January is a good time for the Council to look back on our achievements in 2021 and look ahead to some positive changes coming for the new year. As Council President, I want to thank everyone for staying the course during this pandemic. Your compassion and care for this community have been felt in so many ways.
We cannot let our guard down now as we face this new variant. I believe we are beyond government mandates regarding COVID-19 and that it is now about personal accountability in dealing with the virus. While I understand people will make their own decisions regarding their health and well-being, for the next 45 to 60 days, we need to have respect for one another and work together to address the impact we are facing from the omicron surge in our schools, businesses, and health system. Please note that the Council is meeting virtually, as we deal with this latest surge of the virus, and you can follow County Council meetings on the County website (www.talbotcountymd.gov) for up-to-date information.
Looking Back
In addition to the challenges posed by COVID in 2021, Talbot County Council and the County’s staff worked hard in 2021 to stabilize leadership vacancies that occurred during the year. This was one of our most significant accomplishments during the last year. We worked diligently to find key personnel to fill these vacancies in such areas as County Manager, Finance, Human Resources, Planning & Zoning, EMS, and the County Attorney, to name a few. We are pleased to report that all leadership vacancies have been filled with very capable people and we are starting 2022 with exciting personnel initiatives.
Looking Ahead
We have several exciting initiatives for 2022 in the areas of public safety, public health, workforce development and infrastructure.
- Public Safety – These initiatives include building two new facilities in Talbot County. One will be a new public safety complex to house the Sheriff’s Office as we move forward with the Easton Airport’s runway plans for demolishing the Talbot County Business Center on Glebe Road in the next three years. Efforts are underway to locate appropriate property for the public safety complex. The second is the new Emergency Medical Services location in the northern part of the County to house one medic unit as well as a backup 911 center. Efforts are also underway to locate a property near Cordova for this facility and begin construction in the coming year.
- Public Health – The County is looking to find a new location for the Talbot County Health Department due to the aging infrastructure of that building. This will be a large undertaking, but this effort is long overdue.
- Workforce Development – The County is undergoing a compensation analysis for its current workforce in hopes of stabilizing vacancies. The results of this study will help guide our recruitment and retention of county employees in the future.
- Infrastructure – Several County roads will be undergoing improvements in 2022, including Goldsborough Neck Road, Airport Road, and Black Dog Alley Road in Easton. In addition, there will be road resurfacing and culvert replacements throughout the county. The County is also rescuing failing sceptic systems in some of our villages to help preserve these villages and mitigate further environmental damage to the Chesapeake Bay. This includes upgrades to the Region II Wastewater Treatment Plant and extension of sewer to some of our villages.
Finally, I thank you for your trust in my leadership this past year as Talbot County Council President. Having grown up in this community and as a local builder, I want citizens to know that as we move forward with several projects related to growth in our county in the coming year, my dedication is to preserve the character, natural beauty, and quality of life we have all grown to cherish here. Let us work together in 2022 to make Talbot County the best it can be.
Wishing you prosperity in the new year,
Chuck Callahan
Talbot County Council President
Gerry Early says
I’m surprised there was no mention of the removal of the Talbot Boys statue from the courthouse lawn … or is it still there or what?
Or of the proposed 2500-home subdivision in bucolic Trappe. Doesn’t that ongoing discussion seem to dominate Council proceedings?
I’m not sure the County Council is focusing on the matters of greatest interest to many if not most of our residents.
Jill Poe says
The horse is out of the barn.