Queen Anne's County adopts Muddy Creek Waterways district and awards $452,000 dredging contract

Queen Anne's County commissioners on Jan. 13 adopted Ordinance 25-14 to create the Muddy Creek Waterways Improvement District and voted to award a dredging contract for the Long Point Boat Basin.

County Attorney Patrick Thompson opened the public hearing on Ordinance 25-14, which, as presented, would authorize a maximum project expenditure of $600,000 and establish a special-benefit tax on properties in the proposed district to repay sums borrowed to fund the work. Two nearby residents spoke in favor of the district and the proposed loan, saying community members had been working for years to clear the project’s administrative hurdles.

After the hearing, commissioners moved to adopt the ordinance. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. No formal opposition was recorded during the hearing.

Separately, Parks & Recreation staff reported three sealed bids received Dec. 8 for the Long Point Boat Basin/Muddy Creek dredging project, with bids ranging from $452,000 to $897,000. The board authorized the department to contract with Switzer Marine LLC of Preston, Maryland, for the low bid of $452,000. Commissioners and staff said the award is contingent on the recently adopted ordinance and approval of $250,000 in dredging grant/loan funds from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDDNR).

Commissioners and community members who spoke at the meeting acknowledged prolonged local effort to secure permits and funding, and several speakers praised residents’ persistence in moving the project forward. The county clerk’s office and the Parks & Recreation division will handle final contract execution and grant paperwork.

The commission did not record any amendments to the ordinance at the meeting. The ordinance and contract award were approved by voice vote; the meeting record does not list individual roll-call tallies.