July 2019 GCAC ‘GOOD NEWS’ Newsletter

​Hello, good people,

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I resume writing the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition’s ‘Good News’ Newsletter. I will focus this newsletter entirely on the progress made toward building a Hotel & Conference Center downtown on the waterfront in Crisfield including an update on Wednesday night’s City Council meeting.

First, let me explain why the newsletter has been on pause since March: Four months ago, I put down my GCAC work and the newsletter in order to take a much-needed rest. It had been almost four years of nearly daily work on behalf of Crisfield, and it was time to take a break. The beauty of the respite was that it gave others on the GCAC team a rest too, and it enabled and encouraged others in the City to step up, and boy, did they!

Since the pause on GCAC activities 120 days ago, other leaders in the community have come forth to help carry on the mission of revitalizing Crisfield and to rally around the Hotel & Conference Center project brought forth through GCAC with Peck Miller. During this time, many of us have been attending and speaking out at City Council meetings so the Mayor and City Council will know that the community supports this project and wants Crisfield revitalized. Through our unified efforts, seven major accomplishments have occurred during the past four months:

• UNANIMOUS CITY ENDORSEMENT BY A VOTE OF 5-0: On May 22, according to the approved minutes, Councilwoman Gail Lankford made a motion “that the Mayor and Council endorse the Hotel/Conference Center project and form a committee to provide support for it. Councilman Sheppard amended the motion that a Steering Committee would be formed to seek funding and volunteered to Chair the Committee. Motion seconded by Council Vice President Johnson… Motion carried unanimously 5-0.”

 

• COUNCILMAN SHEPPARD FORMS STEERING COMMITTEE: Once the Council voted to endorse the project, Councilman Sheppard began to identify people in the community to be on the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee held its first meeting on July 1st and approved naming the committee the Crisfield Revitalization Committee (CRC). Their first order of business is to get a letter from the City Council giving the Maryland Stadium Authority the go ahead to do a “Gold Standard” study that will open up the opportunities for funding from the state for various components of the project that are not privately funded.

 

• MEETINGS HELD WITH KEY STATE AGENCIES: Meanwhile, following the vote of unanimous support by the City Council, Peck Miller, with the assistance of Senator Mary Beth Carozza, began to set meetings with state officials regarding the project, including Tom Kelso, Director of the Maryland Stadium Authority; Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Steve McAdams, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community initiatives; and Secretary Kenneth C. Holt, Department of Housing and Community Development. At each meeting, Peck was met with enthusiastic support for the ideas presented for Crisfield’s revitalization. Tom Kelso and Secretary Holt were both intrigued by the possibility of coordinating the construction of certain parts of the project with Crisfield’s infrastructure construction, which could save time and money. Councilman Sheppard was able to attend two of these meetings, one in Annapolis and one in Baltimore, and heard for himself the support and enthusiasm offered by state officials.

 

• CONTRACTS EXTENDED ON PROPERTIES FOR PROJECT: At the same time, the original contracts on the properties within the downtown development area started to run out. Peck Miller contacted each of the property owners and got extensions on all but one property. That property may not be part of the development or it may be included as things proceed. The other property owners are enthused about the opportunity for revitalization and have given their full support. Having contracts on these properties is a key component to the development because investors and state officials want to know that we have site control.

 

• SIXTY BUSINESSES SIGN PETITION IN SUPPORT OF PROJECT: In April, Sam and Mary Frances Davis took it upon themselves to write up a petition and go to local business owners asking them to sign in support of the Hotel & Conference Center project. Mary Frances said she was not sure how many would sign, but once she started asking, she found the owners not only willing to sign, but eager to sign. “The business owners in Crisfield are really excited about this project. Some of them are struggling, and they see this as a way to sustain their business. Others are doing well, but they know they could do better. This has given everyone hope.” Among the businesses who signed were the owners of Tangier Island Cruises, John’s Auto, Salon One, Captain Tyler’s, Goldsborough Marine, Bay Gift Vault, Landon’s Flowers, Evans Boats, Gordon’s, Wilson Realty, Bubby’s Restaurant, The Crab Place, and Linton’s Seafood. In the end, Mary Frances and Sam had no trouble getting 60+ signatures, which they then presented to the Mayor and Council in May.

 

• 85% OF THOSE WHO VOTED IN POLL SUPPORTED PROJECT: In April, a popular “Crisfield, Maryland” Facebook page put up a poll asking people to vote yes or no to the question, “Are you in favor of or opposed to a hotel / conference center in Crisfield?” The poll was up for one week, and amazingly over 1,000 people voted. Of those, 853 or 85% voted in favor of the project. Not only did the poll show the voting totals and the percent, it also showed who voted for and against. Of the 853 who voted for it, there were many local business owners, but also the Superintendent of Schools, teachers, lawyers, business professionals in the area, Crisfield Heritage Foundation leaders, and other local and regional citizens. It showed a wonderful cross-section of our community.

 

• CITIZENS FOLLOW COUNCIL THROUGH VIDEO STREAMING: Another interesting development is that people have taken a great interest in what is happening at City Council meetings thanks to the live streaming provided by Eric Banks on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/eric.banks.71?epa=SEARCH_BOX. For example, at a Work Session held on June 12 in regard to the Hotel & Conference Center, the video Eric posted has gotten 585 views. In my experience on City Council, the norm would be 4 or 5 people showing up at City Hall that didn’t have to be there. Some nights it was 2 or 3. Now the room is full or almost full because of this project, and hundreds of others are watching the video of the meetings on Facebook. It underscores the level of interest and support people have in this opportunity for Crisfield, and it shows that people are no longer apathetic, discouraged, or disinterested. They are instead engaged, interested, and hopeful. I have never seen the level of positive energy in Crisfield like this in my lifetime. The unity is powerful, and it is turning the tide.

So, for those of you who haven’t been following this closely, what is this project and how did we get to here…? The facts are that GCAC met with Peck Miller, an Ocean City developer and project manager, last October in Ocean City, asking him to tour Crisfield and give us ideas for how we can revitalize. In November, he came with his wife and business partner, Patti, and Jeff Schoellkopf, an architect he has worked with for many years. After seeing all the assets and opportunities Crisfield has, he and his partners began to develop a vision for a comprehensive plan to revitalize Crisfield.
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The plan he envisions begins with a Hotel & Conference Center downtown on the waterfront with open views to the east and west over the bay, marina and marshes.  The Hotel and Conference Center would be adjacent to a Central Park or “Watermen’s Memorial Park”, which would have grass and trees with paved areas and used as a venue for events as well as for occasional markets, relaxation, and a community gathering space. The vision is to connect the marina to the downtown, and includes commercial and restaurant improvements, raising new infrastructure and buildings, support for remaining working waterfront areas as much as possible, and a Parking Garage to control the flow of traffic downtown.

There are several other components to the plan as well. A second phase would include redevelopment in the uptown area. Also, an outdoor amphitheater with covered seating could be constructed as a concert venue. Peck also sees opportunities for RV and Yacht Parks as well as for mixed-income townhouses in various locations around the City.
In his presentation to the Mayor and Council on February 13, Peck made five points that were the highlights of his presentation:

1. He anticipates the Model Block to be completed in the next three years – Summer 2022.
2. He said Crisfield can be a “model for other small towns across America” who are struggling with the same problems we have here.
3. He sees 3 or 4 Hotels in Crisfield, perhaps within the next six years, as tourism grows and development continues. The first Hotel will be a catalyst and an anchor. This project, which could total around $50,000,000, will have a ripple effect that will attract even more private investment. The hardest part is always getting the momentum started, which is what this public-private partnership will do.
4. The plan ties together two of Crisfield’s greatest assets – the park and the marina – into the downtown.
5. The plan shifts views toward the east and west, which will take advantage of sunrises and sunsets in the downtown area, one of Crisfield’s greatest assets.

He has also answered questions raised by the City:

1. Will the project have private funding? Yes, the hotel and restaurants will be built with private funding.
2. What will the project cost the City? The City will not be asked to contribute funding to this project. However, when the hotel is built, tax abatements will be requested for a set period of time (typically 5-10 years), during which time current tax levels will be maintained.
3. Will the project compete with the City’s efforts to obtain funding for needed infrastructure? No, the state has assured us that their commitment to infrastructure improvements and the project construction can be done simultaneously without any negative impact on funding for infrastructure.

In getting to this point, I commend the people who attended City Council meetings and Work Sessions representing a cross section of our community and who spoke in favor of the project. Here is a sample of the remarks that were made:

Phil Riggin, member of the Long-Term Recovery Committee, the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition, the Somerset County Economic Development Commission, and Somerset County Tourism.
“Since 2013, I’ve attended more than 50 meetings focused on the idea of a Hotel and Conference Center in Crisfield. In 2014, a report written by the Economic Development Task Force was submitted to the Mayor and Council right here in this room.  As Chairman of the Task Force, in two City Council meetings, I presented their findings which included a critical need for a Hotel and Conference Center. In recent months, we’ve seen the idea revived again with a more comprehensive revitalization plan presented by Mr. Peck Miller. I’m excited to see the plan being actively supported by leaders at both the County and State levels, and I’m very excited by the expressions of support by local citizens as part of a social media survey which produced more than 1000 respondents with 85% in support. In addition, a letter of endorsement from dozens of business owners was presented to you in the last few weeks. The combination of these letters, reports, surveys, and plans I believe is a mandate for action. If I were sitting in your seat, I would consider this a mandate for action. Therefore, I am asking you to do the right thing and vote to support the concept of the revitalization plan that has been presented to you.”

Greg Cain, founder and CEO, The Crab Place:
“I’m here on behalf of the Hotel and Conference Center. I want to talk about why we are where we are. I’ve been looking at data going back to 2000, and you can see a downward trend to where our household income is now about half of the national average. Looking at unemployment, in 2000 it was 6.5% when the national average was 3.7%. Our unemployment rate has been steadily growing and now it’s at 15%. When you look at the number of people who are at or below the poverty level, Crisfield’s poverty level is as high as 45%, while the national average is 14.6%. So the question is why? In going up against Baltimore and DC or other larger cities that are doing much better, is it because they have better people? No, you know that isn’t the case. But the fact is they have better trade opportunities. They are not better than us, but they have expanded their trade boundaries. Some Crisfield businesses have done that too, like the seafood companies, Sherwin Williams, and even my own company. We have expanded our trade out of the City. Why the Hotel and Conference Center is so important is that it allows outside trade opportunities to come to us. Trying to trade amongst yourself like restaurants, gift shops, and carry-outs have to do, it’s hard to make a living because of our poverty level. But seeing the Facebook poll and the business petition, it is showing you that for the first time, Crisfielders have hope. We can turn these numbers into more like the national average by expanding our trade boundaries and working together to take us to a better place. A lot of people are struggling, and this is an opportunity to push us forward. The Hotel and Conference Center is the start of changing things. That’s our future. I know this opportunity won’t last forever, and I implore you to support this opportunity.”

Darlene Taylor, Executive Director of It Takes a Village, an After-School Program:
“The best way to help our children is to help their parents. For me, this is about tourism, but it’s really about jobs. Hotels provide opportunities and jobs for our people. I grew up here, I love this town, but I had to leave here in order to make a living. That should not have to happen for our kids or their parents. This project will provide an opportunity for our people to be able to stay and do something here.”
Frances Martinez-Myers, real estate and relocation specialist:
“The Hotel Project will be the most important step in our economic development, creating many jobs at many levels, BUT the most important thing it will do is to set in motion a significant business development response from various ancillary service businesses, including from local people who have been afraid of making a financial investment here. It will, without a doubt, attract more tourists, new residents and business from neighboring towns. We will be on everyone’s radar and that is a good thing. It will help us be more than a one season town.


This will be the gift that keeps on giving to Crisfield and its residents. The effects of this endeavor will grow year over year. It will stimulate the real estate market as more people come to town, absorbing or replacing old inventory. Property values will rise, increasing equity. Equity can help fund business ventures, education, retirement and definitely impacts government tax rolls. The project will help local people get on their feet and participate in the overall economy. It will give our young people reasons to come back after college because there will be something here for them. When the tide rises, all boats rise.


I am requesting the City formally and publicly endorse the Hotel Conference Center and Park Project. Opportunities like this don’t come often. We know you all love Crisfield and want the City and your residents to thrive. This is a legacy moment for all of you. You can be the Council that drove the change that brought Crisfield back to the thriving city it used to be, OR you can be the Council that stood in the way of Crisfield’s comeback. Who brought Mr. Peck to Crisfield doesn’t matter and no one cares. The only thing that matters is Crisfield’s viability, and time is running out.”


Jay Tawes, local businessman:
“We’re not here to protest. We’re not here to protest at all. We’re here to encourage you to vote in favor of a plan for this community to move forward. We’ve got a golden opportunity here with a man [Peck Miller] sitting here with 35 years of experience… The business community is crying out to you right now. We want economic development. We can make a difference in this town. Let’s unite and win the economic development battle for this community.”

Reverend Ervin Wallace, Jr., Pastor of Shiloh United Methodist Church:
“I support the Hotel & Conference Center project because it adds to the business of revitalizing Crisfield. The project covers two key components of local revitalization, which are: One, the creation of employment that helps expand the City’s employment opportunities for its citizens; and Two, the project will help existing businesses such as the marina. As a pastor in this town, I see this as a project that will allow Crisfield to finally lead the way in showing the entire Lower Shore what it means to care about the economy and its people while also being a sure example of what town revitalization should look like. This is a good start as a way to fight back against the poverty that we are too used to on the Shore. Therefore, I urge you, the town officials who love this town too, to support the Hotel and Conference Center project.”
So, as you can tell, this project has been officially before the Council since February and there has been considerable support from the citizens and business community. The hope was that at Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, the Mayor and Council would sign the attached letter (see the letter and the cover letter below) asking the Maryland Stadium Authority to conduct an Economic Impact Study that, if favorable, would enable the project to attract state funding for specific parts of the project. This would then become a public-private partnership where private investment would fund the hotel and restaurants and public funding could fund the conference center, park, and parking garage.

CRC Cover Letter

MSA Request

I promised an update on Wednesday night’s meeting, and as it turned out, City leaders are still figuring things out. Here are two videos that cover the whole meeting if you weren’t there or haven’t seen it and want to watch it for yourself.

https://www.facebook.com/eric.banks.71/videos/10215903479393735/UzpfSTEzNTA3MDIxMDU6MTAyMjAyOTY1NzAyMjgzMjA/

https://www.facebook.com/erik.emely/videos/10219148707846131/UzpfSTEzNTA3MDIxMDU6MTAyMjAyOTY1NzEzMDgzNDc/

As you can see, we’re not quite there, but I am still confident of a positive outcome in the end as we continue to keep the faith and work toward a better Crisfield. We are committed and will not give up.
In my next newsletter in August, I will keep you abreast of further progress on this project as well as other good news happening around Crisfield. There is lots to tell and even more coming.

Best regards to all,

Charlotte