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Curfew, firehouse confounds city council, Crofoot

(Sept. 8, 2016) Balancing restless youth, community concern and aging infrastructure with the public good, break-even finances and civic responsibility led to a standoff between City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot and the Pocomoke City Council Tuesday night.
While tempers remained subdued during a sprawling conversation that included curfews, youth groups, citizen advocacy and referenced the old fire station, an under-the-surface frustration was shared by all members of the board.
It began with Mayor Bruce Morrison suggesting, and the council approving, a public hearing on the proposed curfew for Pocomoke’s youth at the next regular council meeting on Sept. 19.
The idea of a curfew was suggested by neighborhood residents following a large altercation between what has been described as a large, unruly crowd of young people and multiple police agencies in late July, resulting in two arrests.
“There are several different opinions on this. It needs a lot of research and a lot of input on the curfew,” Mayor Bruce Morrison said. “Citizens should go online and read the information carefully, and we’ll see where we go from there.”
Tucked below the fold on the city’s webpage, on the right-hand side between the Labor Day and State Highway Administration notices, are four sample curfew laws proposed or passed in different jurisdictions.
Crofoot said each proposal is slightly different, but all achieve the same goal.
During that conversation, the idea of a community center, focused on giving Pocomoke’s children something to do or a place to gather was floated. The conversation then moved on to the most prominent of the publicly owned yet vacant buildings in town: the armory and the fire station.
The armory option was eliminated quickly, with all members agreeing that the facility was too far gone to be of any use. Lamenting that the city is unable to secure funds to renovate or remove the blighted property because of a dispute with the state historic trust, attention turned to the old firehouse.
Earlier this year, the town put the building up for bid and received one response from a church group, for $2,500. Councilwoman Diane Downing renewed her stance that the building should have been sold at that time for that amount, a sentiment agreed with by Councilman Dale Trotter.
Recalling a previous action where the council voted to put the building out for bid, yet interpreting that to be the same as agreeing to sell it at that asking price, the council appeared prepared to divest itself of the property immediately, until Crofoot objected on multiple grounds.
Most importantly, Crofoot said to sell the building in its current condition was irresponsible, because of the presence of asbestos, lead paint and black mold. He also said the government, despite however carefully he constructed such a deal, would not be shielded from all liability, should a child suffer injury due to the conditions.
The council, and some of the audience members wrestled with the idea that the church group, once successful with its bid, could use the building as a community center.
Crofoot again objected, saying the town could be held responsible for selling a building for that use should someone become injured due to preexisting conditions.
He then suggested the town’s 40-odd churches could form a larger group and perhaps pursue state grants or bonds to finance renovations, eventually leading to a civic center.
This idea seemed to placate both the council and the audience.