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HomeMy WebLinkAbout930525 May 25, 1993 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 President, Richard E. Roulette, with the following members present: Vice President Ronald L. Bowers, and Commissioners Linda C. Irvin-Craig, John S. Shank, and Gregory I. Snook. 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. WASHINGTON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, INC - ADDITION TO CONTRIBUTION LIST The Commissioners discussed the request made by the Washington County Mental Health Center, Inc., at Public Hearing held on May 11, 1993, to be added to the list of non-profit agencies to which the Commissioners may contribute funds. Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Shank, in accordance with Section 1-108 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Washington County, Maryland, and approve the request made by the Washington County Mental Health Center, Inc., to be added to the list of non-profit agencies to which the Commissioners may contribute funds. Unanimously approved. NARCOTICS TASK FORCE - COMMUNICATIONS REPAIR COSTS Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Bowers, to approve the expenditure of $4,057.15 from the Narcotics Task Force (NTF) Profit Sharing Monies to pay repair costs for damage to the NTF Communications Tower. Unanimously approved. CHANGE ORDERS - REGIONAL AIRPORT Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Irvin-Craig, to approve the Change Order to extend the contract for inspection services with Greiner, Inc., to include the remaining sign and paving project for $6,246, with the FAA to provide 90% of the funding. Unanimously approved. Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin-Craig, to approve the Change Order for an additional $884 for the contract with Myers Building Systems, Inc., to cover clean-up and epoxy repairs to the concrete slab of the T-hangars at the Regional Airport which were damaged by fire. Unanimously approved. Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin-Craig, to approve a Change Order for an additional 2 inches of stone base needed for the T- hangar project in the amount of $12,500, which was not included in the original contract. Unanimously approved. PERFORMANCE BOND - ROBINS GLEN SUBDIVISION Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Shank, to accept a Performance Bond in the amount of $10,000 for the remaining Section B, Blocks 1 and 2, of the Robins Glen Subdivision for 177' of Daniel's Circle and 555' of Kelly's Lane. Unanimously approved. MAY 25, 1993 MINUTES, CONT'D. METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION - 1994 WORK PROGRAM The Commissioners met, sitting as the Metropolitan Planning Organization, at 9:33 a.m., to consider the Fiscal Year 1994 Unified Planning Work Program for the Hagerstown Urbanized Area. Robert Arch, Director of Planning, and Keith Godwin, Manager of the County Commuter, reviewed the Unified Planning Work Program and the projects and the sources of funding. The projects are A-1 - TIP/Annual Element, A-2 - Coordination, B-1 - ADA Update, B-2 - Transit System Evaluation, B-3 - Long Range Plan, and B-4 - Impact Analysis. Motion made by Commissioner Irvin-Craig, seconded by Snook, sitting as the Metropolitan Planning Organization, to approve the 1994 Unified Planning Work Program for the Hagerstown Urbanized Area, as presented. Unanimously approved. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - MAY 18, 1994 Motion made by Commissioner Irvin-Craig, seconded by Bowers, to approve the minutes of May 18, 1993, as submitted. Unanimously approved. WATER RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION - PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING Barry Teach, Administrator, informed the Commissioners that the Water Resources Administration has scheduled a Public Information Meeting regarding the Water Appropriation Permit for the Cedar Hills East Subdivision for June 22 in the County Administration Building. SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAM - ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin-Craig, to appropriate an additional $500 to the Spay/Neuter Program from the Dog License Fees. Unanimously approved. APPOINTMENTS - SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Bowers, to appoint Steven Church, Barbara Downey, and Andrew Humphreys, to the Social Services Board of Directors for three year terms. Unanimously approved. RESOLUTION - ASSOCIATION FOR RETARDED CITIZENS Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Bowers, to adopt a Resolution to support the Washington County Association for Retarded Citizens' application for a loan from the State Department of Housing & Community Development Special Loans Program for establishment of a group home at 12537 Sparrow Lane, Clear Spring. Unanimously approved. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Irvin-Craig reported on the Drug & Alcohol Abuse Advisory Council; and Commissioner Shank reported on the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting. PROPOSAL TO INCREASE LOCAL INCOME TAX RATE The Commissioners discussed the proposal to increase the local income tax rate from 50% to 52%. Commissioner Shank outlined areas where he feels the County's budget can still be reduced rather than raising the local income tax rate. The Commissioners agreed to continue discussions on this matter after the recognition of the Senior Citizens Arts Award winners. RECOGNITION OF MARYLAND, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, SENIOR CITIZENS ART AWARDS Paulette Sprinkle, Community Coordinator, introduced the following winners of the Maryland, You Are Beautiful, Senior Citizens Art Contest, who also displayed their winning entries: lst place - Robert Harris, 2nd place - Clyde Roberts, 3rd place - William Jones, and Honorable Mention - William Myers. Commissioner Roulette congratulated the winners on behalf of the Commissioners and stated that he hoped they would participate again in next year's competition. LOCAL INCOME TAX RATE AND SETTING OF PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR FY 1993-94 The Commissioners continued their discussions on the Fiscal Year 1993-94 budget and tax rates. Commissioner Bowers reviewed general areas where he believed the budget could be reduced, and Commissioner Snook recommended sending correspondence to Hagerstown Junior College and the Board of Education regarding administrative increases. Commissioner Roulette stated that the consensus of the group is to make additional reductions in the budget equivalent to the $520,000 which the proposed increase in the Local Income Tax would generate. The Commissioners requested that Mr. Teach meet with the Director of Finance to recommend additional budget reductions at next week's meeting. Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Bowers, to maintain the Local Income Tax ("Piggyback") rate of 50%, to review the County budget for Fiscal Year 1993-94 and make necessary reductions of $520,000, and to maintain the Property Tax Rate of $2.21 per $100 of assessed valuation for Fiscal Year 1993-94. Unanimously approved. MAY 25, 1993 MINUTES, CONT'D. RESOLUTION - INCREASE IN LANDFILL USER FEES Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Bowers, to approve a Resolution for Adoption and Modification of User Fees which would increase permit rates at the Sanitary Landfill for automobiles to $15/annually and for Pick-up Trucks to $30/annually with the following rates: $40/ton - general refuse, $85/ton - tires, $60/ton - industrial sludge, $1.50/bag or $7.50/drum - asbestos, $130/ton - asbestos, and $5/test to review TCLP and Toxicity Tests and other tests as required for industrial waste. Unanimously approved. (Copy of Resolution attached.) S.P.C.A. PROPOSED RENOVATIONS Paige Hershey, President of the S.P.C.A. Board, and Pat Morgan, Director, appeared before the Commissioners to request their guidance on how to proceed with renovation plans for the S.P.C.A. facility. Ms. Hershey stated that the Board is holding fundraising activities and hopes to raise $75,000 by the end of December. She stated that the plans have been drawn in four phases with Phase I estimated at $130,000. The Commissioners agreed to allow the S.P.C.A. to use the $25,000 toward construction of the rabies run. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Charles Cunningham stated that he is happy the Commissioners are not increasing the tax rate and that he feels less of the funding of the Board of Education should go for administrative salaries. Donald Allensworth expressed concerns regarding bond indebtedness by government and spoke regarding rezoning case law. William Mills expressed concerns with the administration at the Board of Education and noted problems with social programs. Tom Berry, member of the elected Board of Education, stated that Washington County puts more dollars as a percentage of budget into instruction for children than all but 3 counties in Maryland and that administrative costs are declining. CONSOLIDATED IMPROVEMENT REFUNDING BONDS OF 1993 - RESOLUTION - WASHINGTON COUNTY AND SANITARY DISTRICT Timmy Ruppersberger, Bond Counsel from Semmes, Bowen & Semmes, met with the Commissioners regarding the Consolidated Improvement Refunding Bond Issue Resolution dealing with refinancing of portions of bond issues from 1986 - 1991 and which would pay off 4 State MILA loans, in an amount not to exceed $21,125,000. Ms. Ruppersberger also stated that this includes the Sanitary Districts' refinancing bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,240,000, which the Commissioners guarantee, and which will be sold jointly with the Commissioners' Bond issue. Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Snook, to approve the Resolution which authorizes the Notice of Sale, the advertisement and Preliminary Official Statement for the Washington County Commissioners Consolidated Improvement Refunding Bonds of 1993, as presented by Bond Counsel and approved by the County Attorney, in an amount not to exceed $21,125,000 and to approve the Resolution for the Sanitary District Refinancing Bonds. Unanimously approved. RECESS - LUNCH The Commissioners recessed at 12:15 p.m. for lunch. AFTERNOON SESSION The Afternoon Session was convened at 1:11 p.m. by the President, Richard E. Roulette, with the following members present: Vice President Ronald L. Bowers, and Commissioners Linda C. Irvin-Craig, John S. Shank, and Gregory I. Snook. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE Robert Arch, Director of the Planning Department, met with the Commissioners to review testimony received at the public hearing held on April 12, 1993, regarding the update of the Solid Waste Management Plan. Commissioner Irvin-Craig stated that she feels that goals should be included in this Plan for the next 2-year update. The Commissioners considered goals to include in the Plan and added appointment of the Sludge Task Force, sludge application regulations, appropriate locations for recycling facilities based on items to be recycled and the processing. The Commissioners asked that the State list for permitted articles for rubble landfills be referenced, with the notation that the list is subject to the Commissioners discretion and they retain the authority to limit materials. Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Snook, to approve the Solid Waste Management Plan Update as amended. Unanimously approved. MAY 25, 1993 MINUTES, CONT'D. LETTERS OF INTENT - HAGERSTOWN JUNIOR COLLEGE CAPITAL PROJECTS Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Bowers, to approve submittal of Letters of Intent to assure the Maryland State Board for Community Colleges that the County intends to provide the local share of funds to design, construct, and equip the following projects for Hagerstown Junior College: Design and construction for the Physical Education Building Addition; Central Receiving & Maintenance Building Design and Construction; Design and Construction of the Administration Building; and Library Alterations. Unanimously approved. CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Shank, to convene in Closed Session at 1:57 p.m. with regard to personnel and property matters, and to confer with the County Attorney to obtain legal advice 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 Shank, seconded by Irvin-Craig, to reconvene in Regular Session at 3:39 p.m. Unanimously approved. CDBG APPLICATION - CROSS CREEK Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Irvin-Craig, to authorize the Housing & Community Development Office to proceed with the submittal of the CDBG application for Cross Creek with the understanding that an agreement be reached with the developer prior to the execution of the grant agreement with the State. Unanimously approved. RESOLUTION & BYLAWS - ANTIETAM BATTLEFIELD ADVISORY COMMITTEE Motion made by Commissioner Irvin-Craig, seconded by Bowers, to approve the Amended Resolution and amended By-laws for the Antietam Battlefield Advisory Committee as presented by the County Attorney. Unanimously approved. AGRICULTURE CENTER - PAYMENT FOR LAND COSTS Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Bowers, to approve payment of $25,000 to the University of Maryland Extension Service with the understanding that this money be placed in escrow toward purchase of land for the Agriculture Center, with funds being taken from money previously budgeted. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Shank, to adjourn at 3:46 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney , Clerk