Amy Blades Steward

TCCAC Earns Reaccreditation from National Children’s Alliance

August 4, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward Leave a Comment

Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center (TCCAC) has been awarded reaccreditation by National Children’s Alliance following an extensive application and site review process. As the accrediting agency for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC) across the country, National Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient and put the needs of child victims of abuse first. Accreditation is the highest level of membership with National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision.

Accredited CACs must undergo a reaccreditation process every five years to ensure that best practices are continually being applied. With accreditation standards being updated in 2017, reaccreditation this year reflects Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center’s commitment to providing evidence-based methods practice.

As an Accredited Member of National Children’s Alliance since 2007, Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center provides comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate services to victims of child abuse. The Center opened in 2003 when a group of professionals and volunteers set out to find a more compassionate and effective way to bring services to children victimized by abuse. TCCAC operates in partnership with the Talbot County Department of Social Services, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, Talbot County State’s Attorney’s Office, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office, Easton Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies, Maryland State Police, and others, including those in the health and mental health fields. Since July 2017, 375 forensic interviews have been conducted by specially trained professionals. Since July 2019, 1,458 family advocacy sessions have been provided to 793 children and adults. TCCAC also operates the Regional Medical Program, providing specialized medical services to children victimized by abuse in Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s Counties.

Photo: Back Row: Justin Reibly (EPD), Milton Orellana (EPD), Norman Sova (EPD), Joseph Coale (TCSAO), Eric Mingos (MSP), Steve Hall (TCSO), Sam Faggert (TCSO). Front Row: Christine Abbatiello (CAC), Ellen Grunden (TCSAO), Dale Jafari (CAC Medical Director), Rebecca Hutchison (Mental Health), Kristyn Wheeler (TCDSS), Marcia Shapiro (UMMS), Marlene Gieraltowski (TCSO), Karen Greene (TCSAO), Lauren Krasko (CAC). Center Front: Ziva, therapy dog in training. Not Pictured: Linda Persaud (CAC), Justin Aita (TCSO), Heather Hanson (EPD), Erika Fenske (TCDSS), Karen Denny (UMMS), Leslie Collier (UMMS), Chelsea Endzel (TCSAO).

National Children’s Alliance awards Accredited Membership based on a CAC’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims. Accredited Members must utilize a functioning and effective multidisciplinary team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution and treatment. National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention, and child-focused setting.

“As a team of individuals dedicated to responding to child abuse, we recognize the importance of maintaining Accredited status from National Children’s Alliance. Reaccreditation not only validates our organization’s dedication to proven effective approaches of child abuse intervention and prevention, but also contributes to consistency across the Children’s Advocacy Center movement as a whole,” said Lauren Krasko, TCCAC Coordinator.

Talbot County Department of Social Services Director Linda Webb added, “The Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center serves not just children and families from Talbot County, but those from all five of the Mid Shore counties through our Regional Medical Program. Reaccreditation communicates our commitment to excellence in serving the Mid Shore region.”

“Congratulations to TCCAC for their recent reaccreditation, reflective of the excellent service they provide,” commented University of Maryland Shore Regional Health President and CEO Ken Kozel. “University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is proud to partner with them on behalf of our community.”

“Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center is to be commended for its continued commitment to effectively serve victims of child abuse. As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration. By requiring Accredited Centers to undergo reaccreditation every five years, we ensure that evidence-based practices are being implemented and the highest quality of service is being provided,” remarked Teresa Huizar, executive director of National Children’s Alliance.

For more information about Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center, visit www.talbotcac.org.

Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center (TCCAC) provides an effective, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary response to the investigation of child abuse in the Mid-Shore Region. Led by the Talbot County Department of Social Services, in partnership with University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, TCCAC offers a neutral and child friendly environment for investigative team interviews, medical examinations, and advocacy services for abused children while pursuing the prosecution of offenders.

Follow your blurb with the following information about National Children’s Alliance:

National Children’s Alliance makes one big difference, one child and one voice at a time. As the nonprofit association and accrediting body providing comprehensive care through hundreds of Children’s Advocacy Centers nationwide, we unify and amplify our voices to command better outcomes. With a forward-thinking approach that stays at the forefront of every child’s future, we are the beginning of child abuse’s end. For more information, visit nationalchildrensalliance.org.

Peter Grim Appointed New Executive Director of Haven Ministries

July 19, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

Peter Grim of Rock Hall, a non-profit executive, has been appointed the new Executive Director of Haven Ministries. Grim replaces Krista Pettit, who founded the organization 20 years ago in Queen Anne’s County to address the need for a homeless shelter there.

At a recent celebration of Pettit’s achievements, Caroline Aland, Past Board President of Haven Ministries recalled, “Krista was sitting in church and got a calling from God. He told her there was a need in her community. There are people without housing who are struggling to survive. He asked her to do something. To start a shelter.”

Krista created the Queen Anne County Christian Assistance program and pretty soon they had a place to shelter people. The first year the shelter was in the Grasonville Community Center. After the first year, the shelter moved to the Kent Island United Methodist Church where it has remained operating as a seasonal shelter.

“But that’s not all… she then organized the Food Pantry, a Resource Center, transitional housing, a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville, Our Daily Thread Thrift Store, and Hope Warehouse providing sustainable income for Haven Ministries’ programs and goods for its clients. And now we have the Homes for Hope housing program,” added Aland.

Aland pointed out that all of these projects were opened with tremendous prayer and thought. The organization started with a handful of volunteers and has grown to 14 paid staff, hundreds of volunteers, and has helped thousands of residents over the years.

Pictured is Peter Grim, new executive director of Haven Ministries.

Grim, who follows Pettit, has had several years of experience in executive leadership, development, and operational oversight of non-profit organizations. Most recently he facilitated a start-up and served as Executive Director of The Common Place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a non-profit organization providing education, social service collaboration, and faith formation to serve resource-challenged children and families. Before that, he managed retirement communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“Peter’s non-profit experience includes faith-based multiple startups, strategic planning, community-based programs that include nutrition education, food pantry operations, after-school programming, technical education, summer camps, fundraising, and construction. He has held general management positions that cover all the critical skill sets needed for success as Executive Director, including community relations, communications, and group leadership,” states Jack Gottschalk, Haven Ministries Board President.

“One of his endearing qualities is that when you meet him you can see straight through to his heart. He is a caring and devoted Christian who like our founder ‘walks the talk.’ What you see is what you get – an honest, personable, and capable executive with a broad skill set that is already making a difference to Haven Ministries.”

Grim brings an entrepreneurial-driven approach to non-profit management to ensure fiscal stability and growth. His father started a retirement community the year he was born, and Grim grew up working at all levels of the operation.

“Throughout my childhood to adulthood, I gained valuable experience with increasing levels of responsibility working in housekeeping, maintenance, kitchen, bookkeeping, nursing home administration, and overall management culminating in a board position, ownership, and eventual sale of the organization. This vast experience carried over to bring much success in future business endeavors,” he reflects.

Grim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami and an M.B.A. in Health Care Administration from St. Joseph’s University.

“One of the first things I hope to do is to bring additional stability to the organization in terms of structure and processes. The organization grew quickly and is doing lots of amazing things in the community. I want to look at creating efficiencies in our programs to be even more effective. That is something I’ve done in my past, so that was another thing that drew me to this job with Haven Ministries,” Grim explained.

“As a Christian, I believe that you need to help others while also helping them learn how to help themselves. That will be a principle I follow in working with the community we serve.”

For further information about supporting Haven Ministries, visit haven-ministries.org or call Peter Grim at 410-827-7194.

Love shapes the ministry, love transforms people, and hope prevails at Haven Ministries. Haven Ministries operates a seasonal Homeless Shelter, a Resource Center, and Food Pantry in Queenstown, Our Daily Thread Store in Chester, Hope Warehouse in Queenstown, and a Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville.

Talbot County Council Meeting Highlights, Tuesday, June 28, 2022

July 1, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

These highlights only reflect the business items covered from the Council’s approved agenda. To view the complete County Council meeting, please visit: Talbot County Meeting Videos – Talbot County, Maryland (www.talbotcountymd.gov).

Council members Callahan, Price, and Divilio were in attendance. Council member Lesher was present through a conference call. Council member Pack was absent.

I. Request from Talbot County Public Schools (TCPS) for FY22 Categorical Budget Transfers – Sarah Jones, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Talbot County Public Schools

TCPS requested approval from the Talbot County Council for an amendment to its FY22 budget. TCPS did not request any additional funds but asked to make budget category transfers, seeking approval to use its available funds to align three expense categories in which they have current savings with the three other categories from which it would like to make prepayments or where it foresees cost overruns. TCPS reduced its original FY23 budget request to balance with the County’s approved budget in a variety of ways, which included prepayment of certain FY23 costs in the current year. Additional spending authority is needed for Transportation to allow TCPS to prepay bus lease payments that would normally have occurred in FY23. Additional spending authority is needed for Fixed Charges, both to prepay TCPS FY23 Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) contribution, which TCPS removed completely from its FY23 budget, and to cover health insurance increases. Finally, additional spending authority is needed for Special Education because there is a cost overrun in FY22. TCPS can cover these costs due to savings in Mid-Level Administration and Instructional Salaries caused by staff vacancies, and through savings in Operations due to mild weather and the availability of grant funds to cover certain expenses.

Council voted unanimously to approve the FY22 categorical budget transfer request from TCPS.

II. Introduction of Legislation:

A BILL TO AUTHORIZE TALBOT COUNTY, MARYLAND (THE “COUNTY”) TO BORROW NOT MORE THAN TWENTY FOUR MILLION NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($24,900,000) IN ORDER TO FINANCE AND REFINANCE (A) THE ACQUISITION, RENOVATION AND/OR CONSTRUCTION OF A TALBOT COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AND (B) THE ACQUISITION, RENOVATION AND/OR CONSTRUCTION OF A TALBOT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACILITY AND TO EFFECT SUCH BORROWING BY THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF ONE OR MORE SERIES OF ITS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS PAYABLE FROM AD VALOREM TAXES TO BE LEVIED BY THE COUNTY; EXEMPTING THE BONDS FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 19-205 AND 19-206 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND; AUTHORIZING THE CONSOLIDATION OF SEPARATE SERIES OF BONDS INTO ONE OR MORE BONDS; AUTHORIZING THE REFUNDING OF SUCH BONDS AND RELATING GENERALLY TO THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF SUCH BONDS FOR SUCH PURPOSES

Acting County Finance Director Ken Davis and Angela Lane presented information about the bond bill which authorizes the County to borrow up to $24,900,000 for the Talbot County Health Department facility and the Talbot County Public Safety building. Both projects are included in the County’s FY23 Budget.

Bill No. 1522 was introduced by President Callahan, Vice President Lesher, and Council members Divilio and Price. The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. in the Bradley Meeting Room.

III. Public Hearings:

Council held public hearings on Bills No. 1501-1521, FY23 Capital Enabling legislation as follows:

Bill No. 1501, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NO. 1474 TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO AIRPORT ROAD

Bill No. 1502, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NO. 1418, TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THE CONNECTION OF BAR NECK AND FAIRBANK COMMUNITIES TO THE REGION V (TILGHMAN) WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

Bill No. 1503, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE IMPROVEMENTS TO COUNTY BRIDGES

Bill No. 1504, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NO. 1478 TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE EXPANSION OF BROADBAND TO UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED AREAS OF TALBOT COUNTY

Bill No. 1505, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE A STUDY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE 911 DIVISION COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH (CAD) SYSTEM

Bill No. 1506, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE IMPROVEMENTS TO COUNTY ROADS

Bill No. 1507, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NOS. 1361, 1332, 1307 AND 1267 TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE MAPPING AND EVALUATION AND REHABILITATION OR REPLACEMENT OF COUNTY CULVERTS

Bill No. 1508, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE DESIGN, RENOVATION/CONSTRUCTION OF OFFICES AND OTHER WORK AREAS FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR TALBOT COUNTY, MARYLAND

Bill No. 1509, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NO. 1484, TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES STATIONS

Bill No. 1510, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NOS. 1457, 1422, 1335, AND 1317 TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND UPGRADES FOR GOLDSBOROUGH NECK ROAD AND AIRPORT ROAD

Bill No. 1511, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE ACQUISITION/CONSTRUCTION OF A TALBOT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACILITY

“This legislation provides a path forward to remove our health department from an aging and inadequate facility. While this department’s vital roles are largely invisible to the public most of the time, we recognized their vital role through the pandemic,” commented Council Vice President Pete Lesher.

Bill No. 1512, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE A CAPITAL PROJECT FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF AN EMERGENCY GENERATOR FOR THE MARTINGHAM SANITARY DISTRICT

Bill No. 1513, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE IMPROVEMENTS TO COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES

Bill No. 1514, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NO. 1489 TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TALBOT COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER

“We have a limited time before the Sheriff’s office must vacate its current quarters in the Talbot County Business Center, and I want to thank the Sheriff for his work in selecting the best available new location. I’m sorry we have to do this at all, but we will get a win in the end by pulling emergency services together with the Sheriff in one public safety center,” added Council Vice President Pete Lesher.

Bill No. 1515, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE RESURFACING/REPAVING OF THE ST. MICHAELS SCHOOL PARKING LOT

Bill No. 1516, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RENOVATION OF THE ST. MICHAELS BRANCH OF THE TALBOT COUNTY FREE LIBRARY

Bill No. 1517, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A STORAGE FACILITY FOR THE TALBOT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bill No. 1518, A BILL TO AMEND BILL NOS. 1082 AND 1285 TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TUNIS MILLS BRIDGE

Bill No. 1519, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE COUNTYWIDE WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Bill No. 1520, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF A SUN SHADE STRUCTURE FOR AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AND PLAYGROUND FOR THE WHITE MARSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Bill No.1521, A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF A SECURITY FENCE FOR THE WHITE MARSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Upon motion by Council member Divilio, seconded by Council member Price, the Council voted to move Bill No. 1511 and Bill No. 1514 to third reader and to accept Council member Pack’s absentee ballots for Bill No. 1511 and 1514.

The Council voted unanimously to approve Bill No. 1511.

The Council voted unanimously to approve Bill No. 1514.

Bill Nos. 1501 – 1510, 1512, 1513 and 1515-1521 will be eligible for vote on July 12, 2022.

County Manager Clay Stamp and the Council thanked Ken Davis for his dedication and service to the County as he moves on.

IV. Council Discussion of Proposed Text Amendments:

Application by Zach A. Smith, Esq., Armistead, Lee, Rust & Wright, P.A., 114 Bay Street, Easton, Maryland, on behalf of Jerry and Susan Davis to amend the Talbot County Code Section 190-48.3 “Expansion and major modification of nonconforming uses.”

Zach Smith proposed a text amendment be submitted to the Planning Commission for consideration of a change to the Talbot County Code. Mr. Smith explained that if approved, the text amendment gives the County the ability to consider reasonable expansions for smaller buildings. Talbot County Acting Planning Officer Brennan Tarleton reported that these nonconforming uses do come up for consideration in the County from time to time. Council member Price asked for the County Planning Commission to consider the addition of language about limits to the size of expansions in this text amendment.

President Callahan, Vice President Lesher and Council members Divilio and Lesher moved that the proposed text amendment be forwarded to the Planning Commission for their review and recommendation back to the Council for consideration of a bill introduction.

Application by Brendan Mullaney, Esq., MDSW Law, 100 N. West Street, Easton, Maryland, on behalf of Rolles Range Partners LLC, to amend the Talbot County Code Section 190-78. “INN” to permit the operation of historic inns within historic structures in the RC and CP Districts. The allowance for up to 12 bedrooms is consistent with uses permitted in the RCA in other counties throughout the State and would ensure that historic structures and properties can generate enough revenue to be maintained for future generations.

Mr. Lesher asked for an opinion from the Talbot County Historic Preservation Commission on the proposed text amendment.

V. County Manager’s Report:

Board and Committee Appointments:

Animal Control Board – Mr. Stamp requested the reappointment of Mary Newcomb to the Animal Control Board which was approved unanimously by the Council.

Economic Development Commission – Mr. Stamp requested the reappointment of Reza Jafari and Debbie Walsworth to the Economic Development Commission which was approved unanimously by the Council.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Mr. Stamp requested the reappointment of David Fisher to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board which was unanimously approved by the Council.

Weed Control Committee – Mr. Stamp requested the reappointment of John Swaine, III to the Weed Control Committee which was unanimously approved by the Council.

VI. Announcements:

Mr. Stamp announced County Offices will be closed on Monday, July 4 for the 4^th of July holiday.

Council member Price reported on the 15 road trips she has taken with Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) this spring in her role as President of the MACo Board of Directors and her recent participation in the Maryland Municipal League Conference in Ocean City. She reported it was a great opportunity to interact with all of the municipalities.

Council member Divilio shared information from Mary Kay Verdery, Grants Administrator, on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds available to Talbot County residents. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is working collaboratively with the county governments and nonprofit agencies to help Maryland renters avoid eviction, maintain safe and stable housing and move into new housing if they are currently homeless. Talbot County received $2,439,498 in the first round of ERAP funding which started July 1, 2021 and will continue until September 30, 2022. Talbot County received the second round of ERAP funds in the amount of $1,678,514. These funds must be fully disbursed by December 31, 2022. The ERAP funding is used to provide prospective and arrears rental/utility assistance, other housing-related costs, housing stability services, and administrative costs. For more information, contact the Neighborhood Service Center at nsctalbotmd.org or call 410-822-5015.

The Council’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at 6 p.m. in the Bradley Meeting Room.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:57 p.m.

CDBG and ERAP Grants Making a Difference in Talbot County

June 29, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

Talbot County Government is serving those most in need in the county through two important programs – the Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) both of which are administered through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Mary Kay Verdery, Grants Administrator for Talbot County, is helping to manage the programs which are helping low-income families in a variety of ways.

The Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) is a federally funded program designed to assist county and municipal governments with activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, housing opportunities, economic development, and improved public facilities and services. CDBG funded projects must be for eligible activities under Program regulations and must meet one of three national objectives:

Benefits persons of low-and moderate-income
Eliminates slum and blight
Meets an urgent need of recent origin that threatens public health and safety

CDBG funds are provided primarily as gap funding for projects selected by the jurisdiction to meet community needs. CDBG funds provided must meet a national objective and additional Maryland objectives and applications are accepted on a competitive basis. The maximum amount Talbot County may request, for a single project or cumulative projects, is $800,000.

“The CDBG funds can be used for acquisition of property, demolition of structures, rehabilitation of structures (both residential and non-residential), construction of public facilities, and public services. The funds are directed toward the low to moderate-income families and affordable housing and economic opportunities,” states Verdery.

In the past seven years, CDBG grants have helped such organizations as The Neighborhood Service Center, Talbot Interfaith Shelter, St. Michael’s Senior Center, Habitat Choptank, Early Headstart, Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center, St. Michaels Community Center, Upper Shore Aging, and Mid-Shore Pro Bono.

For the FY23 grant cycle, five local non-profit organizations submitted formal letters seeking County Council consideration. Of the five letters of interest received, two projects were found to be the best fit for CDBG funds, and the other three were referred to other sources for potential funding. Because CDBG funds are primarily a gap funding source, applicants must be ready to go with the project they submit because DHCD wants the funds to be spent in a certain timeframe. Applications are ranked based on various factors such as public purpose, project impact, project management, and local commitment/leveraging of other funding sources.

Talbot County has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Choptank (Habitat Choptank) on a FY23 CDBG application which is seeking $100,000 to renovate a home located in the historic area of Easton at 122 S. Locust Lane. Funds will be used to support the demolition, stabilization, and interior and exterior rehabilitation of an existing single-family home located in the historic area of Easton, known as “The Hill.” The property was purchased by Habitat Choptank in January 2022. Habitat Choptank’s affordable home program serves those in Talbot County who earn between 35% and 65% of the HUD-defined Area Median Income which equates to between $35,385 and $65,715 annually. Additional funding opportunities for this project include a Community Legacy grant and Town of Easton American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.

Pictured are the before and after photos of one of Habitat Choptank’s projects in St. Michaels, Maryland.

“Our Brooks Lane Neighborhood Project in St. Michaels involved Habitat Choptank partnering with Talbot County in the use of CDBG funds to support the site work/infrastructure needed to build seven quality affordable homes on land that was donated to Habitat Choptank. This project built more than homes for first-generation home buyers…it built a neighborhood and a community of hardworking families. Our continued partnership with Talbot County around the rehabilitation of 122 S. Locust in the Hill District of Easton is a testimony to the County’s commitment to building community through neighborhood revitalization, providing another avenue to make high-quality affordable homes available at a time when they are so desperately needed while preserving and honoring the resiliency of this historic community,” comments JoAnn Hansen, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Choptank.

Talbot County has also partnered with Building African American Minds (BAAM) on a FY23 CDBG application for $347,138 for the construction of an Academic Center located at 31 Jowite Street in Easton. The new three-story, state-of-the-art facility is located in the Town of Easton in a low-to-moderate income service area. The facility will continue to provide after-school and summer programs for first through fifth-grade students from Easton Elementary School and Easton Middle School. In addition, BAAM will expand programming to offer a workforce development program for youth and the community. Partnerships and programing include Chesapeake College and other community organizations that will provide educational programming for youth, parents, and the community in areas such as financial literacy and budgeting, job skills/enhancement training, GED courses, wellness, and arts programming.

“I am appreciative of the County’s support of BAAM’s CDBG grant application. If granted, these funds will help us with the construction materials needed to build our new Academic Center. Our new Center will be a state-of-the-art facility that will host all of our current programming and allow us to expand services. I am so thankful for all the support that BAAM has received over the years from our donors, partners, youth, and their families, and am excited for the opportunities and new partnerships that our new Academic Center will offer,” states Dina Gomes Daly, Executive Director, BAAM.

“I enjoy most the opportunity to work with so many different aspects of the community – the full spectrum from young children to seniors. Now, we have this opportunity to provide the ERAP funds to individuals so that we prevent eviction and homelessness. These are projects where you get to help the community,” Verdery adds.

The Talbot County Council received $2.4 million in the spring of 2021 to administer the Department of Housing and Community Development’s grant for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to ensure housing stability for families and individuals at risk of experiencing homelessness or utility cut-off. A sub-recipient agreement was finalized in August 2021 between Talbot County and Neighborhood Service Center (NSC), the County’s Community Action Agency, to administer the funds. The deadline for spending the first round of ERAP program funds is September 30, 2022. The funds cover rental and utility assistance and other housing and service-related costs and program administration costs. The Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) completes the screening to determine eligibility, issues the funds, and provides report information to the County. The second grant award of ERAP funds for Talbot County is $1.6 million and will be distributed beginning July 1, 2022.

“The hardest part at the very beginning was just getting the word out that we had these funds available. But once we were able to reach out to the local rental communities, we were able to contact a lot of individuals in the unserved or minority communities,” Verdery comments.

“The Neighborhood Service Center, since 1969, has worked hard to reduce poverty and homelessness by helping individuals and families become self-sufficient. In these unusual times, it takes out-of-the-box thinking and unfortunately a lot of money to keep individuals and families in their homes because the normal channels were closed due to quarantine regulations. Without the ERAP funds, we would have depleted all of our reserves almost immediately, putting many current programs in jeopardy. Talbot County has always stepped up to donate time, money, and resources, but this was a time when the need greatly surpassed what locals could donate,” states Frank Divilio, Talbot County Council member and board member of the NSC.

For further information on applying for CDBG grants annually, contact Mary Kay Verdery at 410-770-8002. Citizens can log onto the NSC website (nsctalbotmd.org) for applications and instructions for the ERAP Program or call the NSC at 410-822-5015.

One Mission Cambridge Hosts Open House

June 28, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

Since its opening on June 6, 2022, One Mission Cambridge has served over 140 people in need. The first week alone, the coalition of Christian churches and ministries called to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children in the Cambridge area, served over 90 people and had to order 3,000 pounds of extra food to meet the needs of the community. The organization will host an open house on July 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge. The open house is open to everyone in the community to learn about the mission center and celebrate it.

Pictured is Krista Pettit of One Mission Cambridge in the center’s facility at 614 Race Street in Cambridge.

One Mission Cambridge’s location has proved ideal to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. The building includes a storefront on Race Street with a large communal space in the rear of the building. By consolidating some of the area’s food pantries, One Mission Cambridge can offer a food pantry store where people can shop for what they need in a dignified manner. In addition, the center offers community navigation with computers onsite for people to research jobs and complete job applications and look up resources to help them connect to community services. Whether you need food items, to get a replacement Social Security card or photo ID, or just need a friendly face to talk to, the center is open for walk-in services.

“When you are in a crisis, you are overwhelmed with navigating the process to get on the other side of it. We are the stopgap – stepping into the process and providing support,” comments Krista Pettit, leader of One Mission Cambridge’s efforts.

In the back of the storefront, there is a private meeting room to offer Christian counseling and support groups. Further back, a large community space is available to host community dinners for about 120 people. These dinners hope to start in the fall on the first Monday of each month and will include a sit-down dinner, along with a Bible reading and discussion, as well as music and art enrichment.

One Mission Cambridge is about the Body of Christ working together – combining resources and people. The organization’s name “One Mission” comes from all the churches having the same mission: to love God and to love their neighbors. All Christian Churches are invited to participate in this exciting organization. The organization was born in the summer of 2021 when a volunteer subcommittee brought people from the community together and interviewed nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and community members who utilize various agencies to determine the unmet needs in the community and what services could be provided. The survey revealed that people in the community have a heart for others, there are a lot of great organizations helping people, and there needs to be a place for people to talk, listen and provide guidance on getting help and encouragement.

One Mission Cambridge, the coalition of Christian churches and ministries, is called to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children in the Cambridge area. Its storefront location is ideal for serving some of the community’s most vulnerable populations.

To date, over 15 churches are working with One Mission Cambridge. Krista Pettit, who began working on the project as a volunteer with Grace United Methodist Church and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, recognized the need in the community when talking with other churches. The organization wants to partner with everyone providing services in the Cambridge area, including area food pantries, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and churches who, according to Krista, are doing tremendous work in the community. Volunteers are also needed and interested persons can attend the open house to inquire, contact Pettit directly, or sign up via the website at onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959.

One Mission Cambridge will be open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. These hours were selected as times when other organizations aren’t open and to allow people who work to utilize the services.

Visit One Mission Cambridge on Facebook or Instagram or their website onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

Personal Ties to Aspen Wye by Amelia Blades Steward

June 18, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

Pictured left to right are Judy Stagg Kusuma and Amelia Blades Steward in their original Wye Institute camp uniforms from 48 years ago. The two met as campers at Wye Institute in 1974 and have remained lifelong friends.

When my parents dropped me off at Wye Institute in Queenstown, Maryland in August 1974, little did I know the impact that four weeks of summer camp would have on both my career as a writer and lifelong friendships.

Industrial magnate Arthur A. Houghton Jr. bought 1000 acres of property on the Wye River in 1938 to become a gathering place where ideas and innovations evolved. In 1963, Houghton established the foundation, Wye Institute, expanding his philanthropic interests to stimulate educational, cultural and economic opportunities in the region. He built contemporary facilities at Wye Woods to launch a summer educational camp for middle school boys designed to promote civil understanding and in Arthur’s words, “stir the imagination of extraordinarily promising young persons” from Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The camp was integrated and eventually included girls—open to all students regardless of race, religion or ethnic origin.

When I arrived at camp in 1974, the girls stayed at Gunston in Centreville, while the boys stayed at Wye Institute. We all gathered at Wye Institute during the daytime hours for camp programming. The campers were from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and from the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York where Houghton made his fortune with Steuben Glass Works, a subsidiary of his family’s company Corning Glass. Many of us were from very moderate-income families – we didn’t have a lot. This camp experience was a gift to all of us.

Some of my memories include participating in a social experiment in downtown Centreville where some of us walked around with war paint on our faces while others walked around without any makeup. We observed how the two groups were treated. Another memory was seeing the Houghtons’ sea lion who lived at Wye Woods. We attended plays and read Greek mythology. We played music, participated in theatre and wrote creative fiction. I met my best friend there, Judy Stagg Kusuma. She was from Snow Hill and I was from Easton. Her family was moving to Easton at the end of that summer for her dad’s new job as superintendent of the Hog Neck Golf Course. Our sisterhood was formed that summer and she is still my best friend today.

But it is the personal connections I have had to the property since my time as a camper at Wye Institute that have been so serendipitous. The first connection happened in 2004 when I was asked to write an article on Leon Andrus, the benefactor who started Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely. It turns out that Andrus owned Cheston-on-Wye, adjacent to Arthur Houghton’s Wye Plantation. Andrus bought some of Houghton’s Black Angus cattle and my grandfather was his herdsman – something I never knew until I talked with my mother while writing the story. Later, writing copy for the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, located at Wye Plantation, I was able to bring my mother to visit the tenant house where she was born at Cheston-on-Wye – a very special experience for her and me and another connection to this beautiful property. Most recently in 2019, I was asked to write a DVD booklet on the history of Wye Plantation to accompany a film, “Escape to Aspen Wye,” created by Aspen Institute to help sell the property. I found my Wye Institute jacket and tee-shirt while cleaning out some clothes that year and was able to share them when I was interviewed for the film as one of the campers who attended the Wye Institute.

I love how everything comes full circle if we wait long enough. While I don’t know the meaning of all of these connections to this special property on the Wye River, I know that its impact on my story is significant and not an accident. Recently, I was thrilled to hear that the 166-acre Wye River Conference Center property was donated by Aspen Institute to become a Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children with serious illnesses and their families in the Mid-Atlantic region. The property will once again help transform the lives of children. What a wonderful legacy to leave for the future. Aspen Institute’s gift pays forward the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Houghton in 1979 when they donated the property to Aspen Institute.

Amelia Blades Steward has written non-fiction articles for national, regional, and local publications for over 30 years. A lifelong storyteller, she published her first book in 2014, a memoir entitled “Charles H. Thornton: A Life of Elegant Solutions.”

Meaghan Davis Named Talbot County Foster Parent of the Year

June 1, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

Pictured is Talbot County Foster Parent of the Year Meaghan Davis with her daughter in Disney World.

Talbot County Department of Social Services (TCDSS) recently announced that Meaghan Davis of Easton has been named the 2022 Foster Parent of the Year. May is National Foster Care Month. Davis, who has been a foster parent for the past five years, has helped care for some of the county’s most vulnerable children in foster care while caring for her own biological child.

Paris Quillet, Special Projects Coordinator for TCDSS comments, “She is filling the needs that few people will do. She has stepped up to the plate in some of the most challenging circumstances and at a moment’s notice. When we needed immediate foster care for a substance-exposed newborn, she agreed to learn the care required and jumped right in. She has also helped with the placements of children in the LGBTQ community.”

Davis says she has always wanted to care for children. She states, “Since I was young, I always said that I wanted a big family and to have a few children, but not all of them would be mine. I never knew fully what that meant until I got older. When I was 18, I saw something in the newspaper about becoming a foster parent through a private agency. Although they informed me I was a great candidate, they told me to touch base with them when I was a little older.”

“As a child, I always wanted to help other children in need. This is the only thing that has made sense that I’m supposed to do in life.”

Meaghan has spent many years helping people in the community on her own. About five years ago, after her own daughter had gotten older, Meaghan felt like she still had more to give so she decided to revisit the idea of being licensed as a foster parent. Her first placement was a nine-year-old boy who she fostered for two and half years. Her most recent placement was a newborn.

“If I’m able to be a support for another person, I’m going to do that,” she recalls.

Her compassion runs deep for not only the children, but also for the parents of the children she cares for. “Sometimes, people need you to be a support to them or mentor them, providing things that they didn’t even realize they needed. I have compassion and empathy for people in these situations,” she adds.

Meaghan views her role as a foster parent as “holding down the fort for the parents” until they can care for their children again. She tries to provide for the child’s needs in the interim.

Taking on a newborn was difficult. Meaghan remembers during the first few months of caring for her most recent newborn that she would only sleep two to four hours a day.

“Substance-exposed newborns often cry and have tremors. The muscles in their mouths aren’t always developed enough, so they can have a tough time feeding making feedings extremely long. In this case, I cared for a newborn while still going to work part-time as a caregiver,” she recalls.

Over time, the baby under Meaghan’s care has thrived. She approaches every placement with compassion, often meeting with a child’s parent a couple of times a week to provide for visits, helping document a child’s milestones for the parents, or helping connect parents to resources they may need. One mother even asked Meaghan to be her child’s godmother.

Meaghan’s own daughter is graduating from high school this spring but will be staying local for college. She enjoys helping her mother with the children for whom she is providing care.

When Meaghan was asked about what it takes to be a foster parent, she comments, “It’s definitely not for everybody. In my experience, you need to be flexible. Having compassion and empathy not only helps the children in care but creates support for the family unit, which is an important part of foster parenting.”

Meaghan also provides respite care and supervised visits for Talbot County between biological families and their children, even when these children are not placed in her home.

She adds, “There will always be children that need placement or respite for whom there are no other options. I feel called to be that option for them.”

“Meaghan makes children feel special and welcome and works with their families. Her work with the biological family of the newborn has exceeded all expectations of the department and the family. She assisted with daily visits, regular virtual contact, reunification, ongoing respite, and several bonding strategies. TCDSS recognizes how difficult this work is, the level of selflessness required, and the loss that the family endures. We honor Meaghan for all her work in 2021 and 2022,” states Quillet.

A little more than half of the children in foster care on the Mid-Shore are under the age of 14 and many are sibling groups. Talbot County needs foster parents for long-term placement to provide temporary, safe, stable, and nurturing homes for children to live in until they can be reunited with their own families, placed with relatives, or adopted. Call the Talbot County Department of Social Services at 410-820-7371 for information about becoming a foster parent.

Talbot County Government’s Repurposing Center Mitigates Environmental Impact on the Mid-Shore

May 6, 2022 by Amy Blades Steward

We have all seen materials hauled away from building construction sites, roadway projects, and even natural disasters. But perhaps, we may not have considered what happens to all of the concrete, asphalt, and trees that are hauled away and how it might be affecting the environment.

Warren Edwards, Superintendent for Talbot County Roads Department, had an idea for dealing with this challenge while also developing a revenue stream to assist his department in meeting some of its goals for roads in the county. His idea was to build a repurposing center to sell repurposed concrete asphalt, soil, wood chips, and trees accumulated by his department’s projects, as well as the excess materials generated by others, including local governments and contractors. He recalls researching repurposing centers and visiting a recycling center in Wicomico County to get ideas about how it could be done in Talbot County.

Herbert Murphy, Warren Edwards, Steve Schwarz, Milton Cornish, Alan Hutchison, and Clay Stamp.

“I realized there is a lot of waste out there from construction projects that could be reused in our county projects, as well as repurposed and sold to businesses needing certain materials,” comments Edwards.

Today, Talbot County’s Repurposing Center outside of Easton creates 25 re-sellable materials for the County to sell to over 113 Mid-Shore haulers, contractors, and municipalities with valid Maryland business licenses. Many of these businesses also contribute materials to be repurposed at the center, including hardwood logs, topsoil, mud, unprocessed wood chips, brick/block, asphalt, concrete, fill dirt, and leaves. The Center only takes brush from local governments after significant storm events.

Pictured is Warren Edwards, Superintendent for Talbot County Roads Department, showing County Manager Clay Stamp, RC6, one of the 25 re-sellable materials the Center sells to area contractors.

The recent Easton Elementary School construction project contributed significant materials to the center over the last year and a half as did one of the recent hurricanes. The list of repurposed materials offered for sale by the Center includes such items as mulch, wood chips, topsoil, brick/block dust, bio-retention materials, millings, asphalt dust, stone, concrete dust, and fill dirt.

“One of the reasons this center works so well is that before our opening, these businesses and municipalities, like us, had to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars in dumping fees for the materials taken from their jobs,” Edwards states. “We also use the repurposed materials on all of our County projects, saving 30 percent on our costs. The metal recycled from concrete alone helps to fund our equipment maintenance.”

Pictured is Alan Hutchison, Operator, driving the recycled material to a storage spot at the Center.

“The repurposing center is an innovative idea that reuses materials for another purpose and need. It lessens the number of items going to the landfill while providing contractors with quality materials at a reduced cost, and who couldn’t use that these days?” comments Council member Corey Pack.

The Center’s equipment can process one ton of concrete products using a crusher, a screener, and a trommel to create five recycled materials, including #2 stone, #3/4 stone, #7/#8 stone, concrete dust, and RC6. Asphalt that is recycled with the same equipment creates millings, asphalt dust, #3/4 stone, #7/#8 stone, and #2/#3 stone.

“This Center is about environmental mitigation – it’s about more than taking materials and reusing them to save money – it’s about not filling our landfills with these materials. Warren deserves a lot of credit for coming up with this creative idea and implementing it. The Talbot County Council has also been supportive of the equipment needs required to run this operation and the results we are getting from it,” comments County Manager Clay Stamp.

An additional benefit of recycled materials is that no chemicals are used in their processing. The result is 100 percent environmentally friendly material that is tested through an independent laboratory. Contractors purchasing materials are responsible, however, for their material being tested once it leaves the Center.

The Talbot County Department of Roads currently employs four people at the Repurposing Center.

For further information about the Talbot County Repurposing Center, call the Talbot County Roads Department at 410-770-8150 or visit the County’s website at Repurposing Center – Talbot County, Maryland (talbotcountymd.gov).

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