POCOMOKE CITY -- Plans for a new 170-seat restaurant near the Delmarva Discovery Center should be ready to go out for bids later this month and ground could be broken as early as this summer, the mayor and council heard Monday.
Council members got a look at the plans for the proposed restaurant between Discovery Center and Pocomoke River after the board's newest members were sworn in.
Don Malloy and Mayor Bruce Morrison won seats on the council in recent city elections. Morrison has previously served on the council.
W. Ronald Morgan, president of Becker Morgan Group, presented the restaurant plans to the council.
City Manager Russell W. Blake said the town has received two grants for construction of the building: a $500,000 state grant and a $150,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
Morgan said the plans were designed so that the restaurant could be bid with several alternates. If the bid for the entire facility comes in too high, two sections of 30 seats each could be individually cut off to bring it down to the available funding.
Smith also asked about a previous request for a one-day beer permit at the Truck and Tractor Pull on June 25. In their previous letter, members of the committee had said that it would be an adult-oriented event. Also in answer to a question Smith said that the committee expected to make about $5,000 on the sales.
Morrison said that since it was mainly for adults he would not object to the permit. The council voted to approve the sale.
According to Ashley Webb, a team member, the group recently returned from the regional competition in Richmond, Va. The group is made up of students from Pocomoke High School, Pocomoke Middle School and Virginia schools.
Working out of the MIST building in the Pocomoke Industrial Park, the students are building robots to be displayed at the competition.
The council voted to give the team $1,000 for the trip.
Blake also wanted to tie the Maryland Avenue well into the generator system at the sewage treatment plant. This way it would give a backup in case the town's electricity was interrupted. A bid of $2,607 from C.F. Lambertson was OK'd.
Finally the town has a $141,000 state grant for the replacement of the water meters with meters that can be read by radio signals. Before the work is advertised, the town has to hire an engineering firm to help plan the work.
George, Miles and Buhr was the only company to reply to the Request for Qualifications. Since the firm is experienced in this type of work, the council decided to approve the work. Blake hopes to be able to replace 25 to 35 percent of the existing meters.
The council also agreed to accept a proposal from the EnerNoc Co. to allow the company to control the power at the wastewater treatment plant during peak times. The city would have the say during any time that a cutoff request was made. In agreeing to the proposal the city could save up to $15,000.
Under other businessm the council agreed to allow the use of the Winter Quarters Golf Course for an Elks Club tournament; to allow a Sunday beer and wine permit for the American Legion's fundraiser; and to give Save the Youth $250 for a motivational program for area youth.
A new police officer, Franklin Savage, was introduced to the council.
Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110414/WCT01/104140330/Discovery-Center-eatery-plans-move-forward-in-Pocomoke?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Worcester County Times|s
Council members got a look at the plans for the proposed restaurant between Discovery Center and Pocomoke River after the board's newest members were sworn in.
Don Malloy and Mayor Bruce Morrison won seats on the council in recent city elections. Morrison has previously served on the council.
W. Ronald Morgan, president of Becker Morgan Group, presented the restaurant plans to the council.
City Manager Russell W. Blake said the town has received two grants for construction of the building: a $500,000 state grant and a $150,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
Morgan said the plans were designed so that the restaurant could be bid with several alternates. If the bid for the entire facility comes in too high, two sections of 30 seats each could be individually cut off to bring it down to the available funding.
Fair fireworks
John Smith, president of the Great Pocomoke Fair Committee, appeared before the council to request funding for fireworks at this summer's fair. The cost is estimated at $3,200. Mayor Morrison said the council would work on the budget in the near future but he thought that the town could fund the project.Smith also asked about a previous request for a one-day beer permit at the Truck and Tractor Pull on June 25. In their previous letter, members of the committee had said that it would be an adult-oriented event. Also in answer to a question Smith said that the committee expected to make about $5,000 on the sales.
Morrison said that since it was mainly for adults he would not object to the permit. The council voted to approve the sale.
Robotics team
Members of Eastern Shore Robotics made a request Monday night for funding to help with expenses for their trip to the World Championship.According to Ashley Webb, a team member, the group recently returned from the regional competition in Richmond, Va. The group is made up of students from Pocomoke High School, Pocomoke Middle School and Virginia schools.
Working out of the MIST building in the Pocomoke Industrial Park, the students are building robots to be displayed at the competition.
The council voted to give the team $1,000 for the trip.
Bids awarded
City Manager Russell Blake informed the council that the city had received a $22,000 grant from the Maryland Energy Administration to increase the energy efficiency at City Hall. With the grant, he asked for bids to replace the present heating and cooling systems with a high-efficiency heat pump system. Tom's Refrigeration was the low bidder with a bid of $24,500 for the work. The council approved his bid.Blake also wanted to tie the Maryland Avenue well into the generator system at the sewage treatment plant. This way it would give a backup in case the town's electricity was interrupted. A bid of $2,607 from C.F. Lambertson was OK'd.
Finally the town has a $141,000 state grant for the replacement of the water meters with meters that can be read by radio signals. Before the work is advertised, the town has to hire an engineering firm to help plan the work.
George, Miles and Buhr was the only company to reply to the Request for Qualifications. Since the firm is experienced in this type of work, the council decided to approve the work. Blake hopes to be able to replace 25 to 35 percent of the existing meters.
The council also agreed to accept a proposal from the EnerNoc Co. to allow the company to control the power at the wastewater treatment plant during peak times. The city would have the say during any time that a cutoff request was made. In agreeing to the proposal the city could save up to $15,000.
Under other businessm the council agreed to allow the use of the Winter Quarters Golf Course for an Elks Club tournament; to allow a Sunday beer and wine permit for the American Legion's fundraiser; and to give Save the Youth $250 for a motivational program for area youth.
A new police officer, Franklin Savage, was introduced to the council.
Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110414/WCT01/104140330/Discovery-Center-eatery-plans-move-forward-in-Pocomoke?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Worcester County Times|s