The Pocomoke City Mayor and Council unanimously adopted the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget Monday night, June 22nd, while also beginning discussions on changes to demolition permit approvals and reviewing concerns over the city’s solar farm agreement.
FY2027 Budget Approved
The council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-R-14 adopting Pocomoke City’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget without discussion. Before the vote, Mayor Todd Nock thanked City Manager Brandy Matthews for her work preparing the budget.
New Hazardous Waste Penalties Introduced
The council held the first reading of Ordinance 2026-O-12, which would amend the city’s littering and solid waste ordinances following incidents involving hazardous waste being placed into the city’s regular waste collection system.
According to the ordinance summary, the proposal would:
- Create a definition for hazardous waste.
- Make it illegal to dump hazardous waste on public or private property.
- Prohibit disposing of hazardous waste in municipal waste containers.
- Establish a rebuttable presumption that hazardous waste found in a container was placed there by that container’s owner.
- Increase the municipal fine for dumping hazardous waste, vehicle parts, or tires to up to $5,000.
- Allow for a 60-day suspension of waste collection services for violations.
During council comments, Councilman C.L. Marshall suggested even stronger penalties if legally possible, saying he would like to see a $5,000 minimum fine for a first offense. City Attorney Andrew Illuminati responded that municipal code violations are limited by state law, though criminal charges could potentially apply depending on the circumstances.
Council Questions Solar Farm Agreement
Council members spent considerable time discussing the city’s solar farm agreement after expressing concerns that the anticipated financial benefits have not materialized.
Councilman Hall reported that he had attempted to contact the company managing the system but had been unsuccessful. The city has since located the original contract and plans to continue contacting the company.
Matthews explained that the original expectation was for the solar installation to generate enough energy credits that the city would receive a financial benefit.
“What it originally was supposed to be is a net generation where the amount of solar was supposed to… actually generate a rebate and so we would actually get money back. That’s not actually occurring.”
She said the city is currently paying approximately $23,000 to $25,000 per month while receiving annual rebate checks that have declined significantly over the past several years, dropping from roughly $80,000 to $90,000 when she first joined the city to approximately $31,000 this year.
Marshall questioned what benefit residents are receiving from the agreement and suggested the city should explore ending the contract if necessary.
Mayor Nock said the city should first review usage data before considering terminating the agreement, noting that some city accounts had previously been removed from the solar system and that could be affecting the results. Matthews said staff will gather additional usage information while also contacting Standard Solar, the company that originally presented the project to the city in 2014 and 2015.
Demolition Permit Process Under Review
The council also discussed creating a formal approval process for demolition permits. Mayor Nock said he believes demolition permits have been handled too informally for many years.
“Right now, someone is just able to come to City Hall and say, ‘I want a permit to demolish.’ They fill out the forms, they pay their money, and then they have a permit to demolish whatever they want. I believe that it’s prudent for us to change it.”
Planning Director Kristin Tremblay described how demolition permits were handled in Worcester County, explaining that applicants typically submitted site plans, coordinated environmental requirements, and underwent a final inspection to ensure the property was left in a safe condition. She also outlined considerations involving nuisance properties and potential future historic preservation regulations.
The council asked Tremblay to prepare additional information for future discussion.
Mar-Va Theater Requests Delayed
The council tabled a request from the Mar-Va Theater Performing Arts Center for approval of an August 14 concert by Lure and Old State Line after no representative attended the meeting.
Mayor Nock and council members noted they have consistently required applicants seeking event approvals to appear before the council if questions arise.
The council later approved the associated one-day alcohol permit contingent upon a representative appearing at the next council meeting, allowing sufficient time before the August event.
Safe Path Initiative Continues
Matthews reminded residents that work continues under the mayor’s Safe Path Initiative, with crews working in residential neighborhoods as weather permits. She asked residents to keep vehicles off affected streets between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. when work is underway.
Council Recognizes Staff and Community Events
Council members congratulated newly hired Planning Director Kristin Tremblay and recently promoted City Clerk Lacey Merritt.
Councilwoman Tull also highlighted the success of the city’s Juneteenth celebration at the Sturgis One Room School Museum, saying it was “so nice to see so many people come out throughout the day to celebrate.”
Before adjourning to closed session, Tremblay briefly introduced herself to the public, saying she was excited by the momentum she has seen throughout City Hall and downtown Pocomoke and looked forward to helping move the city forward.
