Salisbury council adopts annexation resolutions and 10 ordinances at March 10 session

The Salisbury City Council on March 10 adopted two annexation resolutions and approved 10 ordinances on second reading covering public-safety code updates, water-system projects, grants and Fire Department appropriations.

Council President Deshaun Dowdy opened the legislative portion of the meeting and the clerk read the agenda. The council voted by voice for each item; in each case the chair recorded the adoption after the council answered “aye.” The record shows no roll-call tallies for individual members.

Key items approved included two resolutions concerning the annexation of 2.954 acres described as the Pine Way Pohankakea annexation (Resolution 3382) and an associated annexation plan (Resolution 3383). The clerk then read 10 ordinances on second reading; the council approved each by voice vote with no amendments reported. The ordinance subjects and identifying numbers were as follows:

- Ordinance 2918: amendments to Chapter 5.64 (towing companies) to update procedures for police-directed towing and penalties. - Ordinance 2919: acceptance of Chesapeake Bay Trust grant funds, $148,267, to plant 834 trees in the city. - Ordinance 2920: authorization for the mayor to appropriate funds related to Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects including the Naylor Mill water main extension, a PFAS study at the Paleo Water Treatment Plant, and lead service line replacement projects. - Ordinance 2921: budget amendment and mayoral appropriation for a PFAS study and treatment (related to water projects). - Ordinance 2922: budget amendment to appropriate funds for completion of elevated water tank maintenance. - Ordinance 2923: amendment to section 8.04.0.05 of city code regarding counting methods for false alarms. - Ordinance 2924: FY2025 general fund amendment to appropriate funds to the Salisbury Fire Department operating budget for repairs to the fire chief’s vehicle. - Ordinance 2925: authorization for the mayor to enter a contract with the Maryland Department of Health to accept a $29,625 grant and appropriate those funds to the Salisbury Fire Department (budget amendment for the grant fund). - Ordinance 2926: FY2025 general fund amendment to appropriate $47,000 for blacktop/parking-lot repairs at Fire Station 1. - Ordinance 2927: amendment to chapter 2.16.0.02 H and G granting the fire chief authority to designate career deputies as second and third in command and to specify succession when the chief is unable to perform duties.

Council and staff repeatedly noted that each ordinance was before the council for second reading and that there were “no changes or amendments” since first reading. City Attorney Ashley Beauche read the ordinances aloud for the record and the clerk administered each second-reading vote.

Several items reflect external funding sources: the Chesapeake Bay Trust grant for tree planting (Ordinance 2919) and the Maryland Department of Health grant of $29,625 for Fire Department purposes (Ordinance 2925). The water-related ordinances (2920 and 2921) reference Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects and PFAS study/treatment and lead service-line work; ordinance language on second reading did not specify exact appropriation amounts for those projects in the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance (outcome: approved unless noted): - Resolution 3382 (Pine Way Pohankakea annexation) — adopted. - Resolution 3383 (annexation plan relative to 3382) — adopted. - Ordinance 2918 (towing code update) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2919 (Chesapeake Bay Trust grant, $148,267; 834 trees) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2920 (Drinking Water SRF projects: Naylor Mill extension, PFAS study, lead-service replacement) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2921 (PFAS study and treatment appropriation) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2922 (elevated water tank maintenance appropriation) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2923 (false alarms code amendment) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2924 (Fire Department vehicle repair appropriation) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2925 (MDH grant $29,625 to Fire Department) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2926 (Fire Station 1 parking-lot blacktop, $47,000) — approved on second reading. - Ordinance 2927 (fire chief succession authority) — approved on second reading.

Where an item referenced external grants or funds, staff identified the source in the reading (Chesapeake Bay Trust; Maryland Department of Health). For items that were budget amendments, staff and the clerk stated the appropriation purpose and noted that there had been no substantive changes since first reading.

Council closed the legislative agenda following the second readings and moved on to other business.