June 13, 2013
Dear Mayor Bailey and President Reiss,
I would like to provide an update on the activities of the Chestertown Revitalization Task Force which began meeting, at your request, around the Ides of March. We have met on seven occasions and have invested, as a group, 28 hours in hearing from diverse elements of the Chestertown and Kent County communities. To date, we have listened to the thoughts and suggestions of 36 individuals from local government, business, educational, and not-far-profit constituencies. We have also spoken to another dozen or so individuals who wanted to speak privately, instead of in front a larger group. Additionally, we have heard from young people who, as natives of the County, have opted to return to Chestertown after graduating from college and make a go of it here.
You should know that while you have each appointed four of us to this task, there are no lines of demarcation amongst the eight of us ….. at least currently! I think I speak far all of us in saying that we are enjoying the process, learning much, and are optimistic about the possibilities
for our town’s future.
We intend to hear from 14 more individuals to ensure we are truly getting a broad cast of community sentiment. And, we expect that input will conclude at the end of June which is when you hoped to get a report from us.
Realistically however, our report will not be forthcoming until the Fall of this year. Our intention is to digest what we have heard at the end of this month. At that point, we will engage professional urban planners to develop specific design alternatives for the water-front and nearby lands, taking into account the connectivity to, and impacts on Chesteliown’s economy and growth opportunities. Their design options will be based on ideas, suggestions, and observations that we have gleaned from our multiple interviews. We expect their assignment will take two months. After that, we will present our findings to State and Federal officials to ascertain the viability of obtaining financing for the various recommendations we have.
Subsequent to our assessment of the planners’ design and the testing of financing possibilities, we will be prepared to publicly address our conclusions and recommendations. As you see fit, we will make similar presentations before the Chestertown Town Council and the Washington College Board of Visitors and Governors.
John A. Moag, Jr.
Chair
Chestertown Revitalization Task Force
eliott bruce says
You spoke to more people then voted in last election .A planning firm will cost min. of 100k any thing less will not be any good.Our cost in answering Penn Landings rfp was 500k and Ardmore was 250k {which got but turned it back to town when they would not approve a Whole Foods]My suggestion is very simple and direct ,just go to “uli” ask them to do a plan and pay their out of pocket. Cost abot 50k
Gerry Maynes says
Hi, Why would Whole Foods want to come to Chestertown? Simply isn!t enough people here to support it. After the first look at 20 Dollar Carrots and 30 Dollars Eye Round Roasts. The store sure would have to draw from a great distance to survive. Gerry
RD Sweetman says
Whole foods usually requires a minimum population base of around 300,000 before they’ll consider setting up shop anywhere…They want an almost guaranteed customer base to build upon.