The Commissioners of St. Mary's County, the St. Mary's County Department of Aging and Human Services and the Triad/SALT Council invite the community to join them in thanking this year's Law Enforcement Officers of the Year at the annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day ceremony. The event also remembers the men and women who gave their lives in service to their community.
The 2016 Law Enforcement Appreciation Day event will take place on Tuesday, May 10, at 11:30 a.m. at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, located at 44219 Airport Road in California, MD.
The Officer of the Year from each agency will receive a citation from the Office of the Governor, to be presented by Maryland's First Lady Yumi Hogan, as well as recognition from the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates, as well as plaques and/or certificates of appreciation from the Commissioners of St. Mary's County, the Department of Aging & Human Services, and the Triad/SALT Council.
The public is invited to congratulate the Law Enforcement Officers of the Year and join them for a free lunch buffet following the ceremony.
For more information, contact Sarah Miller at 301-475-4200, ext. *1073, or via email to sarah.miller@stmarysmd.com.
County Employees Honored as Peoples Choice Recipients
Eighteen St. Mary's County employees were recognized for their efforts in serving county citizens by their colleagues.
The "People's Choice" award honors and recognizes employees who go above and beyond the call of duty and exceed expectations while working to support the mission of St. Mary's County Government.
"Candidates bring a sense of teamwork and quality to their job that is supportive, encouraging and beneficial to St. Mary's County Government and its departmental operations," said Catherin Pratson, Human Resourced director. "These employees also have an impact on the daily lives of their customers and co-workers."
Employees honored this year were;
Sharon Ferris – County Administration
Virginia Quade – Aging and Human Services
Rebecca Kessler – Aging and Human Services
Patty Stiegman – Finance
June Robrecht – Human Resources
Tracie McPherson – Human Resources
Robert Bowles – Land Use and Growth Management
Dave Chapman – Land Use and Growth Management
Susan McCauley – Land Use and Growth Management
Michael Nickerson – Department of Public Works & Transportation
John Quade – Department of Public Works & Transportation
Lisa Bodnar – Department of Public Works & Transportation
Tony Hardesty – Recreation and Parks
Kyle Kebaugh – Recreation and Parks
James Stone – Sheriff's Office
Erin Shoemaker – Sheriff's Office
June Smith – Sheriff's Office
Mark Clark – Sheriff's Office
Each employee received a plaque and was congratulated by the county commissioners during a ceremony held at the start of the commissioners' weekly business meeting. Award recipients were also treated to a special reception prior to the start of the meeting.
St. Mary's County Government Offers 311GIS to Citizens
St. Mary's County presents 311GIS, an easy-to-use online solution for citizen issue reporting. The county is now using 311GIS for web, Android and IOS platforms.
The 311GIS interface allows the public to submit a request for a variety of categories, including Public Works and Recreation and Parks. It offers a large map for easy viewing and provides users with the ability to follow other submitted requests. Additionally, users can add comments and pictures to any request.
"We are excited to implement 311GIS in St. Mary's County," said Commissioner President Randy Guy. "311GIS will help the county provide a faster and more effective response to citizen reported issues.
311GIS is free to the public. Citizens can experience 311GIS by clicking the 311 link, located on the upper right corner of the county website at www.stmarysmd.com or by downloading the application from the Android Play Store or from iTunes.
NAS Patuxent River Receives Sentinel Landscape Designation
Base is one of just three to be awarded 2016 REPI Challenge Cycle
The Commissioners of St. Mary's County and the Navy's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program are proud to announce that NAS Patuxent River – Atlantic Test Range has received formal designation as a Sentinel Landscape. NAS Pax River is only one of three recipients (out of 8 finalists nationwide) to be awarded funding in the 2016 REPI Challenge cycle.
The Sentinel Landscape Partnership is a nationwide federal, local and private collaboration dedicated to promoting natural resource sustainability in areas surrounding military installations. The Partnership identifies opportunities that benefit national defense, local economies, and the conservation of natural resources. The REPI Program allows the Military Services to enter into unique cost-sharing partnerships with state and local governments and private conservation organizations to preserve compatible land uses around military installations and to conserve natural landscapes in support of military readiness. The REPI program has protected over 437,000 acres of land around 88 DoD installations in 30 states across the country.
"We are pleased that Pax River has landed this honor," said Commissioner President Randy Guy. "Everyone in county government, the Navy, and all of our partners recognize the importance of collaboration to ensure that Pax River and its mission are protected."
In the Chesapeake Bay region, NAS Patuxent River is the Navy's premier aircraft research, development, test, and evaluation area. Protecting lands beneath its Atlantic Test Ranges reduces noise and safety concerns, prevents costly testing delays, and protects one of the most vulnerable wildlife corridors along which are home to more than 260 rare plants and animals.
"This award is indicative of how St. Mary's County Government continues to promote and nurture the working relationship we have with the Navy," said Commissioner Todd Morgan (4th District).
St. Mary's County is pleased to have partnered with Southern Maryland Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) in this endeavor and look forward to future opportunities together that will not only help protect military missions at Pax River and Webster Field, but will help to prevent the listing of candidate species, preserve and manage important natural resources, support working lands, provide benefits to Veterans, and open up recreational opportunities for local communities.
Health Department Suspends Seasonal Perc Testing
Due to declining seasonal groundwater levels, St. Mary's County Health Department's Environmental Health Services division has suspended additional scheduling of "wet season" perc testing. Health department staff will conduct the last perc tests for the season on Friday, April 29. Officials at the health department cite declining groundwater levels as the reason, made clear by observing conditions within a network of monitoring wells in the county.
Perc test applications already received this season will be scheduled and are expected to be performed. Perc test applications received after April 14, 2016 may be placed on hold and scheduled first when ground water levels are adequate for the next wet season, anticipated in 2017. Applicants may also request a refund; however, they will lose their place on the list and must reapply for next year's schedule when the wet season returns.
For more information, please contact the Environmental Health Services division at 301-475-4321 or visit the health department's website at www.smchd.org.