Dorchester County approves $89,696 OpenGov contract to digitize permitting

The Dorchester County Council approved a request from Planning & Zoning Director Susan Webb to reallocate $50,000 from the FY23 capital website budget and to enter into an $89,696.08 agreement with OpenGov to provide permitting and licensing services.

Webb told the Council the software could reduce staff workload by up to 85%, that OpenGov is already used by neighboring Talbot County and the City of Cambridge (facilitating contractor familiarity), and that the county received a first-year 50% discount. She said permit fee increases will cover the program’s cost and that the system will satisfy Maryland’s requirement for an electronic permit platform for solar projects. The contract will be funded by the reallocated FY23 capital funds and FY24 capital supplemental software funds.

Why it matters: The program aims to streamline permit processing, offer online status tracking for applicants, and create a single portal for registrations (including vacant, short-term rental, and rental-property listings).

What’s next: Finance will process the reallocation and the county will implement OpenGov; staff indicated the system can be extended to other departments for an additional fee.