By Greg Ellison

(Feb. 17, 2022) Berlin Town Council was updated on housing construction, infrastructure improvements and grant applications during its meeting on Monday.

Grant pursuits

Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells said her department is preparing for a number of upcoming grant applications.

“Right now we gather all the information we need so that we can be ready to apply for grants in the spring,” she said.

The list includes funding requests for a street scape project on Commerce and Pitt streets.

Wells said improvements would be for above ground items, such as historic lamp posts, sidewalks and landscaping.

In hopes of acquiring backing for Berlin’s Downtown District, Wells is also applying for a Main Street Improvement Grant.

“It is strictly for just downtown Main Street designated districts,” she said.

Other funding being sought includes the Community Legacy Grant, as well as operating capital for Berlin’s Arts and Entertainment District.

Wells said the arts district extends through downtown and includes the majority of Flower Street.

“We’re pretty busy in my department right now,” she said.

Enterprise funds

The council voted unanimously to establish an enterprise fund reserve policy for water, sewer and storm water utilities.

Finance Director Natalie Saleh said the intent is to assure sufficient funding is on hand for future capital projects, repairs or unanticipated expenses.

“We’re seeking adoption of a policy to establish capital and stabilization reserves for the enterprise funds,” she said.

Saleh said addressing reserves for the electric fund would be examined after permissions are granted by the Maryland Public Service Commission.

Mayor Zack Tyndall said the approval was solely to establish the reserve policy for enterprise funds, with associated rates determined at a later date.

“This is one of those best practices that was identified during the SERCAP study,” he said.

Jean Holloway, from Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project Inc. (SERCAP) in Delaware and eastern Maryland, spoke to the council last month to review conclusions initially shared in November

Holloway said both water and wastewater utilities are not financially sustainable under the current rate structure.

Tyndall said the policy would create a framework for building capital reserves for water, wastewater and storm water.

“We’d like to pursue electric, but that’s going to take a little work through the public service commission,” he said.

Well work

Water Resources Superintendent Jamey Latchum said work began last week to drill a test well on Branch Street to replace aging infrastructure dating to 1948.

Latchum said the test well was drilled to a depth of 125 feet and is the first step to replace the outdated well.

“Now they’ll design and develop the new well,” he said. “We’re hoping to drill within 30 days.”

Latchum said the new well would measure 12 inches with an 18-inch casing and be installed at a depth of 105 feet.

“Once they start drilling, they will work around the clock,” he said.

Latchum said drilling would take roughly two days, with the soundwaves likely to affect less than a half dozen homes.

“When they start drilling the big well, we will have to knock on some doors to let people know,” he said.

The target date to have the well fully functional is May 1.

“I’ve never seen a large diameter well go in so it’s going to be a first for me,” he said.

Latchum said during previous discussions with Worcester County and Maryland Department of the Environment officials, the life span for wells was estimated at 40 years.

“This one is 74 years old,” he said.

Latchum said the Branch Street well is the first in a series of aging apparatus that need addressing.

“The newest well in town is 1960 and was sleeved in 1962,” he said. “We need to look at some of our wells in the near future because we want to assure we could provide needed resources.”

Construction updates

Planning Director Dave Engelhart said a number of housing projects are nearing completion.

Engelhart said expansion and renovation work at the Flower Street apartment complex located next to Henry Park is wrapping up.

“Homes For America is now working on the project to just remodel the apartments out on Bay Street,” he said.

In the same vein, Engelhart said the Willows apartment project located at the end of Maple Avenue is humming along.

“We just finalized the community building and some of the other apartments are almost done,” he said. “As the weather is turning nice, we should see some of these … being filled up with  tenants.”

Also, Engelhart said the Oceans East project is now entering the third of four construction phases.

“You may see two more buildings out there in FY23,” he said.

The current building phase is slated to add 48 apartments.

“Inspectors have praised the apartments’ quality,” he said.

Engelhart highlighted the importance of continuing to improve housing stocks in Berlin.

“I think that’s a great thing that we have good housing for everybody in town,” he said.

Rails to trails

Tyndall said a letter of intent is being prepared for a bikeways construction grant.

“We have called it the ‘Rails to Trails’ project,” he said.

Tyndall thanked the Worcester County Commissioners for agreeing to an earlier request to split the cost for a required 25 percent matching funds.

“We are grateful to them for that support,” he said.

Engelhart said the bikeways grant application window is in May.

“This will springboard off the previous grant we had where we had the design completed … back in FY17,” he said. “We’re going to try again to secure construction funds to build the bike way.”

Pending matters

Tyndall said a short-term rental ordinance is under development and intended for introduction at the next council meeting on Feb. 28.

“In order to pass an ordinance, we would have to have a public hearing,” he said.

Tyndall said the public hearing is tentatively scheduled on March 14.

Progress on building a new community center on Flower Street continues to proceed, with a request sent last week to the county commissioners to transfer a three-quarter acre adjacent parcel for the effort.

“We sent a letter to the Worcester County Commissioners, who will be considering tomorrow a parcel transfer on Flower Street to bring four parcels together for the community center,” he said.