Boat ramp closure could cost Anne Arundel County over $500,000
Anne Arundel County may have to repay Maryland more than $500,000 after abruptly closing the public boat ramp at Discovery Village.
The ramp was closed in July after County Council members questioned the county's lease with the property owner.
Council member Shanon Ledbetter said the lease contained escalating rent and allowed the owner to make repairs and bill the county, potentially spending taxpayer money without a public appropriations process. She said lease terms should be fair to taxpayers and allow for oversight and accountability.
The county had covered most of the $1.6 million construction cost and signed a lease with the waterfront facility's private owner, agreeing to pay about $156,000 a year as long as the council approved funding.
About a month later, the county partnered with Parish Creek Landing Marina to provide free public ramp access through October while officials seek a permanent solution.
State cites agreement breach
In 2016, the county received a $533,833 grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Waterway Improvement Fund to build the Discovery Village ramp and keep it open to the public for 30 years.
In a letter, David Goshorn, Maryland's deputy natural resources secretary, said closing the ramp violated the grant agreement, according to The Baltimore Banner.
"The agreement between the Department and the County requires the operation of this boat launch or other comparable facility," Goshorn wrote. "Closing the Discovery Village Boat Launch Facility is a breach of this agreement. If the County cannot meet its obligations pursuant to the grant agreement, the Department may seek to enforce its rights, which includes the repayment of the grant to the Waterway Improvement Fund."
According to The Baltimore Banner, a spokesperson for County Executive Steuart Pittman said his administration could not explain lawmakers' reasoning for cutting boat ramp funds.
The Banner also reported that no one, including Pittman's staff, raised the possibility of repayment at either of the two budget hearings when the cuts were made.
Residents upset over closure
Boaters told WJZ they were upset with the closure. Mike Potts, who used the ramp in Shady Side, Maryland, said it was the only free boat ramp within a 30-minute drive.
Lisa Arrasmith, chair of the Public Water Access Committee, said residents were in shock over the closure.
