Charles County Citizens for Accountability, Responsibility, and Ethics

10/28/2026

A $35 Million taxpayer-funded debacle on the LAST day of this Board!

Commissioners Collins, Coates & Patterson are at it again. Yesterday, they reversed course and voted for a version of collective bargaining legislation that could have a $35.5 MILLION impact on this year’s budget!

These 3 Commissioners – who together as a bloc have cast several votes costing taxpayers millions already this term - voted to move the legislation to public hearing on Tuesday, 11/17, bypassing the county’s customary practice of holding a work session for discussion and debate.

If this legislation enacted, the county will have 2 choices: Either take $35.5 MILLION dollars – likely from Charles County Public Schools or the Charles County Sheriff's Office – and set it aside, OR we risk losing the County’s AAA bond rating. That will also cost us taxpayers money, to the tune of an estimated $4.1 Million more in interest annually!

November 17 is the very last day this Board will meet before the newly elected board takes office on December 1.

Four members of the Board – everyone except President Collins – had held a long work session on collective bargaining legislation in July. At that time, they derived a version of collective bargaining legislation with reasonable language that all 4 in attendance agreed to. By contrast, the EXPENSIVE version introduced by Collins on Tuesday, 10/27 was drafted by an outside organization, AFSCME.

Election Status:
President Collins is not seeking re-election. Some speculate this move is driven by his aspirations for post-office employment.

Commissioner Coates (D2), who made the motion for this legislation, did not seek to retain her commissioner seat after much controversy this term, but she has been elected to the CCDCC.

Commissioner Patterson (D4), who seconded the motion, is currently running to retain his commissioner seat.

Commissioners Bowling and Stewart - both of whom oppose this version of the legislation – are running for commissioner seats. Bowling (D1) is running to retain his seat, and Stewart - currently representing D3 - is running for Commissioner President.

Watch the entire discussion here, starting at 37:40 (-1:05:50), about 20 minutes: https://reflect-charlescountymd.cablecast.tv/internetchannel/show/1888?channel=1

10/23/2026

Want to know more about how Charles County or Town of La Plata / Indian Head governments are spending YOUR money? Submit your idea for The Southern Maryland Chronicle's investigative reporting!

🔎 GOVERNMENT WATCH: Where Your Tax Dollars Go

We're digging deeper into how local governments spend YOUR money.

💰 What should we investigate first?

10/13/2026

Another candidate forum this Thursday 10/15!
This Board of Education nonpartisan candidate forum is in La Plata.

10/13/2026

Weigh in with your thoughts: What do you think about Commissioner Ralph Patterson’s response here to 2 young citizens?

During the March 17, 2026 Commissioner Town Hall, two young women expressed concerns about and voiced opposition to Data Centers.

Making an analogy between building a barn and building Data Centers, Patterson told the women, “We’re asking for skilled craftsmen to give some idea on how to build a barn for our people here in Charles County…But if you don’t have an idea for a barn, don’t complain about the one that we’re trying to build over here. Because you don’t have anything better…And if we can’t build it together, we’ll build it without you.”

Do you think this is an appropriate response for a sitting commissioner – someone who is in a paid position and has hundreds of staff to assist – towards two young citizens? Is this the type of response we should all expect to receive when taking a position that is different than a commissioner’s?

Watch the entire response and weigh in.

10/05/2026

It's only 30 days until election day - here are TWO Candidate Forums this week! Tuesday in White Plains and Wednesday in Indian Head. Learn about your candidates now. And if you know of other forums or debates, please share them!

09/23/2026

Here is the link to the Executive Order (EO) Governor Moore signed today regarding Data Centers in Maryland. What do you think?

https://governor.maryland.gov/media/1083

09/23/2026

Good news, and the road is reopening ahead of the 5 months that was planned.

MD 225 (Hawthorne Road) Reopening Today

Hawthorne Road (MD 225) at Livingston Road (MD 224) is reopening today following a culvert replacement project.

Maryland State Police Troopers will be on scene to provide emergency lighting during final stages of detour removal, provide enforcement as needed, and support traffic control during the reopening.

This section of MD 225 closed on June 21. A five-month detour was originally planned. The Maryland State Highway Administration and the contractor are now wrapping the work after approximately three months and restoring the roadway to traffic.

Motorists should expect possible delays and changing traffic patterns in the area today. Please follow all posted signs and instructions from personnel on scene.

09/21/2026

People often ask about building another hospital in Charles County, but it is much more involved than simply the county and the hospital operator deciding to build. Shasho Consulting, P.A. Commercial Real Estate does a very good job laying out what Maryland requires in this post.

07/26/2026

The General Election in November will be the FIRST election in Charles County where voters choose their commissioners BY DISTRICT. This means that ONLY voters who live in a district will vote for that District Commissioner. (Scroll down if you simply want to skip to finding your district.)

This is similar to how we vote in state and congressional elections – meaning only residents of a district vote for the representative of that district – and was approved in Charles County in 2022.

The Commissioner President is still elected at large, by all residents of the County.
Other vote-by-district offices include some School Board seats and Central Committee seats.

TO FIND YOUR DISTRICT, click on this link and follow these steps:
https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/votersearch
• Enter your name, birth date, and zip code and Search
• Your voter registration record will come up. Scroll down further and select “My Voting Districts”
• Look for “Commissioner District”

District 1 is currently represented by Gilbert “BJ” Bowling and roughly encompasses the southern and eastern part of the county

District 2 is currently represented by Thomasina Coates and roughly encompasses the western part of the county and a small portion into White Plains and western Waldorf

District 3 is currently represented by Amanda Stewart and roughly encompasses the northern portion of Waldorf

District 4 is currently represented by Ralph Patterson and roughly encompasses the southern part of Waldorf including newer neighborhoods in St. Charles.

07/20/2026

The Commissioners’ Data Center vote is tomorrow! Pictured are the options that are being presented to the Board.

The Board will decide whether to approve a specific zoning amendment that paves the way for Data Centers to be built in Charles County. This discussion will be the last one during their morning session. You can watch live online (link below).

View the full presentation here:https://charlescountymd.granicus.com/services/legistar/download/pdf/4248243/Presentation_for_Commissioner_Briefing__July_21__2026__ZTA_25-187b.pdf

The latest Planning Commission report is here: https://charlescountymd.granicus.com/services/legistar/download/pdf/4246470/ZTA_25-187_Data_Centers__Planning_Commission_Second_Report_to_the_County_Commissioners__Signed_.pdf

The proposed legislation (ZTA) is here:https://charlescountymd.granicus.com/services/legistar/download/pdf/4246471/ZTA_25-187_DATA_CENTER_DRAFT_BILL_V2__04-10-26_.pdf

Watch live on Tuesday morning, 7/21: https://reflect-charlescountymd.cablecast.tv/internetchannel/watch-now?site=1