• First, I would like to announce that the DHCD has approved our Town Manager/Circuit Rider grant application at our requested amount of $52,000 which is a 4% increase, the first increase in 5 years! This puts me here for another year UNLESS someone has “other” ideas!
• DNR has notified me that our grant reimbursement request for the $3,619.50 for Phase II Park Capital Improvement Project will be here in 2 weeks, and our recent grant reimbursement request for $268,131.38 for Phase III will be forthcoming in about one month! Once the funds are received, Ana will ship them up to MLGIP. We still have around $20,000 in this grant to use for the park, but must do so within reason. So, people we need ideas soon! My deadline is 1 Aug to receive comments. After that “we are moving on” with completing the project. Next grant application is due late August. We are planning to draft and submit another grant application to the DNR Community Parks/Playground Program to continue our park capital improvement park project/Phase IV.
• We are planning on scheduling a pre-construction meeting with TALKIE COMMUNICATIONS before granting the ROW permit for work on Friendship Road.
• Our Town Engineer will be contacting Wicomico County regarding the trash racks installed that we believe have hindered the storm water from departing the Town of Pittsville. I will keep you up to date on this matter.
• I have completed and submitted a grant application for $250,000 to the RURAL MARYLAND COUNCIL to help defray the local share costs for the WTP UPGRADE/Phase IV. However, I have just been notified today (July 15) that the Governor is proposing to cut the RURAL MARYLAND COUNCIL’s budget by 25%! This proposal from the Governor goes to the Maryland Board of Public Works on July 17 and guess who the Chairman of that Board is!
• Pittsville Ford has provided preliminary plans to build a 36,000 sq ft building on the land that was annexed back in 2019. The proposed structure will service commercial large vehicles for repair and maintenance.
• The Town has been approached by UGEI a solar power installation company to construct a major solar panel project on the remaining Sandyfield subdivision which is zoned Central Residential/CR and at present does not permit solar panel projects (aside from individual units) They would need a change to the zoning code with a special exception use permitted.
• Dale Withers subdivision is continuing-just need the public works agreement signed (being reviewed now by his buyer/developer) and sewer impact fees need to be paid.
• Chase Dykes subdivision in final review by the Public Facilities Advisory Committee.
• Kevin Bailey subdivision of 4 lots on Main Street approved years ago and all impact fees paid will be sold to a developer who plans to construct 4 single family homes.
• No word regarding new proposal from Tim Ramey on the proposed 7 lot “Addition to Sandyfield” He has until November 7 to receive final Planning/Zoning Commission approval or it becomes null and void.
• There was no Planning/Zoning Commission meeting held this month.
• PEDC will be meeting on Wednesday, July 24 at 5:30 pm in Town Hall.
• Pursuant to a request from Town Commissioner Miller, a monthly schedule of municipal events will be posted on the Town’s web site and face book. The Town Clerk has been assigned the difficult task of reminding the Town Manager!
• I will be attending the MARYLAND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION regional workshop in Crisfield on July 25 and I did attend the Lower Shore’s Regional Meeting held in Salisbury on July 12 to hear comments from the Secretary of Planning and MDOP staff and also to share all that we in PITTSVILLE were doing.
Since our Town Engineer could not attend tonight’s meeting, I will give his report.