by Geoff Fox

County Commissioners were set approve the Annual Fiscal Year 2027 Program Open Space project list that was presented and recommended by the Washington County Recreation and Parks Advisory Board during their Tuesday, June 9, meeting.

The meeting occurred after The Hancock News went to press.

One of the projects included was for parking lot improvements in Widmeyer Park that would run a total of $153,000 with the town requesting $137,700 of that amount. Hancock would pay $15,300 for the project.

Including requests from Boonsboro, Hagerstown, Sharpsburg, Smithsburg, Washington County, and Washington County Public Schools, the total POS Program FY2027 allocation sits at $1,077,378.

The Hancock project would see the parking lot area near the Lions Pavilion to Main Street paved, which would include by the pickleball courts, the war monument, and entrance by Main Street.

If Hancock is approved from the POS money, the project could start next year, Town Manager Mike Faith said in an email.

He added he doubts everything would be decided this year before the asphalt plants close for the winter.

Hancock is set to begin two projects from previous POS money grants with town officials set to open qualified bid packets at the June 9 town meeting, which occurred after the paper went to the printer.

Those two projects would see the pavilion roofs in Widmeyer Park and Joseph Hancock Park be replaced and the steps in Joseph Hancock Park leading to the Western Maryland Rail Trail also being replaced.

Those projects, Faith said, are anticipated starting within 30 days of the contracts being awarded.

To obtain the POS monies, various municipalities, WCPS, HCC, and county submit projects for consideration for inclusion in the annual POS program.

Based on anticipated available funds a program is developed giving consideration to county parks and recreation priorities, community benefit, and the priority ranking of the project sponsor.

The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board voted at its May 7 meeting to recommend the proposed schedule to the Board of County Commissioners for adoption.

After adoption, those who applied for POS money are notified as to which projects have been included in the program along with approval letters.

This then allows the sponsors to apply for funding to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources after July 1.

According to the commissioners meeting agenda, the fiscal impact to the county would be Washington County receiving $1,077,378 in FY2027 Program Open Space Funds and since the county met its local acquisition goal in the current approved Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan 100% of the FY2027 appointment can be used for acquisition or park development projects.

Parkland acquisition projects are eligible for 100% POS reimbursement, while development projects require a minimum of 10% local funding match, which in the case of Hancock’s project in Widmeyer Park would have the town pay $15,300 of the $153,000 total.

All FY2027 project sponsor funding requests were met, including recent cost adjustments associated with anticipated asphalt price increases.

Other projects associated with the POS monies in the county include a dog park in Boonsboro’s Shafer Park, playground equipment along Ridge Avenue and a skate park shade structure at Fairgrounds Park in Hagerstown, parking expansion at Sharpsburg Community Park in Sharpsburg, playground replacement at Lions Park in Smithsburg, multimodal trail and parking and Marty Snook Park, and a hardcourt play court at Salem Avenue Elementary.