News & Announcements
From the Newsletter...
Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) Contract Award (Bruce Wahl, Mayor)
At the January (2013) Town Council Meeting, the Council approved the award of the upgrade to the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) to Bearing Construction, Inc. of Sudlersville, MD, and the management of the project to the design firm Whitman, Requardt, and Associates, LLP. The total amount to be funded is $16,158,930, which includes funds allocated for administrative and legal fees. The approval of this contract award secures State grant funding of 45.34% of the total amount. The balance of $9,287,117 will be shared among the partners of the plant: Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Calvert County and Anne Arundel County. The Town of Chesapeake Beach’s share is $4,611,982.30 and will be financed through a low- interest loan from the Maryland Department of the Environment. This low- interest loan was also at risk had the Town Council not approved this contract award at the January meeting. Thankfully, that risk was averted by approval of the contract award.
Although this is a huge amount of money, we were fortunate that nine firms bid on the project, with Bearing Construction being the lowest bidder. You can rest assured that the Town is spending your money as prudently as is possible.
What is ENR? Simply stated, the purpose of this project is to reduce pollution in the treated effluent that is discharged into the Chesapeake Bay. Particularly, there is a Federal EPA requirement to meet a “Total Maximum Daily Load” (TMDL) standard of the amount of Nitrogen and Phosphorous that can be discharged. These nutrients cause algae blooms that absorb oxygen in the Bay and block sunlight from reaching submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), hence stunting the growth of these beneficial plants.
In addition to the nutrient reduction, this project replaces much aging and failing equipment; some Items have been in service for over thirty years. At the time we are doing this, the plant is being expanded from 1.32 million gallons per day (MGD) to 1.5 MGD, the capacity that is specified on our permit. This expansion was unanimously approved by an action of the Town Council in 2005 by an irrevocable resolution. Four of the 2005 Council members are still serving as elected officials in the Town: myself, Council Vice-President Patrick Mahoney, Councilman Stewart Cumbo and Councilwoman Valerie Beaudin.
The ENR project has been in the planning stages for over five years and is critically important to the future of our Town and to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. I am pleased to be able to report to you that it is finally about to happen!Bridge Replacement (Bruce Wahl, Mayor)
The Town staff and I have been engaged in detailed discussions with the Maryland State Highway Administration regarding the long-awaited replacement of the Fishing Creek Bridge. I am pleased to report to you that this project is now funded – construction is scheduled to start late this year with a completion date anticipated at the end of the year 2015.
The new bridge will be all concrete construction (the current 80 year-old bridge sits on wooden timbers), will provide an additional four feet of vertical clearance for boat traffic, will expand from 75 to 125 feet of horizontal clearance, will provide three traffic lanes– with the center lane designed as a stacking lane for left turns into the shopping center and the Rod ‘N’ Reel, and will have a 5 1/2 ft. sidewalk on each side. As you can see from this description, this is a major enhancement to the current bridge. Since the last bridge has been in place for nearly 80 years, it seems prudent to plan way far out into the future for the replacement. I will keep you informed as the project progresses.
The Water Park Prepares for the 2013 Season!
(Marilyn VanWagner, GM)Early Bird Special & Season Passes – The Water Park continues to offer Town Residents an Early Bird Special on 2013 Season Passes! Go to our website and purchase yours today. Chesapeake Beach Town Residents can enjoy a Season Pass for just $49. This Season Pass entitles you to General Admission, Night Slides and all other Special Day features that will be offered at the Park for the entire 2013 season.
Employment Opportunities – Employment Opportunities are now available for the upcoming season. Visit our website and read about the positions available. Sign up for an interview! Once an interview is scheduled, please download the application from the website, complete it and bring it with you to your interview. Don’t delay! Orientation is early this year. We are trying to fill all the positions by the end of February. This is earlier than in prior years. So, please spread the word to your family and friends.
Swim Lessons – You can also sign up for swim lessons on the web site for the 2013 Season. We have four sessions available, and each session has five different levels. You can start your babies as early as six months with the new program, Mommy and Me/Daddy and Me, that was launched in recent years. This level is designed to give babies and young children a head start on swimming. The children get comfortable in the water and begin to work on basic skills while interacting with the instructor and other children in a fun and safe environment. A parent (or adult) must accompany the child in the water. Visit our website for more information on swim lesson levels and the dates they are offered. Space is limited, and the first two sessions always fill up quickly. Discounts are available for multiple children in the same family.
And speaking of swim lessons, the Water Park will partner again this year with water parks and other swimming facilities around the world to get the message out about how important swim lessons are. This year’s date for the “World’s Largest Swim Lesson” (WLSL) is Tuesday, June 18, at 10:00 a.m. Join the 2013 WLSL Team and be a part of this amazing, life-saving, Guinness World Record ™setting event. More than 23,000 children and adults, on five different continents, helped spread the message that “Swimming Lessons Save Lives” in 2012. The Water Park Prepares for the 2013 Season! Tragically, drowning remains the second leading cause of injury-related deaths of children ages 1-14. In fact, more than one in four fatal drowning victims are children 14 and younger. Research shows, if a child doesn’t learn to swim before the 3rd grade, they likely never will. We promise a fun morning, and all participants in the event will be invited to stay the rest of the day at the Water Park as our guests. We appreciate your patronage all summer long, and this is just one of the ways we can give back to you and the community.
Adult Swim – You asked, and we have listened! Due to many requests from Town Residents, we launched Adult Swim at the Water Park in 2012. It was a big hit, and we promise to continue offering Adult Swim in the 2013 Season. The details for the days and times offered will be available soon. We hope to see more of you coming out to see us this season.
Please like us on Facebook to stay informed about all of the activities at the WaterPark! We will post all Chesapeake Beach Appreciation Days, Night Slides, Character Days and other special events that will be offered during the 2013 Season.
For more information, email us at waterpark@chesapeake-beach.md.us.
Moonlight Cruises
The Town of Chesapeake Beach will be hosting six evening cruises in 2013. Tickets will go on sale March 1, 2013 at Chesapeake Beach Town Hall and here on the Town website (UPDATE: SEE BELOW). The cost is $25 per person and payment is due when making reservations. Light refreshments will be provided.
Is astronomy your passion or your occupation? If so, would you consider joining us on one of the cruises to share your knowledge of the night sky with the passengers? If astronomy isn’t your thing, how about local maritime history? Are you a crabber or a charter boat fisherman who would like to share your knowledge of our local waters? We would like to host at least two “theme based” cruises in 2013. Please contact Connie O’Dell at 301-938-4061 or by email at if you would be willing to help turn this idea into reality. Please note: We are not attempting to conduct seminars on these cruises, just have some fun and informative conversations about the surroundings!
Cruise dates and times for 2013 are:
Friday, June 7: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 22: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday, July 12: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, July 27: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday, August 17: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday, August 30: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Please check here for the “theme cruise” details as they develop.
Moonlight Cruise on Chesapeake Bay Schedule and Ticket Sales - click here
Bill Paying Just Got Easier! (Leslie Porter, Town Treasurer)
The Town is pleased to offer the added convenience of paying your water and sewer bills online, using Visa, MasterCard or Discover with no additional service fees. To access the site, visit the Town’s website Click on the link to register for online bill pay. You will be redirected to a secure site.
The first webpage you will see is a login page. You will need your account number and password to login. Your account number is located on the top portion of your water/sewer bill. It consists of seven characters – five numbers with a period separating the fifth and sixth number. The first digit of your account number will always be a zero. The last two digits will also be zero. For example, account #123 would be listed as 00123.00First-time user passwords are preset. Your password will be the first four letters from the last name on the account, plus the first two letters from the first name, plus “00.” For example, John Smith’s password would be “SmitJo00.”
If your name contains a special character such as an apostrophe, you do not know your account number, or you have problems logging in, please contact Town Hall at 301-855-8398. One of our staff will assist you.
Once you login, you will be given an option to choose a new password. Interested in going green? You will also be given the opportunity to sign up for e-billing. With this option, you will receive your utility bills via e-mail. If you do not sign up for e-billing at your initial login, and wish to do so, please contact Town Hall for assistance.
Once you have obtained access to the site, you will see a summary page. This page shows your most recent billing data, payments made, and your remaining balance due. To make a payment, click on the “Pay Now” button. You will be directed to the billing page. Click on the “Credit Pay” button. On the next screen, you will enter your credit card and billing information. The Town does not charge a convenience fee for this service. Once you have entered your information, click on “Submit.” That’s it!
2013 Stars & Stripes Festival (Stephanie Zanelotti, Chair 2013 Stars and Stripes Festival
I am delighted and honored to serve as the Chair for the second annual Chesapeake Beach Stars and Stripes Festival (CBSSF). After working very closely with last year’s Chair, Connie O’Dell, now Special Events Coordinator for the Town, I absolutely learned a lot…. but most of all, I know that I have big shoes to fill. My heart and soul went into the planning of the 2012 CBSSF, and 2013 will be no different.
As we all unwind from the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season, let us reflect on those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we may continue to experience the freedom and independence we have today. Our goal is to ensure our Fallen Heroes will never be forgotten! Please mark your calendars to reserve time in your busy Memorial Day weekend schedule, May 25- 27, 2013, to also reflect on and pay tribute to our Fallen Heroes.
This year’s events will include an Opening Day Ceremony at the Veteran’s Memorial Park with guest speakers and patriotic music followed by an old-fashioned Family Day Picnic at Kellam’s Field with local entertainment, children’s activities, decorating and art contest and other activities yet to be determined. We are also working on another USO-type show, military bands, more educational activities for both young and old and the traditional Memorial Day Closing Ceremony on Monday.
If you are interested in working on this year’s Planning Committee for the 2013 Chesapeake Beach Stars and Stripes Festival, whether it be helping us with events planning, marketing, advertising, sponsorships or volunteering at any of the events throughout that weekend, please email special-events@chesapeake-beach.md.us or sasz_cbssf@comcast.net. You can also call me at 301-752-0445.
"Mayor's Night Out" Meeting Schedule has changed -- click here
Message from the Sheriff's Department -- REMINDER: Please keep your vehicles and houses locked at all times. Every theft from a vehicle in Chesapeake Beach has been because it was not locked. The Sheriff's Department cannot stress enough how important it is to keep your vehicles and homes locked. For more safety tips from the Sheriff's Office, click here.The Town of Chesapeake Beach is Participating in Geocaching -- A geocache trail is a series of geocaches tied together by a common theme. The theme of the Maryland Municipal League (MML) Geocache Trail is Celebrating Maryland’s Cities and Towns. The trail is comprised of 78 city/town caches located in the 11 MML Districts (regions) throughout the state. A collectible, highly coveted geo coin will be given to the first 500 geocachers who locate a minimum of 22 city/town caches throughout the state. To be eligible for the coin, geocachers must pick up a passport at any participating visitor center, use the stamp in each cache on their passports and write in the cache code word. After at least 2 municipal caches in each district are discovered, geocachers may return to one of the county visitor centers and have their passports validated to receive a collectible coin. To view press release, please click here.
If any business wishes to participate by bringing items to the Town Hall, we will make sure that your item gets put into the geocache box. We are looking for anything that may have your business name or logo on it to attract people to your business.
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