Sharma Named Director of Calvert Co. Department of Public Works
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners announced the promotion of P. Rai Sharma to director of the Calvert County Department of Public Works.
Sharma has been with Calvert County government since 2010, when he was hired as a project engineer and was soon promoted to deputy director of public works. He started his county government career in Wicomico County, where he served as chief engineer for public works and as director.
Sharma replaces Department of Public Works Director Terry Carlson, who served in the position from Nov. 8, 2005, until his retirement on Jan. 24, 2014. Carlson was originally hired as a transportation engineer in 1988.
“Terry will be sorely missed,” said Calvert County Commissioners President Pat Nutter. “He has been an excellent leader and manager for more than 25 years and we appreciate his service. He has set a strong example for his staff and his successor. I am proud to have worked with him.”
Since joining Calvert County government, Sharma has focused his attention on public road safety, sidewalk policies and neighborhood traffic management.
Sharma has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He is a member and past president of the County Engineers Association and the Solid Waste Association of America.
“We know Rai will do his best to continue making Calvert County’s infrastructure safer and more pedestrian-friendly,” said County Administrator Terry Shannon. “Since he has been here he has updated the County Road Ordinance, facilitated a methane gas remediation project and been a part of a number of engineering policy updates and improvements.”
Sharma was formally introduced as a department director during the Jan. 28 meeting of the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners.
Hallowing Point Trailer Park Residents Transition from Temporary Emergency Shelter
As of 10 a.m. Feb. 7, the families displaced from their homes at the Hallowing Point Trailer Park have all transitioned out of the temporary shelter set up Tuesday, Jan. 28, after inspections found health and safety code violations at the trailer park.
Several of the families affected have elected to return to the trailer park after water and sewer violations identified by the Calvert County Health Department were corrected. Some of these dwellings may still have violations of the county’s minimum livability code. Calvert County Government, through the Inspections and Permits Division, is working to ensure the livability code violations are promptly corrected.
Other families were able to find alternate housing through relatives or through the assistance of the Housing Authority of Calvert County, an independent agency that owns and manages public housing. Case managers from the Calvert County Department of Social Services, an arm of the Maryland Department of Human Resources, continue to work with some of the families to access other needed social services.
Public Meeting to Consider Draft Cove Point Community Flood Mitigation Plan
The Calvert County Department of Community Planning and Building is hosting a public meeting on the draft Cove Point Community Flood Mitigation Plan Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6-8 p.m. at Southern Community Center, 20 Appeal Lane in Lusby.
The flood mitigation plan was crafted to improve the Cove Point community’s resistance to floods by identifying actions to reduce the impact of floods to county residents and structures. It identifies funding to assist property owners in mitigation efforts such as raising or removing homes and serves as a planning tool in securing funds and support to address flood issues in the Cove Point community.
The draft plan is available for download at http://www.co.cal.md.us/DocumentCenter/View/5154. Plan development was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake and Coastal Service.
For more information or to request reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities or linguistic barriers, contact Tay Harris at harriste@co.cal.md.us or call 410-535-2348.
Comedy Invasion Raises Money for Project Graduation 2014
The Capitol Steps will perform a special brand of satirical humor to raise money for Project Graduation 2014 at 8 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Huntingtown High School auditorium.
Comedy Invasion for Project Graduation 2014 is sponsored by the Calvert Alliance Against Substance Abuse, Inc. (CAASA), offering a night of fun entertainment and laughter right here in Calvert County.
All proceeds fund Project Graduation 2014, an all-night alcohol-free and drug-free celebration for graduating senior students from Calvert, Huntingtown, Northern and Patuxent high schools. The event aims to keep young people safe during one of the most important nights of their lives.
Tickets to Comedy Invasion for Project Graduation 2014 are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and are available at the Calvert Alliance Against Substance Abuse office in Prince Frederick, Floral Expressions in Owings, K5 Sports in Prince Frederick and Lotus Kitchen in Solomons. Doors open at 7 p.m.; show begins at 8 p.m. For information call 410-535-3733.
CAASA is a grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations dedication to fighting alcohol and other drug abuse in Calvert County. It is a non-profit corporation that raises funds to support this vital effort.