Water Pools Next to the Oxford Strand Dune Where Four Foot Walkway Should Be
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As we reported in our April 8th story about the Oxford Strand Project, the town is suffering through a “re-do” by the contractor to correct problems with the restoration which include deviations from the original plan and problems that keep the project work “out of compliance” with the Army Corps of Engineers regulations.
On Tuesday, April 8, residents of the town let the Commissioners know how unhappy they were with how the project was initiated, conducted, monitored, and left unfinished. For a look at this article, go to this link:
Oxford Strand Beach Project: Doomed To Fail From The Beginning – The Easton Gazette
The meeting began mildly with the swearing in of Bruce Beglin to the Planning Commission and Debbie Krolicki to the Election Commission. Various other agenda items were discussed including the canceling of the FEMA grant to handle Bank Street flooding, possible problems with the grant funding the lifting of homes in flood prone areas, deferring of Resolution 2502 regarding town ethics standards for officials, approval of past meeting minutes, and the wrapping up of the town’s financial audit at the end of the month.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Public comment was when the fireworks started. Dan Kordell, a resident of the Strand spoke up first regarding the height of the islands in the Strand Beach project. As stated by the contractor and former Town Manager Cheryl Lewis, the islands were NOT supposed to be visible at high tide. Kordell explained that on April 6th when the tide high tide at 12:11PM was +1.8’ mean low water, the islands were still more than 1’ above the high tide. He took pics and a copy of the DNR tide chart for Oxford at that day and time. In short, the islands are still about 1’ higher than the drawings depict. And the contours of the beach are nowhere near that depicted in the drawings. Clearly, the contractor has abandoned what was promised in the initial plans.
He asked if the town had a surveyor to measure the topography of the project. Town Manager Holly Wahl said that Messick and Associates would be completing that task to assure everything is as it should be prior to the town signing off on the project.
Next up was Mac Sommerlatte, whose property next to the Strand Beach was supposed to be lifted and his bulkhead strengthened as part of the restoration. It has not been done to date. Sommerlatte had addressed the Oxford Commissioners on March 25 and asked for a meeting with them. As of tonight, he had not heard back from them. Sommerlatte said, “You are in breach of your contract with me and because you have not responded to me I believe you want to continue to be in breach.”
Sommerlatte said he had contacted his lawyer to pursue legal action against the town.
“You guys are my friends, ” he stated emotionally, “but you haven’t met your obligation.”
Sommerlatte’s Contract with the Town – Signed by Commission President Tom Costigan on behalf of the Town
Next resident Dave Donovan addressed the Commissioners. Donovan started off by saying that, unlike many residents, he didn’t think the Strand was ugly. He commented that one of the main things he saw as he walked the Strand was the promised grassy 4-foot walkway was NOT four feet wide and appeared to be nothing but dirt with some seeds scattered in it. (see picture below) He went on to question how a project of this scope and complexity got signed off by the commissioners without a performance bond. SPECIAL NOTE: A performance bond, also known as a contract bond, is a guarantee issued by a surety company (i.e. insurance company) that a contractor will complete a project according to the terms of a contract, protecting the contract owner, such as the Town of Oxford, from financial loss if the contractor defaults or fails to complete the project.
The Strand Beach Dune with Walkway Next to It
There is no evidence of a performance bond on the Strand Beach Project.
Donovan continued by asking about who was responsible in the Oxford Town Administration for monitoring the project as it was progressing and who signed off on its completion.
“I’m appalled that this thing got to this point, and I wonder how we will prevent this in the future. “
Finally, Theresa Dejter spoke and asked ” How will we know if this project is complete? Who will be policing the Strand to make sure it is like it should be? Do we need to hire an outside contractor?”
Town Manager Holly Wahl, who came on the job in January, eight months after the Strand Restoration was declared “finished,” by the contractor answered by explaining that they have a maintenance plan with a different contractor.
Wahl is clearly making plans to turn the situation around and make the Beach “whole” again. It’s just one, albeit a large one of the problems she and her staff are addressing during the first months of her tenure as Town Manager. Many of these problems were left unresolved when the previous Town Manager left.
As public comment concluded and the meeting adjourned, the main question of many in the crowd was who is ultimately responsible for the disaster that the Strand Project has become. The former town manager Cheryl Lewis, the contractor Underwood and Associates, and the former Presidents of the Commissioners, Tom Costigan, and Jim Jaramillo were the names found over and over on authorization, payment and contract documents. When the project was pronounced “finished” in June 2024, Costigan signed off that the project was complete.
We ask again how we got where we are today. Here are some (but not all) of the documents:
The document above was an extension of the project completion to June 30, 2024. It was signed by Cheryl Lewis, Tom Costigan, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The agreement clearly states that the project will be extended but NOT MODIFIED from the original plan, Did anyone tell Underwood and Associates?
June 30, 2024 was Lewis’s last day as Oxford Town Manager.
We also found a copy of a canceled check written to Underwood and Associates for $75,000 on May 22, 2024. This check was signed by Vickie Sharp and Tom Costigan.
We provide these documents so that residents can see them and judge for themselves. Whether we like or dislike what has been done to the Strand, citizens have a right to know why the project hasn’t been completed as promised.
As of today, the contractor is still working on the project with the hope of having it done by the April 19th deadline. After that date, if problems cited by the Army Corps of Engineers are not solved, the project will be out of compliance. That could cost the town monetary penalties or even the denial of permits for future jobs. However, there are other issues that are not covered by the Corps of Engineers, such as the height of the dunes, the grass walkway, the handicapped access, and the promised plantings.
This is from the Town of Oxford via an April 15th e-mail:
Town of Oxford Coastal Resilience Shoreline Enhancement Project Phase I Contract completion is currently underway as the contractor continues work on site to complete the required work along the shoreline no later than April 19, 2025. This work includes (1) lowering the islands per the approved permit and site plan, (2) removing the temporary access to the islands per the approved permit and site plan, (3) purchasing and installing native plantings per the approved permit and site plan available here and planting list available here, and (4) installing the grassy strip along the roadway per the approved permit and site plan. The Commissioners retained $30,000 in funds from the Contractor, which will be used within the project site per funding requirements as discussed in the April 8th Commissioners meeting. Third party surveying is ongoing through Messick & Associates to ensure completion per the Town’s permit to meet compliance requirements. Based on the surveying several adjustments are required to ensure the topography is per the permitted plans and that the grassy strip is installed with growing media – these adjustments will be completed this week. Additionally, the Town is working with regulating agencies to relocate the evergreens planted along the Strand roadway. It is recognized that the plantings can not remain where they are currently planted by the contractor.
The annual Oxford Day Celebration is April 26th and the town will want the mess cleaned up by then. Although most of the activities of that celebration occur in other parts of town, no one wants the Strand Beach to look like it does and be inaccessible to visitors.
It’s also important to note that the seat on the Commissioners currently occupied by Tom Costigan is up for election in June. Rumor has it that he has filed for re-election.
The next Commissioners meeting will be April 29th, 2025.
The post Emotions Run High At Oxford Town Meeting Regarding Responsibility For Botched Strand Project appeared first on The Easton Gazette.
