March 31, 2010, Chestertown, Maryland
And finally the snow has melted!
It’s uplifting to see the daffodils bloom …I bet the first crocuses to spring up in Kent County were the ones in front of the Eliason home on Spring Avenue in Chestertown.
People are talking about Kent County school consolidation, the reduction of the $200,000 Kent County Local Management Board budget, possible closing of the Rock Hall and Galena branches of the Kent County Public Library, discontinuance by the County of curbside recycling and what’s happening at the County’s new community center in Worton.
Those living in the Fish Whistle area of Chestertown can expect more traffic and less parking availability when the kayak/canoe launch platform is complete at the foot of Cannon Street. It is now under construction.
It looks like Chestertown taxpayers will be footing the bill for a consultant to help ‘plan’ the private Stepney Manor project.
County offices will be closed on Good Friday. If you want to learn more about YOUR government, you can attend the Joint Meeting of the MD Upper Shore Transit & Delmarva Community Education Center at Chesapeake College at 10 a.m. on March 31; the Kent County Planning Commission meeting at 1:30 p.m on April 1 or the Community Center Authority Meeting also on April 1 at 5:00 p.m.
The Kent Commissioners met this week out at Kent County High School in Worton. Former Economic Development Director Jack Steinmatz reported that as of March 30, 2010, 2717 bills had been introduced in the Maryland legislature – 1583 in the House of Delegates and 1134 in the Maryland Senate. He said he had personally sent copies of 111 of these bills to Kent County School Superintendent Dr. Barbara Wheeler. He noted that one Bill in particular having to do with the shifting of the payment for county teacher pensions from the State to the counties would greatly impact Kent’s budget if passed. He also talked about House Bill 1175 which reduces the term of office on the Kent County School Board from 6 years to 4 years (Kent County is the only County in the State with 6 year terms). A second part of that bill gives the County Commissioners the authority to appoint a replacement Board member if a member resigns during their term of office. Currently, the Governor has the authority to make the appointment.
Did you know that Kent County’s new Community Center in Worton has the largest outdoor pool on the Eastern Shore? Other public pools located in Kent County include the Millington Pool and the Bayside Pool in Rock Hall.
Ever hear of the ‘Nimble Nine’ Maryland counties? The “Nimble Nine” refers to the nine ‘smaller’ counties in Maryland. This term is often used in reference to education statistics. The “Nimble Nine” includes Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, Somerset, Worcester, Garrett and Alleghany. According to information provided by Dr. Michael Harvey, Chairman of Kent’s Board of Education, Kent County is #7 in overall test scores in the group of “Nimble Nine”.
