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June 22, 2025

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

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Fithian Responds to Chestertown’s $250,000 Request, CPD Safe from Sheriff Takeover

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As 2019 came to a close, Chestertown Mayor Chris Cerino made a year-end plea to the Kent County Commissioners for a tax differential or rebate in the amount of $250,000 for the town.

A tax differential is a rebate on property taxes town residents pay the county for services like fire, police, street cleaning and planning & zoning.

Chestertown provides and pays for many of these services out of its own budget and town leaders have complained in recent years that the absence of a differential has forced the delay of road maintenance and other infrastructure needs.

“County taxpayers living within the municipal boundaries of Chestertown receive none of these services from the county,” Cerino wrote in his Dec. 19 letter to the Kent Commissioners.

A tax differential exists in the vast majority of Maryland counties in the form of lower county tax rates to town residents or direct cash payouts to municipalities, but Kent is one of three Maryland counties that doesn’t provide a rebate or differential to its municipalities. Chestertown received rebates of $100,000 from 2012 to 2014 to help offset declining tax revenue during the recession. 

Cerino’s letter echoed many of the talking points he and Ward 1 Councilman David Foster made before the commissioners this summer. 

“Put simply, Chestertown residents get far fewer services for the same tax dollar,” Cerino wrote. “They are essentially taxed twice (once by the County and once by the Town) for services that are provided solely by the Town of Chestertown.”

In an interview on Dec. 31, Kent County Commissioner Ron Fithian shot back that the county pays service providers directly, instead of passing the funding through the municipalities. 

Fithian highlighted fire protection, EMT coverage and high-speed Internet as examples of direct support services to the municipalities. He said the annual contributions to Chestertown come to “far more” than $250,000.

He said the county pays $1 million annually to operate eight firehouses and $1.7 million for EMTs and paramedics. He said 40 percent of the calls for EMT services are for Chestertown.

In the county’s current fiscal budget, $128,000 went to the Chestertown Fire Department and $70,000 went to EMT services, Fithian said. In Fiscal 2020, the town contributed $49,000 for fire equipment and $20,000 to the rescue squad.

Fithian highlighted the $7.4 million investment in high-speed Internet in the county and said Chestertown municipal facilities were connected “free of charge” at an initial cost of $65,000 to the county. He said there’s about $10,000 in recurring costs the county will pay to cover 10 town facilities.

Fithian said Kent’s other municipalities have not asked for a differential or rebate.

“I think they understand the contributions we make to them,” he said. 

Fithian said he understood Chestertown’s tight budget, but that it was not a reason for the Kent County Sheriff’s Office to take over the Chestertown Police Department, an idea that Mayor Cerino floated last year to cut costs. 

“I don’t know of a county or town…that at one time or another hasn’t had financial issues,” he said. “You have to make the hard calls if you want to be in charge.”

Fithian reaffirmed that the county is unlikely to support a takeover of CPD and said Cerino and the Town Council are responsible to shore up the town’s budget.

“If you’re going to be the Mayor of Chestertown you gotta’ be the Mayor of Chestertown and make these decisions, good or bad, to best serve your people and pay the bills…”

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The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Armed Robber Hits Uncle Charlie’s Bistro

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At 9:40 pm Saturday an armed robber entered Uncle Charlie’s Bistro at 834 High St. with a handgun and demanded money. The suspect made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect was described as an African-American male between 5’8″ and 6′. No injuries were reported.

PFC Marty Heinefield and OFC Stacey Shockley of the Chestertown Police Department were first to arrive at the scene.

The restaurant was closed and only two employees were on duty.

A K-9  unit was brought in to track the suspect, but the scent was lost after a few steps, said Chestertown Police Chief John Dolgos.

Det. Chris Pavon will take over the investigation.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Town Kept Shipyard Offer Under Wraps Until after the Election

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In late October, The Sultana Education Foundation offered Chestertown $80,000 to buy the Sultana Shipyard at Cannon and Mill Streets, the same price the town purchased it from the Kent County Commissioners in 1997.

Since then, SEF has leased the publicly owned property from the town for $1 a year.

The contract offer came with a letter from Sultana President Drew McMullen expressing SEF’s desire to purchase the property.

But knowledge of the offer was not made public–in anticipation of one, and possibly two new members joining the council in January as a result of the fall election.

Town Manager Bill Ingersoll said he made the decision to table the offer until next year.

“The matter of a prospective buyer’s interest in part of the shipyard was deferred, by me, to a matter to be addressed by the new Town Council,” Ingersoll said in an email to the Spy on Dec. 27. “This is planned for the earliest possible agenda in the new year, following the swearing-in of the new council members.”

While Ingersoll said the decision was his, council members were aware of SEF’s offer but chose not to mention it even for the purpose of deferring the issue to the new council in 2020. Communications between Ingersoll and council members were “confidential.”

Ward 4 Councilwoman-elect Meghan Efland ran unopposed to fill the seat vacated by Marty Stetson, but the Ward 2 contest between incumbent Linda Kuiper and challenger Tom Herz had yet to be decided.

Ingersoll said the process requires the shipyard to be legally declared surplus property before the sale could take place, and that process would have run through the transition to the new council in January.

“[Sultana’s] letter of interest in late October was received at the time of the election and I deferred it for one main reason: the sale of any property by the Town cannot start until the property is declared surplus or excess by Ordinance,” Ingersoll wrote.  “This process is a two meeting process, with a comment period and rarely can be accomplished in less than 6 weeks.”

If the Council votes to declare the parcel surplus public property, the town will advertise the ordinance to provide a competitive bidding process for the property, which is zoned RB Professional Office.

Two council members contacted last week would not comment on why SEF’s offer was not made public.

The shipyard was used to build the Schooner Sultana and SEF continued to lease the facility after the ship was launched in 2001. SEF now wants to redevelop the shipyard to further augment its educational programs, which can’t be done without title to the property. McMullen said the redevelopment would only be possible if the nonprofit “can secure long-term rights for the use of the property. Our preference to accomplish this would be an outright purchase from the Town of Chestertown.”

The shipyard lot is Parcel 3 of  Tract No. 1, which includes the town service yard.  Tract 2 was on the other side of Mill Street and was sold. Tract 1 was purchased for $80,000 and Tract No. 2 was purchased for $3,000, according to the deed. There is a deed restriction that must be resolved with the State of Maryland, State Highway Administration before the sale. Ingersoll said those issues would be explored by the new council in January. Ingersoll said SEF recently paid for a boundary survey of Tract No. 1. He also said he was unaware of what the property might appraise for.

See documents

See Deed

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The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Hogan Appoints Carla Lynn Knight to Judge of QAC Circuit Court

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Carla Lynn Knight

Governor Larry Hogan announced Friday the appointment of Carla Lynn Knight, a Centreville attorney, to Judge of the Circuit Court of Queen Anne’s County.

“The appointment of qualified individuals to serve across our state’s justice system is paramount to upholding our responsibilities to the people of Maryland and the rule of law,” Hogan said in a statement announcing the appointment. “I have confidence that Ms. Knight will be a strong advocate for the law and will serve the citizens of Queen Anne’s County admirably.”

“I was notified by the Governor’s Office on Friday and I was surprised and very happy,” she said in a brief phone interview with the Spy.

Knight will be sworn in on Jan. 31 to replace retiring Judge Thomas G. Ross.  She said she learned of the vacancy in September and was encouraged by many people to apply.

She rose to the top of six applicants after a series of interviews, and three names were forwarded to Hogan. She will be the first woman judge of the court since its founding in 1706.

The appointment of Knight is interim. She will have to run in the 2020 primary and general elections. In Maryland, circuit court judges are elected to 15-year terms.

Knight said she will have to close her law firm in Centreville, which has focused on family law for 17 years.

She has worked for Queen Anne’s County Department of Social Services on juvenile matters, termination of parental rights–and she has served as executive director of the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence, Inc.

Before starting her own practice, she was an associate attorney with Foster, Braden, Thompson, and Palmer. She is a member of the Centreville Rotary Club and serves on the board of St. Martin’s Ministries.

She is a 1988 graduate of Washington College and earned her law degree from Widner University in 1999.

Knight is married with two children and two grandchildren. She said her family is “excited and very proud” of her appointment.

“It not only changes my life, it changes my family’s life as well,” she said. “My family has been part of Queen Anne’s County going back to the [17th Century].”

 

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The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Shopping Center Vacancies Reflect Struggling Retail Economy

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Plaza Tapatia closed its door suddenly on Oct. 31

With reports of record employment and a booming economy, there’s a fair amount of vacant retail space at Kent Plaza and Washington Square shopping centers in Chestertown.

Most recently, Plaza Tapatia at Kent Plaza shut its doors suddenly on Oct. 31. The chain still operates other locations on the Eastern Shore.

John Peters, Director of Construction and Facility Maintenance for Cordish Companies, which owns Kent Plaza, said discussions were ongoing with some national chains to lease the Plaza Tapatia location, which at one time was a Pizza Hut.

“It will not be a Chick-Fil-A,” Peters said of rumors floating around on Facebook. “But we are talking to national chains.”

The record job growth and a slight uptick in wages of late have not reduced store vacancies at the two major shopping centers. One retailer said a stagnant population and nominal wage growth is making it harder for retailers to survive.

“The rents are simply too much [and] the traffic isn’t high enough to make the rent worth it,” said an uptown retailer who asked to remain anonymous.  “Either we need more people or the rents need to come down.”

Kent County Economic Development Director Jamie Williams said online shopping has taken a bite out of local retailers’ income.

The former Luisa’s location has been empty for four years since it moved to 849 Washington Ave.

“The current retail situation is not unique to Kent County or rural communities,” she said.  “Retail is changing, approximately 15% of all retail is online and that number is expected to increase.  Attraction is difficult in Kent County, retailers want to know the population, number of households, and traffic counts.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average weekly wages in Kent increased by $29 over 2018, from $753 to $782–still well below the national average of $1,095 and the state average of $1,178. The rise in the Consumer Price Index of 2% took roughly $16 from the $29 increase.

Kent ranks sixth-lowest in the state for average weekly wages, but things are progressing on the wage front, Williams said.

“Kent County’s average weekly wage ranked number 1 in a one-year change in percentage growth from 2017 to 2018, and number 10 in the 5-Year change in percentage growth,” she said. “The focus has been the attraction of high paying jobs with low environmental impacts.”

“Our population needs to grow to sustain our current retail businesses and to attract new retailers,” she said.  “Kent’s population has been slowing declining and is projected to decline for the next 5 years by 2%–compared to Queen Anne’s at a 3% increase and Cecil at a 1% increase.”

She said the three counties of Delaware are expected to grow by 14%.

Former Olympia Sports location at Kent Plaza

Currently, there are store seven vacancies at Kent Plaza and three at Washington Square.

The Rite Aid at Kent Plaza closed this year, a year after the drug retailer announced it was merging with Walgreens. There’s a handful of other vacant spaces at Kent Plaza, including the Olympia Sports Shop, which also closed its door this year.

The King Buffet at Washington Square has been vacant for three years, and an adjacent retail space is also empty.

The former Luisa’s location at Washington Square has been empty since the restaurant opened its new location in 2015 at 849 Washington Avenue, the former Village Bakery & Café.

And the old Towne Stationers location remains vacant after closing this summer.

Former King Buffet remains empty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Early Morning Crash on MD 291 Leaves 1 Dead, Sends 2 to Shock Trauma

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Shortly after midnight, Maryland State Troopers from the Centreville Barrack responded to an accident at MD 291 near Buckingham Road in Chestertown, where Ravin Cierra Dean, 29, of Millington was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other passengers, Jefferson Stalyn Hernandez Villatoro, 20, and Jose Luis Rodriguez, 41, both of Millington, were airlifted to Maryland Shock Trauma.

MSP reported that Dean was driving her 2007 Ford Mustang westbound on MD 291 when the vehicle left the road and overturned several times before coming to rest.

Dean was taken to the Maryland State Medical Examiners Office.

The Maryland State Police Crash Team was dispatched to conduct a reconstruction of the accident.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Former Shore Health Chair Violated Volunteer Bylaws, UMMS Report Says

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The University of Maryland Medical System Board of Directors, the parent board of UM Shore Regional Health, has established new governance guidelines to protect the system from conflicts of interest that forced the resignation of former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and other board members this spring, according to an UMMS Special Committee Investigative Report released Friday.

The special committee appointed the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP to conduct the investigation.

“There is no question the past conduct undertaken by certain former corporate officers and board members was extremely problematic and damaged the reputation of the system,” said a statement from UMMS Communication Director Michael Schwartzberg that was released with the report. “Undoubtedly, there were structural, governance and operational flaws at the System’s Board and executive level.”

The 34-page report identified “self-interested transactions” between nine board members and executive management–where board members and/or their family members benefitted financially.  

“Ineffective” and “incomplete” conflict-of-interest policies enabled board members to solicit executive management for contracts, the report said.

John Dillon, former chair of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, received a contract in 2012 to provide fundraising and public relations services to UMMS at a rate of $13,000 per month. The contract was approved by letter of agreement, with then UMMS CEO Robert Chrencik, and renewed every year through 2019 without using the system’s competitive bidding process–and without proper approval of the board. 

There was also “no evidence of any discussion of, review of, vote on, or approval of the arrangement by the Board,” the report said.

Although Dillon had disclosed his earnings from the agreement every year, many board members and some senior executives “insisted” they were unaware of the existence of the agreement.

The report questioned whether Dillon had received compensation for duties that were consistent with board membership that is normally on a volunteer basis.

Dillon’s duties, based on the 2018 renewal of his contract, were to raise money for a new medical center, perform community outreach and advise on “hospital acquisitions and the expansion of the Medical System.”

But some in senior management vouched for Dillon that his duties were “far above” that of a volunteer board member. Dillon disclosed that he spent 25 hours a week on his contractual obligations, but the committee concluded that there was little difference between Dillion’s contractual duties and that expected of a volunteer board member.

The committee also determined that Dillon’s agreement violated UMMS’ volunteer services bylaws because it was not properly approved by the board.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Redistricting, Reapportionment Overdue in Chestertown

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With the 2020 census around the corner, Chestertown is closing in on a quarter-century since it last reapportioned its four voting districts.

State law gives no redistricting guidance to municipalities; so local jurisdictions like Chestertown are governed by the 1965 Voting Rights Act, court rulings and the U.S. Constitution.

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment mandates that voting districts in a state or local jurisdiction be equal in population to the extent possible. But current voter registration rolls in Chestertown may indicate that the wards vary in population — from the smallest to the largest — by more than 10 percent. Deviations that exceed 10 percent in local jurisdictions are generally considered  “constitutionally suspect” unless there is a compelling reason.

As of the 2019 election for Wards 2 and 4, the most current census data available puts the town’s population at 5,054, and the tally of registered voters shows increases in each ward since the town last redrew its districts in 1995, most notably in Ward 3.

Ward 1 –    760
Ward 2 –    611
Ward 3 – 1,236
Ward 4 –    676

Chestertown officials could not provide census data by ward for this story. But if the wards were equally apportioned within the 10 percent range, each ward should have roughly 1,250 residents. This means Ward 3 is hovering at or near 100 percent voter registration. 

Chestertown’s 1995 redistricting and apportionment ordinance recognized that over two decades had passed since the previous reapportionment and the need to increase population and voter registration in Ward 2, historically lower than the other wards.

In attempting to balance the voter rolls and population in each ward, the Ward Apportionment Study Committee, appointed in 1993, drew new boundaries that moved parts of Wards 1, 3 and 4 into Ward 2. See proposed map changes from March of 1995.

The final tally for the four wards when the new map was adopted in 1995:

Ward 1 population    917, with 668 registered voters
Ward 2 population 1,058, with 449 registered voters
Ward 3 population 1,167, with 573 registered voters
Ward 4 population 1,327 (includes 300 college students) with 473 registered voters.

The reapportionment committee put the town’s population at 4,169, and the adopted map anticipated growth in Wards 1, 3 and 4 — and allowed for the expansion of Ward 2 should annexation occur in the future. See the adopted map.

The adopted committee report used the most current voter registration rolls from the Kent County Board of Elections and the most current census data from the Maryland Department of Planning. The committee’s final report said, “care was taken to preserve the minority voter balance in each ward.” 

Though Maryland municipalities, like in all states, must establish their own redistricting plans that comply with the VRA and the Constitution, there is no requirement in Chestertown’s charter that mandates redistricting after a census. The Charter simply states:

“It shall be the duty of the Mayor and Council, by Ordinance, to divide the Town into four (4) wards and apportion the Council in such manner for election purposes so as to reflect population and voter equality.”

There are 157 municipalities in Maryland and Chestertown is one of 30 that has voting districts to elect council members, according to the Maryland Municipal League. Of the 30 municipalities still using voting districts,  six require a decennial census; Chestertown is not one of them.

 

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

WC Easement Clears Way To Improve Verizon Cell Service Downtown

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KRM Development’s gift this week of the Dixon Valve & Coupling facility at 800 High Street to Washington College clears the way for Verizon to complete upgrades on the cell tower, located next to Kent Athletic and Wellness Center.

The upgrades are to fix shoddy cell service downtown, a problem that has gone on for some time.

Shortly after the gift was made this week, the college gave Verizon an easement to bore fiberoptic cable underground from High Street to the north end of the facility, about two-tenths of a mile. Verizon must file the easement with Kent County before the fiberoptic cables can be buried.

The fiberoptic connection to the tower is supposed to be the last stage of the upgrade.

Work began on the tower in April and was delayed until September because of a nesting pair of Osprey. In September work resumed and Verizon said upgrades to the cell service would take about three weeks. But work was delayed again with a new estimate to have the upgrades deployed “by the end of this year,” said David Weissmann, a public relations manager for Verizon.

Weissmann yesterday gave a new completion date of “early next year.” He gave no indication in previous communications with the Spy that Verizon was waiting on an easement to finish the installations required to upgrade the service.

 

 

Since October, new Verizon hardware has been installed on the Washington College cell tower at Dixon Valve

Dixon Valve and Coupling facility at 800 High St.

 

 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.