A volunteer team seeking to buy the former Russell Metals/Electrotherm property on Meeting House Road told the Caroline County commissioners Oct. 14 they want to convert the roughly 14‑acre, 80,000‑square‑foot site into a multi‑agency resource center that would house a food pantry, a commercial kitchen and an expanded shelter and workforce‑development programs.

The presenters said the plan hinges on environmental reviews by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Department of the Environment and asked the board for support — including possible help with funding applications and zoning questions — while those studies finish.

The project team described the site as four parcels totaling about 13.7 acres and said it carries a long history of contamination from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) tied to earlier industrial activity. Rick Carver, a member of the project team, said the site has been tested repeatedly: “The property was contaminated with VOCs way back in the eighties ... Over the years, the VOCs, the contamination started going down,” he said, noting monitoring wells and a large remediation system installed by prior owners. Carver said the EPA asked for an additional 30 days to complete current testing and that the purchaser’s attorney asked the seller for a 60‑day extension of the buyer’s due‑diligence period to await that work.

Why it matters: The presenters said the hub would consolidate services now scattered across the county — Aaron’s Place, His Hope Ministries and a food‑aggregation operation — and create a site for food processing, cold storage, commercial kitchen incubator space and year‑round shelter beds. Project leaders estimate initial capital needs in the millions (an early planning number of about $10 million was cited) and said funding would come from a mix of grants, private commitments and a phased capital campaign.

What the presenters described

• Services planned: Aaron’s Place and His Hope Ministries would relocate primary operations to the site; the culinary incubator would move from its temporary space; county school meal processing (about 15,000 pounds of local produce cited) and regional food aggregation/distribution would be consolidated there. Presenters also described workforce training and programs aimed at reentry populations and youth.

• Environmental controls: The team said the EPA covenant remains on the deed and that EPA recommended a vapor barrier for any new building. Carver said past remediation — pumps and air injection systems — reduced the plume and monitoring has been scaled back to two wells, with recent samples taken in May 2025. He said the project intends to use only a new deep well from the confined Piney Point aquifer for potable water and to professionally seal shallow wells if permitted by EPA.

• Zoning and septic: County staff and the presenters discussed using Caroline County’s Rural Revitalization Zone and adaptive‑reuse provisions. The presenters said the existing septic drain field tested positively and is sized at about 960 gallons per day (roughly 48 people), and that plans include working with the health department on any upgrades or a new septic reserve area if needed.

• Timeline and purchase: The project team said their contract settlement date was Nov. 7, 2025, but they had requested a 60‑day extension to cover EPA testing. They reported receiving a verbal assurance from the seller that the company would not proceed with a sale before EPA work is complete and legal agreements are finalized.

Commission response and next steps

Commissioners and staff asked technical questions about MDE involvement, septic sizing when shelter beds are added, and whether the EPA covenant could be removed. Daniel Fox, deputy county administrator, and Crystal Dads, the county planning/codes contact, confirmed county staff will continue to support due diligence and zoning review. Commissioner Frank Bartz said he thought the project would “make that entrance to the town significantly more” attractive and congratulated the volunteers on the work.

The presenters asked explicitly for the commissioners’ support — both letters and help identifying funding opportunities including cannabis funds, Community Development Block Grants and possible legislative capital requests through the county delegation. Commissioners agreed county staff should remain engaged and noted the county’s ability to consider legislative or budgetary follow‑up if appropriate.

No formal county action was taken at the meeting; presenters were advised to continue coordinating with EPA, MDE and county departments and to return with updates and specific funding requests.

Ending

Project leaders said the plan will be pursued in phases and appealed for community prayers and support for families affected by a recent medical emergency they mentioned during the presentation. The presenters said they would keep the board posted if EPA reports arrive before their contract extension deadline and will seek letters of support and other formal backing when appropriate.