Mayor Chris Cerino announced at Monday’s town council meeting that Chestertown will buy the former Shared Opportuntity Service, Inc. property at 601 High Street to house the new police station.
“In a study performed by the Chestertown Police Department Committee in 2013, this particular site was deemed appropriate in size, scale and location for a new police department location,” Cerino wrote in a press release.
The property, owned by Shared Opportunity Service, Inc. (SOS) offered training programs and services for middle and low income Kent and Queen Anne County families for eighteen years. It also houses a daycare center, currently serving 51 children.
In December 2013, John Hanley, president of the board of SOS, told the town council that funding losses from the Maryland Family Network were too severe to continue all services except for the Early Learning Center daycare program. At that time SOS began seeking buyers for the property.
The SOS website currently states, “Over the last five years, the economic downturn has had a significant negative effect on our ability to maintain programming. We give heartfelt thanks to our many supporters, board members, dedicated employees, and countless volunteers who contributed to S.O.S. and its programs through the years.”
The town will be meeting with SOS board members on December 16 to discuss further plans or negotiations with the daycare center and other businesses in the building.
Chuck Reeser says
This is good for the Police but at the same time sad for the family’s who used this facility.Ive volunteered cooking lessons there along with countless other volunteers….. it’s a shame.Theres definitely a stark devide here in town ,and the county with available jobs that reflect Rental prices as we’re quickly becoming a retirement destination.I wish those family’s well as there kind of hidden in the shadows, and hope for prioritys and opportunities to come.
Hugh Silcox says
It’s ironic, isn’t it, that a long-time provider of training programs and services for middle- and low-income Kent and Queen Anne County families goes out of “business” because of a lack of public funding (read “resolve”), only to have its building acquired by the town’s law-enforcement force. I am — emphatically — not making the point that this news is evidence of any new priority in Chestertown’s thinking. Just a simple real-estate transaction. Does make you think, though. Had SOS been enabled to pursue its mission, perhaps there might have bee a little less call for the (yes, very critical) services of the police force…..
Chuck Reeser says
Not to sound sarcastic but I guess it got lost in the Marina shuffle,I haven’t heard people taking to the streets screaming about it so I guess it’s acceptable.I had no Idea that the program was in trouble or discontinued which is a shame because programs such as were offered there can give hope to individuals born in lower income situations.It offers hope confidence and esteem to people trapped in a perpetual cycle who don’t know any better simply because that’s all they’ve experienced.Lately there’s been meetings in the county of ways to keep young people here…for what more irony?I was very proud of the fact that The community center was built it was a forward approach at tackling a problem.Maybe if emphasis were put on the Community Center we wouldn’t need such a huge Police force.I guess it’s back to the Shadows for the people who used it.