Mayor Todd Nock is asking Worcester County to return nearly $97,000 in infrastructure funds to the City of Pocomoke, while county officials now say the money has already been committed to a private redevelopment project.
In a September 8 letter to County Commissioners President Theodore J. Elder, Nock requested that $96,766 in “Restricted Infrastructure” funding originally tied to the now self-dissolved Pocomoke City Development Corporation (PCDC) be redirected to the city itself.
“Since these funds remain unspent, we are formally requesting that they be approved for use directly by the City of Pocomoke,” Nock wrote. He said the city intends to dedicate the funds to its Safe Paths Initiative, a five-year plan to repair every road and sidewalk in Pocomoke.
County’s Position
Later that same day, Worcester County Chief Administrative Officer Weston S. Young responded by email that the funding had already been earmarked earlier this year.
“Back in April we received a request from the PCDC Board to utilize the funding for 153 Market Street for the interior demolition and roof repairs,” Young wrote. “I believe the work has been completed and invoices are being processed. The funding is not available for reallocation to Pocomoke City as it was committed back in April to this project.”
Status of the Allocation
Public records and statements show the money was committed but not disbursed:
- Aug. 8, 2025 (County PIO Kim Moses): “The county has not yet paid out any funding.”
- Aug. 20, 2025 (Moses): County said the Newberry building renovation had begun, though no invoices had been submitted. Funds were to be encumbered into the new fiscal year.
- Aug. 25, 2025 (PCDC Facebook): “No grant funds had been received,” the board wrote in its dissolution announcement. The post said the only money raised privately went toward donating an AED to Pocomoke Little League.
Taken together, these accounts confirm that while the money was awarded and allocated, no payments have yet been released by the county.
A Year of Dispute
The $96,766 traces back to a Sept. 17, 2024 vote by Worcester County Commissioners to redirect two years of unspent city infrastructure grants to PCDC. The move followed competing written requests:
- Mayor Nock (Aug. 29, 2024): asked that the funds remain with the city for road repairs.
- Sara Chapman, PCDC founding member (Sept. 12, 2024): asked that PCDC be considered for “restoration projects.”
The allocation to PCDC quickly became controversial. Within a year, several board members had resigned, and in August 2025 the group announced its dissolution.
What Comes Next
Mayor Nock maintains the funds should return to Pocomoke and be applied directly to city infrastructure. County officials, however, say the money has already been committed to work at 153 Market Street (the former Newberry building, being redeveloped by Davis Strategic Development) and cannot be reassigned.
The commissioners may ultimately decide whether to uphold the county’s commitment or reconsider the mayor’s request. Nearly a year after the original allocation, the money remains unspent, and the future of the $96,766 continues to be in question.
