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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.21.1986October 21, 1986 Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by the President, Ronald L. Bowers, with the following members present: Vice President Richard E. Roulette and Commissioners R. Lee Downey, John R. Salvatore and Martin L. Snook. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Invocation was delivered by Rev. Vernon Miles, Calvary Temple, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full Assemblage. WASHINGTON COUNTY FOOD RESOURCES PROGRAM James Lathan, Executive Director of Community Action Council, along with Betty Willson, President of C.A.C. Board of Directors, and Beth Stouffer, Director of St. Mark's Lutheran Church food bank, appeared before the Commissioners to propose the establishment of a centralized food warehouse which would service agencies providing food to the needy. Mr. Lathan said that the operation would give human resource agencies the change to buy food at the cheapest rate possible. He suggested that the program get started under C.A.C.'s umbrella and submitted a proposed 8 months budget to the Commissioners with a specific request of $20,664 from the county. MOTION made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Roulette to approve of the concept of the Food Resources Warehouse Program with Community Action Council acting as the lead agency, and to allocate up to $20,664 in FY 1987 towards start-up costs payable through invoices submitted to the county's finance office. Unanimously approved. CONVENE AS BOARD OF HEALTH The President convened the meeting at 10:25 a.m. with the Commissioners sitting as the Board of Health in accordance with the requirements of the General Public Health Article, Section 3.202 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. MATERNITY PROGRAM Dr. Eldon Hoachlander stated that two (2) new physicians were coming into the community to replace Dr. Gist and two (2) other obstetricians which would help alleviate the current shortage of these doctors. WATER QUALITY - JEFFERSON BOULEVARD CORRIDOR Gregory Anderson, Public Health Engineer for the State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said that tests so far indicate that water from the Edgemont Reservoir posed no health risks although turbidity counts were unusually high. He said that the City of Hagerstown had been sent recommendations to make the quality of the water more acceptable and sub- mitted a copy of the letter to the Commissioners. Dr. James Bond, Director of Health Services for the local Health Department, stated that he would recheck sources indicating recurring illnesses from drinking the water. The Commissioners asked for state officials to also test for ill effects that could be attributed to the solid matter in the water. SEWER ODOR - NORTHERN AVENUE Dr. John Neill, Health Officer, stated that the department was not aware of any problems with sewer odors on Pennsylvania Avenue but that the matter would be checked out. SURFACE DISPOSAL OF SLUDGE Dr. Neill said that no problems were anticipated with surface disposal of sludge under the guidelines of state regulations. REGULATION OF BIRDS AND WEED CONTROL It was agreed that the regulation of birds and weed control could be dealt with through nuisance ordinances and that consideration should be given to utilizing this authority. BUDGET DEFICIT Dr. Neill explained that the Health Department's $146,000 deficit was primarily due to reduced third -part payments in the home health care program. He said that an appeal had been made to the state to cover the shortfall from its surplus and in the meantime, all efforts were being made to curtail spending. The Commissioners expressed concern that they had not been made aware of the problem before it grew to such proportions and requested the health department officials to work closely with the County Administrator and Director of Finance in finding a solution to the problem. OCTOBER 21, 1986 MINUTES, CONT'D. RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION The Meeting was convened in Regular Session at 11:20 a.m. BID OPENING - TOURISM CALENDAR OF EVENTS Bids for the annual Tourism Calendar of Events were publicly opened and read aloud. Firms participating in the bidding and their base proposals for 40,000 copies were as follows: Hagerstown Bookbinding - $8,068, Tri-State Printing - $6,690, Advanced Marketing Concepts - $7,200. The bids will be reviewed by appropriate officials prior to a decision being rendered. REQUEST FOR PROPERTY - STUDENT TRADES FOUNDATION Tom Oyster, Vocational Education Supervisor, along with Joy Snyder, realtor, appeared before the Commissioners to transfer the 11 1/2 acre Bester tract, which is a portion of the property purchased for the construction of Northern Middle School, to the foundation for its student construction project. They explained that the foundation planned to build 8 to 10 houses in each of 3 phases over a period of 10 years. Board of Education officials explained that only Phase I of the project, which would consist of building 8 to 10 houses on one-fourth of the tract, had been approved by the Board. Bob Lyles, local developer, said that the student construction project would conflict with prior information that the subject property was intended for use in physical education programs. MOTION made by Commissioner Salvatore, seconded by Roulette to Table further discussion on the aforegoing issue until additional information is obtained. Unanimously approved. BOARD OF EDUCATION SIX-YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAM Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to acknowledge and approve of the Board of Education's six-year capital program for FY 1988-1993, for submission to the state for funding. Unanimously approved. PUBLIC HEARING - RENTAL FEES AT AIRPORT The President convened the Meeting in Public Hearing at 12:00 noon to permit any resident of Washington County to testify concerning the establishment of rental fees for T -hangars at the Washington County Regional Airport. Davis Baughman, representing the Experimental Aircraft Association, said that his group felt they should be given a lower fee because they are an asset to and promotors of the airport. John Stonebraker, representing the Pegasus Club, said that it would be discriminatory to charge different fees for "standard" and "commercial" use. Roland Myers, Chairman of the Airport Commission, stated that fees were set on the basis of amortizing the cost of the t -hangars over an eleven -year period. There being no one else present to speak for nor against said fee proposal, the President announced that the Record would be kept open for ten (10) days for additional comments/testimony to be submitted in writing. He closed the Public Hearing at 12:20 p.m. and reconvened the Meeting in Regular Session. RECESS The Meeting was recessed at 12:20 p.m. for lunch and a ribbon -cutting ceremony at the new Boat America facility on Long Meadow Road. AFTERNOON SESSION The Afternoon Session was convened at 3:15 p.m. with President Bowers presiding and Vice President Roulette and Commissioners Downey, Salvatore and Snook present. REAPPOINTMENT TO ELECTRICAL BOARD Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Salvatore to reappoint Eleanor Lakin, John Barr and Richard Kline to serve for two (2) year terms as members of the Board of Electrical Examiners and Supervisors. Unanimously approved. NOMINATION TO STATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Roulette to nominate Jone Thurmond, President of the Washington County Children's Council, with Robert Hull as alternate, to serve as a member of the State Advisory Committee on Children and Youth, in concurrence with the recommendation of the Children's Council. Unanimously approved. MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF SEPTEMBER 23 & 30, 1986 Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Roulette to approve of the Minutes of the County Commissioners Meetings on September 23 and 30, 1986, as submitted. Unanimously approved. OCTOBER 21, 1986 MINUTES CONT'D. REZONING CASE RZ-347 - PARCEL #249 Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to APPROVE of adding underlying zoning classification "A" (Agriculture) to the existing "HP" (Historic Preservation) designation on parcel #249 owned by Gerald Downs, and to adopt the Findings of Fact of the Planning Commission in this Case as the Findings of Fact of this Board. Unanimously approved. REMOVE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS - FAIRPLAY SCHOOL Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Snook to adopt a Resolution authorizing the releasing, waiving and discharging the operation and effect of Restrictive Covenant No. 2 contained in the deed to District #12 Ruritan Club for the former Fairplay School, and further authorizing Ronald L. Bowers, President, to execute the Waiver of Restrictive Covenant and any other documents necessary to effectuate the purpose of this Resolution. Unanimously approved. CONFIRMATORY QUIT CLAIM DEED - VICTOR CUSHWA & SONS Motion made by Commissioner Snook, seconded by Roulette to execute a Confirmatory Quit Claim deed to Victor Cushwa & Sons to correct the description and erroneous acreage contained in the Quit Claim Deed dated January 10, 1979, to reflect the correct footage of the Northerly direction distance of 302 feet. Unanimously approved. PROCLAMATION - VOICE OF DEMOCRACY WEEK Motion made by Commissioner Roulette, seconded by Downey to Proclaim the Week of November 2 - 8, 1986, as Voice of Democracy Week in Washington County, and commend this observance to all citizens. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Salvatore, seconded by Downey to adjourn at 3:30 p.m. Unanimously approved. County Attorney Clerk