The Cambridge City Council has rejected a proposal from Ironman Maryland to combine the Ironman and Eagleman races into a single weekend. City Manager Tom Carroll wrote in a letter that there was no support for the idea among residents of Cambridge and the surrounding area. The decision was made following a listening session on March 20, during which many people raised concerns about the proposal. These included the difficulty of accommodating volunteers for both events, the strain on public safety personnel, and a potential reduction in economic benefits for Dorchester County.
Carroll recommended that Ironman negotiate a five-year contract counting on two separate events. The council voted in favor of his recommendation, with a 4-0 majority.
In other council news, programs helping young people in Dorchester County were discussed. Doncella Wilson of Minary’s Dream Alliance presented the organization’s youth programs for children aged 12-17, which include substance abuse prevention, field trips, college tours, and more. Wilson said the programs had helped in other locations on the western shore and in Salisbury, and Commissioner Lajan Cephas thanked her for bringing them to Cambridge.
The People for Change Coalition also reviewed their summer career enrichment program for 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students in Dorchester, Talbot, and Caroline counties. The four-week program covers topics such as cyber security, drone technology, app development, and video editing.
Mayor Steve Rideout introduced an opportunity for the city to participate in a Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Grant program, which would address the needs of the Cambridge Police Department without any financial obligation from the city. The council voted 4-0 to pursue the opportunity.
The council also passed city service proposals, a paving contract, and approved requests for a Children’s Easter Party and a Cambridge Little League Parade. Police Chief Justin Todd announced a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt at Great Marsh Park on April 8.
An amended $20,000 ARPA agreement for the Cambridge Lighthouse was passed on a split vote, with Commissioners Sputty Cephas and Lajan Cephus voting against the agreement due to problems with the changes. The council reviewed a critical area zoning map for future action, authorized the streamlined Department of Public Services to operate the city’s water system, and purchased property at 1009 Washington St. for $60,000 for use with water infrastructure.
Finally, the council renewed the city’s Enterprise Zone and reviewed plans for a “rainy day” fund and a 1 percent public art standard in the city budget.
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