LEONARDTOWN, Md. – On December 11, 2023, Governor Wes Moore (D) visited St. Mary’s County to have a special meeting with the Board of County Commissioners to discuss how he and the state can help further support the county in the future.
Many topics were up for discussion during the public meeting, such as the planned YMCA and California Sports Complex, the Aero Park Innovation District, transportation and road improvements, the concern of rising sea levels at St. George’s Island and MD Route 249, the Regional Agricultural Center that is planned for Charlotte Hall, and much more.
Many concerned citizens of the county showed up to support Governor Moore and advocate for specific issues they would like to see more support for. The most prominent topics are the planned YMCA and Sports Complex, affordable housing, and improving the Great Mills Rd/MD 5 Intersection and the Thomas Johnson Bridge.
“It is so good being back and I cannot tell you enough how much this means and how thankful I am for each of you and to be back down here in St. Mary’s,” Moore stated during the start of the meeting. “I’m really thankful because in St. Mary’s, you all continue to lead the way. So I’m thankful for the chance to come down and listen, I’m thankful for the chance to come down and learn, I’m thankful for the chance to come down and share. When we said this was gonna be a time in Maryland, our new state motto is ‘leave no one behind.’ And the ability to come down and spend time to not just share, but listen and learn, this is how we move, this is how we operate, and I just believe deeply that collectively we’re gonna be better as a state, we’re gonna be stronger as a state.”
The meeting started with Moore and the Commissioners discussing improvements to the St. Mary’s Transit System and how transportation in the state of Maryland as a whole has been a concern. Moore went into how he believes a good economy starts with proper transportation, stating, “You cannot have economic mobility if you don’t have physical mobility. We gotta have ways for people to move around. We have to come up with sustainable and predictable transportation assets.”
Moore went in a little deeper, detailing how when he first started, he noticed that Maryland’s economy was only growing .2% over the past five years while the average state was growing 7.5%. Maryland was ranked 47th in economic momentum. Moore then discussed how the state and all of the counties have been working together to create a more sustainable “business model” that won’t have to burden working families by raising taxes. Moore noted that the focus going forward is working to figure out a way to use tax dollars properly and not just spend it.
Towards the end of the meeting, Commissioner Eric Colvin brought up the Thomas Johnson Bridge, stating, “So, when you’re done here for the day, and go back up to Annapolis, and you go over the Thomas Johnson Bridge, just keep in mind that bridge has more traffic than the Mac Middleton Bridge going to Virginia. I know it’s not in your budget right now, but there is a company trying to put a toll on it. But that is a key and vital infrastructure piece that working people drive over to get to work, and we can’t make it a toll bridge; we have to do something better.”
Commissioner Scott Ostrow also pointed out that the Thomas Johnson Bridge is an escape route for the nuclear power plant in Calvert County, and it helps support the base.
Moore noted that he has personally been on the bridge and that it is top of mind.
To finish the meeting, Commissioner Mike Hewitt brought up the planned YMCA that will be coming to Great Mills.
“We are bringing a YMCA to St. Mary’s County; it is going to happen, sir. This county has put out over $16 million for this public-private partnership. These YMCAs are wonderful organizations that take care of individual communities that they are located in, and it’s something that we vitally need. But we need your help. I know budgets are tight, things are tight, but we’ve put ourselves out there, and we’re hoping we can count on you through our delegates and state senators to get this project up and moving. We’re motivated to break ground in September of 24 and hopefully have this thing open in January of 26. It will grow this community; it will be transformational for this community.”
Moore stated that he is in full support of the YMCA and that he sees the value that it will bring to St. Mary’s County.
The meeting finished with a photo op with two of St. Mary’s County Government’s Service Year Interns.
To watch the full meeting, click here.
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Just like every other governor in the several decades before him, he is not worried about our bridge.
Really? Why don’t you ask him?
“Moore noted that he has personally been on the bridge and that it is top of mind.”
READ. PLEASE.
Wow, a politician saying anything to get your support, where have I seen this before? Actions speak louder than words
Don’t believe everything visiting politicians tell you. He will do NOTHING about the Solomons bridge.
Don’t be so gullible.
The bridge is NOT getting replaced in our lifetimes, numerous studies have been conducted on the traffic flow, and structural integrity of the bridge
All this information is available publicly, the Benedict Bridge is over 70 years old and the nice bridge just got replaced, the Thomas Johnson bridge is just over 40 years old
The bay bridge will be replaced before the Thomas Johnson bridge
This is spot on. It’s all just politicians pretending to care about “the local interests”.
All fluff and no substance.
Stay away from conservative counties
The bridge is only inconvenient twice a day. Is it really worth spending billions because people have to wait in traffic. Think about what commuters up the road deal with on a daily basis. Toughen up people let’s keep our and keep our pause strings tight.