Long-established six-month clause for eliminating multi-family homes in single family residential districts criticized
March 2, 2026 – The Pocomoke City Mayor and Council met Monday evening, approving several key measures for local infrastructure, community events, and departmental operations, while also engaging in robust discussions on transparency and economic development.
Streets & Sidewalks
Among the immediate actions, the Council approved a contract with Cornish Concrete Construction for sidewalk repairs on Walnut Street. City Manager Brandy Matthews explained that this project addresses 25 “water pits” damaged during water meter replacements that began in September 2023. This is considered a “first step project” to be extended to other streets as part of ongoing infrastructure improvements. While Mayor Todd Nock initially expressed concern over the presentation of only one bid, stating, “one bid is unacceptable” and that the “body needs to decide what’s expensive and what’s not,” Matthews clarified that a previous, significantly more expensive bid had been considered. The Council ultimately approved the project, with Councilman Marshall noting the three-year delay in addressing the damage and stating, “I think it’s time to move on it.”
Community Engagement
Looking ahead to community engagement, the Council approved the 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration, scheduled for June 20, 2026, at the Sturgis One Room School Museum. Kim Jones, representing the event organizers, requested the usual support including blocking off Willow and Front Streets for safety and vendors, the use of a bounce house, and assistance from Public Works for setup and teardown. The Council also approved a minor time change for the Beautification Committee’s monthly meeting, shifting its start time from 6:30 PM to 6:00 PM.
Financial Transparency Discussions Continue
A significant portion of the meeting focused on transparency and operational efficiency. Resident Mike Hall raised concerns about public access to city financial documents, specifically requesting a detailed, line-by-line budget and the 2024 city audit, neither of which he found online. Matthews explained that the online budget is a summary, while the detailed version is “massive.” She also acknowledged that the 2024 audit “just was never put online,” though the 2023 audit is available. Mayor Nock committed to ensuring the 2024 audit would be posted online soon and that Hall would receive an answer regarding the detailed budget. Councilman also weighed in, stating that better transparency on these matters is needed: “it’s just another thing like our bill process that we can do a better job of being transparent to the public.”
Updates from the City Manager
Matthews provided a series of updates, including the initiation of departmental meetings for the FY2027 budget, the resumption of paving work on Market Street on March 3rd (weather permitting), and a city-wide winter storm brush cleanup scheduled for Wednesday, March 4. She commended Public Works for their exceptional efforts during the recent blizzard, saying, “a job well done…enduring the power outage and for responding to emergency services when it was needed.” Matthews further outlined the city’s phased plan for street and sidewalk repairs, which follows the existing Capital Improvement Plan and prioritizes areas where underground utility work has been completed, such as Winter Quarters and The Heights. She stated the city’s vision for this fiscal year is to focus on “the residents of Pocomoke, streets and sidewalks, a community center.”
Council Updates
Councilman Marshall announced a community-wide cleanup on April 11, involving five different groups, churches, and civic organizations, in partnership with the Beautification Committee and Public Works. Marshall also drew attention to the issue of vacant, large former rental homes, which he termed “blight,” and encouraged the city to re-examine its “reverter thing” policy to facilitate new residents moving in before the city incurs demolition costs. Councilwoman Toll echoed commendations for Public Works and thanked the Sturgis One Room Schoolhouse and Kim Jones for hosting the annual Black History Month open mic.
Comments from the Mayor
Mayor Nock delivered strong comments regarding what he called “procedural” and “transparency” issues within city operations. He directly addressed the “reverter thing” mentioned by Marshall, calling it “ridiculous” that properties revert after six months, and directly faulted staff for not bringing recommendations to the Council for changes. “It needs to be changed,” Nock asserted. He also expressed frustration over delays in information dissemination, citing instances where council members receive critical documents too late for proper review and the lack of consistent online posting for routine meetings and audits. “It’s too much stuff that gets lost in the shuffle in city hall,” Nock said, stressing the negative perception this creates for residents.
The Mayor also highlighted the city’s efforts in economic development and workforce training. He advocated for state legislative changes to address increasing municipal costs, citing House Bill 1140/1142, which proposes an exploratory committee on municipal and county revenues. Nock, who testified on the bill, urged the Council to support it, emphasizing that current state funding disproportionately favors larger cities. Additionally, Nock shared details of a new partnership with Wor-Wic Community College, forged in collaboration with Councilman Marshall. This initiative aims to offer free job training programs in Pocomoke, including CDL, masonry, and CNA classes, with the goal of creating an “employment pipeline” to help residents find jobs and foster economic prosperity.
The meeting then moved into a closed session, a frequent occurrence for city leaders. The Arrowhead recently challenged two closed meetings held in September. The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board (OMCB) recently released their opinion on the matter, stating, “We find no violations of the Act with respect to the September 15 closed session. We are unable to determine whether the September 19 closed-session discussion strayed beyond the litigation exception of § 3-305(b)(8).”
