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HomeMy WebLinkAbout880524 May 24, l988 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by the Vice President Richard E. Roulette, with the following members present: Commissioners R. Lee Downey, Linda C. Irvin and Martin L. Snook. President Ronald Bowers was absent from the meeting due to the fact that he accompanied Marguerite Steffey Snyder, Washington County's winner of the Creative Writing Awards Contest, sponsored by "Maryland, You are Beautiful", to the State awards ceremony in Annapolis. 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. YOUTH OF THE MONTH AWARD - ANJANETTE MASON Commissioner Roulette presented AnJanette Mason with a Certificate of Merit recognizing her as the Youth of the Month for May l988, to honor her for her contributions to the community through service to her church, home and school and congratulated her for helping to improve the lives of others through these activities. STATUS REPORT - SHARPSBURG PIKE SEWER PROJECT Lynn Palmer, Executive Director of the Sanitary Commission, appeared before the Commissioners to provide a status report regarding the funding situation for the Sharpsburg Pike sewer project and also a brief history of the project. Mr. Palmer stated that the City of Hagerstown has committed $200,000 to this project, the County - $70,000, and there is $l62,000 committed in private contributions to meet the cost in excess of grant funds of $432,000. If the City is to own and operate the system as planned, they must provide the entire cost of $432,000 or if the County assumes ownership, they will have to provide $270,000 toward the total project cost with these funds to be borrowed and repayment built into the rates for the system. Mr. Palmer informed the Commissioners that he had met with City of Hagerstown officials to provide them with some type of alternative funding mechanisms to account for the $432,000 or to have the County commit to the excess revenues that are needed, but that the alternatives were rejected at that meeting. The Commissioners agreed to send a letter to the City regarding funding and ownership of this system. Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Snook to accept the recommendations of the Sanitary Commission pending rejection of ownership of the Sharpsburg Pike Sewer system by the City of Hagerstown. Unanimously approved. BOARD/COMMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Irvin reported on Airport Commission activities; Commissioner Downey reported on a recent meeting with Secretary Rodgers of the Department of Housing and Community Development regarding housing needs in Washington County; Commissioner Snook gave a report on the Parks Board Meeting; and Commissioner Roulette reported on the South County Advisory Committee meeting. FEASIBILITY STUDY - POSSIBLE PURCHASE OF LAND FOR ELDERLY HOUSING Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin to request that the Washington County Housing Authority check the feasibility of purchasing the land adjacent to the Park View Knoll elderly housing project to see if additional housing is needed and could be constructed on this site. Unanimously approved. DISCRETIONARY ASSET MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT - RETIREMENT FUNDS Guy Middleton and James Myron from Aetna Life & Casualty Company, appeared before the Commissioners to review the Discretionary Asset Management Account which is diversified in accounts for stocks and bonds, cash and real estate. Mr. Middleton pointed out that 59% of funds invested are in the General Account and 4l% in the Discretionary Asset Management (DAM) account. He also feels that the Commissioners should consider continuing growing diversified assets and rethinking the policy once the equity ratio reaches 33%, consider further diversification of equity position and rethink their decision on international stocks and also to consider small CAP. James Myron reported on the County's medical policy with AEtna. He stated that the number of claims continues to rise. The Commissioners asked that Alan Davis, Director of Personnel & Insurance, look into ways to decrease the administrative costs associated with the processing of claims. PUBLIC HEARING - USE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS The President convened the meeting in Public Hearing at ll:40 a.m., as advertised, to hear any comments regarding use of Community Development Block Grant Funds. Neil Curran, Director of Housing & Community Development appeared before the Commissioners and gave several suggestions for proposed projects including installation of public water and sewer service to the Sandy Hook area, a feasibility and planning application for the Town of Hancock, rehabilitation of a water line in and storm drainage for the Town of Funkstown and a storm drainage project for the Town of Williamsport. Mr. Curran also explained that CDBG funds MAY 24, l988 MINUTES, CONT'D. may be used for the categories of community development, economic development, special projects or program administration. Judy Chambers, Boonsboro Town Administrator, was in attendance and informed the Commissioners that the Town of Boonsboro is interested in utilizing CDBG funding for proposed projects which include planning and feasibility grants for community infrastructure and possibility economic development. The Hearing was reconvened in regular session at l2:l0 p.m. INTENTION TO CONVEY LAND - JANICE TRAIL Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin to convey .11 acres +/- of land, as advertised, located 800' west of the Hancock High School to Janice Trail for the amount of $2000 per acre plus costs for plat and deed preparation and advertisement. Unanimously approved. INTENTION TO CONVEY LAND - PROWLER INDUSTRIES Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey to convey any right, title or interest in a parcel of land, 4.83 acres+/-, located 400' west of Hancock High School to the adjacent property owner, Prowler Industries, with the grantee responsible for paying all costs of deed preparation and advertisement in addition to $2000 per acre. Unanimously approved. INTENTION TO CONVEY LAND - D. M. BOWMAN, INC. Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin to convey any right, title and interest to .74 acres of a portion of right-of-way to the adjacent property owner, D. M. Bowman, Inc., since said Board has determined that the aforementioned right-of-way is not needed for present or future public use with the grantee being responsible for paying all costs of plat and deed prepartion and advertisement in addition to $l5,000 per acre. Unanimously approved. FARE INCREASE PROPOSAL - COUNTY COMMUTER After due consideration of the matters and facts adduced at the public hearing held on May l0, l988, and since there have been no written comments received regarding the increase, a MOTION was made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey to approve the fare increase of .05 proposed for the County Commuter, the change in the Youth age to 5-l7, and a l0% across-the-board increase for the Boonsboro, Keedysville, Sharpsburg and Hancock routes to become effective July l, l988. Unanimously approved. TRANSPORT OF INDIGENT PATIENTS - RENEWAL OF CONTRACT Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin to renew the contract for the transport of indigent patients with County Medical Transport as recommended by the Purchasing Agent at the proposed rates. Unanimously approved. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - MAY l0, l988 Motion made by Commissioners Irvin, seconded by Downey to approve the minutes of May l0, l988, as submitted. Unanimously approved. AIRPORT COMMISSION PROPOSAL - FUEL FLOW FEE, T-HANGAR & TIE-DOWN RATES Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Snook to support the proposal of the Airport Commission to initiate a fuel flow fee of .04/gallon and to increase T- Hangar, Office and Tie-Down rates by $5/space per month effective July l, l988. Unanimously approved. The Commissioners suggested that the Airport Commission have a public informtion meeting regarding the fuel flow fee and notify all those who will be affected by this proposal. TRANSFERS - CONTINGENCIES Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Snook to approve the following transfers from Contingencies (0l-497-000): $l,090 to Buildings & Improvements (3l- 48l-000) for purchase of chairs for the Court House conference room; $l,090 to Buildings & Improvements (34-48l-000) for purchase of chairs for County Office Building conference room; $306 to Buildings & Improvements (3l-48l-000) to replace the carpet in State's Attorney's office; $625 to Buildings - Maintenance & Repair (3l-44l-000) to refurnish the conference room table; $ll30 to Circuit Court (06- 487-000) to purchase hallway furnishings for the 3rd floor annex; $l0,49l to Office Furniture & Equipment (l9-487-000) to purchase two personal work stations, three standard video terminals with cabling and electric letter opener; $595 to Buildings & Improvements (3l-48l-000) to repair ceiling in the Commissioners' meeting room; $603 to Office Furniture & Equipment (32-487-000) to purchase carpeting - Extension Office recreation area; $l,428 to Machinery & Equipment (40-482-000) to purchase office shredder; $125 to Office Furniture & Equipment (46-487-000) to purchase a file cabinet; and $1,020 to Machinery & Equipment (47-482-000) to purchase a typewriter and camera for Plumbing Board. Unanimously approved. MAY 24, l988 MINUTES, CONT'D. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey to convene in Executive Session at l2:l5 p.m. in regard to personnel and property matters in accordance with Section l0.508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Downey to reconvene in Regular Session at l:35 p.m. Unanimously approved. HOPEWELL ROAD - DECISION TO PURCHASE PROPERTY Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Snook to open the minutes of the Executive Session of April l9, l988, at which meeting the Board of County Commissioners authorized the purchase of property at the corner of Hopewell Road and MD. Route l44 from Mrs. Kathleen Wilson at a cost of $80,000 for right-of-way for the improvement of Hopewell Road. Unanimously approved. EMPLOY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR - HOUSING Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin to employ Kathy Saxman as Community Development Block Grant Program Administrator in the Housing & Community Development Office to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Snook to adjourn at l:40 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney , Clerk