The City of Crisfield is excited to announce that it has received four Department of Housing and Community Development Community Legacy grants to fund the Low Income Housing Initiative, Armory rehabilitation, an interpretive historical sign, and the Business Façade Program. The City also pleased to have completed the submission of an application for the Southern Crisfield Flood Mitigation Project through the FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant.
Low Income Housing Initiative
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)’s Community Legacy grant has awarded the City of Crisfield funds for the Crisfield Low Income Housing Initiative which includes $117,600 to demolish six derelict homes that were provided by Somerset County to the City of Crisfield for this project. These homes had become property of the County through property tax sales. Once the properties are demolished the City will partner with the Eastern Shore Long-Term Recovery Committee (ESLTRC), local contractors, and other non-profit organizations to build houses for our low-income residents who qualify.
Armory
The Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Community Legacy program funded $250,000 for the rehabilitation for the Crisfield Armory at 8 Main Street. The rehabilitated building will serve as an entertainment venue as well as a community space for meetings, weddings and other celebrations. The grant will be used to address the needed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades and mold remediation.
With the Crisfield Armory rehabilitation, an important aspect of Crisfield’s heritage will be restored and will return to community function. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places both for its community use and because it was built as a functional armory to honor World War I veterans and later served men of Company L, 115 Infantry of the 29th Division who served in D-Day.
Interpretive sign
DHCD has funded $10,000 for an interpretive sign to be located at 333 W Main Street. This is the site of a former historic building which was a notable survivor of the 1928 Crisfield fire.
Façade and Business Improvement Program
The City of Crisfield has been awarded a grant by the Department of Housing and Community Development Community Legacy program for $75,000 to fund façade improvements for five businesses. The Façade and Business Improvement Program in Crisfield is designed to offer grants to business and property owners in Crisfield to assist them with outside façade improvements. Applications for this program will open soon and will be announced in a press release.
Connected Devices Laptops
Two hundred laptops have been approved through a Connected Devices grant through the Office of Statewide Broadband, which isa administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. In partnership with the Somerset County Library, this program has distributed laptops to eligible households that showed documentation of being within 200% of federal poverty guidelines. Households must be within Crisfield City limits to receive a laptop. Proof of residence as a citizen of the City of Crisfield and participation in a qualifying program or tax return for income verification will be required to receive a laptop.
The laptops will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis starting Wednesday, December 20th at the Crisfield Library, 100 Collins Street. The library is closed December 22nd through December 26th. Following that, laptop distribution will be available each week Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm while supplies remain.
Housing & Community Resource Coordinator
The City has received $40,000 from the Department of Housing and Community Development Operating Assistance Grant – Technical Assistance Grant to fund a Housing and Community Resource Coordinator to help address the shortage of affordable housing in Crisfield.
The Coordinator will support Crisfield community needs with a focus on housing resources. The Housing Coordinator will serve to connect the Crisfield community with existing resources and opportunities as well as to increase available resources through grant writing and management. The Coordinator will also connect citizens to resources for financial education and employment opportunities through available government programs and resources.
The Housing and Community Resource Coordinator position has been hired and will begin work in December. A press release about the new Housing & Community Resource Coordinator, as well as open office hours for the community, will be provided in the near future.
Climate Resilience and Flood Mitigation Projects
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Direct Technical Assistance (DTA)
The City of Crisfield has applied for a grant to assist in protecting the City from flooding to a five-foot above sea-level flood event. The City has been working with a team from FEMA’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) and has met with this team every two weeks for the past year. The resulting project that has been developed to protect the City from flooding is the work of many hours by the BRIC DTA team including engineers and coastal scientists. The project is also informed by the study conducted by The Nature Conservancy with partners George Mason University (GMU), the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center (EFC), and the EPA Office of Research and Development (EPA ORD). The design being presented is still in a concept phase. Community members will have many opportunities for input on these projects over the next several years prior to any construction beginning.
These projects in the FEMA BRIC grant applications will combine strategies to greatly reduce the tide and flood water entering the City and assist in getting the water out quickly if it does enter, such as during a storm or rain event.
The City will be applying for the FEMA grants in two parts. The City has applied for $40 million for the Southern Crisfield Flood Mitigation Project to assist in protecting the south side of the City to the 3.5 foot level of flooding. Next year, the City will apply for the Northern Crisfield Flood Mitigation Project to assist in protecting the north part of the City to the five-foot flood level. The completed project will protect both the north and the south parts of the City to the 5-foot flood level. Each grant will take up to one year to be approved, and then will be in design for one year. Permitting and construction is anticipated to take an additional one to two years per grant. Construction is not estimated to start until 2026.
A conceptual layout of the project consists of the following components:
- A continuous tidal flood protection barrier completely surrounding the project area, composed of elevated roadways, restored or capped bulkheads, and earthen berms.
- An internal drainage system composed of new storm sewers, swales, improved ditches, pump stations, storage facilities, and restored/constructed wetlands.
- Tide gates designed to keep high tidal waters out of the drainage system while maintaining intertidal flows during average tides to support wetland health.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has partnered with George Mason University (GMU), the University of Maryland’s Environmental Finance Center (EFC), and the EPA Office of Research and Development (EPA ORD) to bring flood adaptation support to Crisfield. TNC has been working with key stakeholders in the community for the past two years to develop community resilience goals along developing a decision-making framework.
The team from TNC, GMU, EFC and EPA ORD has also been working closely with the FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) team to support the development of the BRIC application for flooding resilience. The preliminary report from this project, as well as modeling performed by George Mason University, was used in the Southern Crisfield Flood Mitigation application. A final report of the project’s assessment results, flood maps, and other deliverables will be available in early 2024. A project video screening and discussion will be held in January 2024. For more information, please contact TNC Project Leads Liz Van Dolah (e.r.vandolah@tnc.org) or Joe Galarraga (joseph.galarraga@tnc.org).
Nature-Based Solutions with EPA
As part of its efforts to deal with current environmental challenges such as nuisance flooding, storms, and erosion, Crisfield is partnering with EPA and others to explore nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure and marsh restoration.
Participation and input from community members is critical to the success of any efforts. Alongside its research efforts, EPA will be offering a six-month Resilience Academy, open to those 15 and older. The Academy is an interactive program for a small group of community members to explore environmental issues relevant to the people of Crisfield. Participants will learn about and discuss environmental topics of interest and concern, with opportunities to work with researchers in the field, while building successful leadership strategies, community partnerships, and other tools to better prepare the environmental leaders of tomorrow. If you are interested in receiving more information about the Resilience Academy in Crisfield or receiving updates on nature-based projects in Crisfield, please email Hartley.Jenna@epa.gov.
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC)
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC) is a faith-based nonprofit working with congregations to be faithful stewards of Creation. IPC works with congregations to address their individual stormwater and planting needs, through a number of mitigation measures such as rain gardens, tree plantings, bioswales and more. If you or your congregation are interested in forming a Green Team or Ministry, or addressing stormwater needs on your congregation’s sacred grounds, please reach out to Mollie Rudow at Mollie@InterfaithChesapeake.org or (443) 926-4559.
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake will be hosting a Listening Session at the Crisfield Public Library on January 19th from 6:00-7:30 PM. This Listening Session will provide an avenue to share your community needs and concerns, particularly regarding environmental issues in the Crisfield community and how residents would like to/have seen them addressed. Come out for a chance to share your thoughts and influence environmental policy at the State level.
For more information on partner’s flood mitigation projects in the City of Crisfield, check out cityofcrisfield-md.gov or crisfieldfloodmitigation.com.
Crisfield City Dock Repairs and Improvements
Van Hollen, Cardin, Harris Advance Crisfield Main Street Revitalization, City Dock Funding Requests
Community Project Funding (CPF) requests for federally-funded improvements to the Crisfield City Dock were recently advanced by Senators Chris Van Hollen, Ben Cardin and Congressman Andy Harris in their respective committees. $2,003,532 for the project was included in the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD)Appropriations Committee Subcommittee Bill. Senator Van Hollen and Senator Cardin also submitted this request on the City’s behalf in the Senate Homeland Security bill, as well as a request for the Main Street Revitalization project, for which they secured $500,000 in the Senate Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee bill. These funds will address structural issues and raise the height of the dock to make it safer and mitigate impacts of sea-level rise.
Now that this legislation has cleared the hurdle of the respective Senate and House Appropriations Committees – of which Senator Van Hollen and Congressman Harris are members – the lawmakers will work to maintain this funding as it proceeds to the Chambers’ floors for votes.
DNR Waterways Improvement Fund
$250,000 was received through two grants ($90,000 and $160,000) from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that will serve to improve and elevate the damaged southeast pier of the City Dock. Designs for this project have been completed by the engineering firm of Davis, Bowen and Friedel. Permitting has been completed for this project and a Request for Proposals selected Murtech as the contractor for project implementation, with a bid of $163,750. The current estimated start date for the project is February 1, 2024, with a construction time of approximately 75 days depending on weather conditions.
The City of Crisfield has applied for $250,000 from the DNR Waterways Improvement Fund for Fiscal Year 2025 to improve and elevate the northwest pier of the City Dock. The City will receive notification if this project has been awarded around July 1, 2024.
Bond Bill Sponsored by Senator Mary Beth Carozza
The City of Crisfield is grateful to Senator Mary Beth Carroza for sponsoring a $100,000 bond bill towards planning for future improvements for the Crisfield City Dock. These funds will be used towards planning that will create an even more inviting space for residents and the community, as well as preparing the dock to host large events. The signed grant agreement has been received for this project. A Request for Proposals to identify a consultant to lead this process is anticipated in February 2024. The design process will include opportunities for community input. The final design will be selected by the Mayor and Council and informed by the community comment. This design phase will take one year and will result in a document that will be used for funding proposals to implement a vision for the City Dock as an event venue. The Waterfront Development Committee led by Councilman Eric Banks met in December to identify next steps.
Main Street Revitalization
A Congressionally Directed Spending request for $500,000 for a Main Street Revitalization and Resiliency Business Incubator was advanced to the Senate Appropriations by Senator Cardin and Senator Van Hollen , and has been included in the Interior bill in the Senate.
Funds would help revitalize a 339 West Main Street, a City-owned building. The rehabilitation of the building will serve as an anchor to redevelop and drive economic activity to the rest of Main Street. Located in the Historic District and built in 1928, this building features intricate brickwork and large windows. The engineering firm George, Miles, and Bhur has completed a Condition Assessment on this building as well as on 339 West Main Street, an adjacent building also owned by the City of Crisfield.
The Committee’s favorable action is one step in Congress’ deliberations regarding appropriations for the coming fiscal year, and funding for any specific earmark is still not guaranteed until it is included in a final appropriations bill that is passed and enacted into law for Fiscal Year 2024. Appropriations bills are typically passed by both chambers of Congress in late December 2023, but this timing can vary.
A Main Street Revitalization Committee has been formed to help determine an approach for revitalizing what was considered ‘uptown Main Street’.
Tide gates and Stormwater Pumping Stations
The engineering firm BayLand has been selected to design tide gates and two stormwater pumping stations as well as conduct the bidding for the construction phase of this project. Stormwater pumping stations will be located at Broadway & 8th and the Norris Harbor Drive intersection with Gerald Ditch. The pumping stations will make some of the earlier proposed tide gates unnecessary and redundant.
Design and construction of this project are funded by $1,379,474 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds combined with 10% match and $92,274 remaining in Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) funds.
The design and permitting for this process will be completed by January of 2025. Eight months of permitting and review time is estimated as part of this process. Construction is estimated to take six months once the design, review, and permitting are completed, with the project completed in mid-2025.
Wastewater Pumping Stations and Pipe Lining
Crisfield has the following wastewater projects underway:
- Inflow and Infiltration (I & I). I & I involves cleaning, televising, and lining sewer pipes as needed to repair pipes that have become porous and are allowing too much ground water to enter, impacting the processing of sewage at the City’s wastewater treatment plant. This project is being completed by the contractor Standard Pipe Services out of Newark, Delaware. There are only a few sewer lines remaining to clean and line. It is anticipated the project will be completed by December 31, 2023. This project is funded by MDE & the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans and forgivable loans for a total of $684,252.
Replacement of wastewater pumps at Cove Street, Rubberset, and Jersey Island. The City has three wastewater pump stations located at Cove Street, Rubberset (Sherwin Williams building) and Jersey Island (Norris Harbor Drive). The pumping stations at Cove Street and Rubberset are being replaced using MDE/USDA-RD funds. These projects are funded by MDE & USDA loans and principal forgiveness loans for a total of $4,392,300. These reflect the following costs: Cove Street (MDE funds of $499,300) and Rubberset (MDE funds of $1,850,000) along with USDA-RD funds of $1,293,000 and Jersey Island (MDE funds of $650,000 and Rural Maryland Council funds $110,000).
Rubberset and Cove Street pump stations are anticipated to go to bid in January, with review of the selected bid by the Mayor and Council and submittal of the awarded bid to the Maryland Department of the Environment in February. These pumping stations are anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2024.
The preliminary environmental forms for the Jersey Island wastewater pumping station have been submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment. A Coast Smart and Preliminary Engineering Report, as required by MDE, is completed with submission of all reports in early 2024 immediately followed by the design and permit submissions.
The pump station, which was built in 1970, is located on Norris Harbor Drive on the south side of Somers Cove Marina and serves residential, commercial (seafood and motel), and governmental (US Coast Guard) properties. The City of Crisfield recently received a $110,000 grant from the Rural Maryland Council to fund the engineering for this pumping station.
- 1936 Sanitary Sewer Investigation and Rehabilitation Phase II, Water Isolation Valve Installation, and Large Water Meter Replacement These projects are funded by the first round of American Rescue Funds, totaling $1,263,000.
The Water Isolation Valve project has been completed by Reynold’s Excavating, Inc. This will allow water to be shut down in strategic sections of the City to allow for repairs to be completed when needed. This will prevent the need to shut down the entire City during repairs as has been done in the past. The next step is to test the valves to ensure functioning, with testing in January 2024.
The 1936 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project (Chesapeake Environmental Services, LLC) investigation portion is complete with most lines requiring lining however a few lines showed significant issues such as large holes and may require full replacement. Prior to full replacement, grouting of the holes may be possible followed by lining and is being further investigated. The contractor is currently in Crisfield and the project should be completed by mid to late February.
Lead Service Line Inventory
The Revised EPA Lead and Copper Rule/Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI)
requires a lead service inventory be developed and submitted by October 16, 2024. A lead service line means a portion of pipe providing drinking water that is made of lead, which connects the water main to the building inlet.
The City of Crisfield will be working with SERCAP who will complete an application of up to $100,000 for a Lead Line Inventory through the Maryland Department of the Environment Drinking Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for Lead Service Line Replacement. SERCAP’s Regional Program provides training, technical, and financial assistance to rural communities, water/wastewater treatment facilities, public and private utilities, public service authorities (PSAs), planning district commissions (PDCs), etc. to support water/wastewater infrastructure projects, community development, and economic development. SERCAP’s technical assistance (TA) helps rural communities and water/wastewater systems to build capacity, become self-sustaining, and achieve or maintain compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
It Takes A Village to Help Our Children, Inc Youth Center
It Takes A Village to Help Our Children, Inc raised a total of $2.52 million in funding towards a youth center. The City Council voted to approve JBC Construction of Princess Anne as the contractor for It Takes a Village to complete 3,000 square feet of finished space with a Use and Occupancy permit and 4,000 square feet of unfinished space for a total of $2.2 million. It Takes a Village and Owner’s Representative/Construction Management Consultant Visions International MD, LLC will work with the City of Crisfield to expend the $701,606 remaining in grant funding for the project from the Department of Housing and Community Development City grant towards the 3,000 square foot finished building.
Police Department Projects in Progress
The Crisfield Police Department has received Drug Enforcement funding of $3,000 through the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) grant through the Maryland Drug Enforcement funding of $3,000 through the State Police.
The Crisfield Police Department is proud to announce the hire of new officer Christopher Barrs in October of 2023. Tracy Neilson has been hired as a full-time Dispatcher as of September of 2023 and Vinnie Esposito was hired as a part time Dispatcher in August of 2023.
