Grants To Help Wicomico Restore Boat Ramps

SALISBURY – Wicomico County accepted a couple of grants this week from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to repair boat ramps.

Before the Wicomico County Council on Tuesday morning were two resolutions to accept grants from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The first resolution authorized County Executive Rick Pollitt to accept a grant award in the amount of $99,000 from the DNR for restoration to the Wetipquin Boat Ramp.

According to the resolution, the DNR through the Waterway Improvement Program offers grants to local jurisdictions to expand/improve public boating access and to improve/enhance boating safety.

The Wetipquin Boat Ramp is deteriorating and in need of replacement, and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism submitted a grant application that has been awarded in the amount of $99,000 for the Wetipquin Boat Ramp Restoration Project.

“Getting this grant was a surprise. The amount of revenue generated from sail boats have diminished to almost nothing, so I was surprised to receive both of these grants,” Recreation, Parks and Tourism Director Gary Mackes. “As far as when it is going to be done, between obtaining permits and engineering, I am guessing probably next fall. I don’t want a major disruption because people use the Wetipquin Boat Ramp as it is but it does need a major restoration.”

The second resolution on the table was authorizing Pollitt to accept a grant award in the amount of $25,000 from the DNR for small capital improvement projects relating to public boating facilities.

According to this resolution, there are several public boating facilities in the County that are in need of improvement, and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism also submitted a grant application that has been awarded in the amount to $25,000 for Small Capital Improvement Projects related to public boating facilities.

“This is put into a fund and the balance rolls forward if we don’t spend it…such as on repairs at boat ramps,” Mackes said. “I do however have some repairs at Riverside Boat Ramp, or if we incur other expenses at Wetipquin. That is the nice thing about the way this program works…if we ever have a problem at any of our boat ramps this grant covers the expense of repairs without effecting Wicomico County citizens as an operating budget expense.”

The County Council voted unanimously to approve both resolutions to accept grants provided by DNR to improve/enhance county boating facilities.