Kudos to St. Michaels Commissioner Mike Bibb for spearheading the restoration of our Boy Scout Log Cabin on St. Mary’s Square. The town owned building has been the longtime headquarters of Scout Troop 741. According to the Maryland Historic Trust, “The single-story clubhouse is an interesting example of the rustic building techniques developed during the early 20th century.”
Renovation of the 82-year-old building was a major undertaking, but Commissioner Bibb enthusiastically embraced the challenge, even though the scout cabin had rodent damaged electrical wiring, outdated galvanized plumbing, a lack of adequate foundation support for the beautiful granite fireplace, old shingles, deteriorated siding, and a few irascible resident squirrels/raccoons.
Last year, the Commissioners of St. Michaels agreed to budget $49,000 for the project. At the time, Commissioner Bibb advised that an additional $80,000-$100,000 would most likely be needed. Then, this civic minded, ‘can-do’ Commissioner set out to find funds and supporters. There was an overwhelming response. Many talented contractors donated their labor. Local companies provided their supplies at cost. Several local financial contributors stepped forward, and a multitude of community volunteers/scouts contributed hours of sweat equity.
The building is now air conditioned, has a full kitchen, ADA bathroom, internet and TV setups. The exterior improvements include new landscaping – visible as one walks up the handsome, winding brick walkway. This area also enhances the beauty of the adjoining St. Michaels Historic Museum.
The Scout House almost didn’t move forward! On November 12, 2019, Commissioner Bibb, due to unforeseen structural problems, requested an additional $17,500 from the town budget. After a series of questions and discussion, Commissioner Harrod made a motion to approve the request; Commissioner Glackin- seconded. The vote: Joyce Harrod-yes, Mike Bibb- yes, Dennis Glackin-yes, Jaime Windon-yes, Bill Boos-No.
I urge you to listen to the commissioners meeting recording. You can find it under “meetings minutes” on the Town of St. Michaels website. The scout cabin discussion occurs at minute 38:12.
Then… ask yourself, “Why would a commissioner vote against the completion of the Boy Scout cabin and, in doing so, refuse to support our local youth? REMEMBER, the town owns the scout cabin, which is currently a much needed larger town meeting space—debt free! Please vote on July 13. We deserve new leadership!
Sue Ann Raring
St. Michaels
Ann Borders says
This letter is grossly miss leading. This was the renovation of a historic building owed by the Town. A building referred to as the Boy Scout Log Cabin because for years it was exclusively used for Boy Scott meetings.
What the residents of St Michaels should know is under the leadership of Commissioner Bibb, the project ran over budget with the final cost closer to $120,000, 2X the original budget. A great deal of money spent for very few of our “local youth”. Thank goodness Commissioner Boos was willing to vote “enough is enough”.
The residents should ask Commissioner Bibb, how the Town plans to use this so called “much needed larger meeting space” now that the project is complete. Will the Girl Scouts be invited to use the building for their meetings as well? Will the space be offered to other groups in Town, if so which ones?
Or will the building become Commissioner Bibb’s personal space for his unofficial “Conversion with a Commissioner” meetings. Meetings where the St Michaels Action Committee was born. SMAC the group of citizens that cost the Town tens of thousands of dollars by filing an erroneous ethics violation against a sitting Commissioner and then suing the Town. SMAC the group of citizens that got it wrong from the beginning and continue to put out misleading information. Will Commissioner Bibb uses the meeting space to push his agenda when his ideas are not adopted by the majority of the Commission as he has been doing. A practice that has done more to divide the Town then unify it.
Yes, you need to VOTE. Moreover, you need to know what you are voting for.
Ann Borders
Former Commissioner, Town of St. Michaels.
Dennis Glackin, Town of St. Michaels Commissioner says
The rehabilitation of the Boy Scout Cabin was a nice effort by Mike Bibb to help renovate this building. And despite overruns on the cost of the work, his personal time and effort is to be applauded. But let’s be real. To call this a “much needed larger town meeting space-debt free” is almost laughable. This building is a modest log cabin that could serve the Boy Scouts and perhaps other local groups, but it is not a legitimate town meeting facility. Have we reached a point in St. Michaels where a Commissioner expresses his opinion about funding overruns on a project and is attacked for having such concerns? For a SMAC member to continue to attack Commissioner Boos on this matter is a sad state of affairs for our Town. So yes, vote on July 13, and vote for candidates that that are positive and forward looking for the community.
Michael Estrella says
In January of 2019 Donna and I were both pleased to hear that commissioner Bibb intended to address problems with our boy scout cabin. Our nephew was an eagle scout and had been actively involved in troop activities at that old cabin. So when the commissioner announce he was going to “fix it up” with little or no cost to the town, we were pleased to see that the old cabin would be there for future generations of scouts to enjoy. We followed the progress at the cabin , often stopping by on our daily walks.
In the spring the commissioner informed those attending one of his monthly coffees that the cabin would be ready for the 2019 4th of July celebration. When the holiday came the cabin was still not done and the project was now 6 months old. We were concerned at the lack of progress as were others. By the time of the November town meeting the scouts had been without there meeting place for 10 months with no end in sight. The numbers for the project were also concerning, showing that the project was much more that 50 % over budget but the commission agreed to the additional funding. The cabin as it stood was not inhabitable so the commission might have felt they really had no choice, but one commissioner made a statement with his line in the sand NO vote.
In his February 2020 monthly coffee meeting commissioner Bibb announced that he planned to hold his March meeting in the cabin. Of course, the coronavirus had a different plan.
It is fair to say that the commissioner and a couple of his contractor friends spent a great deal of time on this project. After almost a year and a half the scouts have their meetng place back. What was once a cabin housing a meeting room and a bathroom has been transformed into a lodge like facility with a vaulted ceiling, a fully equiped kitchen that includes a dishwasher, a huge air conditioning system, a long serpentine brick sidewalk that is 5 ft. wide, a fire pit, a flower garden and an extra flagpole that is closer to the structure than the old one is. We can see why the project took so much longer than it was supposed to. We are glad that the scouts have their meeting place back. We do have concerns with a project that exceeded the budget by much more than 50% and was so far behind schedule and wonder if all this was really necessary.
Mike Estrella
Bill Boos says
Seriously, SMAC ?
This statement is another example of engaging in a personal attack because of a disagreement with a legitimate and principled vote. I voted for $49,000 to fix up the Boy Scout Cabin, but when the scope of the project increased greatly, I voted no to an additional $17,500 in taxpayer money. It was not an “anti-youth vote”, it was about taxpayer money. We seem to have reached a point in our country where the first reaction from so many, is to assume the worst in people. I would rather assume the best, and if someone proves otherwise, so be it. I hope that we will treat each other in our small town, with civility, graciousness and respect. I promise that I will continue to do so.
Bill Boos