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HomeMy WebLinkAbout890718July 18, 1989 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County was called to order at 10:00 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 Bowers, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES Ron Kidd, Director of the Recreation Commission, introduced two of his new fulltime employees: Jamie Shyda, Recreation Specialist, and Betsy Hahn, Recreation Supervisor. SUPPORT FOR TAX CREDIT PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to support legislation for the continuation of a Federal tax credit program for low income housing and to send letters of support to U.S. Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes and Representative Byron. Unanimously approved. FENCE RELOCATION The Commissioners agreed to relocate the fence between the property owned by Edwin Reulet and the County transfer station in Dargan along the County land. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS Commissioner Irvin reported on the Airport Commission meeting, the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council meeting, the Historical Advisory Committee meeting, and the Commission for Women meeting. She also reported on the gypsy moth field day she attended in Allegany County. SUPPORT FOR EXPANSION OF GYPSY MOTH PROGRAM Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to recommend and support the expansion of the State's gypsy moth spraying program and to convey this to Wayne Cawley, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Agriculture for the State of Maryland and the Washington County Delegation to the General Assembly. Unanimously approved. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE - COMMUNICATION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to send correspondence to U. S. Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes and U.S. Representative Byron to insist that the National Park Service communicate with the Board of County Commissioners and the Town of Sharpsburg to advise them of their plans and activities at the Antietam National Battlefield Park. Unanimously approved. PARK PERMIT PROCEDURE Commissioner Irvin requested that the County Attorney check into the legality of amending the Parks permit procedures to allow only Washington County residents to apply for a permit for use of a park pavilion. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JUNE 30, JULY 5 & 11, 1989 Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey to approve the minutes of June 30, 1989, as submitted, and July 5, 1989, as amended. Unanimously approved. Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Downey, to approve the minutes of July 11, 1989, as amended. Unanimously approved. BID OPENING - NORTH STREET DRAINAGE PROJECT The bids for the North Street drainage project in Maugansville were publicly opened and read aloud. Firms participating in the bidding and their proposals were as follows: D. L. George Construction Co. - $49,500; Charles E. Brake Company - $25,000; and Wolfe Brothers, Inc. - $90,665. The bids will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. (Decision rendered later in this session.) METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION - FISCAL YEAR 1990 UNIFIED WORK PROGRAM The Commissioners, sitting as the Metropolitan Planning Organization, considered the Fiscal Year 1990 Unified Work Program for submission to the State of Maryland. No comments were received from other local governmental units, who are a part of MPO, who had been contacted regarding this meeting and sent a copy of the proposed program. Mayor John Slayman of Williamsport was in attendance but had no comments. MOTION made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey, to adopt the Fiscal Year 1990 Unified Work Program for submission to the State of Maryland. Unanimously approved. JULY 18, 1989 MINUTES, CONT'D. REMODELING OF WESTERN MARYLAND CONSORTIUM OFFICES & APPROPRIATION OF FUNDING Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to accept the low proposal submitted by Henry Eby & Sons in the amount of $4,259 for remodeling work needed at the Western Maryland Consortium office and to appropriate the funding from the Capital Contingency Fund. Unanimously approved. WATER & SEWER PLAN AMENDEMENT - WS -89-2 Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey, to approve the Water and Sewer Plan amendment, WS -89-2, submitted by Dale Ausherman, and heard in Public Hearing on April 18, 1989. After discussion, Commissioner Roulette amended his Motion, which was accepted by Commissioner Downey, to make the approval contingent upon receiving no opposition from the Town of Smithsburg prior to July 28, 1989. Unanimously approved. OVERLAY - HARPERS FERRY ROAD Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Shank, to approve a supplemental appropriation from the Capital Contingency Fund for the addition of 7200' of Harpers Ferry Road to the Fiscal Year 1990 Overlay Program, estimated at $34,000. Unanimously approved. MACO - HEALTH BENEFITS STUDY Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to participate in the Health Benefits Study being undertaken by the Maryland Association of Counties and to appropriate $2,000 from the Operating Contingency fund for this purpose. Unanimously approved. REPAIR PARAPET WALL - CHEWSVILLE CENTER Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Irvin, to accept the only quote received, which was submitted by Alan B. Shank, of $4,200 to repair the parapet wall at the Chewsville Center which is leased from the County by the Association for Retarded Citizens. Unanimously approved. APPOINTMENTS - MID -MARYLAND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to appoint Jean Burns, Robert Harsh, and Johanna Huffer for terms extending to January 1992, to appoint Tpr. Russell Plante for a term extending to January 1990 and to appoint Mary Saladna for a term extending to January 1991 to the Mid -Maryland Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council. Unanimously approved. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Irvin, to convene in Executive Session at 11:50 a.m. in regard to personnel, property and legal matters in accordance with Section 10.508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to reconvene in Regular Session at 12:50 p.m. Unanimously approved. EMPLOY PLUMBING INSPECTOR II Motion made by Roulette, seconded, by Irvin, to employ Richard Eichelberger as Plumbing Inspector II to fill an existing vacancy. Motion carried with Commissioners Bowers, Roulette and Irvin voting "AYE" and Commissioners Shank and Downey voting "NO". EMPLOY PART-TIME BUS OPERATOR - COUNTY COMMUTER Motion made by Commissioner Irvin, seconded by Roulette, to employ Gary Willar as Part -Time Bus Operator at the County Commuter to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. PROMOTIONS - DATA PROCESSING Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Shank, to promote Brian Ridenour to Systems Analyst, Grade 10, as recommended by the Singer Study; promote Angela Nelling to Programmer/Trainer, Grade 8, to fill an existing vacancy and to use the additional funding to fill the vacancy created by Ms. Nelling's promotion for a Programmer, Grade 7, Step A, in the Data Processing Department. Unanimously approved. At this time President Bowers was excused from the meeting and Vice President Irvin assumed the Chair. JULY 18, 1989 MINUTES, CONT'D. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Irvin, to convene in Executive Session at 12:55 p.m. in regard to property and potential litigation in accordance with Section 10.508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to reconvene in Regular Session at 3:55 p.m. Unanimously approved. TAX CREDIT FOR UNOCCUPIED DWELLING - THOMAS SHANK Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Shank, to approve the request for a tax credit for an unoccupied dwelling submitted by Thomas Shank, based on new information received which indicated that the application was timely, and requested that the Ordinance be clarified for future application to indicate the date of completion as the date of issuance of the Use & Occupancy Permit. Unanimously approved. REQUEST FOR CHANGE ORDER - BUSINESS AIR PARK Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Roulette, to approve the change order to allow Fayetteville Contractors to extend the water/sewer line to the Business Air Park for the amount of $58,917. Unanimously approved. RIGHT-OF-WAY AGREEMENT - POTOMAC EDISON Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Shank, to enter into a right-of- way agreement with Potomac Edison for the extension of underground electrical service to J.R.A. Executive Air on the west side of Henson Boulevard. Unanimously approved. TRANSFER OF SALARY - ROADS DEPARTMENT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey, to transfer $19,192 from Line Item 20-5-1361-401-000 to 20-5-1361-404-000 to cover the salary necessary for the transfer of Mary Kline to the Roads Department. Unanimously approved. ACCEPTANCE OF BOND - FAIRPLAY FARMS Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Roulette to accept a performance bond in the form of two cashiers' checks from the John R. Oliver Company in the amount of $135,000 for 900' of Fairplay Farms Road and 1200' of Fairplay Farms Court, located in Section B of the Fairplay Farms Subdivision. Unanimously approved. ACCEPT BID AMOUNT - NORTH STREET (MAUGANSVILLE) DRAINAGE PROJECT Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey, to accept the bid amount submitted by the Charles E. Brake Company in the amount of $25,000 for the North Street drainage project in Maugansville, with the condition that authorization to proceed be issued separately by the Commissioners, or their designated agent, so that this work can be properly coordinated with development in the area. Unanimously approved. RECESS The Commissioners recessed the Meeting at 4:05 p.m. and will reconvene at 7:00 p.m. at Hagerstown City Hall. EVENING SESSION The Evening Session was convened at 7:00 p.m. in a joint session with the Mayor and Council of Hagerstown. Present at the meeting were County Commissioners Ronald L. Bowers, President; Vice President Linda C. Irvin, and R. Lee Downey, Richard E. Roulette and John S. Shank. Also present were Mayor Steven Sager and Councilmembers William Breichner, John Donoghue, John Schnebly, Robert Smith and Susan Saum Wicklein. Agenda items discussed were as follows: 1) Status Reports for Eastern Boulevard & Wesel Boulevard - Steven Feller, City Administrator, stated that the contractor began work on July 5, 1989, on Wesel Boulevard and the groundbreaking will be held on August 8, with completion date estimated for December 1990. Mr. Feller also informed the Commissioners that the third section of Eastern Boulevard should be completed in the Spring and they are working to extend the 12" water main. 2) Annexations - The CSX annexation has been achieved and the hearing for the annexation of the MKS property will be held next Tuesday. City officials estimate that the next leg of Eastern Boulevard will take two years for the design and necessary approvals. JULY 18, 1989 MINUTES, CONT'D. 3) Water Pollution Control - Mayor Sager reported that the hearing for the pelletization plant will be Wednesday night on the air quality control. Rick Thomas, Water Pollution Control, informed the Commissioners that they are using the sludge mixed with dirt as a soil treatment at the County landfill. 4) Sewer Allocation - Additional allocations have been received from the State for the new sewage treatment plant and they are on schedule to begin operations by the end of next year. 5) Water/Sewer Study - proposals will be reviewed on Friday for the Water/Sewer Study. 6) Recycling Program - Commissioner Bowers stated that he hopes the recycling program will reduce the cost of landfilling by reducing the volume. He also stated the County hopes to initiate some type of incentive plan for those who participate in the recycling program. The Commissioners informed the City Council that there is a 50% participation rate in the voluntary recycling program in the Tammany/St. James neighborhoods and they urged the City to select a neighborhood to try a pilot program. Barry Teach, County Administrator, informed City officials that the Independent Cement Corporation is trying to get permits to perform a test burn and that the County Commissioners have appropriated money for a study along with Carroll, Frederick and Howard Counties to determine the finacial and environmental feasibility of constructing a regional incineration plant. 7) Woodpoint Avenue - Mayor Sager stated that they are ready to proceed to upgrade Woodpoint Avenue and that there is a section of the road outside the City limits under County jurisdiction that should also be upgraded. Mr. Feller stated that the plans will be completed by the end of this month and asked the Commissioners to review and estimate what the costs might be and advise the City. Commissioner Bowers suggested the possibility of trading roads with the City. Residents in attendance expressed their concerns regarding the sidewalk and curbing to be added during the road upgrade. 8) Funkstown By-pass - Commissioner Bowers informed the Mayor & Council that the Town of Funkstown has requested that the County begin discussions with the State Highway Administration for a by-pass around Funkstown. 9) Historic Preservation Tax Credit - The City requested that the County Historic District Commission consider including those properties within the City historic districts for the County property tax credit that was proposed. Ralph France, County Attorney, stated he would coordinate this with the City. Other items discussed were Landis/Day Road, orientation of newly elected officials, possible update of the Transportation Plan done in 1977 and the dedication of new equipment at Wheaton Park. ADJOURNMENT The Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. County Attorney , Clerk