Plans for upgrades to boat ramps, a new splash pad in Leonardtown and more personnel at the county jail are moving forward under recently approved grants.
On Aug. 19, St. Mary’s County commissioners backed several department of recreation and parks grant awards after approving a series of sheriff’s office grants and applications.
Recreation and Parks Director Raymond Bivens said the county is pursuing a $300,000 Community Parks and Playground grant through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in partnership with the town of Leonardtown.
“Our goal would be to add a small splash pad. As you walk out the doors of Leonard Hall, it would be on the left,” Bivens told commissioners. “That area already has some ponding and some water problems, so we’re going to use this opportunity to improve the storm water and drainage in that area.”
Bivens said this would be a much smaller splash pad than the one in Nicolet Park, roughly half the size or smaller, but it would still allow for cooling off and summer fun at the Leonard Hall Recreation Center.
The project is estimated at $565,000, with the state grant covering about half. The county’s share of $265,000 would come from open space funds and recreation budget allocations. This all was unanimously approved by the commissioners.
“You’re not going to find a more cost-effective way to add this kind of recreation,” Bivens said.
He added that it would be “a great addition with the future child care center.”
Commissioners also signed off on a $249,000 Waterway Improvement Fund award for upgrades at Wicomico Shores and Forest Landing. The funds would cover improvements within the area and waterway-related fees.
“I wanna commend you on the waterway project you’ve done — that the recs and parks does, “ Commissioner Mike Hewitt (R) said. “Bottom line is, that the improvements to these boat ramps have been wonderful.”
Much of the board’s morning session centered on requests from the county’s sheriff’s office related to treatment and staffing at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center.
Warden MaryAnn Thompson presented a $185,688 Performance Incentive Grant Fund Award supporting the jail-based Medications for Opioid Use Disorder program.
Thompson said the office has originally applied for $398,094 to cover two registered nurses, two peer recovery specialists and opioid-use medications.
The award, however, only partially funded the continued positions — $125,520 for nursing staff and $60,168 for peer recovery — and excluded the medication costs. She added the office is continuing to seek additional funding sources.
Commissioners also backed a $224,556 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment grant application that would allow the detention center to hire a licensed social worker and an additional peer recovery specialist.
Thompson said the extra staffing would help provide “aftercare planning” and smoother handoffs to community providers when inmates are released.
On a different note, Commissioner Mike Alderson Jr. (R) reflected on Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s speech at the Maryland Association of Counties conference last week, calling it “a bit disappointing.”
Alderson said parts of the address were taken out of context and included “a couple of half-truths,” adding that it seemed to place all the blame for Maryland’s challenges on the federal government.
“We need to fix ourselves instead of assigning blame to someone you don’t like,” he said.
Still, Alderson said the conference provided value, allowing county leaders to share approaches to problem-solving and learn from one another’s experiences.
The next commissioners’ meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 9 a.m. in the Chesapeake Building in Leonardtown.
