Pocomoke mayor urges quicker action on blight and outlines workforce training plan with area college

The mayor of Pocomoke City used remarks March 2 to press for faster action on vacant-property procedures and to outline a workforce-training initiative with a regional college.

Speaking during council comments, the mayor said the city must act to prevent properties from reverting to their prior state after long delays and asked staff to bring the issue to a council work session. “It needs to be brought to a work session,” the mayor said, adding that staff should return recommendations so the council can determine policy changes.

The mayor also referenced legislation being tracked at the state level, saying, “House Bill 11 40 to 11 42,” and urged the council to submit testimony when the bills advance, citing municipal revenue implications. He said local costs of infrastructure repair are increasing and called for advocacy to change how the state distributes funds to small municipalities.

On workforce development, the mayor described recent talks with Warwick Community College to create no-cost training offerings — including commercial driver’s license classes, masonry and certified nursing assistant training — provided the city can supply a suitable facility. “Our plan with them is to bring them on file for job trainings…they're going to offer CDL classes, masonry, CNA,” he said.

Council members welcomed community cleanup plans and expressed support for using training and economic opportunity to address blight, but no formal changes in code or budget allocations were made at the meeting. The council moved into a closed session at the end of the public meeting; the mayor did not announce closed-session topics on the record.