SNOW HILL – The Town of Snow Hill is inching closer toward the sale of its out-of-commission riverboat.
Town officials this week confirmed that financial details were being worked out regarding the loan from the Worcester County Commissioners that enabled the town to buy the boat. Once those details are worked out the sale of the boat can move forward.
“We hope to have news from the county commissioners in mid-July so that we can move ahead with sale of the boat,” said Snow Hill Town Manager Rick Pollitt. “We actually have two prospective purchasers talking with us. Our hope is to have the boat leave the dock before the end of July.”
In 2020, the town purchased the Black-Eyed Susan, a 149-passenger riverboat, with the help of a $400,000 loan from Worcester County. The boat had a successful season running up and down the Pocomoke River in 2021 but a mandatory inspection in 2022, however, revealed that the vessel needed extensive repairs in order to resume cruises. The inspection revealed issues with the hull, hydraulics system and paddlewheel frame. Initial repair estimates exceeded $600,000. As a result, the boat has been docked ever since.
Pollitt said this week the town was still obligated to repay the $400,000 loaned to it by the county.
“The county also transferred a state grant they had received for $100,000 from another project to the town to assist in making the loan payments,” Pollitt said. “The state grant allowed the town to make three full annual payments and a partial payment in the 4th year. There was concern that the town might have to pay the $100,000 back. However, Department of Housing & Community Development Secretary Jake Day stated that the grant to the county would not have to be repaid. Now we are just waiting for the county and the State to settle their $100,000 deal and then the town and the county will execute a new agreement repaying the county the $300,000 still outstanding.”
Snow Hill Mayor Mike Pruitt said he’d spent the past year trying to dispose of the boat and was pleased to see the town getting close to that point. He said the town’s attorney and the county attorney simply needed to finalize paperwork.
“It’s a cross your t’s, dot your i’s thing,” he said.
Weston Young, the county’s chief administrative officer, said the commissioners would soon be reviewing a new loan agreement.
“Given the conversation the town had with the state, we’ve reached out to the appropriate department to officially close out that grant,” he said. “Upon confirmation, we will bring a new loan agreement forward to the commissioners for approval.”
