In a recent meeting of the Calvert County Board of Education, the agenda was swiftly approved, allowing for public comments to take center stage. The board's public comment section permits community members to voice their concerns, with a strict limit of 20 speakers and a three-minute time frame for each.

The first speaker, Dwight Bishop Jr., passionately addressed issues surrounding the timely payment of school bus contractors, a majority of whom are Black. He highlighted a troubling pattern of delays and inaccuracies in payments, emphasizing a perceived lack of urgency from the school district's financial management. Bishop pointed out that the financial analyst responsible for these payments resigned in July, leaving the position vacant for over 11 weeks, which he argued contributed to the ongoing payment issues.

Bishop recounted specific instances of incorrect payments and the subsequent delays in rectifying these errors, suggesting that the urgency shown in addressing employee payments contrasted sharply with the treatment of contractors. He criticized the board for what he described as a dismissive attitude towards the contractors' financial concerns, urging them to recognize the impact of these delays on the contractors' livelihoods.

The meeting underscored the board's commitment to hearing community concerns, although it was noted that the board would not engage in discussions during the meeting. Instead, they encouraged speakers to provide contact information for follow-up responses. The session continued with additional speakers, including Mayor Pat Mahoney, indicating a robust engagement from the community on pressing educational issues.