And we're making the big bucks here. So put us to task, okay?

[4:07:31] I also wanted to say one thing, and I'm only going to say this once, I'm not going to say this again.

[4:07:38] When data centers first came to this county, when we were first approached, as a county commissioner,

[4:07:45] I thought it was incumbent upon me to see if this might be a good fit for our county.

[4:07:51] and we did make some moves and we did try to put things in place to see if we could

[4:07:57] accommodate extra income for this county. As we went on, it became apparent that I

[4:08:08] wasn't getting all of the information I needed to make the decisions I needed

[4:08:12] to have. Recently, I had a conversation with Mike Hart and Commissioner Hart

[4:08:19] and Commissioner Hats, and we did iron through some of that, and Mr. Commissioner Hats did say that we were not included on everything.

[4:08:29] We did not have all the information we did and he apologized to us, and I appreciate that Commissioner Hats. I really do. We've all made mistakes, but my bottom line is when you're Commissioner, you're working for the people.

[4:08:44] You can explore any avenues that might benefit your constituents, but when you see that your constituents are opposed to going into a particular direction you pivot you do with the people want.

[4:09:02] I've come from a blue collar family. My blue collar workers have said to me, especially I'll tell you one, one, my grandson.

[4:09:10] my mom, but I'm an electrician. This is going to bring work. I said, buddy,

[4:09:16] I love you to death, but this is what our people want. And if our people don't want it,

[4:09:21] I don't want it. Our people want it. I do want it. So I apologize for any perceived mistakes,

[4:09:30] any actual mistakes that I have made as a commissioner. I'm not anybody who has

[4:09:37] we these past four years knows that I am real and I speak from the heart and I speak my truth.

[4:09:45] This is not a campaign, Chloe. I am telling you straight forward how I feel I'm going to say it once in

[4:09:56] And from this day forward, we move.

[4:10:00] To undo this mess and I move to run on what we need to do within this county and data centers are not the only

[4:10:08] darn thing that are happening in this county and everybody needs to step up to the plate and let their constituents know what they're going to do for this county.

[4:10:18] Expand your platform because it's not just data centers. Thank you for listening. Thank you for your involvement. I do appreciate you. Thank you very much.

[4:10:33] So last week we attended make-o, most of you may not know what make-o is, Maryland Association.

[4:10:38] The counties have a convention every summer, and it's a great opportunity to work with your fellow commissioners.

[4:10:45] Some other parts of the state learn about what's going on.

[4:10:47] We did meet with three or four different secretaries, talk through some issues.

[4:10:51] As you heard, we found Mr. Estes, an opportunity maybe for some funding for his project.

[4:10:56] So we hope that works out for sure.

[4:11:00] Mr. Cox and I have talked about grant funding before.

[4:11:03] One issue we have in Maryland is that we're in Calver County.

[4:11:06] With Maryland grant funding is a lot of times,

[4:11:07] you know, we're considered a wealthy county and we don't qualify for a lot of that funding that's out.

[4:11:12] They're even on the federal level too.

[4:11:14] We're just classified as a wealthy county and that kicks us out of a lot of those programs.

[4:11:18] But I can assure you we're always looking for grant opportunities for this county.

[4:11:24] And on the open meetings issue, you know, most of that, there's been some comments on Facebook about, you know, was that some of the various action by the commissioners, you know, every week when we set the agenda, the attorney reviews the agenda, he determines what goes on open and what goes on closed.

[4:11:41] The attorney drafts the minutes up the reports afterwards.

[4:11:45] We don't have anything to do with that.

[4:11:47] So, just want you to know there was nothing nefarious in any of that.

[4:11:53] And I too, you know, Commissioner Grasso said, and Mr. L1, who's not here anymore, he's made

[4:11:59] a comment a couple of times about he believes there was a lack of information, and I can tell

[4:12:04] you all right here right now. We knew very little about that project, very little. They always

[4:12:12] used the analogy with us, AWS, that we don't have a deal with consolation, so we can't really

[4:12:19] talk about the project until we have a deal, and they never had a deal, they never signed

[4:12:24] the deal with consolation, which is part of the reason why they walked, but, you know, we

[4:12:30] were getting information from the street just like a lot of you. You know, when that job posting

[4:12:36] came up, I called early A's on and I said, what the heck? She claimed to not have any clue

[4:12:42] that there was a job posting for that project. Still maintaining they had no agreement with consolation

[4:12:48] And until they had a agreement with consolation, she couldn't really talk about the project.

[4:12:53] So when they applied for their site plan, whenever that was, two months ago, that was the first time we actually got to see what they were going to do on that property.

[4:13:05] Now, I mean, they had talked to us for two years, intermittently about the scope of the project, but no details of what that project was.

[4:13:15] So on that I can, you know, in a very first meeting, they talked about, I asked, what's the budget for this project?

[4:13:22] The budget for the project was $22 billion.

[4:13:27] And people have asked here lately, so what was the county going to get out of that?

[4:13:31] Well, if they had spent $22 billion in Calvary County, the revenue from that project would have been $400 million a year to Calvary County.

[4:13:39] So, Mr. Grasso says, at least from the start, we had an obligation to at least try to figure out

[4:13:47] what is this? Is it a good work at our county? Is it not good for at our county?

[4:13:53] But, you know, it's just an unfortunate situation and very frustrating for all of us. So, but

[4:14:02] I appreciate, and I do ask prayers. I had a farmer friend who had a very significant accident last week on

[4:14:08] who's recovering and just asked you to put him in your prayer and she's got a long road to recover.

[4:14:14] So for that, thank you.

[4:14:17] Is it hurt?

[4:14:21] So what to the ACLT crab feast as well?

[4:14:25] It's a great, great organization.

[4:14:28] Something I used to do with Commissioner Nudder a lot,

[4:14:31] I used to go to the senior centers.

[4:14:34] And something I needed to get back into,

[4:14:37] I went and had lunch at Southern Pines. I like to just kind of walk in, just to see, you know,

[4:14:46] Commissioner Nutter East Tees me says, Mike like seniors, animals and kids, you know, but you know,

[4:14:52] all three of them can't defend themselves. So I'd just like to kind of go through there and I've been on that.

[4:14:59] I want to say

[4:15:00] Today's a sincere thank you to everyone when I very first proposed to your moratorium. I heard everything from

[4:15:09] I was crazy to everything under the sun and boy everybody picked up it just ran right with it. I mean over 10,000 signatures.

[4:15:19] I don't know that. I'll ever be done in this county again. I mean, I think it doesn't

[4:15:24] have to, but I don't, I don't, that was just remarkable.

[4:15:31] I got a lot of history with Jeff,

[4:15:34] we remember Dominion, and mistakes weren't learned from that. Hopefully, future boards won't

[4:15:41] have to have a third mistake.

[4:15:48] It's truly, truly, and I can't say it enough, remarkable

[4:15:51] how many people have taken so much of their expertise and put into this.

[4:16:00] I've always said, you know, Calvin County might be small, but there's a lot of brilliant

[4:16:03] people here. A lot of people from a lot of walks of life, a lot of people really care about

[4:16:08] their home, you know, years and years ago, there was a politician that tried to bring water

[4:16:14] and sewer to Dunkirk, and that was a huge no-no. It became kind of known and political things

[4:16:21] don't talk about water, sewer, and Dunkirk. Commissioner Grosson is all about that. I think

[4:16:26] future boards are going to know don't talk about data-sanders in counter-county. I think it's going

[4:16:31] to have that to it. Somebody's going to come from out of the county and walk in and go, hey,

[4:16:36] What about data center?

[4:16:37] So I'm not going to shut them right down right there.

[4:16:39] I think that that is something that is going to be part of Coward County's political

[4:16:44] makeup now to what Commissioner Hanson, you know, we've gotten away from saying, are 20%.

[4:16:55] It's just a lot of confusion gets in and a lot of, I've told you guys, my multiple

[4:17:05] multiple multiple times. My role in the data center thing and I'm not to beat the dead horse

[4:17:14] there. I found out most of the information as you did.

[4:17:22] But as Commissioner Grosso said,

[4:17:27] going forward, so going forward, there will be no data centers, zoning will go back to the

[4:17:34] was. This misnomer that we have to have it to pay the bills. I've never had them to pay the bills.

[4:17:44] I don't get up thinking how am I going to pay the bills with the data center. You know,

[4:17:49] and you're going to hear me say this in a couple of months and you're going to laugh at me and

[4:17:52] call me corny and I'm going to tell you how it was raised. Don't spend more than what comes in.

[4:17:58] And I know that sounds corny and old-fashioned. There's new magic tricks to do in the budget.

[4:18:03] It really isn't. I've told the people before when I got here if somebody said we needed a pencil four people said, well, what are you going to cut to get that pencil?

[4:18:12] I've been here when there was literally no money and we were bleeding fund balance. We're not going back to that again.

[4:18:20] We don't have to go back to that again. You heard a little bit about the CIP presentation.

[4:18:25] they talk about how we've kept that under that threshold. There's certain parameters that we've done.

[4:18:30] We don't do little things like slurry. You know, there's a lot of things get the slurry's like this

[4:18:35] piece that they'll on the road. It's a waste of time. It's a waste of money. We've really tried to work

[4:18:39] hard as a small county to work smart and we'll continue to do that. But I really want to thank

[4:18:48] everyone again for all the effort and time put in. It's really when you talk about why we're the best

[4:18:55] in the state of Maryland, it's because we are so small and we acknowledge how much we need each other

[4:19:00] and we need each other's expertise and everybody that's why we were the last to have paid

[4:19:06] fire staff, the PDMTs, the PDMTs, we were the last all volunteer system. So once again I want to thank

[4:19:14] you, Cover County and thank everybody involved for that.

[4:19:22] Thank you most President. I spent most

[4:19:24] we can make with fellow commissioners Hans and Ireland. And I kind of got a disagree with

[4:19:31] commissioner Hart here because, you know, we did a lot of networking down there. We talked

[4:19:37] with a lot of elected officials. And a lot of the discussions that we had dealt with

[4:19:46] wooden sewer, septics, holding tanks. If we don't have these conversations,

[4:19:53] where will we be as a county? We need to fix our aging pipes. We need a...

[4:20:00] The rate of fixed of the voting tanks. People can't afford $600 a month to get a holding tank pumped out. We

[4:20:08] have to have these conversations. In most of our conversations, at least with me, was with data centers

[4:20:15] and Wardens sewer, septics and holding tanks. We're just not the only county that deals with this.

[4:20:29] It's

[4:20:29] solutions on how we move forward, where are we at as a county?

[4:20:35] Yeah, we're going to live in a cesspool, who wants that?

[4:20:38] So we have to have hard conversations about our septics, our wood and sewer lines, and

[4:20:47] how we fix them, how we go about it, what's permissible on the other end of the building

[4:20:53] side.

[4:20:54] We have to put, you know, ordinance in place for that.

[4:20:57] So, we have some good conversations down there, so stay highway and so forth, but we have to have these conversations and we have to learn to disagree with each other and learn to come to a solution.

[4:21:13] Back to school next week, so everybody slowed down with the school buses on the road and you all have a great day.

[4:21:22] So, Mr. Attorney, the more touring does that vote, it goes into effect today.

[4:21:28] 10 days from now.

[4:21:30] So that puts us to February 28th.

[4:21:36] February 28th.

[4:21:38] It's just a February 28th.

[4:21:40] Oh, it's just a February 28th, for that would expire.

[4:21:46] I just, I didn't hear that come out as far as expiration date.

[4:21:48] So the other commissioners and new commissioners will all be sworn in December 15th so that gives them two and a half months to

[4:21:56] If nothing change, I'm not the James between them. I

[4:21:58] Dequire, I said, I'm on the commissioner Cox. What he had to say and I talked about it many times. You know, our county has a lot of low-line areas

[4:22:07] Co-point beads coming up long beats cow or beads, can't with beads. And you're starting to see all these septic systems fail along the way to Ranskbo

[4:22:17] keep north breezy point, but you're starting to see these septic systems fail.

[4:22:21] Now, let's we come up with a plan for water and sewer and put a pipeline in somewhere,

[4:22:26] the value of these homes, and the affordability for people living these homes is another thing

[4:22:31] that's going to go down. We have to be able to plan ahead. I say I talked about this all the time.

[4:22:39] paid fire, paid fire, you're looking at $50 million.

[4:22:44] Is that five years down the rate of 10 years down the rate?

[4:22:46] I don't know how far it is down the rate.

[4:22:48] What is going to happen?

[4:22:49] And that funding, and we're going to have to find revenues

[4:22:52] from somewhere, where is it going to come from?

[4:22:55] I don't know.

[4:22:56] I don't know what the next best thing is going to be,

[4:22:58] or where revenue is going to come from.

[4:23:01] But the thing with people talking about high density housing

[4:23:05] and residential growth, residential growth

[4:23:08] costs us money. It makes no money whatsoever. It costs us money across all Europe,

[4:23:13] APF, but whether it's water and sewer, whether it's your roads, whether it's your schools,

[4:23:17] whatever it is, it costs us money. We have to plan ahead and it's going to be a challenge.

[4:23:24] And every session that I sat in, the common theme is it's not if data centers come, it's

[4:23:38] as far as the blackouts, the brownouts are concerned, and the number of phantom projects that are out there, they're trying to get a handle.

[4:23:50] There's a lot of moving parts, as you can imagine, with them dealing with the 13 state region and people putting applications in for electricity.

[4:23:57] But what they haven't been able to do is actually go back and identify how many phantom projects are actually or that aren't going to go to fruition.

[4:24:04] So, like I said, there's just a lot of stuff that needs to be addressed without a doubt.

[4:24:12] That's all I have.

[4:24:14] Everybody have a great week, and do we have a motion?

[4:24:16] Yes.

[4:24:16] Service President.

[4:24:17] I move that the Board of County Commission has closed executive sessions to discuss the

[4:24:22] appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline,

[4:24:26] promotion, compensation removal, ration, or performance evaluation of appointees,

[4:24:31] employees, or officials, over whom the public body has shared

[4:24:35] station and any other personnel matter that affects one or more

[4:24:39] sufficient individuals in order to ensure that personnel matters

[4:24:43] remain confidential so that the county can continue to recruit and retain

[4:24:47] quality candidates and employees for our positions as well as comply

[4:24:52] in our global law regarding confidentiality and to consult with council

[4:24:57] to obtain legal advice in order to ensure that.

[4:25:00] Attorney Klein privileges is preserved and not wavered. And to consult with staff consultants and other individuals

[4:25:07] about pending or potential litigation to ensure the county's litigation and or settlement positions

[4:25:12] is protected from the public disclosures, so as not to undermine the county's interests.

[4:25:19] Second.

[4:25:21] I have a motion in a second to permission and cops is a motion about going into exact

[4:25:25] session.

[4:25:26] Is there any discussion on that?

[4:25:28] Hearing none of all the flavors they are.

[4:25:29] High.

Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners

Agenda

Transcript