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Worcester County · County Commissioners · 2026-06-16
Recap
This page was drafted automatically from the official meeting minutes and has not been reviewed by a human editor. Minutes are a condensed record of formal actions and may omit discussion or public comment that occurred in the room. The linked minutes, agenda, packet, and video are the record — not this summary.
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The Worcester County Commissioners spent most of this meeting on a re-opened land-use hearing and on unfinished business from the FY27 budget. After a remand from the Appellate Court of Maryland, the commissioners re-heard Rezoning Case No. 444 for a 0.78-acre parcel at 4432 Market Street in Snow Hill and voted 5-2 to approve the change from A-1 Agricultural to C-2 General Commercial, adopting the Planning Commission's findings of fact as their own.
The board also worked through a series of school-funding and spending items that split the commissioners. The FY27 Board of Education Appropriation Transmittal Schedule initially died for lack of a second, then passed 4-3 later in the meeting after the chief administrative officer explained the state requirements. Commissioners approved FY25 surplus assignments and new project funding on another 4-3 vote, rejected a motion to restore additional OPEB funding for the Board of Education on a 3-2-2 vote, and unanimously approved contracts and carryover funds for the Sheriff's Office and the Ocean Pines wastewater treatment plant.
The commissioners met in closed session at 9:00 a.m. to discuss legal and personnel matters and to perform administrative functions. Actions announced afterward included promoting Assistant Warden Shytina Drummond to warden and Corporal Tiffany Purnell to sergeant at the County Jail; hiring Stanley Jones as a utility mechanic I and Alyssa Carpenter and LaRonda Foreman as transfer station attendants in Solid Waste, Hunter Milligan as a grounds utility mechanic in Maintenance, and Andrew Rickards as a Recreation and Parks intern; and transferring Roads Worker III Jake Evans to parks worker III. The commissioners also received legal advice and discussed potential board appointments.
In open session, the board presented a commendation naming Private First Class Drew Ward the 2026 Worcester County Correctional Officer of the Year and a years-of-service commendation to Parks Crew Leader William "Billy" Allman, retiring after 29 years. Edward Lee of Snow Hill used the public comment period to urge approval of Rezoning Case No. 444.
Consent agenda items 2-5 passed unanimously on a motion by Commissioner Fiori. Those items included FY27 Local Behavioral Health Authority grant awards for behavioral health and substance use treatment programs in the County Jail; a memorandum of understanding with the Local Management Board governing Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund activities, along with acceptance of proposals from the Bay to Beach Heritage Foundation, Berlin Activities Depot, Cricket Center, Healthport, and Wraparound Maryland; scheduling a public hearing on Rezoning Case No. 452, which seeks to rezone about 1.66 acres near MD Rt. 611 and Sinepuxent Road from A-2 Agricultural to C-2 General Commercial; and an over-expenditure of approximately $90,000 in Recycling salaries covered by Homeowner Convenience Center salary savings.
Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young told the commissioners the Board of Education had revised its FY27 operating budget to align with the local funding the county appropriated, and that no action was required. On the related FY27 BOE Appropriation Transmittal Schedule, Commissioner Abbott's motion to approve failed for lack of a second. The item returned later in the meeting after Commissioner Mitrecic asked about it; Mr. Young explained that state law requires the BOE to submit a revised budget within 30 days of adoption but does not require commissioner approval, and recommended approving the transmittal schedule as a benefit to both county and school staff. Commissioner Abbott moved again, and the schedule passed 4-3, with Commissioners Fiori, Mitrecic and Purnell opposed.
MACo President MC Keegan-Ayer and Executive Director Michael Sanderson reviewed the 2026 General Assembly session, recognizing Commissioner Bertino for his service on the 2026 MACo Board of Directors. The presentation covered housing and community development, intergovernmental relations, government liability and public information, education funding, juvenile justice, and energy policy, along with the state's projected structural budget deficits and upcoming MACo initiatives including the Summer Conference in Ocean City, the MACo OPEB Trust, and Public Promise Procurement.
The commissioners then held the re-opened hearing on Rezoning Case No. 444 and voted 5-2 to approve it. They also held a public hearing on Community Development Block Grant-funded homeless shelter supply and facility improvement activities, presented by Grants and Contract Accountant Shelby Mitch; no one spoke, and the commissioners unanimously concurred with the scheduled expenditure of the Housing Rehabilitation Grant.
Three spending items followed. At Sheriff Matthew Crisafulli's request, the commissioners unanimously authorized carrying over $260,854.05 in FY26 capital equipment/public safety equipment funds to FY27 and approved Blue Tech as sole source vendor to upfit 10 new vehicles purchased in FY26. At Public Works Director Dallas Baker's request, they unanimously accepted a proposal from Stratified, Inc. for $449,970, with a 5% contingency listed at $25,000, for the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant lagoon vertical expansion. Senior Budget Accountant Lynn Wright presented proposed FY25 surplus assignments and new project funding requests, which passed 4-3 with Commissioners Fiori, Mitrecic and Purnell opposed. The commissioners also unanimously approved a letter of support for TidalHealth Atlantic's $4 million Maryland Hospital Association Bond Program grant application to modernize and expand operating rooms at the Berlin hospital.
Commissioner Mitrecic raised the Board of Education's Other Post-Employment Benefits contribution, saying it was not included in the approved BOE budget and that underfunding it would grow the county's long-term liability. His motion to restore the BOE's additional OPEB funding to the FY27 budget failed on a 3-2-2 vote. In closing comments, commissioners asked for updates on a proposed volunteer firefighter property tax credit, data center zoning, a proposed cable landing station, and dual enrollment funding.
County Attorney Roscoe Leslie reviewed the procedural history: the Appellate Court of Maryland had vacated the commissioners' earlier denial, denied Black Water Relics' request to compel the rezoning, and remanded the case for additional findings of fact. The county and counsel for Black Water Relics agreed to re-open the hearing so both sides could present evidence, with the request limited to the 0.78-acre parcel. Development Review and Permitting Director Jennifer Keener presented an amended staff report. Attorney Hugh Cropper argued the 1992 downzoning was a mistake, that the property is unsuitable for agriculture, and that the rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Adjacent owner Tom Islet described a long history of commercial warehouse use; surveyor Gregory Wilkins supported the Planning Commission's mistake finding and noted the existing septic system; Chris McCabe of Coastal Compliance Solutions called the land unsuitable for agriculture; nearby owner Jennifer Patrick said redevelopment would improve the property's appearance; owner Amy Kelly said she bought the property intending to open a consignment store and believed she had done due diligence; Edward Lee and former Sheriff Chuck Martin also spoke in support.
Commissioner Mitrecic said the evidence demonstrated a 1992 zoning mistake. Commissioner Fiori called the case unique and said that although he generally opposes rezoning agricultural land to commercial, the evidence supported the request; he also encouraged prospective buyers to verify zoning with county staff before purchasing. President Elder said testimony established a commercial business was operating on the property at the time of the downzoning. Commissioner Bertino questioned conflicting testimony about how long the property had been vacant, and Commissioner Bunting maintained the evidence did not establish a mistake and raised concern about creating isolated commercial zoning in an agricultural area. Mr. Leslie reminded the board that a mistake finding must be paired with a determination that the rezoning would better serve the goals of the Comprehensive Plan.
Mr. Young explained that state law requires the Board of Education to submit a revised budget to the county within 30 days of adoption, but that the commissioners are not required to approve it, and that the board has historically voted to acknowledge receipt. He recommended approving the FY27 Transmittal Schedule because it benefits both county and BOE staff. Commissioner Mitrecic said he would not make the motion; Commissioner Abbott moved it instead, and it passed 4-3 after having died earlier in the meeting for lack of a second.
Commissioner Mitrecic said the BOE's OPEB contribution was not included in the motion approving the school budget and warned that failing to fully fund it would increase the county's long-term liability. Mr. Young said the BOE budgets roughly $2.8 million annually for retiree healthcare costs while the county funds the remaining OPEB trust contribution. Chief Financial Officer Vince Tolbert said the BOE had requested an additional appropriation to cover the increased OPEB contribution but that it was not included in the adopted budget, and Mr. Young clarified that the recent adjustment to the trust funding percentage did not include that additional request. Mitrecic's motion to restore the funding failed 3-2-2.
MACo President MC Keegan-Ayer and Executive Director Michael Sanderson reviewed the 2026 General Assembly outcomes across housing and community development, intergovernmental relations, government liability and public information, education funding, juvenile justice, and energy policy. They described MACo's efforts to preserve local authority, oppose unfunded mandates, and mitigate proposed cost shifts to counties, and discussed the state's projected structural budget deficits expected to shape future sessions.
Meeting in closed session at 9:00 a.m. under GP 3-305(b)(1) and (7) and GP 3-104, the commissioners promoted Assistant Warden Shytina Drummond to warden and Corporal Tiffany Purnell to sergeant at the County Jail. They also hired Stanley Jones (utility mechanic I), Alyssa Carpenter and LaRonda Foreman (transfer station attendants), Hunter Milligan (grounds utility mechanic), and Andrew Rickards (Recreation and Parks intern), and transferred Jake Evans from Roads Worker III to parks worker III. The board received legal advice and discussed potential board appointments.
The commissioners presented a commendation recognizing Private First Class Drew Ward as the 2026 Worcester County Correctional Officer of the Year, citing judgment in high-pressure situations, integrity, and service as a role model. They also presented a years-of-service commendation to Parks Crew Leader William "Billy" Allman, retiring after 29 years with Recreation and Parks.
On a motion by Commissioner Fiori, the commissioners unanimously approved FY27 Local Behavioral Health Authority grant awards for behavioral health and substance use treatment in the County Jail; an MOU with the Local Management Board for Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund activities and acceptance of proposals from the Bay to Beach Heritage Foundation, Berlin Activities Depot, Cricket Center, Healthport, and Wraparound Maryland; scheduling a public hearing on Rezoning Case No. 452; and an approximately $90,000 over-expenditure in Recycling salaries funded by Homeowner Convenience Center salary savings.
Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young told the commissioners the Board of Education revised its FY27 operating budget to align with the local funding appropriated by the county, reflecting the amounts approved during the county budget process. No action was required by the commissioners.
Chief Financial Officer Vince Tolbert submitted the proposed transmittal schedule. Commissioner Abbott's first motion to approve failed for lack of a second. After Mr. Young later explained the state submission requirement and recommended approval as a benefit to county and school staff, Abbott moved again and the schedule passed 4-3, with Commissioners Fiori, Mitrecic and Purnell opposed.
MACo President MC Keegan-Ayer and Executive Director Michael Sanderson reviewed the 2026 legislative session, covering housing and community development, intergovernmental relations, government liability and public information, education funding, juvenile justice, and energy policy. They described MACo's work to preserve local authority, oppose unfunded mandates, and mitigate cost shifts to counties, and discussed the state's projected structural deficits. They recognized Commissioner Bertino for service on the 2026 MACo Board of Directors and highlighted the Summer Conference in Ocean City, the MACo OPEB Trust, and Public Promise Procurement.
Following a remand from the Appellate Court of Maryland, the commissioners re-opened the hearing on an application by Attorney Hugh Cropper for Black Water Relics, LLC, to rezone approximately 0.78 acres from A-1 Agricultural to C-2 General Commercial. Eight speakers, including the applicant's attorney, neighboring owners, a surveyor, a consultant, and a former sheriff, spoke in support; commissioners divided over whether the 1992 downzoning was a mistake. The board voted 5-2 to conceptually adopt the Planning Commission's Findings of Fact and approve the rezoning, with Commissioners Bertino and Bunting opposed.
Grants and Contract Accountant Shelby Mitch presented a progress update on homeless shelter supply and facility improvement activities funded through the Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program. No members of the public spoke. The commissioners unanimously concurred with the scheduled expenditure of the Housing Rehabilitation Grant.
At Sheriff Matthew Crisafulli's request, the commissioners unanimously authorized carrying over $260,854.05 in FY26 capital equipment/public safety equipment funds into FY27 and approved Blue Tech as sole source vendor for upfitting 10 new Sheriff's Office vehicles purchased in FY26.
At the request of Public Works Director Dallas Baker, the commissioners unanimously accepted the proposal from Stratified, Inc. for $449,970, with a 5% contingency listed in the minutes as $25,000, for the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant lagoon vertical expansion project.
Senior Budget Accountant Lynn Wright reviewed proposed FY25 surplus assignments and new project funding requests. On a motion by Commissioner Abbott, the commissioners approved them by a 4-3 vote, with Commissioners Fiori, Mitrecic and Purnell opposed. The minutes do not itemize the individual assignments or amounts.
On the recommendation of Legislative Analyst Charlene Sharpe and a motion by Commissioner Bertino, the commissioners unanimously approved submitting a letter of support for TidalHealth Atlantic's application for a $4 million Maryland Hospital Association Bond Program grant to modernize and expand operating rooms at the Berlin hospital.
Commissioner Mitrecic said the BOE's Other Post-Employment Benefits contribution was not included in the approved school budget and warned about growing county liability. Staff said the BOE budgets about $2.8 million annually for retiree healthcare while the county funds the remaining trust contribution, and that the BOE's request for an additional appropriation was not included in the adopted budget. Mitrecic's motion to restore the additional OPEB funding failed 3-2-2, with Mitrecic, Purnell and Fiori in favor, Bunting and Elder opposed, and Bertino and Abbott abstaining.
Commissioner Fiori requested updates on a proposed volunteer firefighter property tax credit and the county's review of data center zoning; Mr. Young said staff continues researching eligibility requirements and other counties' practices and is working to improve the Length of Service Award Program. Development Review and Permitting Director Jennifer Keener said staff determined the proposed cable landing station is not an energy facility under the Zoning Code and outlined the remaining review process. Commissioner Bertino asked for clarification on dual enrollment funding and suggested exploring outside sources, including the Worcester County Education Foundation, for potential summer school shortfalls.
rezoning land use budget education public safety wastewater county administration maco
Based on the official minutes of the June 16, 2026 Worcester County Commissioners meeting. Minutes are a condensed record of formal actions and may omit discussion or public comment that occurred in the room; the linked agenda, packet and video are provided for additional context.