Pocomoke hopes for half-million in grants

POCOMOKE CITY -- The Pocomoke mayor and City Council voted to approve an application for $505,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds.

The major portion of the funds, if approved by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, would be used for construction of a new town well off Clarke Avenue. The estimated cost of the project is $365,000.
Another $100,000 would be used for housing rehabilitation. The town has received a number of CDBG grants for this purpose in the past. Finally, $50,000 would be used to repave Lynnhaven Drive.
When these grants are awarded, priority is given to activities that will benefit low- and moderate-income persons. Also, the funds could be used to meet community development needs of an urgent nature, or that are an immediate threat to community health and welfare. The funds are from the federal government, but are administered by the state.
Mike Phillips, the superintendent of the Water Department, also gave the mayor and council a report on activities during the past year. All the fire hydrants are now operational, with the final ones repaired. The department is now in the process of painting the hydrants.
Work has been done in the Pocomoke Heights area with testing of the homes and looping a water line in some of the streets. Flushing has been done town wide, but more often in the Heights area.
Both of the town water towers have been painted and tested daily. New radio reading devices, which will reduce the reading time, have been purchased to be used with some of the meters.
Phillips was expecting to meet with representatives of the Maryland Department of the Environment concerning renewal of the town's discharge permit, saying the town's sewer plant is running well at the present time. Officials are now looking at plans to upgrade the plant to the next level.
They have built a sewage dumping station and are charging haulers from other areas.