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HomeMy WebLinkAbout020321 March 21, 2001 Hagerstown, Maryland A workshop meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland, was called to order at 8:00 a.m. by President Gregory I. Snook with the following members present: Vice President Paul L. Swartz and Commissioners Bertrand L. Iseminger, Jr., John L. Schnebly, and William J. Wivell. HOTEL RENTAL TAX DISTRIBUTION – DISCUSSION Robert Arch, Director of Planning and Community Development, and Debra Bastian, Director of Finance, met with the Commissioners to review the applications for funding from hotel rental tax proceeds for FY 2003. Mr. Arch informed the Commissioners that 45 applications were received. The Commissioners reviewed the applications and preliminarily agreed to the following distributions: Hagerstown Model Railroad Museum, Inc. (Antietam Station project) - $25,000, Washington County Free Library - $10,000 each for the new Boonsboro and Smithsburg branch libraries, Hagerstown Soccer Club, Inc. - $10,000 (site improvements to the soccer complex), Corporation of Keedysville - $7,500 (Civil War trail head marker), Western Maryland Heritage Foundation - $5,000 (renovations to South Mountain Interpretive Center), Friends of Fort Frederick, Inc. - $5,000 th (250 anniversary celebration), Sharpsburg Heritage Festival Committee - $4,000 (special event), Cumberland Valley Athletic Club - $3,500 (JFK 50-Mile Run), Antietam Velo Club, Inc. - $3,000 (Maryland Cycling Championship series events), Rohrersville Ruritan Club - $2,500 (playground equipment for the town park), City of Hagerstown - $5,000 (Wesel Sister City Program), and Clear Spring Garden Club, Inc. - $300 (Christmas in Clear Spring). The total of these commitments is $90,800. The Commissioners also agreed to set aside $150,000 to promote one major economic development project and $25,000 was th previously committed to the 140 commemoration of the Battle of Antietam. BUDGET REQUEST - HEALTH DEPARTMENT William Christoffel, Health Officer, presented the fiscal year 2003 budget request of $3,473,297 from the Health Department for the County’s share of their total budget. He stated that the request is identical to the FY 2002 funding request. Mr. Christoffel also provided a progress report on the activities at the Health Department. BUDGET REQUEST – DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES Frederica Buehler Erath, Chairperson of the Board of Social Services and David Engle, Director of the Department of Social Services (DSS), met with the Commissioners to present the fiscal year 2003 budget request of $151,520. Board members Mike Zampelli, Nicole Houser, and Phil Rohrer spoke in support of the programs. BUDGET PRESENTATION – CITIZENS ASSISTING & SHELTERING THE ABUSED (CASA), INC. Vicki Sadehvandi, Executive Director of CASA, presented the Commissioners with the FY 2003 budget request of $137,750. Ms. Sadehvandi reviewed the services that CASA provides to the community and emphasized that the salaries they pay are not competitive with other agencies in the area. BUDGET PRESENTATIONS - COMMISSION ON AGING Dr. Fred Otto, Director of the Commission on Aging, and Deborah Addo, President of the Board of Directors, presented the fiscal year 2003 budget request for the Commission on Aging. Mr. Breakall presented information on the programs provided by the Commission and reviewed a copy of the annual report. Mr. Otto requested county funding of $433,413 for FY 2003. The Commissioners thanked the staff and interested citizens for attending the presentation. ANNUAL DEBT CAPACITY ANALYSIS Debra Bastian, Director of Finance, reviewed the annual debt capacity analysis for 2002 with the Commissioners. She stated that Washington County’s total debt is projected to be $154.7 million on June 30, 2002. Ms. Bastian stated that the scenarios used for the purposes of the analysis were for bond issues of $10 million, $11 million and $12 million. Under all three scenarios, the County’s total projected MARCH 21, 2002 PAGE TWO outstanding debt would peak in fiscal year 2008-2009. She stated that the County meets both industry and policy guidelines for repayment of debt. Ms. Bastian reviewed debt affordability measures, debt as a percentage of revenue, debt per capita, debt as a percentage of fair market value, and debt service per capita. She informed the Commissioners that the County met all the benchmarks in all categories with the exception of debt as a percentage of revenue. The two factors contributing to the moderate ratios are (1) the rapid payoff schedule set by the County and (2) the non-self supporting utility debt. She stated that the peer group selected contains eleven Maryland counties including Howard, Frederick, Harford, Carroll, St. Mary’s, Cecil, Wicomico, Calvert, Worchester, Queen Anne’s, and Dorchester counties. Ms. Bastian concluded that the County’s debt obligation should remain manageable based on a continued growing tax base, above average payout of debt, and a managed long-term borrowing plan. The County remains in a solid financial position with moderate debt obligations. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) - FINAL REVIEW The Commissioners conducted a budget workshop to discuss the projects submitted for the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for Fiscal Year 2003. Debra Bastian, Director of Finance, Robert Arch, Director of Planning & Community Development, and Gary Rohrer, Director of Public Works, attended the workshop. Ms. Bastian provided a summary of the projects and the changes made at the last workshop meeting. The Commissioners discussed the Sheriff’s patrol facility project and whether there may be surplus funds. Mr. Rohrer projected savings of $250,000 to $300,000 and recommended that any surplus funds from this project be reallocated to the Court House project. The Commissioners also discussed the improvements to the Halfway Boulevard/Massey Boulevard intersection. It was the consensus to include funding for traffic studies, engineering design, and land acquisition for the project but to shift the remaining funds to FY 2004 or 2005. The Commissioners discussed capital funding to Hagerstown Community College, and asked the staff to contact Dennis McGee, Director of Facilities Management, to discuss several Board of Education construction projects. CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Wivell, to convene in closed session at 12:03 p.m. to discuss personnel matters and to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice, in accordance with Section 10-508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Wivell, to reconvene in open session at 12:33 p.m. Unanimously approved. In closed session, the Commissioners discussed one (1) personnel matter and consulted with counsel to obtain legal advice on one (1) matter. Present during closed session were Commissioners Gregory I. Snook, Paul L. Swartz, Bertrand L. Iseminger, Jr., John L. Schnebly, and William J. Wivell. Also present at various times were Rodney Shoop, County Administrator; Richard Douglas, County Attorney; John Martirano, Assistant County Attorney; Joni Bittner, County Clerk; and Alan Davis, Director of Human Resources. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to adjourn at 12:33 p.m. Unanimously approved. , County Administrator , County Attorney ___________________________, County Clerk