There was an issue with the livestream of the Ridgely Commissioners Meeting on June 1, 2026. Therefore, we are providing a summary of the meeting here. Please note that these are not official meeting minutes, but rather an overview of what was presented and discussed.
Category: Town Commissioners
New Agreement Signed for Law Enforcement Services
The Town of Ridgely has entered into a new Agreement with the Caroline County Sheriffs Office for law enforcement services for the Town. The Agreement was signed by the Ridgely Commissioners, Caroline County Commissioners, and Sheriff Donald L. Baker on May 19, 2026.
The new Agreement details the services to be provided and the Town’s cost for said services.
The Agreement originally went into effect on July 1, 2024, and this is the third update and renewal of the Agreement. The latest version covers services and costs for Fiscal Year 2027.
NOTICE OF TOWN ELECTION: April 27, 2026
Notice is hereby given of a Town Election to be held for the election of one (1) Commissioner to serve for a term of three (3) years on:
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026
Between the hours of 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Place of Election:
The Ridgely House/Town Hall
2 Central Avenue, Ridgely, MD
Only qualified registered voters will be entitled to vote. Candidates must be a resident of the Town of Ridgely, Maryland for more than one (1) year immediately preceding the fourth Monday of April 2026, and attained the age of twenty-five (25) years, and must be qualified to vote in accordance with the Town Charter.
Candidates that have filed for the election include:
Ralph E. Hurley, II
Allison Morris
James S. Romph
Clarence Bradley Sears
To request an absentee ballot, please download the form linked below. If you need help obtaining or completing an absentee ballot, please also download the Designation of Agent form. Requests must be received by 4:00 pm April 16, 2026.
Stephanie L. Berkey, CMC
Clerk-Treasurer
PUBLIC NOTICE: Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2026-01
Notice is hereby given that the Commissioners of Ridgely adopted Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2026-01 during their regular meeting held on February 2, 2026.
Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2025-01 amends § 26 of the Charter of the Town of Ridgely to repeal outdated provisions pertaining to the appointment of a health officer, Town engineer, and street commissioner and to provide that the Town Attorney shall be a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Maryland. The foregoing constitutes a fair summary of Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2026-01.
Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2026-01 shall become and be considered a part of the Charter in all respects, to be effective and observed as such, on March 24, 2026, unless a petition for referendum meeting the requirements of Md. Code Ann., Local Gov’t § 4-304(d) is either hand delivered or mailed via certified mail, return receipt requested and bearing a postmark from the U.S. Postal Service to the Commissioners of Ridgely, Attention: Stephanie L. Berkey, CMC, Clerk-Treasurer, 2 Central Avenue, Ridgely, Maryland, on or before Monday, March 16, 2026.
Charter Amendment Resolution No. 202601 as adopted by the Commissioners of Ridgely on February 2, 2026, is available to the public on the Town’s website, www. ridgelymd.org.
Stephanie L. Berkey, CMC, Clerk-Treasurer
Notice of Public Hearing
The Commissioners of Ridgely will hold a public hearing on Monday, February 2, 2026, during
their regular meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Office, 2 Central Avenue, Ridgely,
Maryland, to receive public input and comment regarding Charter Amendment Resolution No.
2026-01 which, if adopted, would amend § 26 of the Charter of the Town of Ridgely to repeal
outdated provisions pertaining to the appointment of a health officer, Town engineer, and street
officer and to provide that the Town Attorney shall be a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court
of Maryland.
The foregoing constitutes a fair summary of Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2026-01 as
introduced by the Commissioners of Ridgely on January 5,2026.
Individuals wishing to observe the public hearing may do so in person or online by going to
www.TownHallStreams.com. Individuals wishing to comment during the public hearing may do
so in person at the Town Office.
Information regarding the foregoing legislation is also available on the Town’s website,
rideelymd.org. Written comments will be considered if they are received at the Town Office by
4:30 p.m. on February 2,2026. The Commissioners of Ridgely reserve the right to act upon the
foregoing legislation following the public hearing.
Stephanie L. Berkey, CMC, Clerk-Treasurer
Notice of Public Hearings
The Commissioners of Ridgely will hold public hearings on Monday, December 1, 2025, during their regular meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Office, 2 Central Avenue, Ridgely, Maryland, to receive public input and comment regarding:
- Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2025-01 which, if adopted, would amend § 11 of the Charter of the Town of Ridgely to provide that the Clerk-Treasurer shall not be subject to appointment on an annual basis but shall serve at the pleasure of the Commissioners of Ridgely;
- Ordinance No. 2025-399 which, if passed, would amend Chapter 12 of the Code of the Town of Ridgely pertaining to the Ridgely Economic Development Commission to provide for the establishment, membership, terms of office, officers, meetings, powers and duties, reporting requirements, staff and support, and removal from office thereof; and
The foregoing constitutes a fair summary of Charter Amendment Resolution No. 2025-01 and Ordinance No. 2025-399 as introduced by the Commissioners of Ridgely on November 3, 2025.
Individuals wishing to observe the public hearings may do so in person or online by going to www.TownHallStreams.com. Individuals wishing to comment during the public hearings may do so in person at the Town Office.
Information regarding the foregoing legislation is also available on the Town’s website, ridgelymd.org. Written comments will be considered if they are received at the Town Office by 4:30 p.m. on December 1, 2025. The Commissioners of Ridgely reserve the right to act upon the foregoing legislation following the public hearings.
NEW: Live Stream Town Meetings
The Town of Ridgely is pleased to announce we are offering live streams of all Town Commission Meetings. Please bookmark the link below; it will work for all meetings:
https://www.townhallstreams.com/towns/ridgely_md
Please visit our Meetings & Agendas page to see the schedule of all upcoming meetings.
New Commissioners Sworn into Office
The Town of Ridgely was pleased to swear in Chad Leister and Brad Sears during the May 5, 2025 meeting.
Commissioner Leister is serving in his first term and was elected to a three year term. Originally from Pasadena, Maryland, Commissioner Leister has lived in Caroline County for over fifteen years, the last 5 in Ridgely. His favorite thing about the town is the friendliness of the residents that gives a truly good neighbor feeling. He is the organizer for the Ridgely town-wide yard sale and loves seeing how people enjoy walking throughout the town during the event. He is employed with the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works. In his spare time, Commissioner Leister enjoys metal detecting and searching for old bottles, hunting, and fishing.
Commissioner Sears was elected to a one-year term, after having previously been appointed to the remainder of the term of a previous commissioner who resigned. Commissioner Sears is a retired consultant/project manager with 30+ years in finance and information systems. He loves solving problems and embracing our small-town charm with Nancy, his wife.
Their election followed a competitive race featuring four candidates: Chad Leister, John Buckle, Brad Sears, and James Romph. The Town of Ridgely extends its gratitude to all candidates for their willingness to serve and their commitment to improving our town.
We congratulate Commissioners Leister and Sears on their election and look forward to their continued contributions to Ridgely’s growth and prosperity.
For more information about the role of Town Commissioners, including duties, term, and election information, please visit the Town Commissioners section of our website.