The Calvert County Commissioners have decided to wait and see how the Town of Chesapeake Beach resolves its controversial water rate structure modification before it acts on a resolution to sell bonds for a joint venture. The commissioners conducted a public hearing April 30 regarding the proposal to issue, through the state, $2.5 million worth of Maryland Water Quality bonds to finance the county’s share of the enhanced nutrient removal (ENR) upgrade project at the Chesapeake Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
During the commissioners’ pre-meeting staff session, many concerns about the situation were expressed. Commissioner Susan Shaw [R] was concerned that the town’s “artificially low” water rates made it ineligible for a state loan. Shaw noted that for years, Chesapeake Beach has kept the rates low by relying on capital connection fees for infrastructure projects. Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark [R] indicated that was an indication the town wasn’t ready to move forward with its WWTP upgrade and expansion project. “I’m not prepared to support this until I see what kind of rate structure they come up with,” Clark declared.
“They have been arguing about water rates for two years,” Shaw lamented.
Rather than defer the public hearing, County Attorney John Norris advised the board to go ahead with the advertised hearing, “listen to the public” and keep the record open.
The Chesapeake Beach WWTP is operated by the town and a partnership among the two municipalities (Chesapeake Beach and North Beach), plus Calvert and Anne Arundel counties. Both the county and North Beach have agreed to help finance the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)-mandated ENR upgrade but have declined to participate in the expansion of the plant since it would accommodate additional residential growth. Both government entities have indicated they currently have sufficient capacity to accommodate any projected growth.
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