PRINCESS ANNE — Town Commissioners are starting to nibble into their American Rescue Plan funding from the federal government and agreed to earmark $50,000 for the Garland Hayward Youth Center and another $50,000 for the Princess Anne Volunteer Fire Company.

Also approved at the October work session was $33,900 for fencing around the public works building.

Finance Administrator Brandie Bozman said the allotment to the youth center will benefit the after school program and make up for lost funding.

As for the fire company — an independent corporation that is not part of town government — Town Manager Clayton Anderson said the PAVFC presented requests totaling $411,000 but after a meeting on critical needs it was determined the town will pay for the purchase 56 self-contained breathing apparatus.

These airpacks “are critical to firefighting,” Mr. Anderson said, and have a shelf life of 13 years.

The fence at public works on Old Princess Anne Road was first estimated to cost $72,000 but was scaled back. Mr. Anderson said it was investigated whether this could be done in-house but the material costs were unavailable so it will be handled by Anderson Fence Co. (no relation to the town manager).

It will confine exposed gasoline and propane tanks, and equipment parked outdoors. Anderson Fence could start the job early in November and take about two weeks to finish.
There would be no changes to the police department’s impound yard which is already fenced.

The town is due $1.875 million with half already in hand which will be placed in a separate account to streamline reporting and accounting purposes. A portion is already being used to pay out $500 tax credits for senior homeowners age 70 and older.