St. Michaels Would Roll $596,000 in Unfinished Projects Into This Budget Year; Hearing Wednesday

ST. MICHAELS, MARYLAND — St. Michaels would move $595,958.22 in capital money budgeted for last fiscal year but not spent into the current year under an ordinance that goes to a public hearing before the town commissioners Wednesday.

Ordinance 577 lists 13 project allocations that would be carried from fiscal 2026 into the same capital funds for fiscal 2027. The ordinance says certain budgeted capital expenditures "were not accomplished prior to the fiscal year end." The total is The Talbot Patriot's sum of the listed amounts; the ordinance does not state one.

Water and flooding work makes up the largest share. The biggest item is $222,575 for contractual services on the town's lead pipe inventory. The list also carries $75,000 for a water test well at the north tower site, $70,808.25 for phase II of the Church/Mulberry flood mitigation study and $34,580.97 for automatic "smart read" water meters.

Town buildings account for most of the rest: $45,000 for annual building and facility maintenance and improvements, $40,000 for the Edgar M. Bosley Jr. Building at 300 Mill St., $25,000 for an administration building roof replacement, $15,000 to replace and upgrade an audio/video system, $10,000 for a Carpenter Street bathroom renovation, $7,994 for police building improvements and $5,000 to clean and repair the public works roof. The Pemberton sidewalk project appears twice, at $10,000 and $35,000.

The ordinance was introduced Aug. 12. It would take effect 20 days after it is enacted.

Also on Wednesday's agenda: the introduction of Ordinance 576, which rewrites the town's boat-slip waitlist and usage rules; Resolution 2026-06, amending the town fee schedule; a Historic District Commission alternate appointment, for which staff recommends contractor Kurt Gant among four applicants; and an event permit for the St. Michaels Police Department's Shop with a Cop.

The commissioners meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the St. Michaels Community Center, 103 Railroad Ave., with public comment on the agenda and a Zoom livestream listed on the town's meeting page.