Storefront occupation option for agriculture center stays alive

There are some hoops to jump through and more cash to obtain but a plan to locate a regional agriculture retail center in a vacant Charlotte Hall storefront is very much alive.

On July 25, the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland’s executive board held a special meeting about how to rework the plan and not lose crucial state funding.

Craig Sewell, the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission’s marketing and livestock specialist, said the owners of the building, which most recently was the location of a Shoppers grocery store and before that McKay's grocery, have promised major upgrades if the new center is located there.

“They want our business,” Sewell said.

The location has meat processing equipment and cold storage, two components that would be needed for the agriculture center to meet its goals.

The facility is also envisioned as a venue for farm vendors to sell products to the public.

In late 2021, the St. Mary’s County commissioners signed a memorandum of understanding with the region’s agricultural commission to authorize funding for the construction of a brand-new facility to serve farmers in the five Southern Maryland counties.

“I think we should move forward with it,” Sen. Jack Bailey (R-St. Mary’s, Calvert) said.

However, among the impediments to that move forward are the blessings from two involved entities — St. Mary’s commissioners and the Maryland Department of Commerce.

St. Mary’s government has earmarked nearly $5 million in funding for the agriculture center while state commerce is holding the pursestrings to additional funding of $1.5 million that will need to be spent next year.

David Weiskopf, St. Mary’s county administrator, said the new plan “has to be researched more.”

He reminded council members the leasing rather than constructing scenario for the regional agriculture center “is not the official path St. Mary’s County is on” and the commissioners would have to approve it.

Weiskopf said the earliest the new strategy could be brought to the commissioners would be at their Aug. 20 meeting.

“I would like to keep both options available,” John Hartline, executive director of the Tri-County Council, stated.

Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” O. Bowling (D) of Charles County made motions to request an extension for deciding on how the state funds would be spent, send a letter of interest to the owners of the vacant grocery store site and make a full presentation on the revised plan to the St. Mary’s County commissioners. The motions passed with no opposition voiced.