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HomeMy WebLinkAbout020625 June 25, 2002 Hagerstown, Maryland The Commissioners visited the site of the development proposed in rezoning case RZ-02-003 at Sandy Hook and Keep Tryst Roads. The regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland, was called to order at 2:05 p.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. CERTIFICATES OF MERIT – WASHINGTON COUNTY JUNIORS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM The Commissioners presented certificates of merit to members of the Cyclones in recognition for having won the Chesapeake Region (14 and Under) Junior Girls Volleyball Championship. The Cyclones will be representing Washington County in the National Junior Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 4-7, 2002. Commissioner Snook recognized the following members of the team: Chelsea Weaver, Caitlin Nicewarner, Jessica Ambrose, Emily Mallott, Kenzie Bowen, Tracy Hinkle, Kasi Harris, Kim Snavely, Sammi Snodderly, Lia VanCleave, and Coaches Chuck Weaver and Kevin Brewer. DISTRIBUTION OF STATE FIRE, RESCUE AND AMBULANCE APPROPRIATION Kim Edlund, Assistant Director of Finance, met with the Commissioners regarding the Senator William H. Amoss Fire, Rescue and Ambulance Fund allocated to Washington County by the State for fire and rescue companies. Ms. Edlund stated that a total of $224,748 was awarded to Washington County for disbursement to the companies. She reviewed two options for allocating the funds. The first option would be to distribute the funds equally among all companies, allocating $8,324 to each one. The second option would allocate the minimum amount to the City of Hagerstown ($8,746) and the remainder to the other companies in equal shares. The Commissioners discussed the options and agreed to allocate the funding in equal shares to all companies. Motion made by Commissioner Iseminger, seconded by Swartz, to distribute the fiscal year 2002 Senator William H. Amoss Fire, Rescue & Ambulance State grant funds in equal shares to all fire and rescue companies in Washington County. Unanimously approved. PROPERTY AND BOILER AND MACHINERY INSURANCE – BID AWARDS Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Iseminger, to award contracts to the low responsive, responsible bidders for property insurance to the Local Government Insurance Trust, which submitted the bid of $97,903, and to Hilb, Rogal and Company for boiler and machinery insurance, for its bid of $8,550. Unanimously approved. BID AWARD – INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT Motion made by Commissioner Wivell, seconded by Swartz, to award contracts for leasing of industrial equipment for the Solid Waste Department to the following companies, which submitted the lowest responsive, responsible bids: One (1) Crawler Bulldozer - Standard Equipment Company - $162,145 (total); One (1) Compactor – Alban Tractor Co., Inc. - $392,685 (total); and One (1) Loader – Standard Equipment Company - $254,632 (total). Unanimously approved. HOUSING COUNSELOR PROGRAM GRANT APPLICATION– COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to approve the submission of the Housing Counselor Program application by the Community Action Council for grant funding in the total amount of $111,897 for fiscal years 2003-2005. Unanimously approved. CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Iseminger, to convene in closed session at 2:56 p.m. to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice, to consider the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and matters directly related thereto, and consider a proposal for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand, or remain in the State, in accordance with Section 10-508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. JUNE 25, 2002 PAGE TWO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Swartz, to reconvene in open session at 5:09 p.m. Unanimously approved. In closed session, the Commissioners consulted with counsel to obtain legal advice on one (1) issue, considered the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and matters directly related thereto, and considered a proposal for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand, or remain in the State. 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; Greg Larsen, Business Development Manager for the Hagerstown Regional Airport; Phil Ridenour, Special Operations Administrator; Ed Rakowski, Airport Operations Manager; Greg Murray, Director of the Water and Sewer Department; Paul Prodonovich, Director of Permits & Inspections; and James Bishop, Water & Sewer Operations Coordinator. RECESS The Commissioners recessed at 5:09 p.m. EVENING SESSION – LAKESIDE CORPORATE CENTER – LAKESIDE HALL The evening session was convened at 7:00 p.m. at Lakeside Hall at the Lakeside Corporate Center (formerly Fort Ritchie) 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. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Invocation was delivered by Commissioner Snook, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JUNE 18, 2002 Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Iseminger, to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 18, 2002, as amended. Unanimously approved. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS AND COMMENTS Commissioner Swartz reported on the Commission on Aging meeting. He informed the Commissioners that he presented a proclamation to the Miss Maryland contestants and attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new healing garden at the Western Maryland Hospital. Commissioner Swartz stated that he spoke to the senior citizens organization in Boonsboro. Commissioner Iseminger reported on the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Education Center. He stated that he met with James Bestpitch, AFSCME Council 67 representative. Commissioner Iseminger also reported on the public meeting held by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on the expansion of the H.B. Mellott quarry in Beaver Creek. Commissioner Schnebly stated that the Airport Commission meeting was cancelled last week, but he discussed a report on land values that was given to members of the Commission. Commissioner Wivell informed the Commissioners that he attended the reception for the State Comptroller’s Office and the MDE public meeting on the Mellott quarry. He also informed the spectators that Ronald Sulcheck was appointed to the PenMar Development Corporation Board of Directors last week as a representative of the local community. Commissioner Snook stated that he attended the meeting of the Maryland Association of Counties Executive Board in Somerset County last week. REPORTS FROM COUNTY STAFF Gary Rohrer, Director of Public Works, informed the Commissioners that the pre-construction meeting for Cell 2 at the Forty West landfill is JUNE 25, 2002 PAGE THREE scheduled for June 27. He also provided an update on the PenMar water project and the grant and loan funding that may be available for the project. Joe Kroboth, Emergency Services Director, reviewed the topics that would be discussed at the joint meeting with Frederick County emergency services officials on Friday. He stated that he has begun to meet with various agencies that are planning to help coordinate ceremonies in honor of those who died on September 11. Mr. Kroboth informed the Commissioners that a “Citizens Emergency Preparedness Day” is being planned for August 17 to help promote volunteerism in the County. Debra Bastian, Director of Finance, reviewed information on the June income tax distribution. She stated that the distribution is -0.6% less than projected. Ms. Bastian estimated that the projected shortfall for the year would be $1,897,553. She indicated that this shortfall should be offset by other sources of revenue. CITIZENS PARTICIPATION Karl Weissenbach and Jim Lemon, residents of the Cascade area, thanked the Commissioners for holding their meeting in Cascade and commended them for providing a financial stipend to the Blue Ridge Summit Library and for appointing a local resident to the PenMar Development Corporation (PMDC) Board of Directors. Mr. Lemon then listed questions that he would like the Commissioners to address pertaining to the redevelopment of PMDC. Commissioner Snook answered several of the questions regarding the redevelopment. Mr. Lemon also distributed a list of potential public recreational facilities at Fort Ritchie. George Griffin spoke on behalf of Bob Davis, Chair of the One Mountain Foundation. Mr. Griffin stated that the Foundation is attempting to establish a regional organization to improve the quality of life in the unincorporated communities in the area. He thanked the Commissioners for continuing funding to the library. Mr. Griffin stated that the Foundation hopes to develop a list of goals and objectives and become a valuable resource for the area. Donald Currier asked for an update on the plans to replace the executive director for PMDC. Greg Delauter advised the Commissioners to listen to the whole community and carefully consider the suggestions being made because of the number of organizations represented in the community. A representative from Interfaith Housing of Western Maryland informed the citizens that they would be holding a public meeting on July 8 to determine whether the community is interested in participating in the “Self-Help Community” program. Also discussed was the issue of whether public water service is needed or feasible in the Cascade area. RESOLUTION – ACQUISITION OF THE FIXED BASE OPERATIN AT HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT Motion made by Commissioner Schnebly, seconded by Iseminger, to approve the Resolution authorizing the County to enter into the acquisition of the Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at the Hagerstown Regional Airport from Aero-Smith, Inc., for the total sum of $790,000, including the transfer of the physical assets used by the FBO, and authorizing the President of the Board of County Commissioners to execute and deliver the Assets Purchase Agreement and other documents as may be necessary to complete the transaction. Motion carried with Commissioners Schnebly, Iseminger, Swartz, and Snook voting “AYE” and Commissioner Wivell voting “NO.” COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S COMMENTS Rodney Shoop, County Administrator, stated that the Board would be holding a closed session meeting on July 9 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the County Administration Building. JUNE 25, 2002 PAGE FOUR APPROPRIATION TO WASHINGTON COUNTY FREE LIBRARY Motion made by Commissioner Swartz, seconded by Schnebly, to appropriate $30,000 to the Washington County Free Library from the FY 2002 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Contingency Fund to replace the electrical panel. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Wivell, seconded by Swartz, to adjourn at 8:15 p.m. , County Administrator , County Attorney ___________________________, County Clerk