County Recap for Board of Public Works Meeting on Oct 1

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved $4.2M in funding for counties and Baltimore City, including $1.4M for Anne Arundel, and a property swap between Salisbury University and Wicomico.

During a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Public Works on October 1, $4.2M was approved for allocation across eight counties and Baltimore City. Of those allocations, $3.6M was from Program Open Space (POS). The largest allocation totaled $1,437,684 and went to Anne Arundel for a new recreational facility in Edgewater.

The project approvals for Wicomico County during this meeting were the only ones that did not hinge on POS funding. One of the two decisions was a property swap between Salisbury University and Wicomico for a new performing arts center on the university campus and a new, better situated, library for county residents, respectively. The second approval was for a grant of $580,000 to facilitate renovations at the Arthur Perdue Stadium.

More county projects can be reviewed below.

Anne Arundel

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit an additional $1,437,684 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Anne Arundel County to design and construct a community use recreational facility in Edgewater. The existing building will be renovated to include exercise classrooms, a community meeting room, an indoor playground, restrooms, and basketball, volleyball, and pickleball courts.

Baltimore City

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $526,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Baltimore City to improve the pathway and create a continuous circulation route around the lake for recreational use at the Druid Hill Reservoir.

Carroll

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $119,262 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Carroll County for the following projects:
    • Sulphur Springs Park: $36,450 to replace the existing drainage system and improve the spring house parking area 
    • Taneytown Memorial Park: $43,212 to construct four multi-purpose athletic fields, a 5,000-square foot multi-purpose building, parking lots, pedestrian walkways, new playground equipment, and add LED lighting systems.  The city also received an $864,781 grant from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund for this project 
    • Wakefield Valley Park: $39,600 to construct concrete flooring and walking paths and install electrical connections and lighting fixtures for the Raventree Pavilion 

Garrett

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $91,659 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Garrett County for the following projects:
    • Broadford Park: $49,359 to replace the bathhouse roof, seal the wooden amphitheater roof, and install a parking payment kiosk
    • McHenry Park: $42,300 for a concrete pad for the new pavilion, as well as new trail signage

Howard

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit an additional $200,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Howard County to design and construct an amphitheater at the Robinson Nature Center.  The project includes seating, accessible walkways, and a stage area.
  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit an additional $200,000 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to Howard County for a new pavilion, two lighted basketball courts, two multipurpose fields, a playground, and a maintenance shed at East Columbia Library Park.  The project also includes pathways that connect to the Village Center.

Kent

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $97,565 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Kent County for the following projects at Worton Park:
    • $9,645.75 to install a new roof on the former concession stand structure and upgrade the existing restroom’s lighting and exterior 
    • $87,920 to construct a dog park and add weather protection covers to two baseball field dugouts 

St. Mary’s

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $647,385 from the Program Open Space funding allocated to St. Mary’s County for new LED lighting, poles, associated electrical upgrades, and rewiring for two multipurpose fields at Fifth District Park.

Washington

  • A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $306,000 from Program Open Space funding allocated to Washington County for the following projects:
    • Hamilton Run Golf Course: $112,500 to reconstruct hole number 5
    • City Park Train Museum: $13,500 for a new metal roof 
    • Woodland Way Park: $180,000 for new playground equipment and safety surfacing

Wicomico

  • A request from Salisbury University to acquire Wicomico County’s real property located at 122 South Division Street in exchange for transferring State property, located at 909 South Schumaker Drive to the County. The County property contains a 55,045 sf library and 0.74 acres of land. The Disposition Property contains the former 33,400 sf Ward Museum and 9.73 acres of land. The University intends to demolish the library structure on the Acquisition Property for a proposed Performing Arts Center on the site. Wicomico County intends to convert the Disposition Property to the new Paul S. Sarbanes Branch Library as a replacement for the existing structure at the Acquisition Property. The new library branch will provide a more accessible and convenient location for the local community with dedicated parking and close proximity to three high schools, one middle school, and two elementary schools.
  • A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $580,000 grant to Wicomico County for the planning, design, construction, repair, reconstruction, renovation, site improvements, and capital equipping of various infrastructure improvements to Arthur Perdue Stadium. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant.  The General Assembly previously approved this funding as part of the 2018 Capital Budget.