Charles County proposes new costs for water, parks and more

“I love budget minutia,” Wes Adams, county attorney, said. “Let’s go.”

Instead, county staff focused on the first four pages, which listed a total of 26 proposed fee changes.

The list included 11 fees for water and sewer including noncompliance fees, fees to limit work being done by unlicensed contractors and fees to account for staff’s time to review cross connection permits and pretreatment permits.

Higher household water and sewer fees are being proposed to cover the cost of maintaining the county’s water and sewer system, new vehicles and equipment, new lead and copper and polyfluoroalkyl substances mandates, Chiriaco said.

If approved, the new average quarterly water and sewer bill would be $269.23, a 9.4% increase. That’s an increase of about $92 per year.

The proposed fiscal 2027 budget for the enterprise fund is $119,257,700, Jacob Dyer, director of fiscal and administrative services, said during the Charles commissioners meeting on Tuesday. More than half the fund is for water and sewer at $67,264,100.

There are also 13 changes to fees for recreation, parks and tourism including cancellation fees, costs for individual registration for adult leagues and season passes for Gilbert Run Park and Chapel Point.

“I never understood charging county residents for our parks,” Commissioner Thomasina “Sina” Coates (D) said.

Gilbert Run Park charges $5 per vehicle, but it depends on the season, Dyer said.

There is a 3.6% increase in the school construction excise tax due to school construction costs per square foot, Chiriaco said.

In July 2025 the cost was $495 per square foot and in July 2026 the estimated cost is $513 per square foot. School construction excise tax is used for new schools or additional capacity at existing schools.

“That increase is defined by code,” Dyer said. “We adjust that rate based on the cost of school construction that the state provides.”

During the March 17 meeting, Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) expressed concern about items being funded under the community reinvestment and repair fund.

The county administrator proposed $183,000 for the charitable trust grant program to support nonprofit programs in the 20601, 20602 and 20603 ZIP codes, Dyer said. Other proposed funding is for meals on wheels for seniors, building climate resilience and summer youth employment.

“Staff spent considerable time doing outreach directly to the community,” Collins said during the March 17 meeting. “We’re trying to provide a mechanism to receive community input.”

The commissioners held a public hearing about the proposed budget on Wednesday with plans to adopt the budget by May 12.