[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6515565,"mediaKeyId","3859314-7bd1215b1a1af9477f0a8259d3c53df0","parentId",3859314,"title","Worcester County hears schematic design for Buckingham Elementary replacement; health clinic and community space included","audioSeconds",1400,"startMs",522000,"endMs",1922000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3859314-7bd1215b1a1af9477f0a8259d3c53df0&start=522&end=1922","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3859314-7bd1215b1a1af9477f0a8259d3c53df0/thumbnail_522000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6515565/Worcester-County/Maryland/Worcester-County-hears-schematic-design-for-Buckingham-Elementary-replacement-health-clinic-and-community-space-included","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515565-6572eedfe683132d1463f5d8f8c3bf1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034416&Signature=PaXZgm4WTGwFqQYsx3Gm2hOKXoIrv1yJp~j-cfhIKzKRra9FG9LOczcaBufI1NOE72ZIWFIN-nCnu1msfFbqfFh83O-HGVCoufQ1o7FoFOwGVSv-jATLBZxkUPlVvyR2020YHN-dFpTfua1asufXZe3zS6tQZMxzz05mtmgpaRaanwrCFj5KuhxBmbvFAGZEpEeHAxYvkEjnce8wM~s1JoxNoYH~-aa9nbjmAMHTOfbPUFYVwUM~htggm7d6Q65zv6vtcYaaWxI0senHVP4onllapBM2PmDQCLvxIj9kPEiTILQh9cbh7UvL2yUJx~P4elxN74bwl6R4v7zufHn~QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Worcester","date","2025-06-17T00:00:00Z","article","Worcester County Commissioners on June 17 heard a presentation from the Worcester County Board of Education and project architect Allison Shockley on the schematic design for a replacement Buckingham Elementary School in Berlin. The Board of Education approved the schematic design last month; designers told commissioners they are seeking county support before a formal schematic submission to the state.

The design team said the two‑story school will occupy approximately 90,837 square feet. The selected site (the option closest to Main Street) provides separate car and bus loops, a continuous pedestrian and bike path, and room for on‑site car stacking. \"We can stack a 100 cars on-site without backing up onto West Street,\" Allison Shockley, project architect, told the commissioners.

Why it matters: Buckingham is the district's only Title I school in the north end of the county, the presenters and board members said, and the schematic includes shared community spaces that the board and the design team said are intended to serve both students and nearby residents. The proposal includes a Judy Center and a community health clinic and sets a path for state review, design development and construction beginning in May 2027 if schedules and permitting proceed as planned.

Design and site features
- Site choice and circulation: The design team presented three site options evaluated during conceptual planning and selected the location closest to Main Street as the most advantageous for separate car and bus circulation, pedestrian connectivity and construction staging. The plan keeps the bus curb cut along Main Street and places the main vehicle (car) drop‑off on West Street.
- Gathering and play spaces: The plan shows playing fields at the north end of the site, a playground area, and a tiered public amphitheater that addresses an approximately 8‑foot existing grade change between the stream and the proposed building floor elevation. The team also proposes relocating a historic bell tower to a Main Street entry area.
- Building layout: The school is two stories. Pre‑K 3–4 classrooms are closest to the entries; kindergarten and first grade are on the first floor with grades 2–4 stacked above. Large gym and cafeteria spaces are designed to open for larger gatherings; administrative and health suites are positioned for visibility and security.

Community health clinic and community use spaces
The schematic reserves approximately 2,000 square feet for a community health clinic and roughly 3,000 square feet in total for community use spaces (including the Judy Center). Superintendent Taylor told commissioners that the board will provide the space but does not expect to pay operating costs: \"We do not pay for it,\" the superintendent said, adding the intent is to lease space to a provider such as Chesapeake Health or Title Health and that operators cover service costs. The board said similar programs in other Maryland schools provide on‑site exams, limited offices and waiting areas to improve access for students and families in Title I areas.

Cost, schedule and energy goals
- Size and cost: The schematic lists the new construction area at 90,837 square feet and includes demolition, site development, contingency and escalation for a May 2027 start. Project documents presented to commissioners state the top‑line project cost matches the memorandum of understanding signed by the state, the board of education and the county.
- Schedule: The next steps are a formal schematic submission to the state, design development and construction documents (each requiring state review and response). Construction documents were estimated to run through August of the year before permitting and bidding, with a potential contract approval and start in May 2027.
- Energy and life‑cycle analysis: The team said designs will comply with the IGCC path and 2021 energy codes and that engineering teams will perform life‑cycle cost analyses on systems, glazing and envelope options during design development. Final energy‑performance selections will be included in the state submission.

Questions and next steps
Commissioners asked about energy performance, operating costs for large glass areas and the community health program’s operations and tenancy. Presenters said the engineering team will complete required life‑cycle and energy calculations during design development and that the board can pursue a provider contract before construction if the commissioners prefer; if no provider is secured, the board plans to retain the space and said it could be repurposed. The design team did not seek formal county approval at the June 17 meeting.

The board and design team will proceed to the state schematic submission and return to the county for any county approvals tied to contracts or site work, as required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Worcester - County Commissioners Meetings - Jun 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Worcester County Commissioners on June 17 heard a presentation from the Worcester County Board of Education and architect Allison Shockley on the schematic design for a replacement Buckingham Elementary School in Berlin.","taxTitle","Worcester County, Maryland","taxId",53952,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6515559,"Votes at a glance: Worcester County commissioners approve budgets, infrastructure contracts and community grant program",820,1950000,2770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3859314-7bd1215b1a1af9477f0a8259d3c53df0&start=1950&end=2770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3859314-7bd1215b1a1af9477f0a8259d3c53df0/thumbnail_1950000.jpg","/articles/6515559/Worcester-County/Maryland/Votes-at-a-glance-Worcester-County-commissioners-approve-budgets-infrastructure-contracts-and-community-grant-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515559-b731601c58098e7d9d61ec5bd8e8ed0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034416&Signature=KKd8dsJ8S8ajK~yqITnGo45jTTDeR~X1meXp6L3~2rJeDNf-44ze7HSJ0tJyaQyn9brtkEyUg5GsovIhlUJWxNtzMp44oKX-fBNio0NEmgXG-5BncwTSuzcLrh87W89S6KV47Yp7JuTWKKkEWeDXW5UlAwT2gfoRBe8Srvy5wZTLn6gEeJhuZahukO22bcKaRO8bSBs3W4HFRJ-L-McLQquHkRL28PKod4T8ek~Wsx3IEq9AQuNG7h2dDjnlykWE~0NHMmOPkYQcx~NUADJUeqEbIRLV0dmBXGLWR1DdiULZlkIfht37YzsfiQcGw7F6Q1rjxB6nxJRhNcXs6V1sqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Worcester County Commissioners on June 17 took a series of formal actions that included contract awards, budget adoptions and creation of a draft grant program for community reinvestment funds established under state legalization of recreational cannabis.

Key outcomes at a glance
- Recycling overhead door award (Item 11): Commissioners approved awarding the contract to Hickman Overhead Door Company for $86,780 to replace two large roll‑up doors at the landfill recycling building. Procurement officer Nick Rice and Public Works Director Dallas Baker presented bids; Commissioner Abbott moved the motion and Commissioner Bertino seconded. The motion passed 6–1 with Commissioner Metczeski opposed.
- Consent agenda (Items 1–12, item 11 omitted from initial consent): Commissioners approved consent items 1–12 with item 11 removed for discussion; the consent agenda (excluding item 11) passed unanimously.
- Revised FY2026 Board of Education budget (Item 14): The commission approved the board’s revised FY26 categorical amounts following the board’s June 12 special meeting. Motion by Commissioner Purnell, second by Commissioner Fiore; vote recorded as unanimous.
- County appropriation transmittal schedule (Item 15): Approved on a motion by Commissioner Bertino and second by Commissioner Abbott.
- Water and wastewater enterprise fund rates (Item 25): After a public hearing with no public speakers, commissioners approved the proposed FY26 rates and the enterprise fund budgetary revisions. Motion by Commissioner Bertino, second by Commissioner Bunting; vote recorded as unanimous.
- FY26 program open space annual program (Item 16): Approved unanimously.
- Speed study request from Department of Public Works (Item 17): Approved unanimously.
- Limited on‑street parking for Landings at Bayside (Item 18): Approved unanimously.
- Mystic Harbor Pump Station B & C design award (Item 19): Commissioners recommended award to the low bidder/firm (EA) for design work and approved a transfer of funds from another Mystic Harbor capital account to cover the design; motion by Commissioner Bertino with Commissioner Bunting seconding; vote recorded as unanimous.
- Simple Fiber usage agreement (Item 21): Commissioners approved a usage agreement to allow Simple Fiber to occupy space in an existing county communications shelter; presenters said the agreement follows a standard form used on other county facilities. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
- Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund draft grant program (Item 22): Commissioners approved a draft grant program to solicit applications for the county’s allocation of the state program established as part of recreational cannabis legalization. The county reported roughly $1,000,000 in the fund; the draft will solicit applications for projects in low‑income or disproportionately impacted areas and excludes law enforcement activities. Motion by Commissioner Fiore, second by Commissioner Purnell; vote recorded as unanimous.
- FY26 solid waste enterprise fund budget (Item 24): Adopted as presented; motion by Commissioner Bertino, second by Commissioner Purnell; vote recorded as unanimous.

What the commissioners heard in presentations
- Recycling doors: Procurement staff said three bids were received; Hickman had on‑site familiarity and had previously worked at the facility, which staff said likely explained its lower price. Public Works Director Dallas Baker described additional structural work (a bent beam) that will be part of the contract scope.
- Mystic Harbor Pump Station design: Staff said insufficient funds existed in one account to cover the design but that a separate account’s state grant freed money that could be repurposed for design. Commissioners approved combining those funds to proceed with the award.
- Water and wastewater rates: The enterprise fund controller summarized revised rate scenarios after new information following the May 20 budget work session; a public hearing produced no speakers and the proposed rates were approved.

Votes and recorded roll calls
Where roll‑call names were recorded in the meeting record, the article lists them; where the transcript provided only counts, the article records the outcome and notes counts when stated. The recycling overhead door award was the only item the transcript recorded a named dissent: Commissioner Metczeski opposed that award; the record shows the other awards and budgetary adoptions passed by voice vote or unanimous voice as noted above.

Next steps
- Contracts and budget items approved at the June 17 meeting will move to execution and, where applicable, to design and construction phases and state review (for enterprise and capital projects).
- The county will solicit applications under the community reinvestment program and return recommended awards to the commissioners for approval.

Selected items (structured)
- Recycling overhead door replacement (Item 11): kind: contract_award; contractor: Hickman Overhead Door Company; amount: $86,780; mover: Commissioner Abbott; second: Commissioner Bertino; outcome: approved 6–1 (Commissioner Metczeski opposed).
- Mystic Harbor Pump Station B & C design (Item 19): kind: contract_award; contractor: EA (design firm); mover: Commissioner Bertino; second: Commissioner Bunting; outcome: approved (transfer of funds authorized).
- Water/wastewater enterprise fund rates (Item 25): kind: budget_adoption; mover: Commissioner Bertino; second: Commissioner Bunting; outcome: approved (public hearing held; no public commenters).
- Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund draft program (Item 22): kind: program; mover: Commissioner Fiore; second: Commissioner Purnell; outcome: approved (solicit applications; ~ $1,000,000 fund reported).","At their June 17 meeting commissioners approved a set of procurement awards, budget actions, enterprise fund budgets and a draft community reinvestment grant program tied to state cannabis legalization, including a 6–1 award for recycling building doors.","actionData","errors"]

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Worcester County hears schematic design for Buckingham Elementary replacement; health clinic and community space included

Votes at a glance: Worcester County commissioners approve budgets, infrastructure contracts and community grant program