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Board OKs up to $658,290 to help Boonsboro replace failing waterline, with reimbursement condition
Summary
Washington County commissioners agreed to provide up to $658,290 from CIP reserves to help Boonsboro replace an aging, inconsistent waterline that town officials said has begun to fail; the county conditioned assistance on the town applying for and reimbursing any state grant funds received.
Washington County commissioners agreed to provide up to $658,290 from county CIP reserves to help the town of Boonsboro address an urgent waterline replacement, contingent on the town applying for state grants and reimbursing the county for any grant awards.
Howard Long, identified in the record as the mayor of Boonsboro, and the town manager (recorded as Rachel Ser) outlined a multi‑year problem of inconsistent repairs and pipe sizes on a main line serving Boonsboro and nearby areas. They told the board the project to replace the line would cost about $2.9 million. The town proposed to fund approximately $783,000 from its water fund and $1.5 million from general reserves, leaving an estimated shortfall of $658,290.
Town officials said the line failures pose a public‑safety and service risk: the system feeds neighboring areas and provides fireflows for about 4,000 residents, and staff warned that sections of 4‑inch pipe could fail under increased pressure when a new reservoir comes online this fall. "We know that it will blow all of the 4‑in portions," the town manager said as part of her explanation of the system’s vulnerabilities.
Commissioners discussed options including state grant applications, loans and working with State Highway Administration on construction requirements that increased the project cost. One commissioner proposed the county provide the requested $658,290 immediately from CIP reserves to avoid a potential interim failure and mandated that the town pursue state grants and reimburse the county if aid is awarded.
The motion (moved, seconded and carried by voice vote) directed staff to fund up to $658,290 from CIP reserves with an explicit expectation that Boonsboro will apply for available state grants (MDE or SHA) and reimburse the county for any awarded funds up to the amount provided. The meeting record does not name an individual mover in the transcript's motion text.
County staff noted the urgency given the reservoir timetable and recommended using CIP reserves for the shortfall while seeking grant reimbursement.
Next steps recorded: the town will apply for grant funding and the county will accept reimbursement if grants are awarded; staff will also continue outreach to state officials to explore alternatives to reduce construction costs.
