Residents press council on Star Center spending, ADA access and Living Shoreline during budget amendment hearing

The Havre de Grace mayor and city council on June 2 heard public concerns about continued capital spending on the Star Center, accessibility problems for people with disabilities and unclear ownership of the city’s so-called Living Shoreline parcel as part of a public hearing on Ordinance 11-90, a fiscal-year 2025 budget amendment. The council later adopted Ordinance 11-90 on second reading by a 6-0 roll-call vote.

Resident Carrie Parsons told the council she was “embarrassed” by the Star Center’s ongoing costs and said the building still is “not even close to being at any point ADA compliant.” She described a recent voting day in which a senior could not open an exterior door and required assistance, and said she had to wait for help to exit the building. “It seems like we’re continually putting money into this venture with what appears to be little receipt or profit from it,” Parsons said.

Parsons also raised questions about the Living Shoreline project, saying city records still list the full 1.5-acre property as privately owned even though she understands remediation work has been paid for by the city. “For all intents and purposes, it appears that the 1.5-acre lot was remediated by the city and paid for by the citizens,” she said, and asked whether the city is negotiating to buy the entire parcel.

The concerns were raised during the public-hearing portion for Ordinance 11-90, described in the ordinance text as “approving budget amendment 2025-11 to authorize additional expenditures and reallocation of funds” and enacted “by the authority of Article 11E of the Maryland Constitution, the Local Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and Section 37 of the Havre de Grace City Charter.”

Why it matters: The Star Center is a recently developed, city-affiliated venue that has required repeated capital outlays. Continued requests for additional funding and citizens’ reports of accessibility deficiencies raise legal and programmatic questions about the city’s obligations under federal and state accessibility standards and about the long-term financial model for the facility.

Council action and next steps: Council members adopted Ordinance 11-90 on second reading. A motion to adopt was made by Council member Boker and seconded by Council member Boyer; the roll-call vote was recorded as 6-0 in favor. The ordinance changes the fiscal-year 2025 budget as presented.

Public comment, staff and council did not produce a formal plan in the hearing to audit recent Star Center expenditures or schedule a review of ADA compliance. Parsons said she will return for the June 9 public hearing on the FY2026 budget to raise the issues again.

Background: The ordinance text and speakers referred to standard legal authorities governing municipal budget amendments in Maryland, including Article 11E of the Maryland Constitution and the Local Government Article in the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Star Center line-item changes were part of the broader budget amendment brought forward for FY2025.

The council adopted Ordinance 11-90 on second reading by roll call vote of 6-0. The council also set a separate public hearing on the FY2026 budget for June 9 at 6 p.m.

Ending: Residents will be able to address the FY2026 budget at the June 9 hearing, and speakers signaled they intend to press the council for specific answers on Star Center capital plans, accessibility upgrades and status of the Living Shoreline parcel.