January 31st, 2017

More GOOD NEWS in Crisfield:

Hello, good people,
Well, it’s the end of January 2017, and the year is starting off with a bang. I have much GOOD NEWS to report and more is coming once the ink is dry. Things may seem kind of quiet right now, but before the 2017 season begins on Memorial Day, there will be much more to report that is *new* in Crisfield. As you know we already have the new $5.6 million state-of-the art Crisfield Library just 8 months old, the $4.1 million wind turbine up and starting to spin, the $1.8 million in City Dock renovations almost completed, and over $4 million in new sidewalks and streets. Folks, that’s a lot!
Meanwhile, here is the latest that I am able to tell you about right now:
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT:

• Crisfield’s new part-time grant writer, Jen Rafter, is exploring the development of an Arts & Entertainment District for Crisfield uptown. This would be a very positive step forward when achieved. I remember hearing that Somerset County has more artists per capita than any other county in the state, although I have not been able to confirm that. I would not be surprised if it’s true. Having a part of town dedicated to showcasing the work of local artists and providing various cultural and entertainment opportunities for local people and for visitors is something that would boost Crisfield enormously. Next to finding funds to improve the city’s wastewater treatment plant, the A&E District is Ms. Rafter’s #2 priority.

GREEN SPACE AT THE CITY DOCK;

• According to Mayor Lawson, the City will complete the remaining work at the City Dock before Memorial Day using $100,000 that has already been appropriated to install a small gazebo that can accommodate 1-3 musicians to provide music there on the weekends. There will also be multiple plants, picnic tables and umbrellas, along with a Memorial Garden honoring Crisfield notables such as the Ward Brothers, former Governor J. Millard Tawes, Dr. H. DeWayne Whittington, and others. It will be a real achievement and attraction to have it complete and inviting for use by individuals, groups, events, and vendors.

WIND TURBINE:

• According to City Manager Rick Pollitt, the wind turbine is complete and ready for its evaluation run with the exception of a communications issue with Verizon. Once that is resolved, the City will announce a “flip the switch” ceremony. I expect that in a matter of days or a few weeks at most and will let you know. Meanwhile, the wind turbine is spinning, but is not fully functioning as yet. With Crisfield having the best wind energy in the state, it’s going to be interesting to see how much energy is generated and how many dollars are saved when it’s spinning freely. We’ll know that very soon!

ETHICS COMMISSION RULING:

• The City Ethics Commission is scheduled to meet again this afternoon at City Hall. They will be making a ruling soon on the questions about dual participation between elected officials and the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition, particularly that of the President of GCAC (yours truly). Once we know what the rules are, we can proceed to work toward gaining the City’s endorsement again. It’s been a long wait, but we expect it to be worth it. I will certainly let you know when that comes up for a vote again.

CARVEL HALL:

• No written proposals for Carvel Hall were received at City Hall on January 27th at 4:00 PM, which was the deadline for proposals. City Manager Rick Pollitt invoked the clause of the Request for Proposals (RFP) which extends the window for submittals until such time as we receive qualified proposals for consideration.  There have been 3 parties who showed substantial interest and at least one proposal is expected this week. At least there’s still hope we can put the property to a productive use that creates jobs.

CAPTAIN’S GALLEY RESTAURANT:

• Closed for the past 9 years, Captain’s Galley Restaurant sold earlier this month as part of a bid process with the County Commissioners, who obtained the property following bankruptcy and foreclosure. The successful bidder, Don D’Aquila, a businessman from Delaware, owns a townhouse at Water’s Edge in Crisfield and two other commercial properties in Crisfield – the former “Something Crabby” restaurant on Main Street near the City Dock and the former “Tropical Chesapeake” restaurant near the marina – both of which he bought in 2015. Here’s hoping he turns these properties into beautiful and productive establishments as he has done in other places.

KINGSBAY MANSION EXECUTIVE B&B:

• Kingsbay Mansion Executive B&B in Marion housed the crew from CBS that filmed Mary Ada Marshall on Smith Island and Brian Murphy and the Smith Island Baking Company in Crisfield for a feature on the Sunday Morning News show in November.  Here’s the review the producer posted after their stay: “Absolutely a stunning location to take in the sunset. The house itself is a sight unlike anything else in the entire town, and you feel you’ve been transported onto a movie set. Each room is a work of art, reflective of the dynamic duo that own the place. They make you feel right at home as if you’ve always known each other, which helps explain how scrumptious their breakfasts are. If you are ever given the opportunity to take shelter within this Bed and Breakfast, you absolutely must do it.”

• Making this connection with the CBS crew could lead to future features of Crisfield and the surrounding area. Recently, the owners, David King and Jerry Philpott, have invested considerable resources in improvements to the mansion, guest house, and grounds, and have expanded into becoming a Destination Wedding location as well. Guest bookings and weddings have already begun for 2017 and 2018. Of their annual guests, they attract many who express interest in investing in the area or re-locating here, and the owners are proud to promote Crisfield to those who express interest. See attached pictures, and learn more at: http://www.kingsbaymansion.com/index.html.

WHITE BOOT HOSPITALITY TRAINING:

• Director of Workforce Development Keith Campbell is scheduling meetings with Wor-Wic Community College, the Lower Shore Workforce Alliance, the National Restaurant Association, and our Crisfield Hospitality Industry Partnership to develop plans for White Boot Hospitality™ training for 2017 and 2018.  State funds continue to be available for GCAC’s training through the MD Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and Wor-Wic.  We recently supplied feedback to Wor-Wic on the positive impact of last year’s training on business expansion, job creation, and wage increases for Crisfield area workers and businesses.  By working with the NRA and Wor-Wic, we increase students’ chances of success by providing credentials that are nationally recognized and may eventually lead to college credit.  NRA has taken interest in our program as it is aligned with the requirements of the US Department of Labor and the newly issued regulations of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014; and together with NRA, we are seeking to develop certifications for entry-level workers where currently none exist.  Any owner or manager of a restaurant, bar or other hospitality business who would like to take advantage of workforce training for themselves or their employees is encouraged to contact Keith ([email protected]) or Kathy Berezoski ([email protected]), our Hospitality Industry Partnership chairperson.

JOBS IN OCEAN CITY:

• We are once again exploring the possibility of obtaining employment in Ocean City for unemployed residents of Crisfield who complete some basic workforce readiness and hospitality training.  Last year we had identified both jobs and candidates, but were not able to solve the issue of providing transportation.  We would like to combine the transporting of workers to and from Crisfield to Ocean City with the transporting of day-visitors to and from Ocean City to Crisfield.  Eventually, as we grow businesses in the Crisfield area, these now-trained and experienced workers should be able to obtain employment closer to home.  We would welcome any thoughts you may have on funding for this endeavor.

SOMERSET HOUSING STATISTICS:

• December Housing Statistics show that settlements for the year for single family homes in Somerset County are up 16% over last year while inventory is down by 19%. What’s interesting to me is that houses in the higher price ranges are selling as compared to last year and in recent years. In 2016, houses priced up to $149,999 sold in about the same quantity as they did in 2015. But there has been an increase in houses selling in the $150,000 to $199,999 price range (twice as many as in 2015); a modest increase in sales in the $200,000 to $299,999 price range; seven homes sold in the $300,000 to $399,999 price range as compared to 2 in 2015; 4 homes sold in the $400,000 to $499,999 price range as compared to 1 in 2015; also two homes sold in the $500,000 to $599,999 price range compared to 0 in 2015; and 2 homes sold in the $600,000 to $699,999 price range compared to 1 in 2015. These may not be big quantities, but they do show a trend that is encouraging. It appears that inventory is down, demand is up, and higher priced homes are starting to sell. This remains a good time to buy while assessments have dropped but the trend is up. With all the momentum going on in Crisfield, I believe we can expect this trend to continue and increase. It appears to be a national trend as well.

HOME ELEVATION PROGRAM:

• This month, the Long-Term Recovery Committee won their appeal to FEMA to reinstate the house elevation program that had been suspended due to improper advice from a MEMA official regarding adding additional properties. Now the program funding will be re-instated to allow 8 homes to be elevated in Crisfield and Somerset County this year and a projected 50 homes over the next 5 years. This is great news for Crisfield and Somerset County and especially for home owners who will be protected from future flooding.  Congratulations, LTRC!

SAFEST CITY SIGN:

• Mayor Kim Lawson had a sign created by local artist Becky Lowe to acknowledge Crisfield as one of the safest cities in America. It’s nice to hear about it, but it’s even nicer to be reminded of it as you see the sign every time you enter Crisfield. Something to be proud of! See attached picture of sign.

GCAC DONORS:

• Thanks to Bronze Crisfield Pacesetter Joanna Johnson’s donation and also an anonymous donation, the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition has raised a total of $32,015, mostly from individuals who share our love for Crisfield and support the vision for transforming Crisfield.  Thank you, everyone!

Whew! I know email were originally intended to be short, but when you have this much good news, it has to be said. Some of the news is a big deal and some is a small step of progress, but it all adds up to Good News for our community. The news is creating momentum, and more and more good is coming our way as we stay focused on the vision, put in the work, and keep the faith!
To read *all* the Good News that has happened in the past few months, go to: http://www.greatercrisfieldmd.org/good-news/
And please FORWARD this email to anyone you know who would be interested in hearing about the rebirth of Crisfield.
Best, Charlotte
The following items are from various email sent out to GCAC supporters recently and may be of interest to the whole community. Things are definitely happening in Crisfield!
All this movement and activity bring to mind one of my favorite Scriptures — Isaiah 43:19: “Behold, I am doing a new thing;  now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”