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HomeMy WebLinkAbout021029 October 29, 2002 Hagerstown, Maryland The regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland, was called to order at 11:00 a.m. by President Gregory I. Snook with the following members present: Vice President Paul L. Swartz and Commissioners Bertrand L. Iseminger, Jr., John L. Schnebly, and William J. Wivell. CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to convene in closed session at 11:00 a.m. to discuss personnel matters, consult with counsel to obtain advice, and consult with staff about pending litigation, in accordance with Section 10- 508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Swartz, to reconvene in open session at 11:50 a.m. Unanimously approved. In closed session, the Commissioners discussed one (1) personnel matter, consulted with counsel to obtain legal advice on one (1) matter, and consulted with staff about pending litigation. Present during closed session were Commissioners Gregory I. Snook, Paul L. Swartz, Bertrand L. Iseminger, Jr., John L. Schnebly and William J. Wivell. Also present at various times were Rodney Shoop, County Administrator; John Martirano, Assistant County Attorney; Joni Bittner, County Clerk; and Alan Davis, Director of Human Resources; Terry McGee, Chief Engineer; Gary Rohrer, Director of Public Works; Debi Turpin, Executive Director of the Home Builders Association (HBA), members of the HBA Board, and Peter Greenburg, Esq., counsel for the HBA. RECESS – LUNCH The Commissioners recessed at 11:45 a.m. for lunch AFTERNOON SESSION The afternoon session was called to order at 1:00 p.m. by President Gregory I. Snook, with the following members present: Vice President Paul L. Swartz and Commissioners Bertrand L. Iseminger, Jr., John L. Schnebly, and William J. Wivell. CONTRACT AWARD – ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR RENOVATIONS – WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT HOUSE & ANNEX Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Schnebly, to award the contract for architectural services for renovations to the Washington County Court House and Annex to Bushey Feight Morin Architects, Inc., which submitted the low responsive, responsible bid of $179,180. Motion carried with Commissioners Swartz, Schnebly, Wivell and Snook voting “AYE” and Commissioner Iseminger “ABSTAINING.” BID AWARD – GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Schnebly, to award the contract for golf course maintenance equipment to G. L. Cornell Company, which submitted the low responsive, responsible bid of $25,916.50. Unanimously approved. EMPLOYMENT – ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN IV Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Schnebly, to employ Graydon Hebb to fill the Engineering Technician IV (Grade 12) vacancy in the Engineering Department at $44,000, with the agreed upon conditions. Unanimously approved. INTRODUCTION OF NEW LAW CLERK John Martirano, Assistant County Attorney, introduced Tom Haynes who is the new part-time Law Clerk in the County Attorney’s Office. The Commissioners welcomed Mr. Haynes. JOINT MEETING WITH BOARD OF EDUCATION The Commissioners met with the Board of Education at 2:30 p.m. The following members of the Board of Education were present: Dori Nipps, Mary Wilfong, Herbert Hardin, Ed Forrest, Roxanne Ober, and Paul Bailey. OCTOBER 29, 2002 PAGE TWO Staff members present were Dr. Elizabeth Morgan, Superintendent of Schools; Dennis McGee, Director of Facilities Management; William Blum, Chief Operating Officer; and Christian South, Director of Budget & Finance. Elementary School Space Needs Study Dennis McGee reported on the effects of the federal “Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act” on all-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten planning. He stated that the legislation mandates that schools in Maryland transition from half-day kindergarten to all-day kindergarten during the 2002-08 school years and that half-day pre-kindergarten be available to all Title 1 schools under certain conditions. Mr. McGee stated that this would increase the number of children in the schools by 750 and will have a significant impact on the school system. He informed the Commissioners that the space needs study shows that 29 additional portable classrooms would be required to accommodate the increased number of children. The cost of relocatable classrooms is approximately $100,000 per unit. Other costs associated with the transition include additional teachers and transportation. Mr. McGee stated that the study provides recommendations to phase-in the project. He also reviewed the information on the space needs for pre-kindergarten classes. The meeting was then opened for questions and discussion. Mr. McGee indicated that the study estimates that capital costs would be increased by $600,000 per year for the next five years and that there would be an additional $400,000 per year in operating costs. School System Technology Update William Blum, Chief Operating Officer, and David Mundey, Network Manager, provided an update on the current status and needs of the school system’s technology. They addressed the strengths and weaknesses of the system, current infrastructure, and critical needs, as well as solutions and cost analysis. Mr. Blum also outlined cost summaries of one-time and annual expenses that would be required to upgrade the technology. He stated that the system requires constant care for upgrades and maintenance. Commissioner Snook informed the Board of Education that the Commissioners designated $319,741 from FY 2002 surplus funds for various one-time initiatives of the Board of Education. He explained that the items are not part of the maintenance of effort formula for ongoing funding purposes. REDUCED/FREE COUNTY COMMUTER STUDENT BUS FARES Kevin Cerrone, Transportation Director, met with the Commissioners regarding a proposal to offer reduced or free student bus fares on County Commuter buses. Mr. Cerrone stated that the current student fare is $.85 one way. He recommended a six-month pilot program and asked the Commissioners to reimburse the County Commuter for lost fare box revenues during the promotion. Mr. Cerrone estimated that it would cost $8,000- $10,000 based on actual ridership. Stacey Powell and Eric Rollins, Washington County school students, made a presentation to the Commissioners asking for assistance with the student bus fares. They stated that school buses are not provided to their neighborhood because they live within 1.5 miles of their school. They also informed the Commissioners that they are involved with the Boys & Girls Club and help with outreach programs in the community. Commissioner Iseminger suggested that the program be tied to an incentive program. Mr. Cerrone recommended that the students be issued a punch ticket for 42 rides. Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Swartz, to approve a pilot program to provide free student ridership on County Commuter buses for a six-month period (January – June), with eligibility to be based on an incentive plan based on grades or community service, and to reimburse the County Commuter for lost farebox revenues during the promotion based on the actual ridership of free rides. After discussion, Commissioner Iseminger withdrew his motion and Commissioner Swartz his second. Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Swartz, to approve a pilot program to provide free student ridership on County Commuter buses to and from school for a six-month period (January 2003 – June 2003), and OCTOBER 29, 2002 PAGE THREE to reimburse the County Commuter for farebox revenues lost during the promotion rides from the Commissioners’ Contingency fund, based on actual ridership. Unanimously approved. WATER SUPPLY FROM FRACTURED/KARST TOPOGRAPHY Gary Rohrer, Director of Public Works, introduced Earl Greene, District Groundwater Specialist from the US Geological Survey. Mr. Rohrer explained that Mr. Green had spent the morning touring the County to examine a variety of groundwater supply systems in the area. Mr. Greene presented a Power-Point presentation describing the basic physical concepts of groundwater flow in fractured and karst aquifers, the source of water to wells, and the use of a water budget analysis to determine the availability of water from a fractured rock or karst aquifer for a given watershed. Mr. Greene stated that karst aquifers pose unique and difficult problems. He indicated that research could help with management of growth and determining the sustainable long-term yields from aquifers, effective use of the large volume of water stored in the aquifer, preservation of ground-water quality, and integration of ground water and surface water into a comprehensive management system. The meeting was then opened for questions from the Commissioners. Mr. Greene provided examples of water budget analyses done in other areas. He recommended that, if the Commissioners decide to have a water budget analysis performed, that it include the entire watershed area and consider land use and proposed development. Commissioner Snook thanked Mr. Greene for the presentation and stated that they would take the information under consideration. EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT AGREEMENT – COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to approve the grant agreement with the Department of Housing & Community Development for an Emergency Shelter Grant for FY 2002 in the amount of $30,155 that would provide funding for the Community Action Council, CASA, St. John’s Shelter, and REACH, Inc. Motion carried with Commissioners Swartz, Iseminger, Wivell and Snook voting “AYE” and Commissioner Schnebly “ABSTAINING.” CHARACTER COUNTS! UPDATE Carolyn Brooks provided an update on the Character Counts! program and its impact in the community. She asked the Commissioners to consider providing continued financial assistance for their efforts. Lt. Margaret Kline of the Hagerstown City Police Department; Drenna Reineck, Principal at Bester Elementary School; Joe Sidlowski, Hagerstown Community College; Paul Pittman, Director of the Head Start Program; and Tim Berry, Director of Williamsport Retirement Village, each spoke to the Commissioners regarding the benefits of the Character Counts! program and how it has affected their agencies. Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to provide $5,000 to the Character Counts! program for the purchase of banners, with funds to be taken from the Commissioners Contingency fund. Unanimously approved. FUNDING REQUEST – BROTHERS UNITED WHO DARE TO CARE, INC. Andy Smith and Frances Campbell of Brothers United Who Dare to Care, met with the Board to request $3,000 to fund a project that will target Washington County’s African American population. He stated that the funds would assist with operating expenses for computer cable modem installation, website maintenance and technical assistance. The meeting was then opened for questions from the Commissioners. Commissioner Wivell suggested that the request be split with the City of Hagerstown. After discussion, the Commissioners took the request under consideration and agreed to meet with the Brothers United Who Dare to Care to tour their office and library. RECESS The Commissioners recessed at 5:15 p.m. OCTOBER 29, 2002 PAGE FOUR EVENING SESSION The evening session was convened at 7:05 p.m. at the Commissioners Meeting Room in the County Administration Building by President Gregory I. Snook with the following members present: Vice President Paul L. Swartz and Commissioners Bertrand L. Iseminger, Jr., John L. Schnebly, and William J. Wivell. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Invocation was delivered by Commissioner Snook, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – OCTOBER 22, 2002 Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Swartz, to approve the minutes of the meeting of October 22, 2002, as amended. Unanimously approved. YOUTH OF THE MONTH AWARDS – SEPTEMBER 2002 Commissioner Snook presented a Certificate of Merit to Emily J. Myers in recognition of her selection as the September 2002 Youth of the Month by the Washington County Community Partnership for Children & Families (WCCP). The Commissioners commended Emily for her leadership, academic and extra- curricular activities. Commissioner Snook stated that Emily would also receive a $50 savings bond from the WCCP. CITIZEN OF THE MONTH AWARD – SYLVIA LYON The Commissioners honored Sylvia Lyon as the Citizen of the Month for October 2002. Commissioner Schnebly presented her with a certificate for her work with the Washington County Red Cross where she has volunteered for the past 15 years in various positions. Ms. Lyon is also an active member of St. Ann’s Church and the Maugansville Senior Friendship Group. Mrs. Lyon thanked the Commissioners for this honor. PROCLAMATION – A.G. BOBBY FOUCHE Commissioner Swartz presented a proclamation to A.G. “Bobby” Fouche honoring him for his many accomplishments over the years. Mr. Fouche has served as President of the Central Maryland AFL- CIO Council, Hagerstown City Councilman, and volunteered with numerous organizations in the County including the American Heart Association, March of Dimes, Central Maryland AFL-CIO Council, League of Women Voters, and the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum. Commissioner Swartz also presented him with a watercolor print that he had painted. Mr. Fouche thanked the Commissioners for this honor. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS AND COMMENTS Commissioner Iseminger informed the Commissioners that he attended the Farm Bureau dinner, the Greater Hagerstown Committee meeting, Washington County’s Most Wonderful Citizen reception, Hagerstown Community College/League of Women Voters candidate forum, and the Emergency Services Council meeting. Commissioner Wivell reported that he met with residents of the Cascade area concerning the possibility of utilizing the gymnasium at Fort Ritchie. He stated that he attended the Parent/Child Center dinner and the Greater Hagerstown Committee meeting. Commissioner Schnebly reported on the Greater Hagerstown Committee meeting. Commissioner Swartz stated that he was interviewed last week on WHAG/WQCM radio. He attended the Retired School Administrators breakfast, the Parent/Child Center dinner, Greater Hagerstown Committee meeting, Washington County’s Most Wonderful Citizen reception, and the Commission on Aging meeting. Commissioner Swartz stated that he met with citizens regarding the Airport and participated in the Hagerstown Community College/League of Women Voters candidate forum. Commissioner Snook informed the Commissioners that the State awarded $750,000 to reimburse the City and County for the purchase and demolition of the old McCrory’s building. He stated that the Planning Department is OCTOBER 29, 2002 PAGE FIVE now placing their agenda on the web site. Commissioner Snook reminded the Commissioners that the Joint Veterans Council would hold its Veterans’ Day ceremony on November 11 at Snook Park. He stated that he also met with a gentleman regarding a right- of-way issue on Harpers Ferry Road. CITIZENS PARTICIPATION Norma Heaton stated that she was in attendance for Mr. Greene’s presentation earlier in the session. She urged the Commissioners to have a water budget analysis performed for the drought area. Thomas Grosh asked Commissioners to consider the implementation of impact fees. He also spoke in favor of the proposed moratorium on large residential development. Mr. Grosh stated that he supported the Clear Spring Fire Department’s purchase of land for construction of a new fire company. He also informed the Commissioners of damage to Mt. Aetna Road from large construction vehicles. James Devine stated that he feels impact fees are important. Gerry Ditto, speaking on behalf of the Agricultural Preservation Board, supported a moratorium on building permits until the revised Comprehensive Plan is fully implemented. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S COMMENTS Rodney Shoop, County Administrator, reminded the Commissioners that there is no meeting scheduled for November 5. He stated that the audit report is scheduled on the November 12 agenda. SERVICE LINKED HOUSING PROGRAM Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Iseminger, to approve an inter-governmental agreement with the Maryland Department of Human Resources for a grant award of $214,917 over a three-year period to provide linkages for low-income persons living in permanent housing to supportive services within the community. Unanimously approved CONSIDERATION OF MORATORIUM ORDINANCE The Commissioners discussed the moratorium ordinance relating to new major residential subdivisions outside the County’s designated growth areas. John Martirano, Assistant County Attorney, reviewed the changes made to the Ordinance following the public hearing on October 17, 2002. The meeting was then opened for questions and comments from the Commissioners. Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to adopt an Ordinance to Provide for a Moratorium on Major New Residential Developments Outside the Growth Areas entitled “Moratorium Ordinance for Washington County, Maryland” as revised. Motion carried with Commissioners Iseminger, Schnebly, and Swartz voting “AYE” and Commissioners Wivell and Snook voting “NO.” (A copy of the approved Ordinance is attached.) ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Schnebly, to adjourn at 8:10 p.m. Unanimously approved. , County Administrator , Assistant County Attorney ___________________________, County Clerk