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Dorchester County Council approves service area, contracts and grants in unanimous votes
Summary
At its Dec. 16 meeting the council approved Resolution 684 creating a new service area, awarded a litter-removal contract to SVS Groundworks, confirmed interim grant polls including an $80,000 DNR application, approved two US DOT bridge engineering grant applications, renewed an airport lease with GeForce Avionics LLC and authorized an RFP for lobbying services; most motions passed unanimously.
The Dorchester County Council on Dec. 16 approved several agenda items and formal actions, including a resolution to establish a new service area, multiple grant submissions, a solid-waste contract award and a 10-year airport lease.
Resolution 684: new service area. The council held a public hearing on Resolution 684 to create a new service area described in the transcript as 'McEwen Point section 1' (also referenced in the hearing record as 'McKeel Point'/'McKeel 0.1'). Sharon Smith of the City of Cambridge asked whether the city’s wastewater system had capacity to accept additional flows given recent pump-station issues. County staff reported a prior memorandum of understanding (MOU) and said the wastewater treatment plant had adequate overall capacity to accept the additional properties identified; staff distinguished localized pump-station issues (e.g., Water Street) from overall plant capacity. The council voted in roll call: Councilman Travers — Yes; Councilman Detmer — Yes; Councilman Kramer — Yes; Councilman Nichols — Yes; Presiding official — Yes. The resolution passed unanimously.
Solid-waste contract award. John Cooney, the county’s solid-waste manager, recommended awarding the litter-removal services contract to the lowest bidder. Council discussion focused on staffing levels and the manager’s discretion to call crews on a will-call basis; the county noted detainee labor from the corrections center has not been available in sufficient numbers. The contract was awarded to SVS Groundworks at a daily rate of $600 for two laborers; the motion passed.
Interim polls confirmed. Councilors confirmed two interim poll actions taken between meetings: a requested increase of $185,000 to an LGIM grant application (which raised the county match by $9,758) and submission of an $80,000 resiliency-through-restoration grant application to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for Elliott Island shoreline protection; both confirmations were approved by the council.
US DOT bridge engineering grants. The council approved submission of two US Department of Transportation grant applications to fund 100% of engineering costs for bridge maintenance projects: Hoopers Island ($686,925) and Shorter/Shorters Works ($565,670). The projects were moved, seconded and approved.
Airport lease. Airport director Steve Newer presented a proposed lease with GeForce Avionics LLC for the South anchor at the Cambridge Dorchester Regional Airport: total rent of $229,736 for the initial 10-year term, a 3% annual escalation and three additional optional five-year renewal terms. The council approved proceeding with the lease.
Committee appointment and RFP. The council filled a vacancy on the agriculture reconciliation committee with Mike Knauer (nominated by the local farm bureau) and voted unanimously to issue a request for proposals (RFP) seeking lobbying services for the county; councilors said finalists would be interviewed if needed.
Audit and bond-rating timeline. Staff announced the county’s FY2023 audit has been posted to the county website. Staff also said the county previously suffered a cyber incident that required destruction of 24 servers and migration to a new accounting system; council and staff said they will seek to bring the county back to bond-rating agencies after completing required FY24/FY25 reporting.
Public comment. Comments included thanks to the county for recreation support and questions about the audit and bond-rating process; staff answered that bond-rating outreach will follow completion of the next two years of audited reporting.
Next procedural steps: several items will move forward administratively (grant submissions, contract execution and lease finalization) and the RFP process for lobbying services will be published.
