(June 1, 2017) County Commissioner Diana Purnell made a call for civic engagement during a sparsely attended town hall meeting at the Pocomoke Library, last Thursday.
Fellow Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw had planned to cohost the town hall, but could not be there because of scheduling conflicts.
Purnell said she and Worcester County Director of Economic Development Merry Mears were on board to bring a Berlin-type renaissance to Pocomoke.
“Merry is working with us and we’re working to try and get some things down there,” she said. “We don’t have the business infrastructure that we need down here, but we’re working on that.”
Reflecting on the recent past history in Berlin, Purnell noted the economic situation had been bleak.
“Berlin was the same way because the box stores came in and they killed mom and pop stores,” she said. “At one time you could go to Berlin and walk in the middle of the street and hardly see a car.”
During a conversation with Jay Parker, who was preparing to step away from his career as a pharmacist, Purnell made an offhand suggestion that helped fuel the town’s identity as a destination for antique collectors.
“I said to Jay, ‘Why don’t you rent out space to antique vendors?’” she said. “They could make some business and you could make some business.”
Parker’s conversion of Farlow Pharmacy became the first location of Town Center Antiques. Don and Patricia Fischer took over the operation six months later.
Their son, Bill Outten, now operates three locations in downtown Berlin and Town Center is celebrating 20 years of business, this month.
Assessing the situation in Pocomoke, Purnell identified a key component to reviving local commerce.
“I’m a believer if you build off of your historical information then you can begin to bring people into the community,” she said. “One thing about tourists is they like historical stuff.”
One of the greatest assets to help that effort is the steady flow of traffic passing by on Route 113, Purnell said.
“We need to try to do something to cause people to want to come off of 113 and come into Pocomoke so we could start developing business,” she said. “It takes a lot of work.”
Purnell envisioned a “three-pronged” approach to reinvigorating Pocomoke’s economic outlook.
“It’s going to take the county, the town [government], and it’s going to take the people of Pocomoke.”
Ultimately, the effort boils down to creating an environment the makes the next generation want to stay in the area and not flee town for greener pastures elsewhere, Purnell said.
While acknowledging that an infusion of capital is part of the solution, Purnell said the county has limitations on what can be invested.
“We need to find the money to get Pocomoke back on its feet,” she said. “It’s not easy though – the money is stretched far and wide.”
Regardless of funding issues, Purnell stressed the importance of community involvement.
“We as commissioners cannot do it all for you,” she said. “We might have the infrastructure to help you do it, but you’ve got to come to the table with something yourselves.”
Although encouraged by the potential for growth in Pocomoke, Purnell said progress is likely to be slow and will require sweat equity.
“I will walk beside you [and] I will work with you,” she said. “But I’m not going to do it for you. You have to want to do it.”
Fellow Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw had planned to cohost the town hall, but could not be there because of scheduling conflicts.
Purnell said she and Worcester County Director of Economic Development Merry Mears were on board to bring a Berlin-type renaissance to Pocomoke.
“Merry is working with us and we’re working to try and get some things down there,” she said. “We don’t have the business infrastructure that we need down here, but we’re working on that.”
Reflecting on the recent past history in Berlin, Purnell noted the economic situation had been bleak.
“Berlin was the same way because the box stores came in and they killed mom and pop stores,” she said. “At one time you could go to Berlin and walk in the middle of the street and hardly see a car.”
During a conversation with Jay Parker, who was preparing to step away from his career as a pharmacist, Purnell made an offhand suggestion that helped fuel the town’s identity as a destination for antique collectors.
“I said to Jay, ‘Why don’t you rent out space to antique vendors?’” she said. “They could make some business and you could make some business.”
Parker’s conversion of Farlow Pharmacy became the first location of Town Center Antiques. Don and Patricia Fischer took over the operation six months later.
Their son, Bill Outten, now operates three locations in downtown Berlin and Town Center is celebrating 20 years of business, this month.
Assessing the situation in Pocomoke, Purnell identified a key component to reviving local commerce.
“I’m a believer if you build off of your historical information then you can begin to bring people into the community,” she said. “One thing about tourists is they like historical stuff.”
One of the greatest assets to help that effort is the steady flow of traffic passing by on Route 113, Purnell said.
“We need to try to do something to cause people to want to come off of 113 and come into Pocomoke so we could start developing business,” she said. “It takes a lot of work.”
Purnell envisioned a “three-pronged” approach to reinvigorating Pocomoke’s economic outlook.
“It’s going to take the county, the town [government], and it’s going to take the people of Pocomoke.”
Ultimately, the effort boils down to creating an environment the makes the next generation want to stay in the area and not flee town for greener pastures elsewhere, Purnell said.
While acknowledging that an infusion of capital is part of the solution, Purnell said the county has limitations on what can be invested.
“We need to find the money to get Pocomoke back on its feet,” she said. “It’s not easy though – the money is stretched far and wide.”
Regardless of funding issues, Purnell stressed the importance of community involvement.
“We as commissioners cannot do it all for you,” she said. “We might have the infrastructure to help you do it, but you’ve got to come to the table with something yourselves.”
Although encouraged by the potential for growth in Pocomoke, Purnell said progress is likely to be slow and will require sweat equity.
“I will walk beside you [and] I will work with you,” she said. “But I’m not going to do it for you. You have to want to do it.”