The St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners celebrated African American History Month, enjoying a performance from Great Mills High School students at the Chesapeake Building Tuesday, Feb. 23. A gospel choir, a poet and a Michael Jackson impersonator entertained.
The board also took time to recognize special education teacher Anne Fogel, recipient of the National Sam Kirk Educator of the Year Award. Superintendent Dr. Martirano told Fogel, who has taught for 36 years, “We are so proud of you.”
The commissioners joined the Dept. of Human Resources in distributing ’09 Wellness Awards to St. Mary’s employees that had amassed 100, 200 and some, even 300 days of sick leave.
Finance and the Board of Education discussed the Capital Improvement Plan for public schools with the BOCC, picking apart the funding sources that will allow the projects to move forward. Martirano announced that bidding for Leonardtown Middle School’s limited renovations had opened and reported bids coming in under the budgeted amount. Closing out the Evergreen Elementary project, the BOE looked to the new elementary on the Hayden property, which will cost $23.7 million in FY2011 through FY2016. Martirano said he would like to make the new elementary fully geothermal.
Commissioner Daniel H. Raley stated aside from the public school projects, he considers the detention center a top priority when considering CIP project budgeting.
Department of Economic and Community Development Director Bob Schaller came before the board, along with Housing Authority’s Dennis Nicholson and staff, to close out the grant that moved families out of Lexington Manor. Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly said, “There are a lot of people living in better conditions today because of [this project].”
The previously blighted area, commonly referred to as “the flat tops”, is now publicly owned and ready to be redeveloped. President/CEO of the Community Development Corporation Robin Finnacom joined Schaller in asking the board for direction on future discussions with the Navy, regarding the North Parcel as a potential site for a proposed work campus. According to the County, a mixed-use development by the Navy here would promote the revitalization of the core area of Lexington Park and allow them to preserve land within NAS Pax River’s perimeter for other uses.
Finnacom said the opportunity is, “the Navy’s needs and the County’s needs coming together.”
The board advised Schaller and Finnacom to move as q
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