St. Mary’s Commissioners Approve Grants, Transit Funding And Home Repair Support

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s County commissioners approved several grant applications and heard updates from county departments and community organizations during their March 10 meeting, including funding for transit improvements, public safety initiatives and volunteer home repair projects.

Metropolitan Planning Organization Expansion Discussed

Deputy Director Courtney Jenkins of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management briefed commissioners on potential changes to the Calvert–St. Mary’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, a federally mandated regional transportation planning body created after the 2010 census identified the Lexington Park area as an urbanized region exceeding 50,000 residents.

Jenkins explained that the organization coordinates federal transportation funding through a process that is “continuous, comprehensive and cooperative” among state and local agencies.

Officials from Calvert County have proposed expanding the planning boundary to include the entire county after additional areas in the north met urbanized-area criteria during the 2020 census. The move could potentially increase funding available for transportation studies and planning projects.

County staff also raised the possibility of including the town of Leonardtown, Maryland, in the planning area to address traffic growth and infrastructure needs.

Commissioners reached consensus to explore the option further and directed staff to consult with Leonardtown officials before advancing the proposal.

State’s Attorney’s Office Seeks Gun Violence Reduction Grant

Commissioners approved the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office request to apply for the Fiscal Year 2027 Gun Violence Reduction Grant through the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Prevention and Policy.

The grant would support an evidence review analyst responsible for examining evidence in cases involving firearms. The office requested $72,448 in grant funding and a $28,782 county match to cover employee fringe benefits.

Officials noted the county match increased from the amount initially included in the January budget submission because the grant now requires leave time to be prorated as a fringe benefit.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the application and authorize the commissioner president to sign the necessary documents.

Transit Capital Grant Approved

The board also approved a Fiscal Year 2026 capital grant award for the St. Mary’s Transit System from the Maryland Transit Administration.

The grant totals $555,018 and includes $444,000 in federal funding, $27,750 in state funding and a required county match of $53,255. The grant period runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.

Funding will support replacement transit vehicles, preventive maintenance and repairs to a bus shelter slab at the St. Andrews facility.

Commissioners also approved associated budget amendments to align county accounts with the final award amount and to cover additional costs related to the bus shelter repair project.

Airport Entitlement Funding Returned

In another action, commissioners approved returning $150,000 in unused Fiscal Year 2023 entitlement funding to the Federal Aviation Administration.

County officials said the funds were not programmed before the federal deadline because the county recently completed its airport master plan and is preparing to update planning documents before pursuing new projects.

The funding will be reallocated by the FAA’s Washington Airports District Office for other airport improvement projects nationwide.

Transportation Priority List Under Review

The Department of Public Works and Transportation also presented the county’s annual priority letter for the Maryland State Highway Administration Consolidated Transportation Program.

The letter outlines St. Mary’s County’s transportation priorities and is due to the state by April 1.

Among the top requests are improvements to key traffic corridors and intersections, including congestion relief along Route 4 and Route 235, safety improvements at the Route 5 and Willis Road intersection, and studies for additional roadway capacity and traffic management.

Commissioners requested several additions and revisions to the draft before final approval, including stronger language opposing a proposed pedestrian safety plan that could remove existing turn lanes along Route 235.

The final version will return to the board on the consent agenda before submission to the state.

Christmas In April Expands Volunteer Effort

Representatives from Christmas in April St. Mary’s County also requested county support as the organization changes how it delivers home repairs to residents in need.

For 36 years, the nonprofit has completed nearly 900 home repair projects and invested an estimated $10 million in housing improvements with the help of about 4,000 volunteers.

Instead of completing repairs on a single day each year, the organization will now schedule projects throughout the year to better accommodate volunteers and skilled trades workers.

Commissioners approved a resolution allowing the county to cover landfill tipping fees for up to 100 tons of construction waste generated by the projects.

The group plans to begin its first build under the new format March 21 and expects the updated schedule will allow more volunteers and community partners to participate.

You can watch all the grant approvals below:

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