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HomeMy WebLinkAbout900206 February 6, l990 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 Linda C. Irvin and Commissioners R. Lee Downey, Richard E. Roulette and John S. Shank. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Invocation was delivered by Commissioner Downey, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. HELPING HAND AWARD William Moore, representing the Washington County School Counselors Association, presented Commissioner Bowers with the Helping Hand Award for his outstanding service and contribution to the children of Washington County schools and their counselling needs. PROCLAMATION - CASA MONTH The Commissioners presented a proclamation to Robert Stottlemyer, Chairman of CASA (Citizens Assisting and Sheltering the Abused) Board, naming February l - March 3, l990 as CASA Month in Washington County and encouraging citizens to participate in providing financial and other needs in support of agency. WESTERN MARYLAND JOUSTING ASSOCIATION Sandy Izer, representing the Western Maryland Jousting Association, appeared before the Commissioners to request that they rescind the proclamation that was sent to the Maryland Lacrosse Association supporting their efforts to have lacrosse named the State team sport in Maryland. Ms. Izer noted that there is only one lacrosse team in the area but many jousting enthusiasts in the County, and that they often have team jousting competitions. The Commissioners told Ms. Izer they did not realize their action would suggest that jousting should not be considered the official Maryland sport and that additional information should have been obtained prior to the proclamation being sent. The Commissioners also felt they had been misinformed regarding the intent of the request and discussed several ways to rectify this situation. Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey, to support jousting as the Maryland State Sport and to repeal the proclamation endorsing lacrosse as the Maryland State Team Sport. Unanimously approved. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Shank reported on the Chamber of Commerce meeting and Commissioner Roulette reported on the Planning Commission workshop meeting. TURNING POINT - REQUEST FOR FUNDS Barry Teach, Administrator, informed the Commissioners that Richard Willson, Director of Housing & Community Development, has identified $30-35,000 in Block Grant Administrative funds which can be used for Block Grant eligible activities, subject to the Loan Committee's approval, with a repayment period of up to ten (l0) years at 5 3/4% interest. Mr. Teach informed the Commissioners that these funds could possibly be used to help Turning Point with their request for financial assistance with renovations to their building. After discussion, the Commissioners requested that Neil Curran, Program Planning Coordinator; Gary Rohrer, Chief, Division of Planning & Codes Administration; and Richard Willson meet with Turning Point officials to provide technical assistance. PUBLIC HEARING - PROPOSED TRAVEL TRAILER USER FEE ORDINANCE President Bowers convened the public hearing at l0:l0 a.m. in order to hear comments regarding the proposed ordinance to implement a travel trailer user fee. Ralph France, County Attorney, explained that the proposed ordinance would levy up to a 3% tax on rentals paid for travel trailers and rental space in the County. The Commissioners reviewed the ordinance as presented and suggested that it be amended to exempt those renting for 30 or more continuous days. Commissioner Bowers then opened the meeting for public comments. Mim and Leo Reisburg, owners of Canal Campground, Norman Guervich, Vice President of the Maryland Campground Association, and Carolyn Sellers, owner of Safari Campground, spoke in opposition. There was no one present to speak in favor of the ordinance. Robert O'Connor, Director of Tourism, presented additional information. Commissioner Bowers announced that the record will be held open for ten (l0) days in order to receive public comments, and the hearing was closed at ll:00 a.m. FEBRUARY 6, l990 MINUTES, CONT'D. PUBLIC HEARING - RESOLUTION - UNLAWFUL PARKING PENALTIES Commissioner Bowers convened the public hearing at ll:00 a.m., as advertised, in order to hear comments regarding the proposed resolution to provide increased penalties for unlawful parking in spaces designated for the handicapped. Cindy Mease, Disabled Citizens Coordinator, spoke in favor of the proposed resolution. No one was in attendance to speak in opposition to the resolution. Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to amend the resolution adopted on September 26, l984, by further restricting parking in designated handicapped parking spaces along County roads and the fines included therein. Unanimously approved. (Copy of adopted Resolution attached.) CERTIFICATE OF MERIT - WILLIAM H. CONWAY The Commissioners presented a Certificate of Merit to William H. Conway commending him for his donation of a conservation easement of 27.l acres of land to the Maryland Environmental Trust which will help preserve the northeastern viewshed of the Antietam Battlefield. Mr. Conway thanked the Commissioners for the Certificate. PROPOSED BY-LAWS - MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Richard Grumbacher appeared before the Commissioners and gave them a copy of proposed by-laws for the Washington County Mental Health Authority (formerly known as the Core Services Agency) and a proposed budget for FY l990 and FY l99l. The mission of this corporation would be to manage and coordinate the publicly-funded mental health services system and to promote full community participation in the planning and delivery of mental health services in Washington County. Mr. Grumbacher reviewed the proposed by-laws and agreed with the Commissioners that the categories for membership were too restrictive and that more member-at-large positions should be added. The Commissioners also requested that the relationship of the Mental Health Authority to the Mental Health Advisory Board be outlined in the by-laws and asked Mr. Grumbacher to discuss the proposed amendments with his committee and return to the Commissioners meeting next week for final approval. LINE ITEM TRANSFER - PERSONNEL Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to approve the line item transfer of $7,000 from Salaries (0l-5-0l5l-404-000) and appropriate $4,500 to Other-In House Training (0l-5-0l5l-529-050) and $2,500 to Supplies (0l-5-0l5l-529- 050) as requested by the Personnel Department. Unanimously aprpoved. FIRE & RESCUE BOUNDARIES Barry Teach, Administrator, informed the Commissioners that all the boundary disputes have been settled by the volunteer fire and rescue companies. Commissioner Downey commended the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association for their hard work and Commissioner Roulette for helping to settle the disputes. Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to set the boundaries as negotiated by the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association for the volunteer fire and rescue companies in the County. Unanimously approved. FIRE & RESCUE REVOLVING LOAN FUND APPLICATION Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to approve the loan application submitted to the Fire & Rescue Revolving Loan Fund Committee by the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., for $42,842.84 to be used for the purchase of a l990 KME Rescue Squad as recommended by the Committee. Unanimously approved. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey, to convene in Executive Session at ll:40 a.m. in regard to personnel, property, and legal 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 Shank, seconded by Irvin, to reconvene in Regular Session at 3:05 p.m. Unanimously approved. ACCEPTANCE OF AGREEMENTS Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to approve the option agreement with Mrs. Bertha Langenstein for 302 square feet in perpetual easement for the Howell Road Project for no consideration and to accept all streets in Sections A & B of Foxleigh Meadows Subdivision by a Letter of Credit for $52,250 for interior maintenance, a Letter of Credit of $l0,000 as a performance bond for FEBRUARY 6, l990 MINUTES, CONT'D. the remaining drainage work in Sections A & B, and a Letter of Credit of $30,000 for construction of access lanes, by-pass lanes and other improvements to Marsh Pike as depicted on the Drawings with completion on or before June 30, l990. Unanimously approved. EMPLOY - ELECTRONIC TECNICIAN I Mr. Teach informed the Commissioners that the position of Electronic Technician II was declined, and the Communications Maintenance Department recommended hiring an Electronic Technican I to satisfy this vacancy. Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin, to employ Jeffrey Cooper as Electronic Technician I in the Fire & Rescue Communications Maintenance Department, to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. FUND APPROPRIATION - CHIEF, DIVISION OF CITIZENS SERVICES Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to approve the appropriation of $400 to the Chief, Division of Citizens Services, for purchase of a file cabinet, with funding to be taken from the Commissioners Contingency Fund. Unanimously approved. BID AWARD - COUNTY COMMUTER Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to award the bid for curtains and drapes to Maidstone, Inc., who submitted the low and only bid of $4,6l5.50. Unanimously approved. CHANGE ORDER - COUNTY COMMUTER Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin, to approve Change Order 6 for the County Commuter for one additional phone line in the waiting area of the secretary's office and for lighting and receptacles for hook up of additional circuits to the existing generator for lighting and temporary operational powers in the amount of $l,944. Unanimously approved. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JANUARY 23, l990 Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey, to approve the minutes of January 23, l990, as submitted. Unanimously approved. PETITION - STRAY VOLTAGE Barry Teach, Administrator, presented a petition submitted to the Commissioners through Don Schwartz, Agriculture Extension Agent, asking the Commissioners to fund a study regarding the affects of stray voltage on dairy cattle. The Commissioners asked Mr. Teach to forward this petition to the Farm Bureau for their recommendation. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin, to adjourn at 3:l0 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney , Clerk FEBRUARY 6, l990 MINUTES, CONT'D. Other items discussed were the recycling program, the landfill and possible funding sources for a feasibility study for road improvement to a future industrial park site. The Commissioners also informed the Mayor and Council that they will consider their request for the County to assume ownership of Fort Tonoloway Park after they receive a recommendation from the Parks Department. The Meeting was adjourned at l:50 p.m. County Attorney , Clerk