Category Archives: General News

Dorchester County Council Meeting, April 1, 2025

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Unofficial Notes Submitted By Sharon Smith, CAN

https://townhallstreams.com/stream.php?location_id=153&id=66247

Present: George Pfeffer, President; Mike Detmer, Vice President; Rob Kramer, Jr; William Nichols; Ricky Travers; Jerry Jones, County Manager; Irene Barnes, Administrative Specialist; Charles MacLeod, Attorney

The Consent Agenda was passed without discussion.

Thomas Oliver, Department of Emergency Services, was commended for his 20 years of service to the county as an EMT upon his retirement.

There were three proclamations read by President Pfeffer –

  • Public Health Week, week of April 7th – 13th – President Pfeffer read the proclamation and some notable successes in health over the last 30 years 1.) adult smoking rates have fallen in the US from 25% to 11%, 2.) infant mortality has fallen from 13.8 deaths per 1000 live births to 5.4, 3.) mental health has improved, 4.) elevated lead poisoning among children has fallen from 4.4% to 0.5%, and 5.) improvements in pandemic preparation. Several people in the health department were recognized for their service.
  • Sexual Assault Awareness Month, April – In the US 81% of women and 43% of men report having some type of unwanted sexual encounter during their lifetimes. For All Seasons rape crisis center has the highest rate of calls by 38% from Dorchester County among all Maryland counties served for sexual assault. They are seeing a big uptick in alcohol and drug assisted assault, “sip safe.”
  • Child Abuse Prevention Month, April – Child abuse is addressed in the county by collaboration across service providers. The Department of Social Services spoke on behalf of the child advocacy center. Preventing child abuse is a community-wide responsibility.

Action items approved included contracts for public works activities of fuel station re-piping, and mowing at the marina, landfill, and county facilities and tax properties. Additionally, the contract for medical billing services was extended.

Mr. Detmer reported on the Traffic Safety Committee meeting, which surfaced a public complaint about parking on county property near the Ragged Point Causeway by people fishing.

Seven county-level boards and committees have vacancies that the Council would like to fill. Mr. Collins asked to be re-appointed to the Planning Committee and was approved.

Poll confirmations are how the council confirms any motions made and voted upon between physical council meetings. The motions are repeated, voted upon and recorded during the next live council session. This meeting’s poll confirmations were for permission to apply for various grants.

Jerry Jones, the county manager, introduced the new Director of Public Works, Matt Osmer, who most recently served in that capacity in Trappe.

Mr. Detmer recognized Delegates Sample-Hughes and Hutchinson for standing up for Dorchester County during the recent state legislative services. Delegate Adams was noted for his opposition to the “solar bill,” SB931/HB 1036. Mr. Pfeffer noted Senator Mautz’s service as well. The council voted to send them all an official thank you letter.

Public comments. An attendee called council’s attention to “astronomical abuse and neglect” occurring at Mallard Bay Nursing Home, that she witnessed while working there. She reported the abuse to the Director of Nursing, the Assistant Director of Nursing, and reported it to the state, following up with 14 phone calls. A supervisor with the state said it would take six months before an investigation will occur. The most recent investigation was conducted in 2022. The attendee pleaded for help. Amanda Leonard, States Attorney, was in attendance and is meeting with the attendee. Also, Commissioner Ricky Travers offered that Delegate Hutchinson is looking into the level of care at Mallard Bay and suggested she meet with him.

City Council Special Meeting – March 31, 2025 – Unofficial Notes

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Mayor Cephas present; Ward 1, B. Summers (present), Ward 2, S. Lewis-Sisco (present), Ward 3, F. Stout (absent), Ward 4, S. Cephas, (present), Ward 5, B. Roche (absent), City Manager, G. Steckman (present)

The city commissioners met with Amanda Kidd, the Executive Director of Four-Eleven Kitchen, at the Packing House, for the purpose of discussing workforce development.

Kidd explained to the city council members her vision of Four Eleven Kitchen as a hub for all things food and hospitality driven. Their Facebook slogan is, “Providing pathways that will empower, elevate and establish your food business.” This commercial kitchen is available for use by caterers, food entrepreneurs or, as Kidd would say, “foodpreneurs,” chefs, aspiring food truck owners, bakers and anyone needing kitchen facilities for event planning. The different spaces offered at the establishment can be rented online.

Supplementing her income from rentals, Kidd does apply for appropriate grants that are available. Providing outreach to the community, Four Eleven has a focus group Zoom call once a month that anyone can join by signing up for it on Facebook. The topics discussed are related to the hospitality and food industries which are quite broad in scope.

Kidd gave a tour of the premises and explained the purpose of the different areas. The facilities at the Packing House feature a commercial grade kitchen that foodpreneurs can use. This is a large kitchen area that can be shared for sizable food preparation and events.

Also included at Four Eleven is a kitchen for bakers with a dough kneading machine and other needed bakery equipment. These kitchen areas can be shared or used alone. To complete the commercial kitchen accoutrements are a large pantry and a walk-in refrigerator and freezer. There is a big unused space that Kidd plans to use in the future for housing canned and boxed foods for disadvantaged families.

The ward commissioners asked some pertinent questions. Ward 1 Commissioner, Brett Summers, commented that Four Eleven Kitchen should be part of any discussion about food events in and around the city. He asked if he could facilitate a meeting between Kidd and the business owners of Main Street. He would like to introduce Four Eleven Kitchen to them for possible upcoming events.

Summers asked about any current plans for internship programs that would train personnel for work in a restaurant. Kidd responded that training wait and kitchen staff was part of her overall plan to provide talent and expertise to the hospitality and food industry. It has yet to get off the ground. Summers owns the Blackwater Bakery in town and said that no one comes in looking for kitchen-based jobs. The bakery would encourage and welcome people looking for this line of work. Summers suggested the use of a qualified chef to donate some time to educate trainees at Four Eleven Kitchen. He was willing to help facilitate this endeavor.

President Sputty Cephas suggested that Four Eleven Kitchen apply for an entry to the Dorchester County Career and Technology Center (DCTC) job fair to scout out interested students for kitchen staff training. Any upcoming job fairs could be utilized for attracting adults interested in working in the food industry as well.

Ward 2 Commissioner, Shay Lewis-Sisco, is a career coach at DCTC. She talked about the culinary arts program at the school and explained that students would be looking for jobs in the food industry. She said she would help facilitate Four Eleven any way that she can.

David King, of Blackwater Rising, was also present at the meeting. King is collaborating with Four Eleven Kitchen on leasing land from the city for planting. Blackwater Rising is a non-profit organization using donated land plots around the city to plant food crops for underprivileged people. King and Kidd are currently working with the City Planning Commission Director, Brian Hermann, on leasing two Cambridge city plots. These plots of land will be used to teach people how to grow food to sustain themselves and to supplement their food sources.

Mayor Lajan Cephas added that the proposed park on Leonard’s Lane is designed to have garden plots. She encouraged Blackwater and Four Eleven to consider utilizing these plots for teaching about sustainable food crops.

Notes taken by A. Kennedy, CAN member.

Unofficial Notes from the Board of Education Mtg – March 20, 2025 – 5pm

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Dorchester County School Board Budget Session
Members of the School Board Present: Dr. Jymil Thompson (Superintendent), Brandy Dawson Cumberland (District 1), Talibah Chikwendu (District 2), Christine LaMonica (District 3), Chris Wheedleton (District 5). Absent: Sherri Hubbard (District 4)
Dr. Thompson opened the meeting with a Power Point presentation update on where the current budget for the Dorchester County Public School stands.
  • Currently, the budget deficit is approximately $5.6 million.
  • Dr. Thompson talked about next steps:
    • The budget cannot honor the full amount of the cost-of-living adjustment.
    • The school board is in negotiations with the MD Department of Education (MD DE), MD Department of Education – Education Support Professionals (MD DE- ESP), and Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) personnel.
    • Deficit amount is $3.5 million.
    • Reduce 12 – 24 staff positions – do not know which positions will be cut.
  • Amount is $900,000 – $1.8 million.
Comments by Dr. Thompson:
  • Cannot afford to lose teachers with the goal of going from a 23 to 15 ranking. 
  • The board is determined to keep class sizes small.
Comments by Support Staff:
  • Collecting data on teachers interested in/planning to retire.
  • Want to get data correct & passed on to the principals/school staff ASAP.
  • Getting a large grant from the state for textbooks.
  • There are smaller grant programs available for supplies like textbooks.
Nobody from the audience had any questions for the board.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:11 PM.
Notes taken by A Kennedy, CAN member

CWDI Board of Directors Meeting, March 19, 2025

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Highlights by Sharon Smith, CAN

Present: Angie Hengst – President, Michael Frenz – VP, Frank Narr, Tim Crosby, Natalie Chabot, Gaver Nichols, Jerry Jones – County Manager, Glenn Steckman – City Manager

Special Presentations

Debbie Usab, President of the Board of Directors of the Richardson Maritime Museum provided an update of museum activities.  The red brick building has a new roof, many planning initiatives are underway and they continue to receive and pursue grant funding. Board members have also made significant donations. They have started a Build-a-Boat program in the evenings for the public. Last year they created an event committee to organize sunset cruises, etc. They are developing outreach materials. This spring the museum will be open one day a week – visitation is currently by appointment only. The museum is in frequent discussions with the owner of the M/V Sequoia that is currently stored at the museum, in hopes of providing renovation services for the boat. The museum is operated 100% by volunteers.

Brett Summers, NOVO Development and local resident, gave a presentation encouraging CWDI to hire a Marketing Broker for Cambridge Harbor (CH). He explained that a broker could take the concept materials that CWDI has already created and find interested developers for the parcels. He explained that the broker would become the marketing arm for CH. Brokers typically expect a one-year contract and sell the lots on commission, often 6%. The broker and developers would be required to follow the design principles as expressed by the public. It would take about three months to hire a broker by RFP. However, CWDI will still need to build-out the infrastructure (electric, water, sewer, sidewalks, roads, and public lighting.) While detailed planning is underway to build the infrastructure, financing is still needed to pay for it by grants, donations, TIF bonds, loans, etc.

Committee Reports

Outreach Committee – Angie Hengst discussed holding public information sessions soon and is discussing with Holly at the Tourism department possibly using the waterfront for concerts and carnivals. Glenn Steckman encouraged more community outreach and suggested the CWDI hold their board meetings in city council chambers so that the meetings can be made available on Townhallstreams.com. Tim Crosby also pushed for more public outreach.

Finance Committee – Frank Narr shared overhead slides of financial data that was too tiny to read but reassured the attendees that CWDI is financially sound. Next month UHY, the same auditors that the county uses, will begin auditing CWDI 2024 financials. The board reviewed and approved the 2025 budget, 6-0.

Planning Committee – has been updating the concept plan. After a review with Planning, a May public meeting will be held. Tim Crosby discussed the many meetings that CWDI has been having with the Planning department and city and county representatives. Going forward the Planning Committee will be holding bi-monthly meetings with the city Planning department. The promenade is 26% complete and will have bio-swales between the walkway and waterfront with plantings.

Discussion

Glenn Steckman encouraged the board to meet monthly, not semi-monthly, in open session and use city council chambers and Townhallstreams.com. For larger public engagements he suggested the Elks Club.

Brett Summers offered that a local group is exploring renovating and opening the Tolley Theatre for live performances.