Hurlock Mayor Rev. Charles T. Cephas Sr. and several other town leaders met Aug. 17 with Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford to discuss Hurlock’s current economic requirements. In attendance at the town hall were, among others, personnel from the state departments of Housing and Community Development, Agriculture and Commerce. Mainly, the meeting focused on housing and infrastructure, which evidence suggests are sorely lacking.

“Hurlock is a small town,” said town manager John H. Avery after giving attendees a synopsis of current development needs, “but we have large industry.”

Indeed, Hurlock is home to Amick Farms and B&G Foods, which together employ nearly 2,000 people in a town where the population is barely more than that. So, said Avery, “there is a large need in Hurlock for moderate income and affordable income housing.”

The want of dwellings is exacerbated by the potential for new businesses in town. As development moves up from Cambridge through New Market into North Dorchester County, there has been interest in companies coming to Hurlock.

“I know everyone runs to Cambridge,” said Mayor Cephas, “but there’s life after Cambridge.”

Already, a new Dollar General is scheduled to open in late October, and town leaders anticipate more. Along with that, a developer wants to build 48 affordable homes in Prospect Heights, and another is in the process of acquiring approval for a 130-resident assisted living complex. Unfortunately, infrastructure costs are a major hurdle to this expansion.

Additionally, there are issues with current housing to deal with. Seventy homes just outside of town, most of which are low income, have failing septic systems that the residents cannot afford to upgrade. If they are added to Hurlock’s wastewater system, their sewage would be treated by the town wastewater plant. But that plant, which was built in 2004, can handle 1.65 million gallons per day, and it is already operating at near-maximum capacity seven days a week. This is because Amick Farms alone expends almost a million gallons of wastewater daily. The cost of expansion for the plant would run in the neighborhood of $18 million.

Being a low-income community where per capita income is under $30,000 and 15.7% of the people live below poverty, Hurlock has not raised taxes or water-and-sewer bills in more than a decade. To meet recent costs, the town used American Rescue Plan funds, and the rest had to come out of the budget. Because of this, Hurlock can handle minor development but can’t plan for substantial future projects.

“The potential for growth and the need for growth is here,” Avery said to Secretary of Housing and Community Development Kenneth C. Holt during the meeting. “We just need the support, and with that the funding is the issue.”

That wasn’t all the town leaders wanted money for, however. As Police Chief Bruce Jones explained, “One of our projects we’ve been working on is securing funding for a school resource officer at Hurlock Elementary,” which they’ve been trying to do for two years. While department personnel help out by directing traffic and greeting students before and after school, no full-time officer has been assigned.

“We would like to be proactive,” said Chief Jones, who wishes to avoid the sorts of violent incidents that are reported by the media regularly.

The mayor told Secretary Holt bluntly, “We’re asking you to be Santa Claus here.”

Lt. Gov. Rutherford requested an itemized list of the town’s needs along with a cost estimate, which could then be addressed in Gov. Larry Hogan’s final budget. Shortly, the conference was adjourned, and the lieutenant governor, a regular visitor to Hurlock, was presented with the key to the town.

“We’re still looking for the door,” someone said.

After some brief chatting and refreshments, the group took a tour of Amick Farms, followed by Daystar Manufacturing and Warwick Fulfillment. Then, the lieutenant governor had to leave for a lunch date in the county seat.