No Progress from Local Leadership Results in Loss of Ag Dollars for Wicomico

Things have been somewhat quiet on the issue of preserving rural character and lands in Wicomico County (the "density bonus" issue) as we have awaited and are continuing to await County Executive Pollitt’s "report of findings," which he promised to have by August.

But on Wednesday, September 23, we received word that the Council’s inaction toward saving rural lands has resulted in yet another blow to our agricultural community. On Tuesday, September 22—as we have been warning the Council—MALPF (Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation) who receives guidance in these issues from MDP (Maryland Department of Planning), decided to decertify Wicomico County’s agricultural land preservation program.

Wicomico County was one of 16 counties in the state with this certification; a certification that is contingent upon counties demonstrating they have effective polices and programs for preserving agriculturally viable farmland. (Program certification allows counties to keep 75 percent of their agricultural transfer tax revenue for use in supporting locally-funded land preservation. Uncertified counties only keep 33 percent of transfer tax revenue, with the rest going to the state.)

To our knowledge, NO county has ever been decertified and the fact that we—the largest agricultural producing county in the state—have lost our primary source of preservation funding because of inadequate local polices is unacceptable.

The facts are these:

• County leaders promised to act (by August) and haven’t;
• In failing to eliminate the density bonus loophole, the county maintained the status quo—but now it’s actually going backwards; and,
• People on all sides of the issue support funding land preservation.

Now, thanks to a failure in leadership, what little funding there was, is being reduced further.

The need for your public outcry is as important as ever if we are to keep Wicomico’s rural character in tact. Please plan to attend the next meeting of the Wicomico County Council on Tuesday, October 6, at 10 a.m. to demand accountability! (Even if you don’t choose to speak, your attendance is important.) The meeting will be held in Room 301 of the Government Office Bldg, Route 50 and Division Street, in Salisbury.

You can also:

• Call/write our leadership:
  Executive Rick Pollit (rickpollitt@wicomicocounty.org) and the County Council to express your extreme frustration. (You can send an e-mail to all council members at: countycouncil@wicomicocounty.org ).
  
• Submit letters to the editor to The Daily Times. 618 Beam Street, Salisbury, MD 21801 or via their web form.
  
• Encourage The Daily Times to takes a position.
  
• Get friends and others to do all of the above, too!