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HomeMy WebLinkAbout881018 October l8, l988 Hagerstown, Maryland 2l740 The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County was called to order at 9:00 a.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. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Invocation was delivered by Commissioner Bowers, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. PROCLAMATION - LUPUS AWARENESS MONTH Commissioner Bowers presented Carol Dohrmann with a proclamation naming October l988 as Lupus Awareness Month in Washington County. Ms. Dohrmann thanked the Commissioners for the proclamation and explained the symptoms of Lupus and its effects. INTRODUCTION OF NEW EXTENSION SERVICE STAFF Mary Ellen Waltemire, Director of the Extension Service, introduced three new employees: Sandy Scott, Horticulture Consultant, and Home Economists Maxine Casey and Lynn Little. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Irvin reported on the Airport's 60th anniversary celebration, the Airport Commission meeting, the Voluntary Council for Alcohol and Drug-Free Youth and the Children's Council meeting. TOURISM GRANT Robert O'Connor, Director of Tourism, announced that matching grant funds in the amount of $l9,500 have been secured from the State of Maryland to be used for advertising and printing. HOTEL/MOTEL TAX ORDINANCE Pursuant to the Public Hearing held on September 27, l988, a MOTION was made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin to adopt an ordinance requiring a tax on hotel/motel rooms in the amount of l.5% to become effective July l, l989 which will increase to 3.0% as of January l990 and also to restructure the Tourism Commission to include 3-4 additional members representing the hotel/motel industry. Unanimously approved. FIRE & RESCUE ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION The Commissioners discussed the proposed resolution submitted by the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, and Mr. Teach, County Administrator, informed the Commissioners of practices used in Frederick County regarding County participation and involvement with their local volunteer fire and resuce association and the LOSAP Program. The Commissioners requested that written proposal be drafted regarding policy making authority with the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association. IMPACT FEE STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT Keller Nigh, Chairman of the Impact Fee Study Committee, along with Committee members John Shank, Steven Ernst, Marie Lehman and Paul Roth, presented the Impact Fee Report. The Committee expressed concern about the effect of impact fees on the economy. Recommendations included: more in-depth research, appointment of a Capital Finance Committee, and adoption of an Adequate Facilities Ordinance. The Committee concluded that the impact fee system would only generate a fraction of the funding sources required for infrastructure expansion and cannot be used to fund existing needs. The Commissioners requested that the Impact Fee Committee meet with them again to review the study in more depth and thanked the Committee for their efforts. BID OPENING - WHEEL TRACTOR SCRAPER One bid was received for the wheel tractor scraper and was publicly opened and read aloud. The proposal received was from Alban Tractor in the amount of $25l,065 with bid bond attached. The bid will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. BID OPENING - SEWER EXTENSION TO NEW TERMINAL SITE The bids for the sewer extension to the new terminal site were publicly opened and read aloud. Firms participating in the bidding and their proposals were as follows: Charles E. Brake Co. - $l26,567; George & Son - $l94,873.40; Fayetteville Contractors - $ll7,l46.l0; and C. W. Hetzer - $l42,950. The bids will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. OCTOBER l8, l988 MINUTES, CONT'D. BID OPENING - COURT RECORDING EQUIPMENT The bids for the court recording equipment were publicly opened and read aloud. Firms participating in the bidding and their proposals were as follows: Information Products - $l0,985 and Harris-Lanier - $l0,705. The bids will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. GOLF COURSE NAME AND RATE SCHEDULE - HAROLD OTIS Harold Otis, Chairman of the Washington County Public Golf Course Corporation, appeared before the Commissioners to announce that the name of the new County golf course will be Black Rock Golf Club. Mr. Otis also presented a schedule of rates for the new course. The Commissioners concurred with the decisions made by the Golf Course Corporation. HUMP ROAD WATER PROJECT Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Roulette to amend the contract for the Hump Road Water Project to include the extension of laterals from the east to the west side of Hump Road for l4 residential properties and the McRand property for a cost of up to $8,000 and to enter into agreements with the property owners whereby the County would recoup the $230 connection fee when the property owner connects to the system. Unanimously approved. AMEND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTING CONTRACT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin to amend the communications consulting contract by $2,550 to allow the consulting firm to verify charges and reconcile the actual use and charges against the billing. Unanimously approved. IMPROVE PARKING LOT - SMITHSBURG HIGH SCHOOL Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Roulette to allocate $35,000 to be taken from the Capital Contingency Fund to have the lower parking lot at Smithsburg High School graded and a base coat of 3 l/2" of overlay applied by the Roads Department. Unanimously approved. LUNCH & TOUR - MT. BRIAR WETLAND PRESERVE The meeting was recessed at ll:30 a.m. for a tour of the Mt. Briar Wetland Preserve and lunch with the Park Board at the Rohrersville United Methodist Church. AFTERNOON SESSION The Afternoon Session was convened at 2:l5 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. PUBLIC HEARING - LIVABILITY CODE The Meeting was convened in public hearing at 2:l5 p.m. to hear comments regarding the livability code. Vance Ishler, representing the Town of Williamsport, and Charles Slick representing the Town of Smithsburg, were in attendance to questions inspection procedures and how the State monies will be distributed. Kathleen Riley, Director of Citizen Services, informed those in attendance that the State funds will come to the County for training and advertising and the County, in turn, will draw down funds for the towns. The Commisisoners also informed Mr. Ishler and Mr. Slick that the municipalities could perform the inspections for the livability code. Mr. Bowers announced that the record would remain open for ten (l0) days in order to receive written comments. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin to convene in Executive Session at 2:40 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. At this time Commissioner Roulette was excused from the Meeting. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Downey to reconvene in Regular Session at 5:l0 p.m. Unanimously approved. CLERK TYPIST - HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Irvin to employ Debbie Yost as Clerk Typist in the Housing & Community Development office to fill an existing vacancy. Motion carried with Commissioners Snook, Irvin and Bowers voting "AYE" and Commissioner Downey "ABSTAINING". At this time Commissioner Irvin was excused from the Meeting OCTOBER 18, l988 MINUTES, CONT'D. EMPLOY HOUSING PROCESSOR Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Downey to employ Janet Moats as Housing Processsor in the Housing & Community Development office to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. EMPLOY DIRECTOR OF HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Downey to employ Richard Willson as Director of Housing & Community Development to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. RECESS The Meeting was recessed at 5:l5 p.m. and will be reconvened at 7:30 p.m. for a Joint Public Hearing with the Planning Commission. EVENING SESSION - JOINT PUBLIC HEARING - RZ-407 A Joint Public Hearing held by the Washington County Commissioners and the Planning Commission was convened at 7:30 p.m. in Court Room No. l of the Washington County Court House to hear testimony regarding Rezoning Text Amendment RZ-407 - Animal Husbandry Operations. Presiding at the hearing were County Commissioners' President Ronald L. Bowers and Planning Commission Vice-Chairman, Donald Zombro. Also present were Vice President Richard E. Roulette and Commissioners R. Lee Downey, Linda C. Irvin and Martin L. Snook, and Planning Commission member Bert Iseminger. The proposed Ordinance was reviewed by Associate Planner, Timothy Lung, and a question and answer session was moderated by Commissioner Roulette, who was a member of the committee appointed to study animal husbandry operations in the County which drafted the proposed ordinance. After hearing all testimony for and against RZ-407, it was announced that the record would remain open for ten (l0) days for additional testimony to be submitted in writing, after which time a recommendation will be submitted by the Planning Commission to the Board of County Commisisoners for their decision. The Hearing was closed at l0:45 p.m. County Attorney , Clerk