Mayor Chris Cerino read the following Mayor’s Municipal Report at the town council meeting held Monday, January 5.
The Charter of the Town of Chestertown states, “The Mayor, during the first quarter of each calendar year, shall report to the Council the condition of municipal affairs and make such recommendations as he (she) deems proper for the public good and welfare of the town.” Herein is said report.
FINANCIAL. The audit for the Town of Chestertown for FY 2014 was presented and accepted in November 2014. For the 20th year in a row, the Town received an unqualified audit indicating financial excellence. This year’s audit was completed by Lindsey & Associates, LLC of Towson, Maryland. The annual audit showed the Town to be in extremely strong financial condition with total net assets over liabilities in all departments of $17,374,77
Chestertown maintains a general fund surplus of over $ 1,212,000 that provides financial stability for the Town if funds historically provided by State and County governments are reduced or disappear. Recovery from the serious recession of 2006-2012 continued in 2014. State funds that reached record lows in the past made comebacks for the second straight year. Highway User funds were increased and local income taxes continued to recover. Real estate assessments are stable or improving. The Town has maintained an excellent financial position while providing all services mandated by the community’s charter. Simultaneously, the Town has aggressively pursued grants whenever possible for the creation of parks, infrastructure enhancements, acquisition of new properties, and other major capital projects.
During this year the Town held the tax rate to $.37. The Town also retained the Homestead Property Tax Credit percentage of 5%. This credit limits the increase in a homeowner’s property tax bill to 5% in any given year, no matter how much their assessment has increased.
STAFFING. The Town has 39 permanent positions for full-time employees in four different departments. These departments include: Office (6), Street (11), Utilities (8), and Police (14). There are also 4 part-time positions within the Town. Three are employees at the Visitor’s Center, and the Town has a part-time crossing guard. All departments are fully staffed and operating well.
ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2014:
This was an exciting and productive year. At the first meeting of 2014, three newly elected Council members took office. Mayor Chris Cerino was sworn in by Mark Mumford, Clerk of the Circuit Court, at the first Council meeting in January. Mayor Cerino then administered the oath of office to new Council members Liz Gross from Ward One and Sam Shoge from Ward Three. The Council began their work immediately, addressing economic, budgetary, and waterfront redevelopment issues. The following list highlights some of the significant developments that took place in our community in 2014.
- BUSINESS FORUMS: The Mayor and Council held a series of public meetings, one for each commercial zoning district, in an effort to gain information about the local economy and solicit suggestions for solutions to challenges currently facing our local businesses. Empty storefronts, including a supermarket closure at Washington Square, were at the top of the list of problems. Suggested solutions included utilizing social media for improved marketing of Chestertown and website redevelopment.
- CHESTERTOWN REVITALIZATION TASK FORCE: In February, the Council held a forum to solicit public input on the final product of the Chestertown Revitalization Task Force. Though the Task Force had been dissolved due to Open Meetings violations, the Council desired to give the final report the exposure it deserved. The meeting was attended by over 100 residents and many expressed support for the main ideas contained in the document, including 1) improving relations between the Town, Washington College, Kent County, and the business community 2) rehabilitating Chestertown Marina and supporting the College’s efforts to construct a waterfront campus on the Chester River 3) improving directional signage throughout the Town 4) promoting infill development at Stepne Manor and elsewhere to augment the Town’s existing tax base. The report contained dozens of recommendations for the Town, College, and Business community and many of those recommendations have been implemented in the past twelve months.
- CHESTERTOWN MARINA – PUBLIC CHARETTES: The Council outlined and proceeded with their plan for the redevelopment of Chestertown Marina. A $40,000 engineering grant had been awarded to the Town by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the engineering work was issued by staff. The engineering contract was awarded to McCrone, Inc. in May. As part of the re-design process, the Mayor and Council hosted two public charettes – one prior to the engineering work to get ideas from the public (May 28) and one afterwards to present the final engineering plans to the public (August 27). The charrettes drew very large crowds and they were both held at the service building at the marina. Ultimately, a final engineering product was approved by consensus and work began in earnest to get the permits and funding needed to perform the rebuild of the Marina.
- CHESTERTOWN MARINA – JOINT MEETING WITH STATE AGENCIES: On September 24, 2014, representatives from the Town and McCrone presented the permit proposals to the State of Maryland and Federal Government at a Joint Evaluation Meeting held at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in Annapolis. Issues discussed at this meeting included bulkhead replacement, dredging, pier extension and construction, construction of a new public boat ramp, and the raising of the land elevation in more than half of the Marina. The Town’s engineering plans were well received by the state agencies and permitting work is in progress.
- TOWN WEB SITE: The Council put out an RFP in April for the construction of a new website. Twenty-one bids were received and the work was awarded to Moo Productions out of Worton, Maryland. Councilman Shoge has been working closely with Moo Productions (Ms. Francoise Sullivan) on the creation of our website, with the goal of making the site user-friendly for residents and visitors alike. The grand unveiling of the website will be mid-January 2015.
- DOWNTOWN PARKING: A recurring subject in the economic forums was the availability of parking in the downtown area. After listening to public concerns, the Council voted to bag parking meters and allow free parking for downtown visitors. At the same time, the Town created a new 50-vehicle parking lot on the 300 block of Cannon Street for employees on Town property that was previously being used by the Street Department. The lot provides free employee parking and allows a connection to the Gilchrest Trail. A large part of a storage garage in the Town yard was sacrificed to create the new parking lot. The Town crew who built the parking lot then reorganized and cleaned up the entire yard, consolidating the Street operations and selling or recycling items or equipment that were no longer needed.
- HOSPITAL OIL SPILL REMEDIATION PLAN: A public meeting was held with Shore Regional Health to discuss their plans for an oil remediation pilot program at their Brown Street location. Their plan was to inject a surfactant called IveySol™ into the ground and later remove it with the remaining underground oil remnants. The pilot study was performed and the Town is still waiting on the results from MDE. Special thanks to Mr. Bob Sipes, Utilities Manager, for his part to ensure that Chestertown’s drinking water is protected for now and in the future..
- CHARLES SUMNER POST: The Charles Sumner Hall had its grand opening in June 2014. The Town served as a pass-through entity for three Community Legacy Grants through DHCD amounting to $300,000.00 that help to fund the rehabilitation of the building. The Hall has been an excellent addition to Chestertown, and is frequently utilized for lectures, musical performances, and community gatherings.
- RAIL TRAIL, PHASE III: The Maryland Bikeways grant funding of $168,000 for Phase III of the Chestertown Rail Trail project was received in 2014 and that phase of the trail was promptly completed. The Council renamed the path the Gilchrest Community Trail. Phase III goes from Dixon Drive past Maryland 291, behind all of the High Street Extended businesses, ending at the Mabel Mumford Gateway Park.
- MABEL MUMFORD GATEWAY PARK: Planning and permitting for the Mabel Mumford Gateway Park was a priority in 2014. In June, a Public Hearing was held to solicit input from the public concerning the Park’s layout and design. In addition to the Public Hearing, the Town worked diligently to obtain approvals from the Kent County Planning Commission, the adjacent neighbors, and the State Highway Administration to get all of the permits necessary to begin construction. The RFP has finally been issued for the project and construction will begin in the spring of 2015. The park’s construction will be paid for by a $155,000 grant that the Town received from the state of Maryland’s Community Parks and Playgrounds program.
- PUBLIC ARTS MASTER PLAN: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) gave Chestertown an “Our Town” grant of $25,000.00 (matched by $25,000.00 from the municipality) to create a public arts master plan and provide a deposit on a children’s play-scape at Wilmer Park. Two charrettes were held to get public input on the Master Plan, including the locations for public art, music, theatre, and a children’s play area, which was determined to be the most pressing need. Twelve submissions were made for play-scape designs, and the winning bid will be selected by a seven-member jury in January 2015. A second NEA Our Town Grant is being requested to help fund the construction of the play-scape, and it is hoped that the new facility will be constructed within the next two years.
- ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT APPLICATION: The Town resolved to apply in 2015 for an “Arts and Entertainment District” Designation which should stimulate the local economy and provide tax breaks for arts related properties in Town. As part of the Management Plan for the A & E District, the Council agreed in principle to hire a part-time Economic Development officer to oversee the district, promote the Town, and work with business owners to stimulate economic activity in Chestertown in 2015.
- KENT COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL RECREATION PLAN: A public hearing was held in July to discuss a proposal by the Chestertown Recreation Commission to construct a baseball field at Kent County Middle School. This discussion ultimately led to a more comprehensive recreation plan for the Middle School campus that was agreed to in principle through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Town the Chestertown, the Kent County Board of Education, and the Kent County Commissioners. Following this dialogue, a Community Parks and Playgrounds grant application for campus-wide recreational improvements at KCMS was submitted to Maryland DNR. Notification on the availability of funding for this project will arrive in spring 2015.
- RECREATION COMMISSION: The Recreation Commission continued to provide fun things for people of all ages to do in Town. The Bocce League had another successful year at Wilmer Park and the outdoor movies entertained hundreds of people at the foot of High Street. Wiffle Ball and Dodgeball were added this year as outdoor activities, along with other enjoyable events such as the Pumpkin Patch. We thank the Recreation Commission for providing Chestertown’s citizens with new recreational opportunities.
- MD ROUTE 20 ROUNDABOUT: The State Highway Administration finished work relating to the 20/291 roundabout and motorists are continuing to adjust to the changes. The State Highway Administration responded to the Town’s concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety on Flatland Road (MD514) by performing a pedestrian study of the costs and methods for adding bike and pedestrian amenities. We are hoping that the SHA will continue this safety initiative for bicyclists and pedestrians in 2015 and beyond.
- SOLAR ARRAY: Bids were opened in July for a 1.2-megawatt solar array at the Chestertown Wastewater Treatment Plant. Twelve bids were received and the process called for a selection of finalists to move toward a contract through negotiation. The lowest bid was from Solar City for a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement at $0.0450 per kilowatt with no escalator. A contract was signed in November and construction should begin in early 2015 on the solar field. In the final Power Purchase Agreement, the size of the solar array was augmented to 1.3 megawatts to align with the Town’s actual electricity requirements. This PPA will represent a significant cost-saving on Chestertown’s electric bills for the next two decades.
- SMART ENERGY COMMUNITY DESIGNATION: The Town is applying for a Maryland Smart Energy Community Designation through the Maryland Energy Administration that will make the Town eligible for grants for energy saving initiatives.
- CHESTERTOWN POLICE STATION: The Police Station Study Committee completed their study for the creation of a new Police Station and presented it to the Council on July 21. Their Facility Study recommended four different sites that could be retrofitted as a new Police Station. One of them, 601 High Street, became available late in 2014. This location was a Family Support Center run by Shared Opportunity Services, Inc. (SOS). SOS had made the decision, due to lack of funding, to close the location and dissolve their nonprofit organization. Chestertown’s proposal to purchase the property was chosen from three submittals, and the terms of the agreement with SOS were mutually beneficial. The intention of the Council is to be as helpful as possible with the current tenants in the building while the Chestertown Police Department transitions to the new facility.
- STEP POOL CONVEYANCE PROJECT: The Step Pool Conveyance project was completed in the LaMotte Valley with $350,000.00 in funding from the Middle Chester Trust Fund, which is administered by Maryland DNR. This is a storm water device that reduces nutrient pollution from approximately 50-acres of impervious surface in the commercial area immediately north of Route 213.
- SALE OF SATTERFIELD COURT AND HIGH STEPS: The Council sold Satterfield Court and the High Steps Apartments to the Delaware Valley Development Company (DVDC) and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). An annual payment in lieu of taxes of $10,000 to the Town will be made in perpetuity. DVDC is in the process of restoring the projects under the Maryland Rental Partnership Program with DHCD and will manage the projects as affordable housing.
- VISITORS CENTER AND SPECIAL EVENTS: The Visitors Center was open 360 days last year and had over 14,000 visitors. May was the most active month with 1,984 visitors, followed by 1,805 visitors in April. Major events in 2014 included the Chestertown Tea Party Festival, Downrigging Weekend, the Fourth of July fireworks on the Chester River, the National Music Festival at Washington College, Music in the Park, the Jazz Festival, Taste of the Town, the Harry Potter Festival, Washington College’s Waterfront Festival and Parents’ Weekend, Winterfest Weekend, Santa’s arrival, and the very popular “First Fridays” program of the Downtown Chestertown Association. One particularly unique event was the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Caulk’s Field. The Kent County Department of Tourism and the Kent County Historical Society worked diligently with many citizens from Chestertown to design, promote, and implement a full-scale re-enactment that brought thousands of people to Kent County. Events in Chestertown for this weekend included sails on the Pride of Baltimore II and a parade to honor both the English and American soldiers that fought during this seminal battle in the War of 1812.
- CURB APPEAL AND D.C.A.: The Downtown Chestertown Association’s Curb Appeal program continued to beautify the Town and put new energy on the street with their ideas and projects. This year it was impossible not to notice all of the beautiful holiday decorations around the community. Our thanks go out to all the Curb Appeal volunteers, and especially to Nancy Butler and to the head of the Downtown Chestertown Association, Kristen Owen. We’d also like to thank Nancy McGuire, who stepped down at the beginning of the year after four years at the help of D.C.A., for all of her hard work building membership in the association and promoting events and businesses in the community.
- FOUNTAIN PARK RESTORATION: The Garden Club and the Town of Chestertown are working together to return Fountain Park to its original luster, while accommodating the Farmer’s and Artisan’s Markets at the same time. The brick walkway along High Street was widened specifically to give room to the Artisans on High Street. Additionally, new sod, flower beds, trees, and walking stones were added to enhance the aesthetics of the Park.
- FARMERS AND ARTISANS MARKETS: The Farmer’s Market and Artisan’s Market in Fountain Park continue to fill the Historic District with a special vitality on Saturday mornings. Our thanks to both market managers for their successful efforts.
- COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE: The Planning Commission spent many months working on the updated Comprehensive Plan and completed their final draft in June. The public comment period ended on December 15th. After incorporating comments from the public, the Plan will be forwarded to the Mayor and Council. The Commission should be applauded for finishing this document in such a timely manner.
- MARGO BAILEY PARK: Several improvements were made at Margo Bailey Park in 2014, and the facility continues to grow in popularity. New access paths were installed that improved connectivity to both Heron Point and Rolling Road. New benches and additional landscaping were added to the dog park, and trees along the walking path that had been ravaged by Japanese beetles either recovered or were replaced.
- COMMUNITY LEGACY GRANT: The Town recently received word that Sultana Education Foundation will receive a $150,000.00 grant in Community Legacy Funding for 2015 to build their new educational facility on South Cross Street. The Town is the pass-through entity for this grant application. This building will meet LEED Platinum standards, and it is hoped that construction on the facility will begin in spring 2015.
- EMERGENCY ROOM EXPANSION AT THE HOSPITAL: The Hospital completed its 4-million-dollar renovation and expansion of their Emergency Room and related facilities, and a grand opening was held in July 2014. This new and improved facility will provide top-of-the-line medical services for area residents for decades to come.
- ACME EXPANSION AND KENT PLAZA RENOVATIONS: The Cordish Company announced that they had signed a long-term lease with ACME, and renovations are currently underway that will nearly double the size of the current store. In addition to the ACME expansion, additional improvements are being made at Kent Plaza including re-paving and re-striping the parking lot, adding new curbs, and expanding landscaping islands at the facility. This work is well on its way and should be completed in the next few months.
- REDNER’S WAREHOUSE MARKETS AT WASHINGTON SQUARE: Redner’s Warehouse Markets signed a long-term lease to replace the vacant Fresh and Green’s store in Washington Square. Redner’s will occupy over 40,000 square feet of retail space when completed. Interior renovations are currently underway, and the new store will open in 2015. With the addition of Redner’s, Chestertown will have two large-scale grocery stores operating simultaneously for the first time in several years.
- CALVERT STREET IMPROVEMENTS: Mayor Chris Cerino, Councilman Sam Shoge, Police Chief Adrian Baker, and Town Manager Bill Ingersoll met with residents of Calvert Street and vicinity to discuss safety concerns in their neighborhood. As a result of these discussions, new speed bumps were installed in the community and surveillance cameras are being installed in areas that need additional supervision.
- SHA BRIDGE CLOSING PROPOSAL: The State Highway Administration (SHA) announced that they would be closing the Chester River Bridge for 4 – 6 weeks in the spring of 2015 for much-needed painting and maintenance work. This announcement has greatly concerned many local residents, primarily due to potential negative impacts to public safety and the local economy. As a result, a Task Force was created consisting of representatives of the Town, Kent County, and SHA. The first meeting of the Task Force is in January 2015, and alternative procedures that will result in a shorter closure period will be explored. In the meantime, the SHA has pushed back the anticipated start time for maintenance work to September 2015.
- CURBSIDE RECYCLING: The Town’s curbside recycling program continues to expand the number of households participating. Recycling of organic and non-organic bulk materials also continues at a high level with the Town pursuing every avenue practically available for reuse or salvage.
- TOWN MEETINGS ON T.V.: James Egan continues doing a great job of getting our Mayor and Council meetings on air. The Town also utilizes a Constant Contact program, Facebook page, and web site at Chestertown.com to provide information to the public.
GOALS FOR 2015
- Keep taxes at the same rate while maintaining our chartered service responsibilities.
- Build out the 1.3-megawatt solar facility at the Chestertown Waste Water Treatment Plant.
- Launch the Town’s new website. Increase efforts to market Chestertown as a tourist destination through the use of the web site and social media.
- Aggressively pursue all forms of public and private funding to complete the rebuilding of Chestertown Marina.
- Continue our work with businesses, business associations, industries, and institutions to improve the local economy and fill any remaining empty storefronts.
- Join with Washington College to explore creative ways to bring more students downtown, to our commercial centers, and to increase student participation in Town activities.
- Monitor the Hospital oil recovery program to protect the well fields of the Town.
- Continue participation in the region-wide effort to improve water quality in the Chester River through the Middle Chester Trust Fund and other grant opportunities.
- Improve our recreation programs, expand recreational activities for all ages in Chestertown, and involve the input of our youth in the decision-making processes.
- Encourage and expand recycling and all other greening efforts, increase public awareness of the need and advantages of these efforts, and continue to plant trees to reach the Town’s 40% canopy goal.
- Purchase 601 High Street and begin the process of moving the Chestertown Police Force to that location.
- Complete the Mabel Mumford Gateway Park and connect it with Phase III of the Rail Trail.
- Work with the Maryland Transit Authority to clear the way for Phase IV of the Rail Trail to the edge of Town.
- Apply for designation as an “Arts and Entertainment District.” Hire an Economic Development officer to oversee the district and stimulate economic activity in Chestertown.
- Review the Planning Commission’s Comprehensive Plan when it is submitted.
- Create a new branding for Chestertown that will be incorporated into Town signage. Add directional signage throughout the community.
- Pursue grants that provide solutions for storm drainage and runoff into the Chester River
- To annex the Mabel Mumford Gateway Park and the Town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant property in 2015.
- Work with interested community members to conceive and implement additional winter events that will stimulate economic activity in Chestertown, and specifically in the Historic District.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to take a few final moments to thank all of those individuals who donated their time and talents to make Chestertown a better place in 2014. First of all, our heartfelt thanks to the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company and the Kent and Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad, who freely put their own lives at risk to protect our property and loved ones. Second, a tip of the hat to the dozens of Commission members, Committee members, and Task Force members who donate their time to help the Town review applications, coordinate growth, and formulate future policy. Next, I’d like to recognize the volunteers who directly or indirectly assist the Town with all the events and activities that bring excitement, pride, and a sense of identity to Chestertown. These include individuals, local businesses, and non-profits that do what they do all year long without expecting any thanks in return. Finally, thank you to the employees of the Town who carry out their jobs with pride, a sense of responsibility to our citizens, and attention to detail. While our beautiful river, historic buildings, Washington College, and the laid-back lifestyle of the Eastern Shore make Chestertown a unique and enjoyable municipality in which to live, it is the people in our community that make it truly special place.
George R. Shivers says
To the Editor:
Mayor Chris Cerino Report on Municipal Affairs is quite thorough, however, I was disappointed that in the section on the Visitors Center and Special Events he failed to acknowledge the first Legacy Day, sponsored by the Historical Society of Kent County and other organizations on August 16. Over one thousand people attended this event that included an antique auto parade, a band concert, a DJ, dancing on High Street, food vendors and an exhibit featuring Charlie Graves’ Uptown Club. The mayor himself addressed the group and is reported to have requested that the event become an annual occurrence. The Historical Society is already beginning to plan Legacy Day 2015 for this summer. The Mayor might also have mentioned Maryland Emancipation Day events sponsored by both the GAR Center and the Historical Society of Kent County on November 1. It included a special tribute to Henry Highland Garnet, the Kent County slave who became a prominent abolitionist and achieved national and international fame.
Sincerely,
George R. Shivers
Member of the Board of the Historical Society of Kent County
Chris Cerino says
Sorry for the ommission!!!! I was personally present at Legacy Day and Emancipation Day and they were indeed both fantastic events. The Historical Society of Kent County did great things in 2014 and they should be acknowledged. Please understand that highlighting each and every event/activity that happened in our Town in a calendar year is an impossible task, and any ommissions were unintentional. Here’s hoping that the Historical Society and all of our new businesses have a fantastic 2015.
Mayor Chris Cerino
Janice Dickson says
What about the Memorial Day parade, honoring all our veterans?
What about the opening of new businesses in Chestertown?
etc. , etc.
Yes, surely some events haven’t been mentioned.
But none, I am sure, were intentionally omitted.
And there is no ranking of importance implied.
Well done, Chris.
Jennifer Baker says
Nice work! This is a great summary. It’s accomplishments like these and the coordinated efforts of many community organizations that make it a great time to start a business here in Chestertown.
Jenn Baker
Chester River Wine & Cheese Co.