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HomeMy WebLinkAbout880927 September 27, l988 Hagerstown, Maryland 2l740 The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County was called to order by the President Ronald L. Bowers with the following members present: Vice President Richard E. Roulette and Commissioners R. Lee Downey, Linda C. Irvin and Martin L. Snook. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Invocation was delivered by Rev. George McClelland, Beaver Creek Christian Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. PROCLAMATION - CROP WALK DAY Commissioner Bowers presented a proclamation to Rev. George McClelland naming October 9, l988 as Crop Walk Day in Washington County. Rev. McClelland gave a brief history of Crop Walk and its purpose in serving to meet hunger needs around the world. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Roulette reported on the Ad Hoc Committee on Animal Husbandry operations and the South County Study Committee; Commissioner Irvin read a schedule of events for the Airport's 60th anniversary; Commissioner Downey reported on the Municipal League meeting; and Commissioner Bowers read a letter from Secretary Walsh regarding funding for the Sandy Hook water project. OLD CIVIL DEFENSE HOSPITAL - BOONSBORO Barry Teach, County Administrator, informed the Commissioners that the old Civil Defense hospital, currently being used by the Boonsboro Area Athletic Association, will have to be moved since the housing project for the elderly will begin in the near future. The Athletic Association would like to move the facility to another site and continue using it for storage, and the Civil Defense Company has also requested to have the building for their use. The Commissioners accepted Mr. Teach's recommendation to give the facility to the Boonsboro Athletic Association but requested information as to where it will be placed. MEETING WITH BOARD OF EDUCATION Superintendent of Schools, Wayne Gersen, sent a list of agenda items for the Commissioners October ll meeting with the Elected Board of Education at Clear Spring. Agenda items include Maryland's Tomorrow Project, the IAC Capital Improvement Plan, functions of the Board's Budget Advisory Committee and Boonsboro/Pleasant Valley status reports. UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to approve the Hagerstown Area Metropolitan Planning Organization resolution endorsing the l989 Unified Planning Work Program and approving its submission to both the Urban Mass Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. Unanimously approved. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - SHARRETT'S AUTO MALL Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Hagerstown and the Washington County Sanitary Commisison for the Sharrett's Auto Mall regarding the use of a pumping station and/or construction or installation of a package sewer treatment plant. Unanimously approved. AGREEMENT - WATER LINE EXTENSION ON MT. AETNA ROAD Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to enter into an Agreement with Brightwood Acres, Inc. and Mansoor E. Shaool to establish conditions governing the extension of a l2 inch water line along Mt. Aetna Road. Unanimously approved. MACO LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE - APPOINTMENT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to appoint Ronald L. Bowers as Washington County's representative to the Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee for the l989 Session with Richard E. Roulette as alternate. Unanimously approved. TAX ABATEMENT - l988-89 Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Roulette to approve l988-89 tax abatements for the following: Greenwald Enterprises, Inc. (Shell Building 2) in the amount of $6890.96 and Chataqua Airlines in the amount of $ll7.l5. Unanimously approved. COMMISSION ON AGING - SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin to approve a supplemental appropriation up to $3,000 to be taken from the Commissioners Contingency Fund in order to have a study of organization and personnel performed at the Commission on Aging. Unanimously approved. SEPTEMBER 27, l988 MINUTES, CONT'D. SANITARY COMMISSION - STATUS REPORT Louise Fahrney, Chairperson of the Sanitary Commission, and Lynn Palmer, Executive Director, appeared before the Commissioners to give status reports on Sanitary Commission projects. Ms. Fahrney informed the Commissioners that the Martins Crossroads project has been completed; the Sharpsburg Pike project has a scheduled completion date of October l4; Sharpsburg/Keedysville has a scheduled completion time for the winter of l989-90 and that development in the Maugansville/Orchard Hills/Fountain Head district is in a much better financial situation because of the development in the area. Projects initiated this year include implementation of a computer system, negotiations with Clear Spring for operation of their plant, starting a licensed lab for water testing, and assuming operation of the Elk Ridge Water system in January l988. Mrs. Fahrney, requested an advance in the amount of $26,000 to purchase the site for a treatment plant at Sandy Hook. The Commissioners suggested that they utilize the money allocated for the Martins Crossroads project which was not used. Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin to allow the Sanitary Commisison to use $26,000 unexpended from the Martins Crossroad project in order to purchase a site for a treatment plant at Sandy Hook. Unanimously approved. EMPLOYEE SUGGESTION PROGRAM - AWARD Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin to award $50 to Pete Lowenheim for his suggestion regarding package pick-up service by United Parcel Service which would reduce shipping costs and travel time. Unanimously approved. APPROPRIATION - DOUBS WOODS SHOP Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to appropriate $30,000 from the General Fund Surplus to the Parks Department to be designated for enlargement of the shop at Doubs Woods Park and to use $l0,000 from the money designated for the Gapland project. Unanimously approved. PUBLIC HEARING - ADDITION TO CONTRIBUTION LIST - WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC GOLF CORPORATION The President convened the meeting in public hearing at ll:00 p.m. to hear comments regarding the addition of the Washington County Public Golf Corporation to the list of non-profit agencies to which the County Commissioners may contribute funds. Harold Otis, Chairman of the Corporation, spoke in favor of the addition of the Public Golf Corporation to the list and Harry McAbee spoke in opposition to the request. There being no one else present to speak for nor against the addition of the Washington County Public Golf Corporation to the contribution list, the hearing was closed and the Meeting reconvened in Regular Session. Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to Approve the request made by the Washington County Public Golf Corporation to add the Corporation to the list of agencies to which the County Commissioners may contribute funds. Unanimously approved. INTENTION TO CONVEY PROJECTS - JUDITH FOSTER Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to convey .l7 acres +/- located on the east side of South Main Street in Keedysville, to Judith Foster as advertised, for $3,400 plus deed preparation and advertising costs. Unanimously approved. LIVABILITY CODE - REVIEW Richard Parks, Director of Planning & Review, and Paul Prodonovich, Director of Permits & Inspection, appeared before the Commissioners to review the proposed Livability Code, as amended. The Commissioners approved advertising for Public Hearing in order to hear comments regarding implementation of the Livability Code. RECESS The Meeting was recessed at ll:45 a.m. for a luncheon and tour at the Salvation Army. AFTERNOON SESSION The Afternoon Session was convened at l:l0 p.m. by the President, Ronald L. Bowers, with the following members present: Vice President Richard E. Roulette, and Commissioners R. Lee Downey, Linda C. Irvin and Martin L. Snook. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin to convene in Executive Session at l:l0 p.m. in regard to personnel, property and potential litigation in accordance with Section l0.508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. SEPTEMBER 27, l988 MINUTES, CONT'D. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Roulette to reconvene in Regular Session at l:35 p.m. Unanimously approved. PUBLIC HEARING - HOTEL/MOTEL TAX The President convened the Meeting in Public Hearing at l:35 p.m., as advertised, in order to hear comments regarding the proposed hotel/motel tax. Barry Teach, County Administrator, informed those at the meeting that the General Assembly enacted a law giving the County Commissioners the authority to levy a tax of up to 3% on hotel/motel rooms in Washington County, with the revenue to be used for funding the Washington County Department of Tourism and a convention bureau, if established. Frank Turner, owner of the local Ramada Inn, spoke in opposition to the tax stating that Hagerstown is a "pass through town" and tourists would go to neighboring counties who do not have a room tax. Mike Callas, representing the Sheraton Inn, Jim Golden and Kenneth Rasmussen, local motel owners, also spoke in opposition. Linda Keel, representing the Holiday Inn, and Mr. Barnhart, representing Days Inn, spoke in favor of the tax. There being no one else present to speak for nor against the proposed hotel/motel tax, President Bowers closed the Hearing at 2:l0 p.m. and stated that the record will be held open for ten (l0) days to allow comments to be submitted in writing. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to convene in Executive Session at 2:20 p.m. in regard to personnel, property and potential litigation 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 Downey, seconded by Irvin to reconvene in Regular Session at 3:30 p.m. MAINTENANCE MAN II - PARKS Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Roulette to promote Jeff Weller to Maintenance Man II in the Parks Department to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. COMPENSATION - JOHN MERRBAUGH Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to increase the compensation to John Merrbaugh from $500 to $l,000 for materials that were stolen from the property at 1823 West Washington Street, which Mr. Merrbaugh has the contract to demolish, and to request the State's Attorney's Office to entreat the Court for restitution during prosecution proceedings. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to adjourn at 3:35 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney , Clerk