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HomeMy WebLinkAbout900710 July 10, 1990 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 Janice Cirincione, Board of Education member, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. FOCUS PRESENTATION - RESULTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN Joel Hill, Chairperson of FOCUS, Inc., appeared before the Commissioners to present them with copies of the Environmental Scan. Also in attendance were Hagerstown Mayor Steven Sager, Councilmember Robert Smith and Board of Education members Kenneth Grove, Janice Cirincione and Marie Byers. Ms. Hill introduced the other members of the FOCUS Steering Committee in attendance and explained that FOCUS, Inc., is the name chosen to represent a community-wide strategic planning effort for Washington County. Their goal is to identify issues that are most important to the County, both present and future, and the Environmental Scan is the first step in this process. Ms. Hill stated that FOCUS will be holding a series of public forums throughout the County to receive citizen participation and input to determine strategic issues for the future of Washington County. CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPLICATION Stephen Goodrich, Senior Planner, appeared before the Commissioners to discuss the County's application for Certified Local Government (CLG) status submitted to the Maryland Historic Trust. Mr. Goodrich explained that the Trust would like the Commissioners to clarify the demolition permit review process in HP zones and would only require the issuance of a statement that there is binding authority in the Zoning Ordinance. The Commissioners requested that Mr. Goodrich develop a policy statement for their review. BOARD OF EDUCATION - REVISED BUDGET Wayne Stouffer, Director of Finance at the Board of Education, and Dr. Wayne Gersen, Superintendent of Schools, met with the Commissioners and presented the revised summary of the Fiscal Year l989-90 operating budget. Mr. Stouffer explained that the revised budget indicates the $500,000 from audited surplus which was used as follows for capital expenditures: $257,000 to Transportation Equipment, $72,000 to Maintenance Equipment - vehicle replacement, $l46,000 to Instruction - Indirect Costs - additional microcomputers and $25,000 - Instruction - Vocational Programs for additional equipment - Clear Spring Ag Program. Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to approve the Board of Education's Revised Operation Budget for Fiscal Year l989-90 as presented. Unanimously approved. BOARD OF EDUCATION - NORTH HAGERSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION PLAN Dr. Wayne Gersen, Superintendent of Schools, presented additional information regarding the plan for addition/demolition to North Hagerstown High School. He explained that, by using the formula designed by the State IAC, the rated capacity of the school would increase with construction of the proposed addition from l400 to l485, whereas if the existing structure were renovated, the rated capacity would remain the same. In response to the Commissioners' questions, Mr. Stouffer indicated that the addition/demolition plan would cost an additional $900,000 to $l,000,000. The Commissioners supported the submittal of Mr. Burrey's plan for the addition to North High to the IAC but suggested possible ways to utilize the section planned for demolition and requested that Board of Education members ask the IAC if they would allow that section to remain for other uses. PURCHASE OF KEEFAUVER PROPERTY Barry Teach, Administrator, informed the Commissioners that he has received no comments in the ten (l0) day period following the public hearing held on June 26, l990. Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Irvin, to proceed to acquire the Keefauver property, hold it in inventory, and proceed to rent the property until the State and County decide on a final alignment for the by-pass. Unanimously approved. Commissioner Irvin suggested that a Building Inspector perform an inspection and maintenance check on the property before the house is rented. JULY l0, l990 MINUTES, CONT'D. ACTUARIAL REPORT - COUNTY RETIREMENT SYSTEM - AETNA INSURANCE CO. James Myron and Douglas Greenstein from Aetna Insurance Company presented an actuarial report on the County's retirement system for Fiscal Year l989-90. Mr. Myron stated that Washington County's plan is in excellent shape due to the conservative approach the Commissioners have taken with regard to investments. He explained that the total present value of benefits is $l7,465,674 with an unfunded liability of 6%. He also explained that the Funded Ratio of the program is l50%. AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION ORDINANCE - PRESENTATION Suzanne Hayes, Chairperson of the Agricultural Preservation Study Committee, presented a proposed draft of an ordinance to provide tax credits for agricultural land in Washington County. Ms. Hayes pointed out a change which the Committee made in this proposal and informed the Commissioners they are suggesting a limit of $l50,000 be placed on the total assessed value of dwellings on the property, regardless of the number of dwellings. She also noted that the tax break on dwellings could not exceed that given on the land. The Commissioners discussed the proposed limit on the dwellings but agreed to schedule a public hearing for this ordinance as drafted. BID OPENING - OFFICE EQUIPMENT & FURNISHINGS - ADMINISTRATION BUILDING The bids for office equipment and furnishings for the County Administration Building were publicly opened and read aloud. Firms participating in the bidding and their proposals were as follows: Frederick Office Supplies, Inc. - $84,554.92; and Office Suppliers, Inc. - $70,92l.53. The bids will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. (Decision rendered later in this Session.) BID OPENING - FLEET INSURANCE - TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION The bids for fleet insurance for the Transportation Commission were publicly opened and read aloud. Firms participating in the bidding and their proposals were as follows: BGS&G - (bid l) - $60,032 and (bid 2, includes vehicle damage coverage) - $78,l82; Wright-Gardner - $69,275; Lancer Insurance Co. - $76,l46; Keller- Stonebraker Insurance - $55,289.46; and Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. - $54,000. The bids will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. (Decision rendered later in this Session.) APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JUNE l9 & 26, l990 Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey, to approve the minutes of June l9, l990, as corrected. Unanimously approved. Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to approve the minutes of JULY l0, l990 MINUTES, CONT'D. TAX ABATEMENTS - MILA/MIDFA PROGRAMS l990-9l Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to approve the following tax abatements of l990-9l State taxes for properties purchased through the MIDFA and MILA Programs, with equivalent payments-in-lieu of taxes to be made to the County to compensate for the abatements: Alphin Aircraft, Inc. - $l,659.70; Certain-Teed Products Corp. - $64,629.53; Grove Manufacturing Co. - $5,23l.92; Hagerstown Canteen Service - $2,632.04; Horizon Development - $23,583.l5; Larstan Industries, Inc. - $8,775.8l; Lawrence & Stanley Banks Realty - $2,933.44; and H. B. Mellott Estates, Inc. - $479.46. Unanimously approved. ALTERATIONS & RENOVATIONS TO COURT HOUSE & ANNEX Gary Rohrer, Chief, Division of Planning & Codes Administration, reviewed the proposed plans for the Court House and Annex. PROPOSED ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE Gary Rohrer, Chief, Division of Planning & Codes Administration, reviewed the latest proposal for Article V - Schools, in the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance draft. He explained the method for determining if there are adequate school facilities in a certain area would involve the continuous monitoring of development activity and school enrollment activity, and development control would be tied to issuance of building permits. Mr. Rohrer reviewed the approach whereby the Planning Commission would receive plans and review them, and hold preliminary consultations at which time the developer would be made aware of the status of the schools involved. The developer would continue through the process and the Planning Commission could approve all lots for final plat, which would contain language, signed by the developer, stating that this approval does not guarantee the immediate issuance of building permits. Building permits would not be issued until scheduled capital improvements are made to the schools involved unless the developer would be willing to make the renovations/additions at his own expense. The Commissioners agreed to this approach and asked him to have this drafted into the Ordinance and proceed to schedule a public hearing. BID AWARD - TRANSPORTATION INSURANCE Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to award the bid for Transportation Insurance to Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, who submitted the low bid of $54,000. Unanimously approved. REAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS - COMPUTER SOFTWARE Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Shank, to reallocate $8,000 to Building Inspections - Capital Outlay (0l-5-l23l-687-000) from the General Fund Surplus for computer software. Unanimously approved. REAPPOINTMENTS - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to reappoint Wiliam Young, Howard Bowen and Terry Randall to the Economic Development Commission for four-year terms. Unanimously approved. APPOINTMENTS - TASK FORCE ON HOMLESSNESS Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to appoint Kenneth Maynard and George Andre to the Task Force on Homelessness. Unanimously approved. REAPPOINTMENT - ETHICS COMMISSION Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to reappoint Carol Johnson to the Ethics Commission for a three-year term. Unanimously approved. LEASE AGREEMENT - STORAGE OF VOTING MACHINES The Commissioners approved the request of the Election Board to lease 8,000 sq. ft. from a facility on Commonwealth Avenue owned by Banks Brothers for storage of voting machines for a four-year period for the amount of $3.30/sq. ft. MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to approve the request of the Museum of Fine Arts to allow the employees to participate in the Washington County Insurance coverage based upon verification that no pre-existing conditions exist. Unanimously approved. BID AWARD - OFFICE EQUIPMENT AND FURNISHINGS - ADMINISTRATION BUILDING Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to award the bid for office furnishings and equipment to Office Suppliers, Inc., who submitted the low bid of $70,92l.53. Unanimously approved. JULY l0, l990 MINUTES, CONT'D. CHANGE ORDER - EXTERIOR CLEANING - ADMINISTRATION BUILDING Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to approve a Change Order in the amount of $2l,500 to allow for cleaning of the exterior of the Administration Building and window recaulking by Gruber Building Cleaning & Restoration who supplied the low quote. Unanimously approved. EMPLOY - TEMPORARY FULL-TIME MAINTENANCE MAN - PARKS DEPARTMENT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to employ Terry L. Reed as Temporary, Full-time Maintenance Man in the Parks Department, to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. BID AWARD - RENOVATION - HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICES Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to award the bid for renovation of the Housing & Community Development Offices to Bronka Construction Company, who submitted the low bid of $l8,726 plus an additional $8,000 for electrical work, with funds over the budgeted amount for this project to be taken from the Capital Contingency Fund. Unanimously approved. HOLIDAY PAY - ROADS DEPARTMENT SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Shank, to adopt the policy of paying supervisory personnel at the Roads Department, excluding the Superintendent, their regular hourly pay for all hours over eight hours worked on a holiday. Unanimously approved. PHASE II - HISTORIC STUDY FOR SHARPSBURG & SMITHSBURG Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey, to accept the Coordinating Committee's recommendation to accept the low proposal submitted by Julianne Mueller for $20,749, to perform the Phase II Historic Study for the Towns of Sharpsburg and Smithsburg. Unanimously approved. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey, to convene in Executive Session at l:l0 p.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 Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to reconvene in Regular Session at 3:l5 p.m. Unanimously approved. GRANT AWARD - NARCOTICS TASK FORCE Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to accept the grant award for the Narcotics Task Force from the State of Maryland in the amount of $33,7l5 and agree to appropriate the necessary County match of $ll,250. Unanimously approved. TRANSFER - SECRETARY II - PERSONNEL Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Irvin, to transfer Felicia Tosten laterally from Secretary II in the Parks Department to the Personnel Department. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to adjourn at 3:l5 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney , Clerk