PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — At the July 22 meeting, the Sage Policy Group presented the latest Economic Development Plan to the Calvert Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
The Department of Economic Development contracted Sage Policy Group, a Baltimore-based consulting firm, to create the plan for the 2026–2031 time period. Sage, led by economist Anirban Basu, outlined some of the challenges and opportunities Calvert will face in the coming years and how the county can implement smart planning.
One main challenge, Basu said, was to make the county economically appealing and dynamic while maintaining its rural character and quality of life. He presented a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis that reflects feedback from focus groups, public survey results and data analysis. The SWOT analysis informed the policy recommendations he presented to the BOCC along with Director of Economic Development Julie Orberg.
Some of Calvert’s strengths included quality of life, a strong tourism industry and engaged county leadership. Weaknesses cited were limited infrastructure, housing affordability and a lack of amenities.
Basu also commended Calvert’s strategic economic planning in developing large tax contributors like LNG and Calvert Cliffs Clean Energy Center, giving the county some flexibility in how it develops other sectors of the economy.
However, he cautioned that the county needs to find more opportunities for economic growth to continue attracting a young workforce and should dedicate efforts to workforce retention and attracting businesses of all sizes through incentives and streamlined processes.
Basu also cited agritourism as a potential economic pillar because it would build on the county’s character and utilize existing farmland, giving farms an opportunity to generate revenue outside of traditional agriculture. He also recommended considering a tourism-based infrastructure to connect the county to nearby tourist attractions like Annapolis or create a ferry system.
Basu and Orberg reiterated several times that this plan wasn’t telling the BOCC what to do, but was instead focused on setting them up to plan for what may lie ahead. Residents can view the full economic plan online.
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