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Worcester County · County Commissioners · 2026-08-04
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 their August 4 open session moving quickly through routine purchasing, equipment and utility items, then landed on two substantive policy fights. The first was Commissioner Bertino's motion to have staff prepare options for a one-time rebate to Homestead Property Tax Credit recipients funded by distributing the roughly $15.2 million Budget Stabilization Fund, which failed on a 3-4 vote after sharp disagreement about who the reserve belongs to and what it should pay for.
The second was a unanimous direction to staff to draft language imposing a moratorium on rezoning applications involving upzoning along MD Rt. 589 between U.S. Rt. 50 and U.S. Rt. 113, prompted by Commissioner Bunting's reflection on the withdrawn Rezoning Case No. 453 and the pressure development is placing on that corridor. The meeting also included commendations for Worcester Technical High School students and an FFA contest winner, a 16-item consent agenda, and a $118,910.88 award for 72 replacement AEDs.
The commissioners met in closed session at 9:00 a.m. under Sections 3-305(b)(1), (7), (14) and (16) of the General Provisions Article and to perform administrative functions under GP 3-104. Actions taken there included hiring Barry Betts, LaQuasia Johnson, and Christopher McMorris as communications specialist trainees in Emergency Services and Tommy Tubbs as a general laborer maintenance worker II in the Water and Wastewater Division. The commissioners also discussed the contents of a proposal and received legal advice. The closed session adjourned at 9:30 a.m. Commissioner Bertino was absent from the closed session but joined before open session began.
In open session, following a morning prayer by Peggy Briggs of St. Paul UMC in Berlin, the commissioners announced the closed-session topics and presented commendations to Worcester Technical High School students who took first place at the 2026 SkillsUSA Maryland State Championships and placed in the top 10 nationally, and to Hailey Renshaw for winning the 2026 Future Farmers of America Agricultural Sales Contest. No one offered public comment. The July 21 minutes were approved.
The commissioners then unanimously approved consent agenda items 2 through 17 in a single motion by Commissioner Fiori. That block included a revised emergency generator grant funding commitment for Mystic Harbour Well House No. 2; scheduling a public hearing on the Berlin Enterprise Zone redesignation; setting Citizen Scrap Tire Drop-Off Day for Saturday, October 3 and Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day for Saturday, October 31; a mobile mammography services agreement at the Snow Hill Health Department; the Assateague Island radio frequency use agreement for mutual aid; acceptance of the Beech Tree Place water and wastewater utilities into the County system; renewal of the Water and Wastewater work order system agreement; purchases of two enclosed landscape trailers, a replacement rough terrain vehicle, and a lease purchase of a replacement paving compaction roller; a change order for corrosion protection at the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant; overhead door replacements at the Riddle Farm and Mystic Harbour water treatment plants; an over-expenditure for emergency heavy equipment maintenance; and shade structures at the Newtown Playground and the Ocean Pines Library outdoor learning space, each tied to a donation.
Several equipment and contract items were handled individually. At Public Works Director Dallas Baker's request, the commissioners unanimously approved leasing a Caterpillar 303.5 Mini Excavator at $25,000 per year and a Caterpillar 908 Loader at $40,000 per year through the Sourcewell Purchasing Program, and separately approved the lease purchase of a Caterpillar 313 Excavator at $56,600 annually. They unanimously awarded engineering services for the Ocean Pines Well No. 2 upgrades to George, Miles & Buhr, LLC for $31,200. On Procurement Officer Ed Welch's request, they unanimously awarded the purchase of 72 replacement AEDs to Stryker Medical for $118,910.88, procured through a State of Maryland cooperative purchasing contract. At IT Director Brian Jones's request, they approved an over-expenditure for County-wide camera system maintenance and awarded the annual maintenance contract to Absolute Security. Human Resources Director Stacey Norton's request to reclassify one roads worker III position to an office assistant III in the Roads Division was approved unanimously; Norton said the change carries no fiscal impact on the FY27 budget.
The meeting's longest discussion followed questions from Commissioner Bertino. Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young said more than 12,000 property owners qualify for the Homestead Property Tax Credit and the Budget Stabilization Fund holds approximately $15.2 million. Bertino moved to have staff return on September 1 with options to issue a one-time rebate to Homestead credit recipients by distributing the fund balance. The motion failed 3-4.
Finally, reflecting on the July 21 public hearing for Rezoning Case No. 453, Commissioner Bunting said he would have voted against the rezoning even had it not been withdrawn, citing development pressure on MD Rt. 589. On his motion, the commissioners unanimously directed staff to develop language imposing a moratorium on upzoning rezoning applications along MD Rt. 589 from U.S. Rt. 50 to U.S. Rt. 113. The commissioners then took questions from the press and adjourned.
This was the meeting's clearest split. Commissioner Bertino's motion would have had staff return September 1 with options for distributing the roughly $15.2 million Budget Stabilization Fund as a one-time rebate to the more than 12,000 property owners who qualify for the Homestead Property Tax Credit. Commissioner Mitrecic opposed it staunchly, arguing that much of the fund comes from nonresident property taxpayers, particularly in Ocean City, and that a rebate limited to Homestead recipients would benefit only a limited segment of taxpayers. He said the reserve should stay available for school construction, a new public safety building, and water, wastewater and utility projects, warned that depleting it could lead to future tax increases, and said he would explore all available options to challenge implementation if the motion passed.
Commissioner Fiori also opposed the motion on equity grounds, making a similar point that the fund draws from both resident and nonresident taxpayers and that reducing the reserve could impair the County's financial stability. Commissioner Elder supported using the money for direct relief to resident taxpayers. Commissioner Abbott suggested broadening any staff review to include other uses such as debt reduction and contributions toward Other Post-Employment Benefits. Mr. Young noted that about $2.8 million of the fund had already been designated for the Buckingham Elementary School project and that staff would need time to work out the legal and administrative mechanisms for any rebate. The motion failed 3-4.
Commissioner Bunting raised the July 21 public hearing on Rezoning Case No. 453, saying that even though the request was withdrawn, he would have voted against it because of the pressure continued development is placing on MD Rt. 589, and that it was time for the commissioners to act. His motion directing staff to draft moratorium language covering upzoning applications on the corridor between U.S. Rt. 50 and U.S. Rt. 113 passed unanimously. Commissioner Mitrecic added that the commissioners should seek input from Maryland State Highway Administration officials at the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference the following week.
Procurement Officer Ed Welch presented the $118,910.88 award to Stryker Medical for 72 replacement automated external defibrillators. The minutes record that the units replace existing County AEDs that have reached the end of their service life and that buying through a State of Maryland cooperative purchasing contract produced significant cost savings.
Meeting in closed session from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m., the commissioners received a personnel update and hired Barry Betts, LaQuasia Johnson, and Christopher McMorris as communications specialist trainees within Emergency Services and Tommy Tubbs as a general laborer maintenance worker II within the Water and Wastewater Division. They also discussed the contents of a proposal, received legal advice from counsel, and performed administrative functions. Commissioner Bertino was absent from the closed session but joined before open session.
The commissioners presented commendations to Worcester Technical High School students who took first place at the 2026 SkillsUSA Maryland State Championships and placed among the top 10 nationally. They also commended Hailey Renshaw for winning the 2026 Future Farmers of America Agricultural Sales Contest.
Commissioner Elder opened the floor for public comment. No one came forward, and the floor was closed.
On a motion by Commissioner Fiori, the commissioners unanimously approved sixteen consent items. These included a revised emergency generator grant commitment for Mystic Harbour Well House No. 2, scheduling a public hearing on the Berlin Enterprise Zone redesignation, setting Citizen Scrap Tire Drop-Off Day (October 3) and Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day (October 31), a mobile mammography agreement at the Snow Hill Health Department, the Assateague Island mutual-aid radio frequency agreement, acceptance of Beech Tree Place water and wastewater utilities, equipment purchases for Public Works, Solid Waste and Roads, a corrosion-protection change order at the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant, overhead door replacements at two water treatment plants, an over-expenditure for emergency heavy equipment maintenance, and donated shade structures at the Newtown Playground and Ocean Pines Library.
At the request of Public Works Director Dallas Baker, the commissioners unanimously approved leasing a Caterpillar 303.5 Mini Excavator for $25,000 per year and a Caterpillar 908 Loader for $40,000 per year through the Sourcewell Purchasing Program for use in the Water and Wastewater Division.
On a motion by Commissioner Bertino, the commissioners unanimously awarded engineering services for the Ocean Pines Well No. 2 upgrades project to George, Miles & Buhr, LLC in the amount of $31,200.
Also at Mr. Baker's request, the commissioners unanimously approved the lease purchase of a Caterpillar 313 Excavator through the Sourcewell Purchasing Program at an annual cost of $56,600.
At the request of Procurement Officer Ed Welch, the commissioners unanimously awarded the purchase of 72 replacement AEDs to Stryker Medical for $118,910.88. The units replace existing County AEDs that have reached the end of their service life, and the purchase was made through a State of Maryland cooperative purchasing contract that the minutes say produced significant cost savings.
At the request of Information Technology Director Brian Jones, the commissioners unanimously approved an over-expenditure for the County-wide camera system maintenance budget and awarded the annual maintenance contract to Absolute Security. The minutes do not record the dollar amounts.
At the request of Human Resources Director Stacey Norton, the commissioners unanimously approved reclassifying one roads worker III position to an office assistant III position within the Roads Division, described as improving administrative support and customer service while ensuring continuity of operations. Ms. Norton said the change will have no fiscal impact on the FY27 budget.
Commissioner Bertino moved to have staff present options at the September 1 meeting for a one-time rebate to Homestead Property Tax Credit recipients funded by distributing the Budget Stabilization Fund balance, which CAO Weston Young put at approximately $15.2 million covering more than 12,000 qualifying property owners. Commissioners Mitrecic and Fiori opposed, arguing the fund includes nonresident taxpayer revenue and should remain available for school construction, a public safety building, and utility infrastructure; Mitrecic said he would explore options to challenge implementation if it passed. Commissioner Abbott asked that any review also consider debt reduction and OPEB, and Mr. Young noted $2.8 million is already designated for the Buckingham Elementary School project. The motion failed 3-4, with Bertino, Bunting and Elder in favor and Abbott, Fiori, Mitrecic and Purnell opposed.
Reflecting on the July 21 public hearing for Rezoning Case No. 453, Commissioner Bunting said he would have voted against the rezoning even though it was withdrawn, citing development pressure on MD Rt. 589, and said it was time for the commissioners to act. On his motion, the commissioners unanimously directed staff to develop language imposing a moratorium on rezoning applications involving upzoning on MD Rt. 589 from U.S. Rt. 50 to U.S. Rt. 113. Commissioner Mitrecic said the commissioners should seek input from Maryland State Highway Administration officials at the upcoming Maryland Association of Counties summer conference.
budget property tax land use zoning public works procurement water and wastewater county administration
Based on the official minutes of the August 4, 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.