Easton Employee Newsletter - March 2024

MARCH-ING ON!

March is here and we are finally seeing some longer days and our first real hints at warmer weather.

This past month we enjoyed the Fire and Ice Festival, and saw a visit from Senator Ben Cardin. We also said goodbye to our dear friend and Supervisor of Elections, Carlene Phoenix, who retired after 21 years of service.

There’s lots to look forward to this month including International Women’s Day, Easter, Daylight Savings Time, and (last, but not least) the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Potato Race. Our team, “Starch Your Engines,” is competing again to defend our title from last year. I hope you all can make it out to enjoy the parade, festivities, and of course, cheer us on during the races.

Thank you for all of your efforts so far this year, may all your hard work and dedication continue to move us forward in 2024!

Employee Spotlight

GLENN TOWERS | CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR

Meet Glenn Towers! Glenn serves as the Construction Supervisor for the Town of Easton’s Public Works department.

Glenn works closely with his team, tackling all kinds of construction projects around Town including sidewalks, storm drains, parks projects, excavation, and Rails to Trails.

Glenn lives in Ridgely with his wife and two sons, and is a 17year veteran of the Ridgely Fire Department.

In his free time, Glenn works a second job as a farmer, and also enjoys camping, hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family.

Megan

FIRE Discover

Discover Easton’s annual winter festival

Chesapeake Fire & Ice 2024 was a fun-filled winter blast for all of the residents and visitors who attended.

Dozens of beautiful ice sculptures of all shapes, sizes, and features were spread throughout Easton’s historic district. The event kicked off Friday night (2/16) with live music and ice carvings. Outdoor ice skating was open by nightfall and was an instant hit along with the accompanying ice slide in the lot across from Town Hall.

Live carvings took place all over town, including our very own

ICE

brings the heat to downtown Easton

(Testudo from University of MD). Testudo was carved in front of Town Hall at 2pm on Saturday in front of a large crowd of excited spectators.

Events included an activity filled Fire Trail, family fun activities, outdoor ice skating, children’s icehouse at the Talbot County Free Library, entertainment, seasonal sales and shopping, restaurant specials, lodging specials, and more!

Kudos to Discover Easton for throwing such an awesome event, we already can’t wait for next year!

UNIFIED RESPONSE

Emergency Services Training Campus to Provide Coordinated Law Enforcement Training

(AMY STEWARD) Think about the unthinkable. The mass casualty events that we see much too frequently on television every week could happen in our small communities on the Eastern Shore. Part of being ready to handle those events is good consistent and coordinated training among our volunteer fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency medical services. Practice and familiarity with working together in an incident command situation can only happen with repetition and continuity.

The new Emergency Services Training Campus in Easton, Maryland will provide this centralized training for hundreds of firemen, law enforcement officers,

and emergency services providers once it is completed in the next few years.

A recent interview with Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, First Sargent J.R. Dobson, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office Assistant Patrol/Operations Commander, and Easton Police Chief Alan Lowrey revealed the importance of training in their day-to-day operations.

Citing a recent Department of Justice report on the Uvalde shooting, Sheriff Gamble explains, “With the rise in school safety issues, these reports are requiring more training for law enforcement. So, we think it’s essential as we continue to try to protect our schools

Caption: Pictured left to right are First Sargent J.R. Dobson, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office Assistant Patrol/Operations Commander, Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble, and Easton Police Chief Alan Lowrey who recently gathered to discuss what the new Emergency Services Training Campus will mean to law enforcement.

that we have a location here that we can use to do these combined trainings.”

“By doing training locally, there will be less of an expense to the taxpayer.”

According to Sargent Dobson, there is a need for a centralized location that can be used for many different reasons, whether it’s for fire, law enforcement, or emergency medical services.

“Right now we have to go to Salisbury or Sykesville for Simunition™ firearms training and active shooter training. Having this more specialized training here where we can train with the Easton Police Department will be more convenient and make our department more self-sufficient with specialized training,” comments Sargent Dobson.

“Simunition™ is a brand of non-lethal training ammunition used by law enforcement and military personnel for realistic training scenarios.

“Currently, there has not been much opportunity for us all to train together in one location. When something bad happens, you can’t do it alone in a smaller organization. With active violence, active shooter events, manmade disasters, and plane crashes – all those things require integration of not only law enforcement but also of fire and emergency medical services. In particular, this training campus will enable us to expand our work as a unified command and enhance our response,” adds Chief Lowrey.

“In my experience, one of the key components to effective training is to do it with repetition. The skills need to be repeated over and over. When it’s local, it allows you to do that. This will allow us to get this repetition with our partners in the fire department and emergency medical services.”

“When police reform took effect two years ago, there’s a lot more mandated training, unfunded mandates from the state legislature on training –both physical assessments and psychological tests

for every police officer,” Sheriff Gamble states.

According to Sheriff Gamble and Chief Lowrey, the tower on the training campus will enable them to climb a barricade which is required for the assessment. The classroom at the new facility will enable them to hold the basic SWAT School, which is not just for the Talbot County Sheriff’s and Easton Police Department. It also draws people from around the region who are trying to get their basic SWAT certification.

“ When something bad happens, you can’t do it alone in a smaller organization — this training campus will enable us to expand our work as a unified command and enhance our response.

Easton Police Chief Alan Lowrey

“It is going to be worth every penny of the $5 million needed to build this facility to train more people to respond in our community,” adds Sheriff Gamble.

“We owe it not only to the community that we serve, but we all owe it to our employees and their families that we give them a fighting chance to be successful when they do encounter these emergencies,” adds Chief Lowrey.

The training campus will also offer the opportunity for K-9 Training, whether tracking, criminal apprehension, or building/car searches. The Talbot County Sheriff’s Department currently has four dogs and the Easton Police Department has four dogs that could train there.

To donate to the Emergency Services Training Campus Public Safety Campaign, contact Brett Whitehead at (302) 236-6249 or by email at whitenj20@gmail.com or visit foevfd.org.

FINDING FEEDBACK

Easton EDC Launches Market Opportunities Assessment

Easton, MD - The Easton EDC, in partnership with the Town of Easton Department of Planning and Zoning, is launching a survey that is open to anyone that lives in Easton or Talbot County. The purpose of the survey is to provide input on a broader market assessment to identify opportunities and strategies for business retention and attraction. The assessment will also identify specific niches to create new business opportunities, especially in the areas of retail and entertainment.

The Town of Easton has served as a hub of commerce for the eastern shore for over 300 years. As we look to the future, we want to be sure that Easton is identifying the business opportunities in the most optimal locations to serve the current and future households of the town, the county, and beyond. The assessment will also guide land use decisions, objectives, and

strategies for the Town’s on-going East End Small Area Plan and the Dover Road Corridor as well as the update to the Comprehensive Plan.

The survey is completely anonymous and we encourage everyone to participate. Please share the survey with your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. Anyone who lives in Easton or Talbot County and is willing to participate in the survey is welcome to do so as the more input received, the better and more likely the outcomes will represent the needs of our community. The online survey can be accessed via this link: https://discovereaston. com/retail-market-survey/.

For more information or questions, please contact Holly DeKarske, 410.690.7348 or Holly@ EastonEDC.com.

Town Hall

MENTOR MAYOR

Mayor Cook recognized by Mentor National for local contributions

The council meeting on Monday, February 19 saw an unexpected surprise — a certificate of recognition from Mentor MD | DC presented to our very own Mayor Megan Cook!

Daon McLarin Johnson, Regional Manager for Mentor MD | DC, took to the podium and spoke about Mayor Cook’s impact on the Town and its residents as a mentor, leader, and role model before presenting her with the framed certificate.

The certificate reads: “This certificate is awarded to Mayor Megan Cook as a distinguished mem-

ber of the Mayors for Mentoring program for outstanding commitment and dedication to promoting mentorship in their community. Mayor Cook’s unwavering support has made a significant impact on the lives of young people, fostering positive relationships and providing guidance to help them reach their full potential. We commend Mayor Megan Cook for her exemplary leadership and tireless efforts in creating a culture of mentorship, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.”

Congratulations to Mayor Cook on this well-deserved recognition!

FROM MENTOR NATIONAL:

Mayor Megan Cook, Easton’s first female mayor, has been a transformative leader for the community through her commitment to fostering youth development and mentoring.

Her leadership has visibly helped Easton flourish and improved its residents’ quality of life. Mayor Cook has enhanced existing parks and developed new ones to beautify the town and strengthen community bonds by providing opportunities for citizens to connect.

Mayor Cook has also empowered young voices through her work in local schools and with civic groups, which has created a nurturing environment that has led to increased mentoring and growth for the town’s young people.

Her leadership not only honors Frederick Douglass (an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and former Easton resident), but also paves the way for future generations of leaders.

You can see other Mayors who have been recognized and make nominations on the Mentor National Website here: www.mentoring.org/mayors-for-mentoring/

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Leaders Making a Positive Difference

From their unique position as community leaders, mayors can make a powerful impact in their cities. MENTOR and its Affiliates want to showcase these elected leaders across the country who are elevating mentoring in their communities.

Mayors are scaling quality mentoring initiatives, mobilizing their communities, and better equipping young people to succeed through improved school attendance and achievement, high school graduation, workforce readiness, and connection to their cities.

What is the Mayors for Mentoring campaign?

The campaign is an effort to celebrate the efforts of mayors to expand the quality and quantity of mentoring opportunities for young people in their communities.

Goals:

• To spotlight elected leaders across the country elevating mentoring in their cities

• To raise awareness about the multiplying benefits of quality mentoring for young people and their communities

• To encourage mayors to demonstrate their support for mentoring and to collaborate with other mayors and elected leaders to expand access to quality youth mentoring opportunities

• To encourage adoption of positive policies and programs to support expanded access to quality youth mentoring opportunities

Daon McLarin Johnson, Mentor MD | DC Regional Manager, congratulates Mayor Megan Cook on her recognition at a Town Council Meeting.

Senator Ben Cardin visits local produce hub in Easton HOME GROWN

On Feburary 5, Senator Ben Cardin stopped by Teddy Bear Fresh (a local produce distributor) to see their operation firsthand and to help bolster their capability to provide locally sourced produce from small farms nearby.

Teddy Bear Fresh is partnering with the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC) to create a Regional Produce Processing and Aggregation Facility. They were awarded $1M from a USDA Emergency Rural Health grant, and another $1M in Congressionally Directed Spending through a USDA Community Facilities grant in support of creating a regional facility that will help increase access to new

markets for local farmers, process and freeze local nutritious produce for year-round access to local residents, and to serve as the regional hub for aggregation and distribution for the Delmarva region.

Mayor Megan Cook came out to meet and greet with the Senator along with representatives from Easton Economic Development Corporation, Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and several local media outlets.

It’s great to see our local businesses (and farmers) get recognition and support on the National level!

Town Office

#WEARRED

Town employees rock red for women’s cardiovascular health awareness

February is American Heart Month, a time when all people— especially women — are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health.

February 2, 2024, National Wear Red Day is the icon day of American Heart Month. On the first Friday in February, participants

across the country wear red to help raise awareness of women’s No. 1 killer – cardiovascular disease.

Town employees participated in National Wear Red Day in order to show their support and to help raise awareness locally. Thank you to everyone who showed support!

Our Town office staff proudly doing their part on #NationalWearRedDay in recognition of #AmericanHeartMonth. From left to right: Christie Spindler, Carolinne Kahane, Joanne Drummer, Shelby Ruf, Jill Sherwood, Tracy Lednum, Joey Faulkner, Savannah Morrow, Carol Callahan, Josh Maxwell, Dawn Hutchison, Kathy Ruf, and Renee Pierce.

COMMUNITY CLASSROOM

Community Police Academy shows the world of a Easton police officer

The Easton Police Department’s first ever Community Police Academy is currently about half-way through, with classes running every Wednesday through March 27th.

Classes cover different elements of every day police activity, giving participants a better understanding of the daily tasks and decision making

that goes into police work, specifically around Easton. Topics include traffic stops, altercations, drone operations, K-9 units, situational assessments and much more.

Town employee and Community Police Academy participant Tim Tarrant gave us a quick rundown on how the class has affected him personally.

Q&A

with Tim Tarrant

Q: HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ENJOYING THE CLASSES SO FAR?

TIM: It’s been awesome. I learn something new each class, and I can see that it creates a lot more respect for our officers out there patrolling the area.

Q: HAVE YOU BEEN LEARNING A LOT ABOUT POLICE WORK?

TIM: Oh yea, it blows my mind every week — what they go through, and how many things they have to consider when the arrive on a scene.

Q: WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS CLASS IS DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY?

TIM: Its definitely a good source of education, and it’s definitely creating more respect for the police. It also helps us understand how to react and respond to officers during traffc stops or just in public.

Q: WHO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS CLASS TO?

TIM: I would recommend everyone and anybody attend because it gives you a whole new perspective on things.

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to Public Works Maintenance Division Manager Mike Young for winning the Employee Newsletter Cover Photo Contest! Mike now has a $25 gift card to Rude Burger for the submission that landed on the February cover of the Town of Easton Employee Newsletter.

You could be the next winner by submitting your potential cover photos to gmueller@ eastonmd.gov. If your submission is chosen, you too will win a $25 gift card!

THANK YOU CARLENE

Town of Easton Supervisor of Elections Carlene Pheonix retires

We wish a heartfelt congratulations to Carlene Phoenix on her retirement!

Carlene served the Town of Easton as the Supervisor of Elections for the past 21 years. Carlene was recognized and given a proclamation from the Town (read aloud by Ward 1 Council Member Maureen Curry) at the February 19 council meeting.

The proclamation acknowledged Carlene for “being a powerful influence for good

in the progress of the community,” and because she “performed a myriad of tasks important to the causes of the election process ... Carlene has served the Town of Easton in a professional, dedicated and loyal manner dealing with a diverse range of people, providing courteous and comprehensive help to the Town officials, members of the public, and fellow town staff.”

Thank you Carlene for all your years of service, dedication, and to many here — friendship. You will be missed!

Employee Benefits

Human Resources

Birthdays

MARCH

Michael Dickerson

Megan Cook

Justin Jones

Brian Carroll

Stuart Coleman

Frank Creegan

Michael Salinas

Renee Pierce

Lynn Thomas

Justin Conaway

Mark Hrobar

Tyrell Pierce

Joseph Mayer

Anniversaries

MARCH

Mary Moyer - 25 years

Tyrone Perry - 2 years

Nicholas Johnson - 2 years

Gregory Hall - 9 years

EASY EASTER EATS

A scrumptious beef roast that’s simple to prepare

(Family Features) Even if Easter hosting duties fell on your plate this year and added one more thing to your holiday to-do list, that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. After all, Easter is a time meant for fun and fellowship with the food just one part of the celebration.

Building the menu around simple, one-pan dishes can keep the focus where it needs to be: spending time and creating memories with family and friends. These dishes call for short lists of ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry, and

simple preparation to create a full spread perfect for sharing with loved ones. Plus, using only one pan makes cleanup a breeze, so you can get back to the festivities quickly.

A dish like this Easter Roast lets you check both the main course and side dishes off your list, relying on the oven to do most of the work for you after some quick prep work. Similarly easy to prepare, these Refrigerator Rolls can also be made up to six days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to bake - a perfect complement to the savory roast and veggies.

EASTER ROAST

Salt pepper

garlic powder

1 roast (3 pounds)

1 bag (1 pound) baby carrots

1 bag (1 1/2 pounds) trio potatoes or potato of choice

3 cups beef broth

1 can (10 ounces) cream of mushroom soup

1 tablespoon garlic pepper

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 bundle asparagus

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder all over roast and rub into surface. Place seasoned roast in middle of large roasting pan.

Place carrots on one side of roasting pan and potatoes on other side.

In large bowl, mix beef broth and cream of mushroom soup with garlic pepper. Pour mixture over roast, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle brown sugar over carrots and add chopped onion. Cover and cook 2 1/2 hours then remove from oven, add asparagus and cook uncovered 30 minutes.

Serve from pan or place on platter for more formal presentation.