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Kent County outlines America 250 plans, secures state grants and expands regional economic efforts
Summary
County economic staff described plans for Kent MD 250 celebrations (events beginning Saturday at noon), reported roughly $48,000 in state grant funds committed to local programming, outlined regional economic development (CEDS) work and Start1Up activities, and the commission approved a resolution authorizing local participation in the America's 250 commemoration.
Jamie Williams, economic and tourism director, briefed the commission on multiple economic development and tourism initiatives. He said Kent MD 250 commemoration events will begin at the courthouse lawn with a reading of the county resolution and a planned follow-up at the Kent Cultural Alliance; staff asked commissioners to participate in a kickoff planned for Saturday at noon and indicated the event may move indoors if weather is poor.
Williams said county organizations have secured approximately $33,000 in state grant funding for local 250 events and that an additional $15,000 per county state allocation (a 'once-in-a-generation' grant) increased county resources to about $48,000 for commemoration programming. He said grant funds will support events across the county — including Main Street Chestertown, Sumner Hall and Washington College — and that the county administrator (Shelly) will be the signatory for the $15,000 allocation due to administrative thresholds.
On regional economic planning, Williams said the Upshur Regional Council had 27 RFP responses for a CEDS consultant; selections are expected by March 2 and the project would run from May 1 to May 1, 2027, to position the region for EDA funding. Other items covered included a Career and Technology Education liaison initiative, a Start1Up pitch competition scheduled for April 14, and an enterprise-zone recertification effort for Chestertown with a public hearing to follow by April 15.
Commissioners moved to approve the local America 250 resolution during the meeting; the motion passed unanimously.
