(Sept. 28, 2017) The Pocomoke City Council discussed the following items during a public meeting at City Hall last Monday.
Street sweeper
The council approved the purchase of a refurbished 2008 Elgin Pelican street sweeper for about $46,000, to be largely financed by a UDSA grant.
City Manager Bobby Cowger said Pocomoke had two street sweepers, including one that was three-decades old.
“The thing is just barely going by,” he said. “Every time it goes out it almost has to be towed back in.”
He said the other sweeper was still functional, but was more appropriate for parking-lot applications.
The original grant would have awarded the town $50,000 towards the purchase of a new model, priced at more than three times that amount.
“We can’t justify $190,000,” he said.
After further inquiries, Cowger said the grant could also be applied to used equipment. The model he proposed came from Maryland Industrial Truck in Linthicum Heights.
“If we maintain and keep it right, the one that we got now we’ve had for 30 years, so that one would have at least 20 more years of life on it,” he said.
The USDA grant will cover 75 percent of the cost, leaving Pocomoke to spend roughly $12,000, Cowger said.
“They are going to paint it and re-decal it,” he said. “It will look almost like a brand-new one.”
Sandpiper repairs
Cowger also provided an update on ongoing gas-line repairs by Sandpiper Energy.
“I had a meeting with Sandpiper reps about the gas-line [work] they’re doing around the Heights,” he said. “They’re replacing the main lines and then they’re putting lines up to the property owners.”
Cowger said the Pocomoke Heights neighborhood was nearly completed.
“The 600 block of Walnut Street is done,” he said. “They do have Cemetery Avenue, behind the library here, [to do].”
Cowger said Sandpiper planned to abandon old lines, opting to leave them in place as opposed to performing additional unearthing.
“They … will be all done by the end of this month and … they plan to start paving all the trenches,” he said. “They should have everything done by the end of October.”
Discovery Center
The council supported a request from Delmarva Discovery Center President and CEO Stacey Weisner to pursue of state funding for future expansion.
“We’re going to be asking for the State of Maryland for $78,000 in bond bill funding this next legislative session,” she said. “The purpose is capital improvements, which would include the agricultural and farm exhibits.”
In addition to providing permission to apply for funding, Weisner sought Pocomoke’s involvement as co-grantee, because the town retains ownership of the Discovery Center building, on 2 Market Street.
“We would both apply for the bond bill,” she said. “You also would have to sign it as the city, as a co-applicant.”
The council approved a letter of support for the bond bill from, which will be presented to the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee during the next legislative session.
Street sweeper
The council approved the purchase of a refurbished 2008 Elgin Pelican street sweeper for about $46,000, to be largely financed by a UDSA grant.
City Manager Bobby Cowger said Pocomoke had two street sweepers, including one that was three-decades old.
“The thing is just barely going by,” he said. “Every time it goes out it almost has to be towed back in.”
He said the other sweeper was still functional, but was more appropriate for parking-lot applications.
The original grant would have awarded the town $50,000 towards the purchase of a new model, priced at more than three times that amount.
“We can’t justify $190,000,” he said.
After further inquiries, Cowger said the grant could also be applied to used equipment. The model he proposed came from Maryland Industrial Truck in Linthicum Heights.
“If we maintain and keep it right, the one that we got now we’ve had for 30 years, so that one would have at least 20 more years of life on it,” he said.
The USDA grant will cover 75 percent of the cost, leaving Pocomoke to spend roughly $12,000, Cowger said.
“They are going to paint it and re-decal it,” he said. “It will look almost like a brand-new one.”
Sandpiper repairs
Cowger also provided an update on ongoing gas-line repairs by Sandpiper Energy.
“I had a meeting with Sandpiper reps about the gas-line [work] they’re doing around the Heights,” he said. “They’re replacing the main lines and then they’re putting lines up to the property owners.”
Cowger said the Pocomoke Heights neighborhood was nearly completed.
“The 600 block of Walnut Street is done,” he said. “They do have Cemetery Avenue, behind the library here, [to do].”
Cowger said Sandpiper planned to abandon old lines, opting to leave them in place as opposed to performing additional unearthing.
“They … will be all done by the end of this month and … they plan to start paving all the trenches,” he said. “They should have everything done by the end of October.”
Discovery Center
The council supported a request from Delmarva Discovery Center President and CEO Stacey Weisner to pursue of state funding for future expansion.
“We’re going to be asking for the State of Maryland for $78,000 in bond bill funding this next legislative session,” she said. “The purpose is capital improvements, which would include the agricultural and farm exhibits.”
In addition to providing permission to apply for funding, Weisner sought Pocomoke’s involvement as co-grantee, because the town retains ownership of the Discovery Center building, on 2 Market Street.
“We would both apply for the bond bill,” she said. “You also would have to sign it as the city, as a co-applicant.”
The council approved a letter of support for the bond bill from, which will be presented to the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee during the next legislative session.