The Town Commissioners of Pittsville are very pleased and excited to announce that the Town of Pittsville has been awarded and approved for a Community Development Block Grant/CDBG for $800,000 to assist in the funding for the major Water Treatment Plant/WTP Upgrade/Phase IV capital improvement project.

This is a very HUGE accomplishment by the Town since the WTP Upgrade/Phase IV project costs are $2,719,016. The Town has already been approved for $1,500,000 from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) in grant funding and loan forgiveness. The awarded CDBG grant now reduces the Town’s local share to $419,016 or about 15% of the total project. The Town Manager has also submitted a grant application to the Rural Maryland Council for an additional $250,000 in grant funds which is pending.

The Town Commissioners would like to thank our engineering consulting firm, Davis Bowen & Friedel and especially our Town Engineer Rob Duma and staff for all their work on assisting the Town Manager and Town Staff in the preparation and submittal of the CDBG grant application.

The Town Commissioners also would like to thank the Maryland Department of Community Development’s (DHCD) “Community Development Block Grant/CDBG’s” approval of our application and their partnership in our WTP Upgrade/Phase IV project.

• 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.

Click to view Agenda

Please note that effective July 1, 2024, water and sewer utility rates are increasing by 3%. Water front footage rate will remain at $.68 per front foot with sewer front footage rate increasing to $.50 per front foot. These new rates will be reflected in the October 1, 2024 billing.

Due to Independence Day falling on Thursday, July 4th, this week’s trash collection will take place on the morning of Saturday, July 6th. Please have your trash curbside on Friday evening to ensure pickup on Saturday. Thank you and Happy 4th of July!

Town Hall will be closed on Thursday, July 4th and Friday, July 5th in observance of the Independence Day holiday. We will re-open on Monday, July 8th at 8:00am.

Trash collection will take place this week on Saturday, July 6th.

FY 25 MUNICIPAL OPERATING BUDGET & FEE SCHEDULE

At their monthly meeting held on 24 Jun 24, the Commissioners of the Town of Pittsville officially adopted the Town’s FY 25 Municipal Operating Budget along with the Fee Schedule commencing 1 Jul 24. Here are a few very important items regarding the FY 25 Budget:

• Real estate property taxes are increased from $.2875 per $100 of assessed value to $.30 per $100 of assessed value
• Corporate/Personal property taxes are increased from $.90 per $100 of assessed value to $1.00 per $100 of assessed value
• Utility Property Taxes are increased from $.90 per $100 of assessed value to $1.00 per $100 of assessed value
• Rental Housing License Fee is increased from $100 per rental unit to $150 per rental unit
• A new annual Storm Water Management Fee is established in the amount of $30 per recorded real estate property within the incorporated limits of the Town
• All water and sewer user rates are increased by 3% across the board in all categories
• All front foot assessments have been reconciled into one category. Water front foot for all categories is now $.68 per front foot with sewer front foot increased from $.40 to $.50 per front foot

The above utility fee charges will commence with the billing of 1 Oct 24.

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

The Town Commissioners would like to extend a “hearty” THANK YOU to all who worked, participated and attended the 2024 TOWN OF PITTSVILLE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL. It was such a HUGE success thanks to the efforts of so many people. While we cannot list EVERYONE who had a part to play in this very worthwhile family-oriented event, we would like to especially recognize the leading efforts of Robyn Carozza, Town Commissioner David Carozza, the Town’s Department of Public Works led by Director Dale Monroe, town staff, and the below businesses who became our “Corporate Sponsors”:

• DAVIS BOWEN & FRIEDEL — $1000 — GOLD Sponsorship
• SINGH OPERATIONAL SERVICES — $500 — SILVER Sponsorship
• WEBB, WILBER, DOUSE, MATHERS, ILLIMUNATI, LLP — $250 — BRONZE Sponsorship
• WIGGLESWORTH, LAYTON, MOYERS, & CHANCE, PA — $250 — BRONZE Sponsorship
• MITCHELL’S AUTOMOTIVE, TOWING & STORAGE — $250 — BRONZE Sponsorship
• CUNNINGHAM RECREATION — $250 — BRONZE Sponsorship

And thanks to all individuals and businesses who contributed to our event. We want to thank you ALL!

JOSEPH A MANGINI, JR.
Town Manager

The 2023 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report is now available. Click the link below to view/print the report.

[ VIEW REPORT ]

Please be advised that a portion of Maple Street from 7510 Maple to 7530 Maple will be closed on Thursday, June 20, 2024, to allow for the replacement of a drainage pipe beneath the roadway.