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A Message from the Commissioners
2017 was very busy, with many improvement projects completed and projects planned for the future. As St. Michaels ends its 2018 budget year, we felt it would be valuable to update our community on funded plans, in process projects, and ongoing studies. We also begin the busy time of the year with new and exciting Spring events!
William Boos, President,
Commissioners of St. Michaels
Michael Bibb, Vice-President
Roy Myers, Treasurer
Joyce Harrod, Commissioner
Jaime Windon, Commissioner
Upcoming Election - Register and Vote!
There will be an election for two of the five offices of Commissioner of the Town of St. Michaels from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town Office on Monday, May 7, 2018. The term of each office is four years expiring in June 2022. The deadline for qualified persons wishing to be a candidate is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018 in the Town Office. The last day to register to vote in the Town Commissioner election is also 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018. Commissioners' Windon and Myers terms are set to expire in June. Anyone with questions please contact Jean Weisman in the Town Office at 410-745-9535, or by email.
Police Station and Town Office Studies
After a thorough study of the police station's physical deficiencies, the public works department, with the assistance of Commission Bibb, has made many improvements to the building in order to bring it to a safer standard. Given these improvements, the Commissioners have voted to keep the police department in its current location. We will continue to work on making improvements to the existing building, so that facility allows our officers and staff to do their jobs safely and efficiently. As there will not be a new police station at this time, the Commissioners will be discussing the possible locations for a new town office, including 800 S. Talbot Street and 124 S. Fremont Street at their March 21, 2018 meeting at 6 .m. at the town office.
The Town of St. Michaels recently issued permits to YMCA of the Chesapeake to construct a new educational and recreational facility based on the St. Michaels School Campus. The new facility will be located near the existing tennis courts near Seymour and Radcliffe Avenues. The rendering (at right) by Noelker and Hull Associates, Inc. shows the proposed building. The Commissioners attended a ceremonial ground breaking for the new YMCA on October 23, 2017 and the permits were issued on January 26, 2018.
Brooks Lane Annexation for Habitat for Humanity Homes
The Commissioners of St. Michaels approved annexation of nine parcels along Brooks Lane on December 13, 2017 to zone the area Residential (R1) to allow for single family residential development in the area. This area includes a parcel owned by Habitat for Humanity Choptank Inc. where they are proposing eight lots with seven single family homes. The annexation went into effect and the area shown in the plat (at left) was officially made a part of St. Michaels on January 29, 2018.
Safe Routes to School Program
The Town of St. Michaels has recently submitted 100% construction documents to the State Highway Administration Safe Routes to School program to construct an asphalt trail the entire length of the school campus parallel to Seymour Avenue. The trail will allow kids walking and biking to school a safe path to and from school. The trail will be similar to the St. Michaels nature trail and will allow kids, adults, residents and visitors in the area a nice place to recreate. The Town hopes to begin construction on the trail early this summer pending approval by State Highway Administration.
NEW EVENTS!
Frederick Douglass 200th Birthday
Celebration "Cantata"
March 24, 2018 at 6:00pm
St. Michaels Middle High School Auditorium
200 Seymour Avenue, St. Michaels
The event is FREE. Seating is limited.
Join us for a Frederick Douglass 200th Birthday Celebration Cantata. The event will combine a spoken word performance featuring Nathan Richardson with musical selections by the Covenant Gospel Choir under the direction of Leroy Potter. The themes celebrated in the "Cantata" include Frederick Douglass's Eastern Shore upbringing, hardships, triumphs, and accomplishments.
Mr. Richardson is a poet, author, spoken word performer, and Douglass historian from Norfolk, VA. Richardson captures completely the physical and spiritual essence of the former slave and great writer, orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The Covenant Gospel Choir brings together enthusiastic singers from area churches including Christ Episcopal Church, St. Luke's United Methodist Church and Union United Methodist Church, as well as Royal Oak Community Church and New St. John's United Methodist Church in Wittman and is sponsored by the Covenant
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Churches who work to unite the Bay Hundred Community. This performance will be directed by Leroy Potter, music director at Union Baptist Church in Easton.
Join your neighbors before the "Cantata" for a Frederick Douglass 200th Birthday Celebration "Soul Food Dinner" at noon at Union United Methodist Church in St. Michaels. For more information, visit the Town's website
HERE.
NEW! First Annual Daffodil Festival!
April 14 &15, 2018 throughout the town
St. Michaels in Bloom, as a new member of the national America in Bloom organization, planted over 25,000 daffodils throughout the Town of St. Michaels with the support and efforts of many of the residents and businesses in the town. Fun events will include:
Daffodil Festival Parade Join us for our fabulous floral festival parade! Design a float or just be a fan! Saturday, April 14th at 10 a.m. on Talbot Street!
Tailgate Picnic After the parade, join with friends, neighbors, and visitors for a Tailgate Picnic in Hollis Park where judging for the parade and hat contest will take place. Bring your own picnic!
Daffodil Hat Contest Prizes awarded at the end of the parade for the best daffodil decorated hat! No registration required, just join in the parade or meet at the picnic!
Daffodil Historic Tours Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Meet at the St. Michaels Museum. $5 per person. Free admission to the museum.
Daffy-Dog Costume Contest Dress your pooch in a Daffodil theme! Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in Muskrat Park. Daffodil Themed Lunches on Sunday at participating restaurants...PLUS! Contest for Daffodil Best House, Best Street and Best Window Display.
Want to participate? Visit the Daffodil Festival WEBSITE for more information!
Commissioners Decide Not to Proceed with Burying Electric Utility Lines
At their December 13
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Town meeting the Commissioners had their discussion of the Utility Pole Feasibility study presented by John Williams of Booth Associates. This study was presented to the St. Michaels community on October 11
th
. The study and the community's comments and concerns are available on the Town website.
The decision before the Commissioners was whether to proceed with Stage 2 of the Study - actual engineering design of the recommended route. The recommended route would bury utility company cables under the Town roads along Seymour and New Lane, through St. Mary's Square, behind the Episcopal church, and then up to and along Locust and Cedar Streets. The Commissioners discussion centered on the following concerns:
- Feasibility of Burying Current Cable Technology. Atlantic Broadband's current coax cables are not waterproof and not recommended for placement underground. Due to the location of county sewer lines and Town water lines under the proposed route, it would be extremely difficult to bury the large ductbanks and cables required by Verizon and Atlantic Broadband under New Lane and probably impossible under Locust and Cedar streets.
- Disruption and Economic Impact to the Businesses and Residents of St. Michaels. The proposed implementation was projected to take 18 months. With possible delays due to weather, the project could easily impact two tourist seasons. In addition, with the road closures of New Lane, etc., the proposed plan would require cables in 18 inch-wide trenches down the sidewalks of both sides of Talbot Street to service the buildings on Talbot Street. This would significantly disrupt access to our Town's business community. The business owners at the meetings indicated their businesses could not withstand the disruption and would have to leave St. Michaels.
- Cost and Financial Risk to St. Michaels. The projected cost of the project at $11,790,000 is well beyond the scope of what the Town can afford. Additionally, Verizon, Choptank Electric and Atlantic Broadband will only support the project if the Town owns the ductbank, manages the project, pays all their costs and engineering, and takes responsibility for any project delays or financial overruns.
After discussion of the project and these concerns, the Commissioners entertained a motion to discontinue the Electric Utility Pole Study and transfer the remaining project funds back into the Town's General fund. The motion was passed unanimously by the Commissioners. The cost, risk, and disruption to the Town was just too great for the Commissioners to consider burying older technology under the streets of St. Michaels.
Fremont Street Parking Lot
The Town parking lot at 114-116 S. Fremont Street is set to be rehabilitated and expanded this spring. The lot will be brought into code compliant parking spaces, and
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will also include a Microbioretention area and screening, as well as the first Rotary
sponsored bike rack. It is anticipated that the work will begin by early April and weather permitting will conclude by mid-May
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New Rules for Docking along the Bulkhead at Hollis Park
Docking along the bulkhead at Hollis Park is now limited to four hours with no docking between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
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