The Worcester County Commissioners voted 5-2 in an emergency meeting Tuesday to move forward with the purchase of a riverboat.
The commissioners agreed to loan Snow Hill and Pocomoke roughly $350,000 to buy the Black Eyed Susan, a 149-passenger riverboat that has been used in Havre de Grace. The boat is meant to bring tourism to the southern end of Worcester County.
Tom Perlozzo, the county’s director of tourism, economic development and recreation and parks. “It’s what I believe to be a great opportunity to take advantage of the Pocomoke River. It’s an asset, it’s an economic draw.”
Perlozzo said the riverboat was a unique opportunity to promote the southern end of the county as a tourism destination. He said the plan was for Snow Hill and Pocomoke to purchase the boat through funding from the county. That funding would be made up of a $100,000 Community Legacy Grant transfer as Tyson Foods in Snow Hill does not intend to take advantage of the grant it received, as well as the $250,000 in CARES Act funding the commissioners previously set aside for the southern part of the county.
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44 comments:
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Black eyed Susan?A little racist I believe . How about White eyed Stanley .
Please keep informed. I have lived here all my life and canoed the river several times, including from Willards to Pocomoke and always loved the scenery. The only thing I didn't like was when I had to fight the current and not enjoy more of the beauty.
This would be a ride down memory lane that I could really enjoy. Probably the last time I would be able to enjoy the historic river at my age.
These "hick towns" don't understand a thing about what grants actually "cost". For example, Salisbury has had a boat rotting on land for several years now simply because their ignorance. Maritime certifications are not cheap to train people for. OC will eventually realize the same if they have not already just like the Counties will.
A captain will cost 120 grand a year better figure that in.
The liability insurance alone will be almost $200,000 per year, maintenance another $50,000, salaries for Coast Guard certified captain another $70,000, crew salaries at least $50,000, and then there is fuel, hull insurance and many more expenses. How are Pocomoke and Snow Hill going to repay this loan?
What they are not telling you is that Lachelle Scarlato, The Worcester County Deputy Director of Economic Development, is a part owner of this vessel and stands to make big bucks if this deal goes through.
When not working I swim the same route usually in the cover of darkness.
they cut funding for all county fire companys,but blow money on a river boat? wtf!
4:39. The Pocomoke River flows from Willards to Snow Hill. Downstream. There is no current to fight there beyond the tidal boundary.
no, no no..... they are talking about Susan Olsen and her black ⚫ boyfriends
This a scam from the word GO. The current owner of the boat is one Lachelle Scarlato, the newly hired Deputy Director of Economic Development for Worcester County. She is trying to unload this boat because she can no longer afford the losses it is incurring. Buyer beware!
Why buy a boat/floating restaurant? Doesn’t Snow Hill and Pocomoke have restaurants? Aren’t Snow Hill and Pocomoke part of Worcester county? Why not just have the county buy the boat and run it through the department of tourism? Isn’t there someone in tourism that would be familiar with maritime operations? Who benefits from this, the citizens of Snow Hill and Pocomoke? Too many unanswered questions.
This sounds like something Wicomico County would do not Worcester.
Oh no competition for our Salisbury FD boat....we patrol the Wicomico River, protect and serve!!!
Where is this Cool Aide coming from?
Talk about slow learners
I have an intimate history with 'leakin Lena Black eyed Susan'. Marine survey is in order. If the worms quit holdin' hands the engine would fall overboard!
in Perdues waste water being released in all waters ?
7:02 Have you ever tried to swim against a changing tide? I didn’t think so. Get outside some and out of your basement.
Dumbest thing ever. This will bring NO tourism to Snow Hill This perlozzo stooge has never been someone who can strike anyone as being even the slightest bit bright. But go ahead buy the thing. When it flops and the crew sitting around playing tiddly winks we can take great pleasure in saying Told You So
Great example of those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it. The Riggi's were private owner/operators who attempted to run a steamboat/paddle boat as a tourist attraction on the Pocomoke River, on this exact same route and they went under. If it is true that the present owner is the new Deputy Director of Worcester County Economic Development then it is a conflict of interest for the County to help purchase it and this is totally unconscionable.
Can't carry paying passengers without liability insurance. Can't get liability insurance without a marine survey, about $20 per foot of vessel length.
Can't carry paying passengers without Coast Guard inspection and certification. This tub will never pass inspection without extensive overhaul and renovation.
I sure hope it's not too late to back out of the sale. I like the idea and would certainly patronize the tours, but if all the expenses listed previously are correct I have doubts about Snow Hill being capable of affording the venture. Plus, this Lachelle Scarlato apparently is trying to pull the wool over the tax paying citizens of Snow Hill for her personal gain. Ousting her should be considered.
6:39
Have you registered your hands yet?
Gross
Sounds like you’ve been through it before you must be from the city which we call cidiots....
This is a move that should get two people terminated from their county jobs. Serve the people not your friends.
I question the obstructions like bridges.
This boat is way to big for what they want to use it for. These people have no idea of what they are getting into. There is just not enough tourism to support this project.
The key here is the $250k from the "Cares Act". And Yes, it will cost thousands to operate. Big boy Tom spent millions of dollars on winterfest in OC, a bill that still keeps coming every year. Unless this ass can get his captains license, salaries alone will top several hundred thousand dollars a year. Did anyone ask about the impact it will have on the current private water operators, who might be impacted?
If ya wanted a boat cheap, you could buy the fire water boat, from SBY, it's never been used.
Remember when Salisbury had a dinner cruise boat? It eventually went out of business. Things have changed and not for the good. I can't even imagine the cost to maintain this boat and how you would ever make a profit. Thanks to the govern't for regulation everything out of business. The cost alone for this area would not be feasible. It would be a once and done. We don't have enough population density for this to work. I think this is a terrible idea and if someone is connected to making money off of it and also connected to making the decision, this needs to be stopped and some kind of study done. What a huge waste of money. Guess taxes will be going up, up and up.
This deal was announced and raised question marks just about the ability to find enough passengers to fill a pontoon boat on a continuing basis.
Information tying current ownership of the vessel to a new higher level employee in the Tourism office in Worcester County is grounds for putting an 'All Engines Full Stop' order on this transaction until all of the maritime questions posed have been answered in a positive fashion. And them research operating and crewing costs. And then a realistic assessment of foreseeable passengers and revenue.
Refresh my memory. Was there not a similar private service some years back on a smaller boat that failed after a year/few years? There's a stark lesson there. If half of the comments about the physical condition of this craft hold water, Worcester should abandon ship.
Worcester commissioners should retrace their steps and not launch their version of the Minnow until asking and answering hard questions on behalf of the taxpayers!
639 thank you for what you do.
I have read the official marine survey conducted by Capt. Phineas McHenry on August 12th thru 14th of this year. The vessel requires repairs estimated from $200,000 to $250,000 just to make it serviceable, mainly because of electrical deficiencies and structural rusting. The Coast Guard certificate expires in 2021, a year from now, and haul out and bottom painting costs are estimated to be at least $50,000 to $60,000, even if no major repairs are required at that time. No wonder Lachelle wants to unload this turkey!
They used CARES act money as part of the purchase of this boat!!!?? It was in the newspaper!!! They should be ashamed of themselves! Is that even legal? Also, the Deputy Director of Worcester County Economic Development has part ownership in an LLC that currently owns the Black Eyed Susan....someone needs to look into all of this. Here is a link to the public information regarding the purchase of the boat. Copy and paste into your browser. and read the whole thing.
https://www.co.worcester.md.us/sites/default/files/meetings/Commissioner%20Meeting/packet/2020/River_Boat_Meeting_09.22.20.pdf
Then read up and educate yourself on what CARES act money should be used for. So, don't help medial facilities, nurses, first responders, anyone..... but NO... buy a boat that will put a drain on the tax payers....Brilliant!
Perlozzo... Scarlatto Cosa Nostra
What if I told you the Susan is currently certified? This 'tub' has passed USCG multiple times and is not in need of severe maintenance. Insurance is about 1/4 the quoted prices by others due to in river location. There are challenges and costs. But a full time captain? They will most probably be paid by the job.
Through prayer and luck!
Another well meaning waste of taxpayer dollars.
This IS a joke, right?
8;11 said it well, history repeating its self. If private sector couldn't make a go of it local Government Cant make a go of it, Its a shame its cost so much to run ,The river is something nice to see.
I kept telling you slaves, once they got the push and go ahead, aka by you sitting there saying you had enough but not really because you let them keep doing it, anyway I told you slaves, once they got the push and go ahead for the 30% property tax hike, they wouldn't stop... And boom I was right yet again... How do you love your taxes??? Soon to go up again!!!
Our great Mayor Jake Day,
and I might add, a great lover
will be Captain of this boat for half that price
I actually read the 70 plus page report. Let the county buy and operate the boat. The people of Snow Hill and Pocomoke cannot afford the boat.
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