SNOW HILL – County officials voted 4-3 to move forward with plans for a new library in Pocomoke.
The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday selected a building scheme for a new library and senior center combined facility on a vacant lot offered by the City of Pocomoke. Those who voted against the plan expressed concern about environmental issues on the proposed site.
“I think there’s like five different businesses that’s been in there that’s had stuff leaching into properties,” Commissioner Ted Elder said. “I think once you take over that property you’re opening yourself up for liabilities down the road.”
Worcester County Library Director Jennifer Ranck presented the commissioners with cost estimates for a new shared facility as well as a renovation/addition at the existing library. She said the combined facility, to be located on the vacant lot near the river, would be 17,000 square feet. The senior center would be allocated 4,000 square feet while the library would have use of the remainder. Ranck said that project was expected to cost $8.5 million, with the library responsible for $6.5 million and the senior center responsible for $2 million.
“Per grant guidelines the library can only request funding for the library portion of the facility…,” she said. “If this scheme is approved library would request $1.9 million from the state.”
She added that the Worcester County Commission on Aging could request up to $800,000 from the state for the senior center portion of the building.
Ranck said that if the county did move forward with this proposal, the lot would need to be deeded to the county and a second environmental test would be needed on the site. The county may also need to purchase an additional piece of property for parking.
Ranck said the second proposal under consideration was a renovation and addition at the existing library on Market Street. That would cost $5.2 million and would include replacement of all mechanical systems as well as new meeting rooms and restrooms.
“We would need to find a temporary location during the renovation and construction…,” she said. “The construction schedule would be 12 to 14 months. This plan does not include any space for a shared facility.”
Commissioner Jim Bunting said he was very concerned about both proposals. He said he worried that if the county went forward with the new facility on the offered site, there could be costly environmental problems. Bunting also indicated now was not the time to do a renovation of the existing facility in light of the current health crisis.
“I think the prudent thing to do would be to put this on hold until we see where we are financially after this event is over,” he said.
Commissioner Josh Nordstrom said the project was not in the upcoming fiscal year but rather fiscal year 2022.
“We’re in uncertain times right now I understand but we’re talking about the following fiscal year so I think we can move forward with this,” he said.
Elder said he’d been excited about the project until he read the phase one environmental report. According to the report, the site consists of eight parcels whose former uses included a power generation company, a roller mill with petroleum storage tanks, car service garages and a cleaning and dying operation, among others.
“I think these environmental issues are way too much,” Elder said.
Nordstrom said a phase two environmental study would determine the extent of those issues.
“It seems like we’d be investing a lot more money in more studies into something that for 100 years it’s been things leaking there,” Elder said. “You know how environmental issues in those days weren’t even looked at. I don’t see throwing more money into that property.”
Nordstrom, continued to advocate for moving forward with the new building.
“If the property proves viable after the study we can move forward with it, but we have to have the plan to do the study before we can move forward with the construction,” he said.
The commissioners voted 4-3, with Elder, Bunting and Commissioner Chip Bertino opposed, to move forward with the scheme for the new building.
