As bad as the weather has been the past few weeks, it will get better. As bad as the news, at all levels, has been, it will become more encouraging. We have several good things going for us, including the road work on North Harrison Street, installation of field lights at North Easton Park, several new businesses coming to Town, and more. We will get our issues settled, and we do read the comments that are received. Jobs will be available, the schools will open, and spring is around the corner. It happens every year, and this one is no exception.
Dr. Maria Maguire Appointed Talbot County Health Officer
Pictured above: Dr. Maria Maguire Appointed Talbot County Health Officer Talbot County has announced that Dr. Maria Maguire was appointed as Talbot County Health Officer by the Maryland Department of Health on January 13, 2021, after the Talbot County Council recommended her to the Maryland Department of Health as Dr. Fredia Wadley’s successor. Dr. Maguire was appointed acting County Health Officer on December 15, 2020, after the retirement of Dr. Wadley. “We were fortunate to have benefited by the excellent leadership Dr. Fredia Wadley provided as our Health Officer over the years and especially over the past year in responding to the pandemic; we wish her well in her retirement,” commented Chuck Callahan, President of the Talbot County Council. “On behalf of the County Council, we are pleased with Dr. Maguire’s appointment as the Health Officer knowing her passion, training, and experience will continue to serve our county well as we battle the pandemic and address other public health matters.” Dr. Maguire has served as Deputy Health Officer with the Talbot County Health Department since 2019, as a Pediatric Hospitalist with Children’s National-Peninsula Regional Medical Center since 2019, and as the Medical Director of the Talbot County Children’s Advocacy Center since 2018. Prior to these positions, she was a Medical Director with the Medicaid Program within the Maryland Department of Health, practiced pediatrics with the University of Maryland Community Medical Group in Easton, and worked as a health policy analyst with the U.S. Government Accountability Office. After attending Princeton University, Dr. Maguire received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, and stayed on to complete her residency in Pediatrics at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Her interest in understanding social determinants of health and improving the health system led her to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs, where she studied health policy under Nobel prize winners Angus Deaton and Paul Krugman and was mentored by former New Jersey Commissioner of Health Heather Howard. Dr. Maguire is board certified in pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “I am honored to be appointed Health Officer for Talbot County and look forward to working with the community to protect and promote the health of our County. In particular, I am eager to help lead the county out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience has shown that Talbot County is mighty and comes together to do great things in times of need,” Dr. Maguire commented. While Dr. Maguire is an employee of the State of Maryland, she works closely with the Talbot County Council which serves as Talbot County’s Board of Health. “It is important for the Talbot County Health Officer to have a close working relationship with County Government and the County Council. We work to support each other during any kind of statewide public health emergency like COVID-19,” added Clay Stamp, County Manager for Talbot County. “We are delighted to have Dr. Maguire here and in this important role to direct our county as we address the issues surrounding the pandemic. She continues to work closely with our staff and the business community to meet these challenges head-on.”
Easton Design Guidelines RFB
The Town of Easton is soliciting proposals from qualified individuals or firms to update Town Design Guidelines. Easton established a locally-designated Historic District in 1976, with associated architectural guidelines for development activity within the District. With no corresponding guidelines or standards for properties located outside of the Historic District though, there has been concern about controlling the quality of development in these areas. This led to the Town adopting Design Guidelines intended to guide the review and development of projects in these areas. These Design Guidelines were adopted in 2005 and while useful, they are now dated. There is also a feeling that these guidelines largely recommend replicating Easton’s Downtown/Historic District and that this approach is not always appropriate or desirable. This RFP has been issued to update both sets of these Design Guidelines. The full Request for Proposals can be found https://www.eastonmd.gov/Resources.html.
Resources and Upcoming Webinars
Webinar: Win Big – Preparing for State and Federal Contracts – Presented by the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce and an expert panel of speakers. Click here to watch the video. Need Help? The SBA is hosting virtual sessions outlining the Small Business Support Programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) re-launch, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, targeted EIDL advance, and debt relief, and fielding questions regarding the programs. Held at 3:00 p.m. EST Tuesdays and Thursdays. Microsoft Teams meetings; join on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting or e-mail to be e-mailed a link to the meeting, or call in (audio only) 202-765-1264, Conference ID: 719 517 021# Webinar – Woman-Owned Small Business Federal Government Contracting Program Thurs, Feb 11, 2021, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Register here. Webinar: In Case You Missed It – Watch on-demand Employee Mental Health & Wellbeing: Strategies to Create a Thriving Workforce. CBIZ mental health experts covered industry best practices and innovations in benefits and workplace culture for improving employee mental health and emotional wellbeing. Targeted EIDL Advance – New FAQ guide from the SBA – Feb 1, 2021, the SBA added new frequently asked questions which include information about the application process, eligibility, and program criteria. Learn more
Inner Courtyard Update
The Courtyard Project came about because we are all eager for increased seating in our Downtown. Last Fall, the Mayor requested that the Town Planner, Lynn Thomas, revisit some prior studies to determine if there could be an investment made in the two interior “courtyards” between Dover, Goldsborough, Harrison, and Washington streets. Lynn’s Report intended to provide some historical background and context for those who may not be familiar with the project, gauge the level of interest and feasibility of revisiting the project, and, assuming it was determined to be worth pursuing, identify the critical next steps to making the project a reality. Bob Greenlee, who wrote an excellent op-ed on the project–and I served on Lynn Thomas’ committee, among others. After initial discussions, stakeholders convened to review the Report. The consensus of the Report and the group was that the project remains a worthy one today. The main steps for implementation were to look at a possible phased approach by initially focusing on what the Report describes as the “Scossa Courtyard” (as it is mainly located behind the restaurant of the same name), accessed via the Shore United Courtyard and to: Determine a design for the Courtyard (that is, just what would be built in the “common” space), and Determine the ownership/management structure that would have the highest likelihood for the project’s ultimate sustained success. As a committee member, I took Jeff Lankford to meet with property and business owners. We determined that no retailer had a driving need to orient their business toward the back toward the Courtyard, which we felt was essential to secure this Courtyard’s safety. A large-scale capital investment, worthy as it may be, requires planning, community engagement, and private market interests. We still believe that the Courtyard project, both phase one and phase two, is a viable project for the town of Easton in the years to come. Inner Courtyard Project – A 2020 Reassessment Here
Upcoming Webinars
Webinar: Small Business COVID-19 Financial Relief Programs Update – 1/28/21, 9:00 AM The SBDC Eastern Regional Director John Hickman will discuss the latest 2021 CAREs Act packages, including details on the new federal stimulus bill, and other current resource opportunities for small businesses. After registering, you will receive the Zoom Meeting link prior to the webinar starting. Deadline to register is 1/27/21 at 4pm Here Webinar – Looking for a new career or have employees who need new skills? – January 28 at 11:30 a.m.– Chesapeake College, Skilled Trades program explained, plus funding available that may pay for the courses. Register free here – Here Webinar: QuickBooks Basics For Small Businesses – 1/28/21 at 11:30 AM (EST) Learn the different QuickBooks platforms, the basics of QB Online, how to link your bank account, the basics of the chart of accounts and how to pull reports from QuickBooks. Register at Here Webinar: Data Privacy – Why it Should be a Top Priority for Your Business – Thu, Jan 28, 2021 2:00 PM EST. Free from SCORE – Here
The Hopeful Campaign and Easton High School’s Latin Honor Society have collaborated to bring you Togathon
Pictured above from left to right: The Togathon Team, Richard Marks, Kathy Bosin, Matthew Langfitt, Amy Steward, Chloe Dixon, Ray Remesch, Maddie Principe and Vlad Rada The Hopeful Campaign and Easton High School’s Latin Honor Society have collaborated to bring you Togathon, an online, live-streamed fundraiser to raise money for mental health services in local schools. The live-stream will be a 6-8 hour event over the weekend of February 20th-21st. We are looking for a variety of performances for our live-stream such as musical performances, comedy sketches, short films, and so much more! You are invited to contribute your talent to this event! If you are interested in contributing content for the Togathon, please follow these guidelines: Wear a toga! Film in landscape orientation. You may submit multiple videos. Performances should be 3-5 minutes in length. If your performance requires more time, keep it to less than 10 minutes in total. Please briefly acknowledge the Hopeful campaign and its goals somewhere in your video. See the Dock Street Foundation’s website – www.dockstreetfoundation.org for info. Upload your video to a cloud drive and share it from there to maintain full video quality. Sending a video directly via text or email will dramatically downgrade the resolution. When you are ready to submit your video, send an email to or for an invitation to the togathon dropbox. Submit your video by Sunday, Feb. 14th! For more information, please contact: Chloe Dixon – 410-253-9390 Maddie Principe – 667-217-0595 Vlad Rada – 443-786-9525 Thank you for consideration, stay hopeful! The Togathon team.
Downtown Development News & Update
Like everybody else in Easton, we are anxiously waiting for COVID-19 to be a thing of the past so we can enjoy the company of our friends and family without social distancing and masks. Until that time comes, we have been working with our businesses, non-profits, and elected officials to make sure we have plans in place that support our business community. This week, we update our Downtown Easton Card marketing survey and ask for your feedback regarding 2021 parklets and outdoor dining. Next month we hope to have news on events and other programs we’re excited to introduce later this year. DOWNTOWN EASTON CARD Earlier this month, we reported that over 100 cards were purchased over the holiday season, totaling more than $7,000 (Learn More). We sent a survey to the first 100 customers asking them to rate their buying experience and help us understand how they learned about the new program. Sixty-nine percent of our customers said purchasing the downtown card was extremely easy/convenient to buy. Sixty-two percent of our customers said they would absolutely purchase a downtown card again. None of our customers had a negative purchasing experience. Here are a few testimonials we received from the survey: “I live in NJ but bought this as a gift for someone who lives in Easton, and they seemed very excited to receive it!” “I love this idea so much and bought several cards. I’m really trying to shop small more than ever, and this makes it so easy and gives confidence that anyone would find something they love to buy with them.” “Such an awesome gift!” OUTDOOR DINING & PARKLETS Last year, Easton’s Town Council approved temporary parklets for outdoor dining on Washington Street in front of Scossa’s, Doc’s Downtown Grille, and Washington Street Pub. The program was beneficial to the three restaurants, and there were positive customer feedback and general support from nearby businesses. Setting Up the Parklets: Public Works set up barriers to block off parking every Friday morning, and restaurants moved their tables and chairs into the space before service. The structures and tables were then removed every Monday morning. This setup schedule allowed the parking spaces to be available Monday-Thursday in front of the restaurants but was costly for TOE and restaurant staff. New Proposal for Consideration: Full-time parking lane closures during warm weather seasons have been proposed to cut costs and provide more outdoor dining opportunities. These parklets would remove approximately seven parking spaces directly in front of the restaurants. Parking is a topic that is important to all downtown businesses. Your feedback is invaluable and helps us guide our recommendations. We ask that if you are a downtown business owner to please answer the survey below so we can provide town officials with information about how the business community feels regarding outdoor dining, parklets, and parking lane closures on Washington Street. Your responses will not be shared with any other business owners. Click here to take the survey
Message from Mayor Willey
As we move into the new year, many issues still need our attention. The pandemic continues to be an unwelcome part of our lives and it helps to keep our neighbors and many of the town’s small businesses in mind. Lend a helping hand and remember that in Easton, we keep coming back. We can do it again!!!!!
Interview with Gerson Martinez, Executive Director of Talbot Mentors
EEDC: Tell me about Talbot Mentors? Gerson Martinez (GM): Talbot Mentors is a nonprofit organization that’s focused on serving our young people and their families, primarily through the concept of mentorship. We are a 24-year-old organization. Today, we operate two programs. The first is a legacy one-to-one mentoring program. The other is Mid-Shore Scholars, a college success program aimed specifically at high school-aged students who are aspiring to be the first in their families to go to college EEDC: What is it about Easton that facilitated establishing these programs here versus anywhere else? GM: Easton, actually all of Talbot County, provides an incredible landscape or ecosystem for our program and the children that we serve to really thrive. There’s a lot of volunteerism and volunteer energy. There’s also a lot of philanthropic energy in our community. And there’s an incredible amount of young people who can benefit from the programs and services that we offer. EEDC: Are you from the Eastern Shore? GM: I was born and raised here. This is all I ever knew until I had the opportunity to go off to college. In fact, I was the first in my family to go to college. For about nine years after college, I pursued a career in capital markets; it was my dream, and I was fortunate to land in exactly the industry and exactly in the type of company that I wanted to work in New York. During the time I spent away from Talbot County, I got a chance to understand just how fortunate I had been in many ways through no doing of my own. I was born in a very safe, rural, calm community, which gave me advantages that many people outside of Talbot County don’t have, young people in particular. So, a quick kind of important chapter of my professional experience is that with my wife Samantha, we had the opportunity to help start a charter school in one of the poorest school districts in New York. We spent three years doing that. EEDC: So, how did you get involved with the mentorship programs? GM: In 2016, we decided to move back to the Eastern Shore because we had had our daughter and wanted to raise our family here. So, I came back to my hometown and was inspired to join Talbot mentors, first as a volunteer, and shortly after that, I got the opportunity to apply for the Executive Director position. The organization resonated with me because I had been the beneficiary of several mentors throughout my life. Everything that happened to me, and that continues to happen is in some way, has been impacted and influenced by mentors, so I strongly believe in the power of mentorship. Talbot Mentors is a great opportunity for me to continue to serve, which is something that I’m convinced that I’ll always do in one way or another EEDC: Is your wife, Samantha, part of the programs? GM: She was actually the founding executive director of Mid-Shore Scholars when it wasn’t part of Talbot Mentors. She then continued in a part-time role on the Mid-Shore Scholars staff. Now she’s coming off of the program in a formal capacity but will continue to volunteer. EEDC: So now Talbot Mentors and Mid-Shore Scholars are one program? GM: That’s right, Mid-Shore Scholars was a program operating under the Mid-Shore Communities Foundation under their 501(c)(3) for about a year. And then, in 2016, we incorporated. EEDC: How many kids are in each program? GM: Right now, we have 25 scholars in the Mid-Shore Scholars program and about 95 young people matched with a mentor. EEDC: How does a child qualify for the Talbot Mentors program? GM: The county public school guidance counselors refer children to us who they think could benefit from a one-to-one mentor. And we take it from there. EEDC: Is there a need for mentor volunteers? GM: Yes, absolutely. I fundamentally believe that every young person can benefit from mentorship. If we think about our own lives, no matter who we are, where we came from, what we had or didn’t have, we all have benefitted from mentorship. So, we’re always looking for folks who are interested in being matched with a young person. I will say this, though: because of the pandemic, we cannot encourage in-person meetings, so we’re not actively making matches until we have the confidence that we can do so comfortably. EEDC: How does a child qualify for the Mid-Shore Scholars program? GM: I guess the best way I can describe it is that many of those young people are self-identified. The program started with four scholars when it was just being piloted in 2018. And those four scholars grew to eight scholars, that grew to 10 scholars to 15 and finally to 25. EEDC: How would you describe the goal of Mid-Shore Scholars? GM: The goal is that 100% of our program participants get into the college. 100% of them stay in college, and 100% of them graduate college. EEDC: Wow. That’s quite an ambition! GM: The reason that’s important is because data tells us that among first-generation college, aspiring students, only 11% graduate with a degree within six years. So, our goal is not just to get young people to college, it’s to get them through college. EEDC: Can people volunteer for the Mid-Shore Scholars program? GM: If someone’s been involved in the college admissions world, or post-secondary education, or on boards of trustees, I would encourage them to contact Vivian Landau because we always are looking to expand our network with colleges and universities across the country where we want our young people to go. EEDC: What about donating to the programs? GM: We are always looking for corporate partners who feel a sense of corporate citizenship or corporate responsibility to give back to our community. I would encourage principals or business owners to contact us. Go to our website to our corporate partners page to see ways
