Latest News & Announcements

New Lifetime Pass Available for Military Veterans and Gold Star Families to Access Public Lands 

BERLIN, MD – On Veterans Day, November 11, 2022, veterans of the U.S. Armed Services and Gold Star Families can obtain a free lifetime pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests.   

Worcester County Government (WCG) offices, including Recreation and Parks, will be closed for two upcoming federal holidays, Election Day, November 8, and Veterans Day, November 11.

All five Branch Libraries, Central Landfill, and Homeowner Convenience Centers will be open during standard hours of operation on both dates.

UPDATED: Road paving projects Nov. 7, 8, and 9 – expect delays between 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Starting Monday, and weather permitting, Alan Myers will begin paving the following county roads:

Nov. 7 - Salisbury Road and Balte Road in the West Ocean City area.

Nov. 8 - Newport Bay Drive and Cove Court in the South Point Area.

Nov. 9 - Henry Road and Trappe Road in the Berlin area.

Expect traffic delays during paving operations. For more information, contact the Worcester County Roads Division at 410-632-2244.

Snow Hill, Maryland – (October 28, 2022): The Worcester County Commissioners appointed Kim Reynolds to serve as the new budget officer.

“Kim is deeply committed to serving the public and has been a tremendous asset to the county throughout her years of dedicated service,” Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young said. “Her knowledge, experience, and consistent, fiscally-conservative approach to budgeting make her the solid choice to head up the top tier of our financial leadership team.”

Snow Hill, Maryland – (October 27, 2022): The Worcester County Commissioners appointed former Budget Officer Candace Savage to serve as the new deputy chief administrative officer (DCAO).

“Candace is the first woman to be appointed to this key leadership position, and there is no one more qualified to step into this role,” Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young said. “She brings the experience, dedication, and administrative foresight that we can depend on.”

The Worcester County Commissioners joined Bay Country Communications (BCC) officials at the foot of the Newark water tower on October 19, 2022 to cut the ribbon on a new fiber-optic installation project to make broadband available in the Newark area. BCC is well known for its partnership initiatives, and representatives from both Talkie Communications and Choptank Fiber were also on hand to celebrate the new stretch of fiber backbone.

The Worcester County Commissioners appointed representatives from across the county to serve on the newly-established civilian Police Accountability Board (PAB) and Administrative Charging Committee (ACC), which were implemented under the Maryland Police Accountability Act, a State law that became effective in July 2022. 

The seven-member PAB appointed by the commissioners includes Chair Gregory Tate, Vice Chair Joseph Theobald, Jerred Johnson, Mary Burgess, Quincy Shockley, Carol Frazier, and John Simms, III.

The Worcester County Public Works Recycling Division will host Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Day on Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Ocean City Park and Ride on U.S. Rt. 50. HHW, computers, and laptops may be dropped off for safe disposal. No other electronics will be accepted.

Snow Hill, Maryland – Beginning November 1, 2022, a portion of the West Ocean City (WOC) commercial harbor parking lot will temporarily be closed to the public. A portion of the parking lot will serve as a staging area throughout the duration of the project to replace bulkhead, eight piers, and one governor’s dock, along with all associated bumper piles at the commercial harbor.

Area residents and visitors will still be able to utilize the WOC boat ramp to launch and retrieve watercraft; however, parking at that location will be limited.

Beginning November 7, 2022, the Snow Hill Home Owner Convenience Center (HOCC) will be closed to the public for approximately 90 days, while repairs and upgrades are made to the facility.

“The center's existing wooden bulkheads have reached the end of their useful life and are being replaced with concrete bulkheads,” Public Works Director Dallas Baker said. “The ramp approaches are also being repaved. The work will involve heavy equipment, so for safety reasons the public will not be permitted to enter the site.