POCOMOKE CITY -- The mayor and council voted to opt out of a state regulation requiring the installation of sprinkler systems in new single-family homes in Maryland after Jan. 1.Instead, the town will offer owners of a new home a rebate on property taxes if they decide to install a sprinkler system. The amount of the rebate will be decided later.
Two-family homes are not affected by the town's decision since they already come under the code that calls for structures with more than one family to have the systems.
Worcester County Commissioners have so far decided to let the state regulations stand, meaning they would go into effect in the new year. But the two newly elected commissioners who were sworn in Tuesday -- Merrill Lockfaw Jr. and Jim Bunting Jr. -- want to revisit the issue.
In Ocean City, the Town Council is on track to clear the way for the state regulations to take effect in the resort.
Other business
Chris B. Derbyshire, representing George, Miles and Buhr, also gave the mayor and council an update this week on the upgrade to the town's sewer plant.
He said work on the upgrade is 82 percent complete. The original completion date was Dec. 29, but an additional 48 days is needed because of a change order in the original contract. Because of the increase in time, the architects requested an additional $32,234 to monitor the construction. The request was approved.
City Manager Russell W. Blake said no local funds will be needed to cover this cost. Derbyshire also said bids should be opened in about two weeks on the UV disinfection project. This addition, costing about $225,000, will disinfect sewage leaving the plant and reduce the cost of operation because it will eliminate the need for chemicals. Again, no local funds will be needed to cover the cost of this project.
