[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6354644,"mediaKeyId","2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69","parentId",2219819,"title","Dorchester County Council introduces 911 fee increase and approves events, grants and earmark work","audioSeconds",518,"startMs",3913000,"endMs",4431000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69&start=3913&end=4431","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69/thumbnail_3913000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6354644/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Dorchester-County-Council-introduces-911-fee-increase-and-approves-events-grants-and-earmark-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354644-8e8d5e9f908954cac546958263c7dc4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775807201&Signature=VJI2BzepdrFwGYjO6G9VrBt1IntwbeZoXoSaFzBhB7LpAtjLSfcUEPwWNF0QlfHwUrtASQGTElMh3GexJ1UROR7bl1xXagmueRk69gyLnZVu6GdzV77QZn1POKYC5XfIQOII9jHq~dH0Vg9NwxMV-tS04HHWnwav93RYroKrUI-YR02PiJWaU-tKanDb~NZcrwCz-2CYmYM5~48-EQ854tQKKW9V~aqig5I4YaW8WOiwSVz9Eedug9NorEj0PjyeKRjYzpIhV5vWbSvjomc7IOTQ6699GoAb4kuvUPVMjo~5qdDGINIbM64uVviCQ1iZCDVMunEXErdOiQhoZ~LYbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dorchester County, MD","date","2025-02-04T00:00:00Z","article","Cambridge — The Dorchester County Council on Feb. 4 introduced an ordinance to raise the county's emergency-telephone (9-1-1) fee, approved a community event, confirmed a wastewater grant application and directed staff to pursue congressional and senate community-project funding requests.

Introduction of 9-1-1 fee increase

The council introduced legislation to amend Chapter 85 (Emergency Telephone Charge), Section 85-1 of the Dorchester County Code to raise the 9-1-1 fee to $2 per month. The meeting record states the proposed amount reflected a recommendation from an official identified as Mr. Larimer. The item was introduced by motion and approved for introduction by voice vote; the council did not adopt the ordinance at the meeting. The action was recorded as introduced.

Event approval: Wild Goose Chase bicycle ride

The council approved an event request from Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to hold the Wild Goose Chase (a women's bicycle ride) and accepted the group's preferred date change from Sept. 28 to Sept. 14, 2025. Sherry Murray, a volunteer with Friends of Blackwater, said the group submitted a certificate of insurance and that the alternate date was preferred. The motion to approve the event, with the date change, carried with an affirmative voice vote.

Grant confirmation: Bay Restoration Fund wastewater grant

The council confirmed the submittal of a $489,500 Bay Restoration Fund wastewater and supplemental assistance grant application to the Maryland Department of the Environment for a three-year performance period and no local match. The application, submitted on a Friday before the meeting, seeks grant funds for design and construction of replacement pump stations at the Paint Pond and Algonquin wastewater treatment stations; the grants writer presented the confirmation on behalf of Peter Galbruy, water and wastewater director. The council voted to confirm the application by voice vote.

Authorization to pursue community-project funding (earmarks)

Council instructed staff to compile and submit candidate projects for congressional and senate community project funding (colloquially \"earmarks\"). Staff and council members identified potential candidates including sewer-pipeline rehabilitation, pump-station upgrades and a portion of a new health-department building; the council approved the staff directive by motion and voice vote and asked members to submit individual project ideas to County Manager Jones within the stated deadline window.

Votes at a glance

- Introduction of ordinance to raise 9-1-1 fee to $2/month: introduced by motion; outcome: introduced (voice vote, ayes recorded; no recorded roll-call tally provided).
- Wild Goose Chase event (Friends of Blackwater): motion to approve with date change to Sept. 14, 2025; outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Bay Restoration Fund grant confirmation ($489,500): motion to confirm submission; outcome: confirmed (voice vote).
- Authorization to pursue congressional/senate community project funding: motion to direct staff to assemble candidate projects; outcome: approved (voice vote).

Council members did not record a roll-call vote count in the transcript for these motions; each motion was carried by an oral \"aye\" vote recorded in the minutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","County Council Meeting - Feb, 04 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 4 meeting the council introduced an amendment to raise the county 9-1-1 fee, approved an event request and confirmed a Bay Restoration Fund grant application; it also authorized staff to pursue federal community-project funding requests.","taxTitle","Dorchester County, Maryland","taxId",72249,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6354649,"Cambridge resiliency project seeks county tie‑in; residents raise concerns about berm heights and property impacts",2115,1875000,3990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69&start=1875&end=3990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69/thumbnail_1875000.jpg","/articles/6354649/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Cambridge-resiliency-project-seeks-county-tiein-residents-raise-concerns-about-berm-heights-and-property-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354649-d3c131cddcd8f297941a3223642db26b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775807201&Signature=bJUX3mKfUeEMJiF70HDDryz1t3qKlQtIe~0fUqCTvrn8z77FHfzs18Zteaj211GMY8kW8ohYAGIDneHhkkxqXVdzQiqnDiRvdmwEd89N-ajcn8OI~6m~aSkES4uqHA2MyZIBk~kMu8m8V1QNkk0BYNYhQV1J2fIW4ieehvMz9B62qusMKeCg9seX3DTgMwKKuHL4tT1LvuHi5toIrxknnwbOd9AdNw~xpcOXuXN1duQL~eGUupZzVrEyke1gmhgJNO2tGpuBTGgSOdV4IwnX3XTB-U7xyEiovNv2ZNajCAQiXFe0ajSkLdYDDRBI5gFU8wDuZSY6nf19pNAMmMfEjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cambridge — City of Cambridge officials presented a concept design for a flood-mitigation project that combines a raised embankment with a living shoreline and asked Dorchester County for permission to pursue a tie-in near Pigg's Pond during a council meeting Feb. 4.

The city engineer, Bucky Jackson, introduced Larry White, the project manager for Cambridge's resiliency initiative, who reviewed planning and design details and said the project is at about 30% design. \"We're going to talk about phase 1 design. That's where we are right now,\" White said. He described the concept as a hybrid: an engineered embankment with a living-shoreline system on the water side designed to provide flood protection while preserving habitat benefits.

White said the team is designing the alignment to reach an elevation of 7 feet above sea level at the county tie-in and that local variations would mean wall and berm heights will vary. He described modeling work with the University of Maryland to couple sediment-transport and hydrodynamic studies with fish-habitat modeling, and announced a $2,200,000 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant to enhance the living shoreline and convert part of Jerry Boyle Park into a stormwater management facility.

Residents and several council members asked detailed questions about how the project would affect privately owned waterfront property and local roads. Concerns centered on the height of embankments, road-raising on Hamburg Boulevard and how much of Jerry Boyle Park would be used for event parking versus temporary storm storage. One resident asked, \"How high are you talking about building a berm?\" A project presenter replied that embankment heights in some locations would be about 3 to 4 feet and that the project team has completed geotechnical borings in a few locations but would seek additional access to private properties for further borings.

Council members and residents pressed White and Jackson to conduct additional outreach with county property owners before the county gave any formal approval. Council members said they would not make a decision at the meeting; the city asked only for permission to advance a tie-in study and to continue design conversations. \"With your approval, then we're gonna go talk to them. That's the strategy here,\" White said when asked whether the city would seek property access for borings in the county.

The presentation explained that design choices aim to accommodate overtopping in extreme scenarios and to blend hard engineering with ecological features commonly called a \"horizontal levee\" or living levee. City staff noted regulatory engagement with the Maryland Department of the Environment and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be required and that a stakeholder steering committee including county department managers is planned.

Council members asked the city to return after further outreach and to coordinate a county steering-committee representative for the design process.","City of Cambridge engineers presented a 30% design concept for a hybrid embankment and living-shoreline flood-mitigation project that would tie into Dorchester County at Pigg'9s Pond; residents and council members pressed for more local outreach and asked how proposed elevations and road-raising would affect yards and views.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6354654,"Blackwater Refuge reports habitat work, drought impacts and acquisitions to Dorchester County Council",1315,605000,1920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69&start=605&end=1920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2219819-d2a0f03394a627084b37eb835b7c6b69/thumbnail_605000.jpg","/articles/6354654/Dorchester-County/Maryland/Blackwater-Refuge-reports-habitat-work-drought-impacts-and-acquisitions-to-Dorchester-County-Council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6354654-a9b1db69f7768ca98282acea05075224/orig.mp4?Expires=1775807201&Signature=KOgr~oitlccu6rsWj9A5SrkNTV7aAFMm8aYS9MCq3cpagJQ2fZ-h4ZDpInBsD2n-LLyWgFYbpxjcYgcwvbui7OBfQ6VAJSMC2C2ucxoRrYcqBluHHA-m~qWkxxaJyieS3QJ5oHnyO6FB2Oy9YDoJnwrZnpq9e7qCLX36cOYVx0hRLo9VLUKUFs6sxy11W7XDs2lfYyBA60bh8mfrY4fov74srSGqv9FvOl7ZpbZZhM1Lp13~Jroj1be6~vtFOOoUsYIzszRFowGgbdTPtTpSdYsG4V~3xbTJ5nPg6MMuGgYs~sh7wG4hkfx~NG8GVLnEya8WfXnR23DMa6jIPMxmzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dorchester County — Staff from Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge updated the Dorchester County Council on habitat management, acquisitions and recent operational work at the refuge on Feb. 4.

The refuge reported planting and habitat-management totals for the past year and described how a regional drought reduced waterfowl numbers. \"This past year, we were able to plant 49 acres of corn, 58 acres of winter wheat, and maintaining a hundred and almost 50 acres of clover,\" said Marsha Fradings Long, a refuge representative. She added the refuge also planted about 12 acres of Japanese millet and maintains roughly 450 acres of impoundments in moist-soil vegetation.

The update said drought limited duck numbers despite groundwater-well pumping at selected impoundments. Staff also described confirmed avian influenza detections in local birds; the refuge tested birds when warranted after a visitor brought a sick great blue heron for evaluation, Fradings Long said.

Council members heard details about habitat work and construction: the refuge repaired roughly 3,700 feet of levee between Pools 3A and 3B with Ducks Unlimited, and ran forest-thinning and prescribed-fire efforts to improve oak regeneration across multiple units. Fradings Long said approximately 95 acres in one unit and roughly 100 acres in another have been or will be thinned, and refuge contractors prepared about 12,700 feet of fire breaks to enable future prescribed burns. \"We've done over 1,100 acres of burning to date,\" she said.

On acquisitions, the refuge reported closing on about 460 acres adjacent to the visitor center (the “Signal Park Parcel”) using migratory bird conservation funds derived principally from duck-stamp purchases. The refuge also acquired a 51-acre easement in Wicomico County using the same fund, which the presentation described as buying development rights while allowing continued hunting and fishing on the parcels.

Staff described outreach and visitor improvements: more than 4,176 hunting permits were sold across archery, muzzleloader and other seasons; a pilot lead-free-ammunition incentive issued partial refunds ($25 or $50) to hunters who tried nonlead ammunition; a new parking lot was installed at the start of Wildlife Drive; and deferred-maintenance work will include a roof replacement at the visitor center this summer.

Council members and residents raised questions about tax impacts from federal land ownership and the refuge responded that a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT)-style payment of $50,000 is received for roughly 36,000 acres in federal ownership and that the refuge attempts to maximize local economic benefits through tourism and hunters to offset lost tax base.

Fradings Long invited council members and residents to contact refuge staff with questions and said the refuge will continue to provide updates as projects progress.","Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge staff told the Dorchester County Council they planted crops and performed habitat restoration, reported drought-related low waterfowl numbers and outlined recent land acquisitions and invasive-species treatments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dorchester County Council introduces 911 fee increase and approves events, grants and earmark work

Cambridge resiliency project seeks county tie‑in; residents raise concerns about berm heights and property impacts

Blackwater Refuge reports habitat work, drought impacts and acquisitions to Dorchester County Council