Canal Place not to be audited

Questions posed on future of Dye Works building

Kevin Spradlin

CUMBERLAND — A performance audit for Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority will not be necessary after all.

Andy Vick, chairman, received a letter Aug. 11 from the Maryland General Assembly Joint Audit Committee earlier this month relaying The Office of Legislative Audits recommendation that “a performance audit not be conducted at this time.”

“While we are, at this time, inclined to adopt the recommendation of OLA, that inclination does not mean that the level of our interest and concern has diminished,” wrote committee chairs Sen. Verna L. Jones and Delegate Steven J. DeBoy Sr. “We continue to be very interested in Canal Place, as are the Allegany County legislative delegation and the House Committee on Appropriations.”

It was considered good news by Canal Place officials — perhaps a vote of confidence, of sorts, from the committee on its efforts since a change in leadership began in May.

The audit committee requested a number of documents, including a detailed management plan, and asked the authority to address a number of key questions with which members of the public, as well as the local legislative delegation, have expressed concern. The information is to be sent by Sept. 2.

Sen. George Edwards, who attended Tuesday’s monthly board meeting, said the delegation remains concerned but is satisfied with progress made since May, when Gov. Martin O’Malley — at the request of local elected officials — appointed Renee Bone as acting executive director, effectively immediately, and named Andy Vick as chairman as of July 1.

Edwards said the information sought by the committee is similar to what a full-scale audit would have requested. Canal Place officials now have a bit of breathing room in providing the information on their own terms.

And if the information doesn’t satisfy the committee, “they’ll ask for more information” until they are satisfied, Edwards said.

The questions the committee wants information on:

• For what purpose does the developer (Trestle Development LLC) need to hold onto the (Footer Dye Works) building for four years before making a determination of economic viability?

• Is the developer being required to take steps to prevent further deterioration of the Dye Works building while this determination is being made?

• Is there any way to expedite the determination of economic viability?

• Once the developer makes its determination about disposition of the building, what steps will the authority take to make sure the decision is in the best interests of the authority and overall Canal Place development?

• Does the authority believe that the Dye Works building is salvageable and could become economically viable? Why or why not?

• If the authority does not believe the Dye Works building is salvageable and economically viable, what is the suggested alternative?

Bone told board members Tuesday that Trestle Development, operating locally as Cumberland (Wineow Street) Hotel LLC, had appointed Tom Kennington to help fill the upper three floors of the building, including a single tenant which could fill up two of those floors. The bottom floor, Bone said, is still planned to include retail space and possibly a restaurant.

Construction on the 108-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, meanwhile, is moving forward with an expected May 2009 opening. Steel should begin arriving on site this week. A floor should be constructed every two weeks thereafter, Bone said.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.