Talbot County, Maryland

11/27/2024

Category: County Council

The Talbot County Council held their regular meeting on November 26 at 5 p.m.; Council Vice President Pete Lesher participated via conference call.

Presentation of Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Award for FY2023 

Martha Sparks, Director of Finance, stated that the Finance Department had received the Government Financial Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting for FY2023. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. 

The award process also acknowledges individuals in a department that contribute to the finance auditing and reporting success of an organization, specifically highlighting the dedicated work of Martha Sparks, Finance Director, and Kaitlin Foster-Clark, Assistant Finance Director in the FY23 award.  

“I want to recognize the incredible work of our employees in the Finance Department. None of this would be possible without their daily support,” mentioned Sparks. “Nearly ½ of our department has been employed for less than 2 years. We rely heavily on those who have been with the department for an extended period of time while also valuing the new perspectives that our newer employees bring.” 

Talbot County annual financial reports dating back to 2009 are available online at https://talbotcountymd.gov/financialreports.

Presentation by Veteran & Military Support Alliance (VAMSA) 

Eric Johnson, Executive Director, and Lei Ellingson, Deputy Director of VAMSA, briefed the Council on  services and resources provided by the organization. They were accompanied by Bruce Bereano, Office of Bruce Bereano, Annapolis, MD.  

Johnson highlighted the disproportionate percentage of veterans on the Eastern Shore, their needs, and the needs of their families for veteran related services. In Maryland, 7.6% of the population are veterans, which is higher than the national average. In Talbot County, 2,559 people are veterans, according to a study by Purdue. Johnson also highlighted that the number does not include the impact to veterans’ family members. If family members are included, 16.9% of the Talbot County population is considered a veteran family.  

“Most agencies are restricted to specific populations and helping the individual veteran, but they can’t serve the entire family,” said Johnson. “If a veteran or military service member is in need, it often means the family that supports them is in need as well.” 

VAMSA was created to serve as a resource center for veterans, active military personnel, their families and caregivers. They offer services such as spouse/caregiver support groups, veteran coffee meetups, book-based groups, claims support both online and on-site at their location in Queen Anne’s County, but also serves as a navigator for veterans and their families to get connected to additional resources such as regional housing, VA clinics, outpatient/inpatient medical needs, emergency housing, claims support, and more. 

In October 2024, VAMSA officially partnered with the State of Maryland to reach additional veterans and their families, further expanding their impact across the region. Johnson requested the County consider providing financial assistance to VAMSA in the upcoming fiscal year.  

More information on VAMSA can be found on their website at qacveteransupport.org. While the facility is physically located in Queen Anne’s County, VAMSA services are open to any veterans, military, and their family members or caretakers. 

2024 Report of the Review 

The Department of Public Works has been working diligently to complete the 2024 Report of Review. The Draft 2024 Report of the Review incorporates Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan Amendments approved by the Council since the last Report of the Review was completed in 2002 and utilizes up-to-date technology to update the maps incorporated in the Draft document. The Report of the Review is separate from the Comprehensive Plan but works in conjunction with the Plan. Ray Clarke, County Engineer, stated that the Draft 2024 Report of Review has been provided to Council.

In the coming months, the document will be made available online for the general public to review and provide comments. A copy of the Draft 2024 Report of the Review will also be available at the Easton Branch of the Talbot County Free Library. 

More information will be made available at talbotcountymd.gov/rotr 

Other Business 

• Elisa Deflaux, Senior Planner, Department of Planning and Zoning, requested Council approval for the recertification report for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Program for Talbot County. The MALPF program, in its 44th year, helps to preserve farmland through acquisition of development rights. The program receives state funding by a combination of general funds, and a portion of the real estate transfer tax fees retained by the County. This year, MALPF accepted 16 applications from Talbot County that will be reviewed for possible easements in the FY25 budget. Council unanimously approved the request.  
• Council reelected Chuck Callhan as Council President and Pete Lesher as Council Vice President.  
• Council unanimously approved a request to purchase a 16.6 +/- acre property located near the Easton Airport in the amount of $250,000.  Funding for the purchase will come from Easton Airport which is an enterprise fund. 
• Council unanimously approved a request from Eastern Shore Land Conservancy for a Letter of Support of the FY26 Mid-Shore Rural Legacy Application. As stated in the letter of support, based on the objectives of applications and how they benefit the community, the County has chosen to prioritize the Eastern Shore Heartland Rural Legacy Area and the Tuckahoe Rural Legacy Area.  
• The Department of Economic Development and Tourism received unanimous approval to award Bid No. 24-11, a request for proposals to create a detailed strategic plan for economic development and tourism for Talbot County, to Camoin Associates in the amount of $104,712. The plan is funded by a grant from the Maryland Rural Economic Development fund. 
• The Department of Public Works received unanimous support to approve a change order in the amount of $217,643 for the contract with Retallack and Sons for Resolution No. 235, replacement of Royal Oak Pump Station. The additional funds will be used to replace and upgrade ten air relief valves (ARV), vault piping, and mechanical parts located on the existing Unionville and Royal Oak force mains. Existing ARV assemblies within the vaults were identified as missing, damaged or non-functional resulting in existing pipe and fittings being susceptible to failure. 
• Council unanimously approved a request from Martingham Property Owners Association. Inc. (MPOA) for a letter of support of their grant application to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for their Martingham Flood Mitigation and Stormwater Management Planning Project. If approved, the County will collaborate with MPOA and provide feedback during the planning and design process to help prepare the MPOA for future permitting and implementation.  

The Council’s next legislative meeting will be held on December 10, 2024, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the Bradley Meeting Room located in the South Wing, Talbot County Courthouse, 11 North Washington Street, Easton.  The Council will be convening at 2:30 p.m. for a work session to discuss the Cannabis-Community Reinvestment and Repair funds.  The meeting is open to the public. 

On Tuesday, December 3 the Council will be convening at 3:30 p.m. for a work session to discuss a proposal for an oyster nutrient trading credit program. The meeting is open to the public and will be held in the Bradley Meeting Room. 

council highlights council meetings public works report of the review midshore rural legacy application malpf planning