Town Manager Outlines Progress and Delays for Town Security Cameras

At Monday’s town council meeting, Chestertown Town Manager Larry DiRe provided  a detailed timeline of renewed efforts to complete the town’s long-stalled security camera program, reaffirming a commitment to finish key installations within 60 days.

DiRe noted that recent vandalism, a downtown assault, and ongoing concerns about public safety have pushed the issue back into focus this spring. “Several years of delay is not acceptable,” he said.

Timeline of Key Activity

• April 4, 2025: A Public Information Act request was filed regarding surveillance or body-worn footage related to a traffic incident.
• April 16: Town staff discussed recent vandalism downtown—including graffiti, sticker defacement of public art, and damage in Wilmer Park—and assessed the camera system’s effectiveness.
• April 18: Chestertown Police released a statement following a series of robberies and an assault in the downtown area.
• April 20: DiRe met with Ricoh, the town’s camera vendor, to discuss existing infrastructure, including an uninstalled doorbell-style camera for the Visitors Center already paid for but not yet operational.
• April 23: Main Street Chestertown shared the 2022 Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) grant application, which secured $99,800 for the security initiative.
• May 8, 2023: Atlantic Security issued an invoice for $65,950 in completed installations, leaving roughly $33,000 in grant funds.
• April 24: DiRe and a security vendor assessed the public bathroom and Cannon Street area for new placements. The same day, DiRe, the Police Chief, and Main Street reviewed the original 2022 camera plan.
• April 30: Expanded discussions considered how to cover Ajax Park, the 300 block of Cannon Street, and parking areas behind Sultana.
• May 15: A second PIA request was completed, supplying documentation related to the DHCD grant.
• May 22: DiRe announced publicly that the town would move ahead using available funds to finalize locations, utilities, and internet connections for the camera system.
• May 27: DiRe held a video conference with Delmarva Power’s liaison, Renee Sheehy, to address concerns over pole-mounted cameras.

Sheehy indicated Delmarva had no record of formal requests from Chestertown to mount cameras on their poles—a concern, DiRe said, that could result in needing after-the-fact agreements or relocation. “If it’s on Delmarva’s pole, they want a signed agreement. Otherwise, it’s trespassing.”

To that end, DiRe submitted photos and pole numbers to Delmarva for review. As a contingency, the town is considering relocating cameras to municipally owned sites like the marina or Public Works building, avoiding delays caused by utility negotiations.

“We’re looking at a better approach that avoids unnecessary bureaucracy,” DiRe said. “But we may end up paying for the same thing twice.”

Despite complications, DiRe affirmed that oversight of public safety infrastructure must remain under town control. “This responsibility belongs in Town Hall—not with outsourced marketing or development groups.”

The town expects to deliver further updates on installation progress in the coming weeks.

Note: A Community Meeting to discuss the uptick in criminal behavior will be held at the town hall, 6 pm, Thursday, May 5,

The May 2nd town council meeting may be viewed in its entirety here. The update on video about security cameras begins is 1:13:00