2008 in Review

Pocomoke City 2008 Review
By Mike McDermott, Mayor

2008 was great for Pocomoke City! We enter the New Year with the fantastic announcement by Orbital Science and the secured contract for multiple cargo rocket launches from Wallops Island over the next few years. The billions of dollars invested into this resupply system for the International Space Station will provide a recession proof economic boost to our area. Talk about a Christmas present!
The success of the Space Port is just one of the many highlights we experienced in the city over the past year. Being named Maryland’s “Capitol for a Day” in August was quite an honor for all of our citizens and the lower shore. It provided Governor O’Malley a chance to view many of the completed projects in Pocomoke City, conduct a tree planting ceremony, recognize and congratulate our Maryland State Championship teams, tour our beautiful river, visit our bustling Industrial Park, and complete his journey at the Great Pocomoke Fair.
We celebrated the 400th Anniversary of Captain John Smith’s exploration and landing near Pocomoke City with a visit by the crew sailing the shallop replica making the long, commemorative journey. It was appropriate that the hand made boat would dock alongside the recently opened Delmarva Discovery Center where folks could learn and continue their “discovery” of the river and our heritage.
2008 saw the opening of our Skate/Bike Park providing our young and young at heart a safe place to ride and perform their daring fetes of skill. Thanks to hard work from the Nature Trail Committee and Public Works staff, several hundred feet of new floating boardwalk was added to the existing trail with final connections slated for a spring completion. A new book detailing the nature trail and surrounding area by local Doctor Ritchie Shoemaker is on it’s way to the publisher. Proceeds will go toward funding a Naturalist position to work with the city and the Discovery Center. Another work was published and distributed this year detailing much of the History of Pocomoke City by local authors Robin Chandler-Miles and Norma Miles. Both of these are available at the Discovery Center Gift Shop.
There was big kudos going out to public safety in the past year. The Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Company competed Phase I of their new headquarters on Market Street. This beautiful addition to city architecture will be an admirable presence for decades to come. The Police Department received National Accreditation by CALEA joining a small percentage of agencies able to meet the tough demands and requirements established for such recognition. Our National Night Out program conducted by the department was ranked 22nd in the nation. This is an incredible accomplishment for our community.
Continuing in the line of Public Safety have been the many improvements and accomplishments of our Department of Emergency Medical Services. The department now maintains three ambulances and is often able to generate even third duty crews when required. Our staff has conducted classes for the public on CPR and First Aid and look forward to continued positive strides in 2009
2008 was an amazing year of sports for Pocomoke High School Teams. We were able to claim the crown for three Maryland State Championships in Soccer, Field Hockey, and Basketball. Perhaps an even greater award is the continual recognition our players receive for the sportsmanship they display on the fields or on the courts. This never hurts with our reputation as “the friendliest town on the eastern shore”.
The Mar-Va Performing Arts Theater opened in the past year and began showing movies in December when “The Polar Express” was shown to big crowds the week of Christmas. The movies follow many successful events and productions hosted by the Mar-Va during the past year, and many more are on the way.
The city received a great audit report for the previous fiscal year and ends this year with revenue projections ahead or on target for this fiscal year. We were able to provide a reduction in taxes for homeowners while holding the line on water and sewer rates in 2008.
Our municipal golf course, Winter Quarters, saw increased play and many improvements including new cart paths, underground utilities, and several new pieces of service equipment which have aided in beautifying the course.
Our Planning and Zoning Board is busy putting final touches on our new Zoning Code which will be presented in early 2009. The city also received a grant from the state providing needed funds for mandated changes that must be accomplished within our Master Comprehensive Plan by 2010. Funding for Phase I of our Enhanced Nutrient Removal at our Sewage Treatment Plant was also granted to the city. This will allow us to further upgrade our system to comply with future goals in the ongoing efforts aimed at cleaning up the Bay.
Public Works crews are busy making the finishing connections for several dead end lines in the Pocomoke Heights. The new project, tying in access to a 10-inch main line should provide increased circulation and improvement to overall water quality for many households.
Community support and efforts focused by the Pocomoke Soroptomist Club and the Samaritan Shelter Board resulted in a significant expansion of the current facilities. The increased space will provide a better means of aiding individuals with children who need a temporary place to call home. Pocomoke City is one of only a few communities on the shore who has this type of outreach for those in need. “Hats off “to all who help in this wonderful endeavor.
New businesses opening their doors in 2008 included the 10th Street Pharmacy, Tractor Supply Company, The Backpack Educational Supply Store, Black Water Café, The Bay Queen Tour Boat Company, The Book Store on 2nd Street, Homespun Treasures, and the Good News Bookstore on 4th Street. The city also said “goodbye” to Trader’s Chicken after 28 years of serving our community.
Pocomoke City saw areas of large expansion in our Industrial Park. This includes the work being performed at the Mid-Atlantic Institute for Space and Technology, the HAWK Institute, Bennelli Arms, and the new river front headquarters and production facilities of Hardwire Company. Pocomoke City is fast becoming the place for state of the art plastics, aerospace and defense contractor development on the shore; and the future is very bright.
Sadly, 2008 also found our Public Works Facilities destroyed by the actions of an arsonist. The loss to the city was great, but through insurance negotiations and the hard work of our staff, our citizens did not experience any significant loss of services during those tough times. It is a credit to our resilience as a city, our fiscal principles, and the much appreciated offers of assistance from our neighboring cities and towns.
Looking ahead in 2009, we will see continued improvements to Cypress Park in time for the Cypress Festival, a new well, a new Public Works Facility, a new Fire House Community Center (Phase II), and the completion of the Delmarva Discovery Center. It is possible that the foundation for a new river front restaurant will be laid by the end of the coming year along with continued investment and redevelopment of our downtown core.
We have a lot to be thankful for in 2008 and so much to look forward to in 2009.

Updates

I want to apologize for not being more consistent in posting on my site during the past month. My plan is to continue to update you on a weekly basis with a report on city wide activities and to provide more commentary on events or other news worthy items.

I want to remind you that I host a weekly radio show on WBEY 97.9 fm and WGOP 540 am from 10:30-11:00 am every Wednesday. I hope you can take the time to listen to the show. I often bring in guests to talk about the goings on in our area and it is a lot of fun.

Look for several updates this weekend!!!

Weekly Update

Police Department

• Twice this week police responded to the Skate/Bike Park for juveniles not wearing proper safety equipment. They were advised on the requirements.
• McDonald's reported they had received a counterfeit $50.00 bill. The case was turned over to the Secret Service.
• Worcester County Animal Control responded to Second Street near Oak Street for a Pit Bull Terrier on the loose.
• Dollar General reported a shoplifting theft and called in a description of the vehicle. Officers located the vehicle and investigated further. This resulted in the arrest of Alfreda Corbin, 46 years old, for the theft of $31.00 worth of items from the store.
• Allen Holland reported the theft of his bicycle from in front of Advanced Auto.
• Officers responded to 504 Moore Street for a domestic disturbance. After investigating the incident, officers arrested Anthony Holden and Juanita Holden for Assault.

Water/Sewer Department

• Our staff continued their training with our consultant on ways to upgrade the performance of our plant operations as well as cost saving measures which can be implemented. This has been an ongoing review of the overall operations of the plant.

Public Works

• Interviews were conducted of several job applicants for work in our Public Works Department.
• Crews serviced the basketball courts located behind the Middle School.
• Several parcels of city owned/controlled property are now being serviced by a private contractor as a cost saving measure for employee time.
• Crews serviced and worked on the City Horse Stables located at the Fairgrounds.

Golf Course

• Crews worked on applying fertilizer to the greens.
• Crews worked on chipping brush and trees.
• New mowing equipment has been ordered for the course.

EMS Department

• CPR classes are being conducted by personnel from the department. Anyone interested in taking the three hour class can contact City Hall at 410-957-1333. The classes will be held in August.

MARVA Theater

• The MARVA nears completion as the balcony seats are expected to arrive this week ready for installation. The original order was no to specifications.
• A Swing Band will be in concert on Thursday night, July 31st. Cost is $10.00.

New Business

• The final permits are expected to be issued this week for the new Tractor Supply Company which will be located in the old Ames buidling at Market Street Plaza.

Weekly Report

Police Department

• Officers have been stepping up bike patrols around the city in recent weeks.
• Rosabeth Matthews and Livina Watson were both charged with Theft from Wal-mart.
• Market Street Deli reported a window apparently damaged by a BB.
• Police responded to an attempted burglary at 724 Ninth Street. Damage was discovered to a window.
• Norman Crawley was charged with an Open Container violation.
• Officers assisted the Worcester County Sheriff's Office in taking down a vehicle operated by Carlos Acevedo Jr. of Pocomoke City. Officers and Deputies recovered over a pound of Marijuana during the stop.
• Officers continue working on abandoned/junk vehicle removals around the city.

Public Works

• The city is considering hiring out many of the grass cutting jobs currently performed by Public Works. This would allow the staff to focus on other assignments. This is needed due to several employees being sidelined with various ailments in recent weeks and the staff shortage this has created.

Golf Course

• The annual Invitational Tournament was held this past weekend. Crews were on hand to insure the course was in top shape for the golfers.
• Work continues on fairway improvements.

Water and Sewer Department

• Letters have gone out to notify those using irrigation meters of a new $50.00 annual fee being charged for the reading of these additional meters.
• Superintendent Mike Phillips has recently attended a seminar on plant operations and has had additional training on site to help in improving plant operations and cost savings.

Industrial Park

• Alion Science and Technology Corp. of Chicago will begin operations in the park beginning in August. They will start in the MIST Building.
• Hardwire continues to work on their new facilities. This includes new port upgrades and an extensive boardwalk on the river.

Enjoy This Sacred Holiday

I hope you take the time to be with family and friends during this holiday weekend to celebrate the tremendous freedoms our forefathers have secured for their heritage. Freedom has never been free. We will have it so long as we are willing to fight for our security. Ironically, as quick as liberals are to point to the global nature of our world and express their willingness to submit to the whims of a world body politic, they are incredibly slow minded in seeing our national defense strategies as being equally global in nature.

In an unstable world, the best strategy is to promote freedom around the globe. As tyranny is defeated and freedom comes to a people, stability is the byproduct. In time, those countries join the world market and prosper. Our country is often seen by the far left as being "imperialistic" when nothing could be further from the truth.

If the United States was "imperialistic", the Stars and Stripes would be flying over Germany and Japan. We would have extracted our pound of flesh from those whose countries we liberated from the iron boot and the rising sun. If we were an imperialistic people, our flag would be waving over the entire Korean Peninsula, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Cuba, Mexico, and the list goes on and on...

Instead, we pay with our own blood the purchase price of freedom for those in bondage. We pay with our own treasure to rebuild that which we destroyed through the war that secured freedom for the very people who sought to destroy us as a nation. We then continue to offer security for those same people that they may prosper while resting in the shadow of the eagle.

The principle export of our nation is Freedom. It is the enduring, eternal flame that burns in the hearts of every human born on the face of the earth. It has been trampled by tyrants and villains, yet it rises from the ashes and strikes at the heart of the wicked.

As you celebrate our Independence Day in this great country, remember those who will be on patrol this hour securing your liberties. Remember those who have shed blood in defense of this nation. Bring to mind those families who have sacrificed their loved ones on the alter of freedom, and talk to your young ones about the responsibilities of liberty.

The erosion of freedom is not from those who strive to protect it; rather, it is from those who diminish the worthiness of the fight, and encourage others to do likewise.

May God's Blessing continue to rest upon the "land of the free, and the home of the brave!"

Weekly Report

Police Department

• Officers issued a citation to the owner of a pit bull terrier who had been left in a vehicle in the Wal-Mart parking lot during one of the hot days earlier in the week.
• Last Friday, our police assisted the Sheriff's Office in executing two search warrants which were performed in conjunction with search warrants served by members of the DEA earlier. The final warrants were served on 705 Clarke Avenue and 602 Laurel Street. Cash, drugs, and drug paraphernalia were seized.
• Clarence Jackson Jr. was arrested on an outstanding warrant and turned over the the Sheriff's Office.
• Animal Control and our officers investigated a report that a juvenile was bitten by a pit bull terrier on the sidewalk in front of 402 Fifth Street. The investigation continues and the Health Department is also involved.
• Our K-9 Drug unit assisted the State Police on a traffic stop on Rt. 13. The K-9 scanned the stopped vehicle and alerted to the presence of drugs. A subsequent search uncovered two bags of marijuana. The New York driver was arrested by MSP.
• Donnease Sturgis was charged with Trespassing at Wal-Mart.

Fire Company

• The volunteers burned down the abandoned house at Clarke Avenue and Oak Street as part of a training exercise.

Main Street Coordinator

• Our application to become a designated Main Street Community has been submitted to the State.

City Docks

• Two boaters were warned against performing work on their boats which spilled over onto the dock.
• Two boats have been removed from the dock by the owners at the city's request.

Public Works

• Crews focused on the Cypress Festival. Bathrooms were painted and coordinated work was done with the Chamber in preparation for the amusements.
• Weed killer was applied to city sidewalks.

Golf Course

• Pesticides have been applied to the tee boxes.
• A used roller was picked up this week for use at the course.

Upcoming Events:

• MARVA Performing Arts Theater will play host to a traveling New York Theater Group who will present "Driving Miss Daisy" on Friday and Saturday nights (20th &21st)
• The Costen House will hold an art show at the Cypress Park near the flag pole on Saturday afternoon (21st)
• Next weekend, the fairgrounds will be hosting "Jeeps on the shore" for the weekend.

Golf Camps This Summer

In recent months, I met with officials of the Lower Shore Family YMCA to discuss the potential for partnerships between the YMCA and Pocomoke City. Director Gary White, Board President Vernon Redden, and the full Board seemed eager to work with the city to provide an extension of recreational opportunities for area residents.

It was agreed that we would focus on two project for the upcoming year. The first to the reestablishment of Summer Golf Camps at the Winter Quarters Golf Course. In past years, this was a very successful program which continued on for decades. Most recently headed by Councilman Robert Hawkins, the program fell into decline due to a lack of adult support staff able to assist Mr. Hawkins.

Last night at the Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Council, Director White provided the city with a proposed budget for to operate the golf program for ten weeks this summer. The cost was nominal at $1522.00 and I believe this will be fully funded by the city. The first camp would begin the week of June 16th. This promises to be a great opportunity for those wishing to expose a young person to the sport or to provide aspiring young players a chance to improve their skill level. I love the idea of this type of partnering in our community.

The second program would involve the city working with the YMCA to provide funding for transportation costs to allow more underprivileged kids a chance to benefit from after school sports and recreational/learning classes being offered. Currently, students who participate can ride to the YMCA direct from their respective schools following the conclusion of the school day. The problem comes in when some parents do not have transportation to bring their child home. There is currently no provision for getting the kids home following the program, thus parents must pick the kids up at the YMCA. I have suggested that the city would pick up the tab for the return transportation costs for kids living in the city. This would be a means of creating further opportunities for some of the more vulnerable in our community. The budget for this has not been established as of yesterday.

These are just two of the ideas that have been floated around in my meetings with the YMCA staff and Board of Directors. I wish to thank them for meeting with me and being willing to think outside the box on creative ways to provide greater experiences and opportunities for our young people in Pocomoke City.