Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout901120 November 20, l990 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners 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-Craig, and Commissioners R. Lee Downey, Richard E. Roulette, and John S. Shank. Commissioner-Elect Gregory I. Snook was also present at the meeting. 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. VISITORS & CONVENTION BUREAU PROJECTS Robert O'Connor, Director, and Connie New, Program Coordinator, of the Visitors and Convention Bureau, appeared before the Commissioners to present them with copies of the l990 Holiday poster for Washington County and a framed copy for the office. Ms. New also presented a copy of the new Visitors Service Directory and a Reference Guide which they presented to hotel and motel staff in the County at a two-day hospitality training session. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Downey reported on the Fire & Rescue Advisory Board meeting and the Advisory Board of Health meeting; Commissioner Irvin reported on the Children's Council meeting, the Task Force on Homelessness meeting, the Historic Network, the Voluntary Council for Alcohol & Drug Free Youth and the Airport Commission meeting. CHILD CARE NEEDS SURVEY - RECOMMENDATIONS Kristen Grosh, Coordinator, Office for Children & Youth, appeared before the Commissioners to report on the results of the County employee Child Care Needs Survey. Ms. Grosh's recommendations are as follows: l) establishment of a County child care center is not necessary at this time; 2) the County should investigate the possibility of a new child care center at Hagerstown Junior College which could allow openings for children of County employees; 3) evaluation of child care needs of the Department of Social Services, City employees, and the Chamber of Commerce to assess the possibility of a joint child care center for the downtown area; 4) include as part of a "cafeteria" benefits plan package where employees would receive a certain percentage of their benefits to accommodate their child care costs; 5) develop "family oriented" personnel policies in order to allow earned sick leave to be used for sick children/family members; and 6) investigate and/or assess further special child care needs through a more detailed survey. The Commissioners thanked Ms. Grosh for her work and asked her to meet with Alan Davis, Director of Personnel & Insurance, to include child care benefits as part of the study being conducted by BGS&G for cafeteria benefits. WATER DAMAGE - MINER AVENUE Mrs. Mastiano was in attendance at the meeting, regarding claims filed against the County's liability insurance for water damage at her residence on Miner Avenue. Alan Davis, Director of Personnel & Insurance, stated that he received a tentative answer from Hartford Insurance, the County's insurance carrier, that the claims will not be honored under the County's policy. Mr. Davis indicated that he would try to have a decision from them in writing by next week. Mrs. Mastiano asked if the County is going to pay for the damage. Commissioner Bowers advised her that a decision will have to be made by the County Attorney as to whether the County is responsible for this claim. MINUTES, CONT'D. NOVEMBER 20, 1990 PUBLIC HEARING - SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN BIENNIAL UPDATE A Public Hearing was convened at l0:05 p.m. regarding the Solid Waste Management Plan Biennial Update. Planning Commission members present were: Donald Zombro and Bertrand Iseminger, along with Planning Department staff James Brittain, Executive Director, and Lisa Kelly Pietro, Associate Planner. Ms. Pietro presented the updated Plan and briefly summarized the highlights for each of the six chapters and recommendations. The Commissioners asked for minor changes in the Plan. The Hearing was then opened for public comment. James Black, Assistant Mayor for the Town of Williamsport, asked that the County to check each town to make sure they are participating in the County's recycling program. Commissioner Bowers announced that the record will remain open for ten (l0) days in order to receive any written comments and closed the hearing at ll:05 a.m. BID OPENING - FLEET INSURANCE One bid for fleet insurance for County vehicles was publicly opened and read aloud. The firm participating in the bidding and its proposal was as follows: Corroon & Black - $l09,874. The bid will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. (Decision rendered later in the Session.) IMPROVEMENT OF INTERSECTION - PENNSYLVANIA RT. 163/CITICORP DRIVE Barry Teach, County Administrator, discussed a letter received from the State Highway Administration regarding improvements at the Pennsylvania Rt. l63/Citicorp Drive intersection. The correspondence proposed that the State Highway Administration would design the intersection control beacon, which will also include highway lighting, and some geometric improvements, entirely at their expense. The SHA will arrange for construction and installation with the cost of the work to be borne equally by Citicorp, Washington County and the Washington County Industrial Foundation. They also proposed that Washington County pay for the energy to operate the control beacon with maintenance to be provided by SHA. PennDOT and Antrim Township would be requested to approve the proposed work but would not be responsible for any costs. The Commissioners requested Mr. Teach to determine some idea of costs involved for these improvements before they agree to the proposal. CHANGE IN TERM OF APPOINTMENTS - MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to change the expiration date of those appointed to the Mental Health Authority to November l, instead of April l, as requested by the Mental Health Authority. Unanimously approved. BID AWARD - LANDFILL EQUIPMENT Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to award the bid for the following landfill equipment: articulated motor grader to Powlen Equipment Company who submitted the low bid of $90,700; to award the bid for the articulated four- wheel drive loader to Powlen Equipment Company who submitted the low bid of $l65,000; and to award the bid for a wheel tractor scraper to Alban Tractor Company who submitted the low bid of $263,6l8. Unanimously approved. CONSULTANT SERVICES - ASBESTOS ABATEMENT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to accept the proposal submitted by I-Tem, Ltd., for asbestos abatement for the Court House and Annex, in the amount of $30,595. Unanimously approved. CAPITAL OUTLAY - COMMUNICATIONS MAINTENANCE Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to appropriate up to $l8,000 for tools, equipment, and bench, for the additional employee to be hired in the Communications Maintenance Department to perform maintenance work on State radio equipment, with funding to be taken from the Contingency Fund. Unanimously approved. APPLICATION - MARYLAND CONSERVATION CORPS Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Shank, to endorse the application for Maryland Conservation Corps for a project at Martin L. Snook Memorial Park to provide terracing for sediment and erosion control and planting of shrubs. Unanimously approved. REQUEST FOR PROPERTY - TOWN OF SHARPSBURG Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Irvin, to grant authority to the County Attorney to advertise the County's intention to convey three acres of land located off Burnside Bridge Road to the Town of Sharpsburg to be used in conjunction with their recreational area at this location, as requested by Town officials. Unanimously approved. MINUTES, CONT'D. NOVEMBER 20, 1990 HEALTH DEPARTMENT SURPLUS FUNDS The Commissioners discussed the disposition of accumulated cash surplus at the Health Department in the amount of $406,360, from fiscal years l988, l989 and l990, and agreed to place these funds in a general contingency to be reserved for unspecified Health Department purposes. BILLING - STATE INMATE TRIAL EXPENSES Ralph France, County Attorney, informed the Commissioners that a bill in the amount of $4,845.60 was received by the State's Attorney's office from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Allegany County for expenses incurred by a State prisoner who was sent to Allegany County for trial. Mr. France stated that there is a statute which indicates that if a prisoner is tried in another jurisdiction, the County who sent him must pay the costs incurred. The Commissioners directed Mr. France to have the bill sent to Secretary Bishop Robinson, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, since the inmate was incarcerated in a State prison when he committed the crime, and to request the Delegation to seek a change in this law. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to convene in Executive Session at ll:35 a.m. in regard to personnel and property matters and to confer with the County Attorney, in accordance with Section l0.508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. RECESS The Commissioners recessed from l:l5 p.m. to 2:l0 p.m. for lunch and reconvened in Executive Session. At this time, President Bowers was excused from the Meeting and Vice President Irvin-Craig assumed the Chair. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Shank, to reconvene in Regular Session at 2:55 p.m. Unanimously approved. EMPLOY AUTO SERVICE SPECIALIST - ROADS DEPARTMENT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey, to employ Douglas Lohman as Auto Service Specialist at the Roads Department to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. BID AWARD - FLEET INSURANCE Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Downey, to award the bid for County fleet insurance to Corroon & Black who submitted the low and only bid of $l09,874. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to adjourn at 2:55 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney , Clerk