According to Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Natalie Gentry, a group of citizens, chamber members, staff from Chesapeake Inn Restaurant and Marina and fire department officials met Thursday to discuss possibilities.
The town's civic association unanimously voted Wednesday to cancel the annual Canal Day events due to decreasing attendance and rising costs.
The event began as a way for local nonprofit organizations to raise money and has been held recently on a regular basis on the last Saturday of June.
Chesapeake Inn owner and chamber vice president Gianmarco Martuscelli said the chamber still hopes to partner with the civic association for some of the day's activities.
“We’re all from the same town and this is not a chamber versus civic association thing,” he said. “We understand that their chief concern was paying for the manpower for the day and we want to help with that.”
Canal Day has been talked about in the Maryland General Assembly this year as legislators consider bills sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources to require a permit for large marine gatherings, to help pay for policing.
By a 39-4 vote, the Senate passed their version of the bill (SB127) on March 16. State Senator E.J. Pipkin, R-Upper Shore, voted for the bill while State Senator Nancy Jacobs, R-Cecil/Harford, opposed it.
The bill will be heard in the House Environmental Affairs Committee on April 4 at 1 p.m.
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