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