Economic Development Commission — 2026-02-25

This record are the agenda and minutes for the Queen Anne’s County Economic Development Commission meeting held February 25, 2026. The commission approved the agenda and January minutes, received a treasurer’s report showing an EDC balance of $8,296.38 (including $1,546.54 in ticket sales and $49.11 in credit card fees), and heard a commissioner update that the regional tech center at Chesapeake College is fully funded for a 2028 opening and the county received an A-plus audit rating for the 25th consecutive year. The Economic & Tourism Development director reported on business visits, startups, micro-ag grants, the Catalyst Q program, a $35,000 cannabis-tax award for business accelerators, and visitor metrics showing 928,000 unique visitors (a 3% drop) but 2.3 million total visits and a 5.8% increase in hotel tax revenue year-over-year. Members discussed Queenstown Outlets’ declining visitor counts, agreed to form a Text Amendment Subcommittee to review county tax-related text amendments, and heard subcommittee updates on tourism coordination, workforce/“attainable” housing and transportation, business growth and attraction (apprenticeships, real estate inventory, ag tourism), and community health/provider recruitment. Member updates included concerns about reduced student participation in the ACE program, upcoming University of Maryland Extension events, and potential hospital behavioral health partnerships; the next EDC meeting is scheduled for March 25, 2026.