Dorchester County Council Meeting Notes February 3, 2026, – Submitted by Sharon Smith, CAN
The County Council of Dorchester County convened into Open Session on February 3, 2026 at 4:32 p.m., in Room 110 of the County Office Building, 501 Court Lane, Cambridge, Maryland 21613.
Present: George Pfeffer, President; Mike Detmer, Vice President; Councilmembers – Rob Kramer, Jr; William Nichols; Ricky Travers; Jerry Jones, County Manager; Charles MacLeod, County Attorney; Irene Barnes, Executive Operations Manager, Grace Wittig, Executive Assistant.
A Closed Session was conducted from 4:33 until 6:13pm. The Open Session was conducted from 6:16pm until 6:57pm.
The Consent Agenda, composed of these eight items, passed without discussion.
- County Council Open Session Minutes – January 20, 2026 – January 26, 2026
- Accounts Payable Disbursement Report – Week Ending January 30, 2026
- Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) Dorchester County Holiday Schedule · Consideration of the Council to approve the FY27 Dorchester County Holiday Schedule
- Cooperative Agreement Request – Noxious Weeds – Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) · Request of Plant Protection & Weed Management through MDA to renew a Cooperative Agreement for the control and eradication of noxious weeds for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027
- Grant Submission Request – Maryland Infrastructure Financing Administration (MWIFA) – Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) – Water & Wastewater Services · Request of Finance, on behalf of Water & Wastewater Services, to submit a MWIFA grant application, through MDE, to be considered for six potential funding sources for the rehabilitation of wastewater pump stations
- Grant Award Request – Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) – Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) – FY26 Capital Grant Agreement – Delmarva Community Services (DCS) · Request of Finance, on behalf of DCS, to accept a $62,000 MTA FY26 Capital Grant Agreement, funded by the Federal Transit Administration, to support public transportation services, with a local County funded match of $9,300 and period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
- Grant Award Request – MTA – MDOT – FY26 Operating Grant Agreement – DCS · Request of Finance, on behalf of DCS, to accept a $1,142,263 MTA FY26 Operating Grant Agreement, funded by the Federal Transit Administration, to support public transportation services, with a local County funded match of $210,069 and period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
- Letter of Support – Dollar General Conversion – Town of Hurlock · Request of the Mayor of the Town of Hurlock to provide a letter of support of Dollar General converting its Hurlock facility into a Dollar General Market to include fresh food and essential household items.
Proclamation – Outdoor Show Month
Speaking on behalf of the County Council, Vice President Mike Detmer proclaimed the Month of February as the 79th Outdoor Show Month. The show will be held February 27-28th at South Dorchester K-8.
Presentation – Skilled Trades Program Update, Chesapeake College
Members from Chesapeake College gave an update on their Skilled Trades programs, including grant funding that allows most students to attend for free. Students can earn a skilled trades national certification at CC and obtain training in HVAC, electrical, advanced robotics, construction, welding, and marine trades. CC is working with DCTC to ensure that the college training picks up where the high school training ends for marine trades and electrical skills. The marine trades program, including Yamaha OB certification, is very popular. CC has a new mobile welding lab and will be bringing the advanced manufacturing lab to Cambridge this month.
Action Items
- Grant Revision Requests – National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) – Hoopersville Living Shoreline – Request of Finance and Planning & Zoning to revise the Scope of Work for two NFWF grants for design and engineering to include all of the recommendations from the 2022 Hoopersville Study and an extension to the grant periods, with no changes to the grant award amounts or in-kind match requirements. The amounts of the grants are $700K and $1.5M.
- Request to Proceed – South Hangar Sewer Reconnection – Request of the Airport to proceed with reconnecting sewer services to South Hangar, funded by the FY26 Contingency Fund in the amount of $8,500.
- Conowingo Advisory Group – Council designated Mike Detmer to represent Dorchester County at a meeting with the Maryland Department of the Environment to discuss the Conowingo Settlement / Water Quality implementation and related matters.
- Poll Confirmation · Consideration of the Council to confirm its decision in the interim of meetings, via poll, to provide a letter of support for Senate Bill 288, entitled, Transportation – Highway User Revenues Capital Grants – Calculation, altering the amounts of certain capital grants calculated based on highway user revenues that are required to be appropriated to Baltimore City, counties, and municipalities in fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter; etc., by a 4 to 0 vote. · Provide a letter of support at the request of Rescue Fire Company, Inc., to the City of Cambridge Mayor and Commissioners supporting Rescue Fire Company, Inc. and it’s efforts to maintain its display space for the Train Garden in the former apparatus bays at 307 Gay Street, commonly known as the “Old Firehouse,” by a 5 to 0 vote
All four action items were moved and approved by a 5 – 0 vote.
County Manager Comments
County Manager Jerry Jones praised and thanked county employees, especially public works, sheriff’s office and emergency management for their excellent response to the recent weather events. He further encouraged all residents to complete the strategic planning survey.
Council Comments
Ricky Travers complimented county residents for participating in a recent strategic planning public input session that he attended and stressed the importance of resident involvement in the process.
Mike Detmer also stressed the importance of the county strategic planning process and complimented county employees for their response to the winter storm.
Mike Detmer announced that the public comment period is open for a large solar development planned for Linkwood, Blue Crab Solar & Storage, LLC, (The solar development will consume 820 acres plus transmission lines. Public Service Commission Case 9782, an informational meeting will be held virtually on February 18, 2026. A public comment hearing will be held on August 31, 2026.)
Councilman Pfeffer echoed Mr. Jones and Councilman Detmer regarding appreciation of staff during the snow event and the community meetings.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m.
The Strategic Planning resident survey is available until February 20th via the county website at: https://tinyurl.com/Dorchesterresident
The above meeting is available on Townhallstreams.com for your viewing pleasure.
Dorchester County Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month in room 110, 501 Court Lane, Cambridge, MD 21613 at 6pm.
