Wicomico County approves $2.3 million to remove dredge spoils at Sharps Point to keep federal channel open

Wicomico County Council members voted unanimously April 15 to approve Resolution 44-2025, amending the county’s 2025 capital budget to add $2,300,000 for the Sharps Point dredge spoils hauling and relocation project.

County officials said the funding will pay for a contractor to remove about 100,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the Sharps Point containment cells so federal dredging can continue on schedule. ‘‘We are required by the Army Corps of Engineers to get a hundred thousand cubic yards out of Sharps Point by October 1, 2025,’’ Adam Corey, executive director of environmental services, told the council during the public hearing.

County finance director Pam Olin said the $2.3 million reflects actual bids received for the first phase. ‘‘When the bid came in, we notified the county administrator and requested the amount be reduced down to the $2,300,000 off the current bid,’’ Olin said, adding the county still has roughly $1.2 million in previously budgeted dredging funds and is keeping that money to support concurrent planning for future phases. ‘‘Based on our financial analysis, this is affordable and this is the appropriate use of our savings account because it is a one-time capital project,’’ she said.

Nut graf: County staff and the Army Corps of Engineers told the council the Wicomico River’s federal channel is nearing a level where, if dredging is delayed, larger commercial vessels could be unable to reach the Port of Salisbury. Officials said that would risk regional commerce that relies on the port and cited local companies and industries that use the channel.

Why the work is urgent

Corey and public works staff described a backlog of material that resulted after the county was skipped in the Corps’ typical three‑year dredging rotation. Corey said a recent resurvey shows increased sediment that requires immediate removal to preserve navigability and remain in the Corps’ rotation. He said the full problem at Sharps Point involves an estimated 400,000 cubic yards now on site — a volume staff said would be impractical to remove within the Corps’ timeline without staged contracting and new stockpile capacity.

Scope, bids and phased approach

County staff said the April request covers a contractor bid for a phase 1 removal of roughly 100,000 cubic yards at $2.3 million. Staff earlier estimated a $7.5 million two‑phase program before bids were received; the lower figure reflects the single bid returned for phase 1 and a decision to proceed with the first phase only. Corey said only one bidder returned a proposal to the advertised request for bids and that bidder agreed to accept a phase‑1 award.

Reuse options and logistics

Staff outlined three county‑owned candidate stockpile sites for relocated material and said laboratory results submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that morning indicate portions of the dredge spoil may qualify as beneficial reuse — for example, as landfill daily cover or construction fill, pending MDE review. Corey also said the county is in discussions about using material for other nearby projects, including possible airport runway work.

Public comment and council questions

Two public commenters urged careful review of the budget and questioned timing and cost. Joe White said the request felt last minute and warned about frequently asking the council for multi‑million dollar additions while other local services seek funding. Jim Atkins urged the council to examine past planning and why the county’s dredging program fell behind.

Council discussion centered on schedule, cost escalation and whether county resources could eventually reduce reliance on contractors. Staff said performing the entire 400,000 cubic yards in a short window would require roughly 70 truck trips per day and specialized equipment that the county does not currently possess, making a contractor‑led phase 1 the only practical immediate option.

Funding and next steps

Olin told members the county’s audited fund balance for June 30, 2024 was approximately $85 million and that using fund balance for a capital project of this scope is consistent with county practice. She said the budget presentation includes an estimated reconciliation of fund balance and that the administration plans to keep about $1.25 million in the dredging capital project account to fund internal preparatory work.

Council action and implementation timing

A motion to approve Resolution 44-2025 was made and seconded; the council president called for the vote and the motion carried unanimously. Pam Olin said a signed resolution would allow county finance to establish the purchase order and execute contracts; staff said they could begin erosion control and stockpile setup at the Allen site within roughly two weeks of contract award and receipt of the signed resolution.

Ending: County staff said the $2.3 million award covers only phase 1 and that additional funding will likely be required over the next several years as the county pursues a five‑ to ten‑year dredge‑spoil management plan, wetlands permitting and potential expansion of placement capacity.