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HomeMy WebLinkAbout180403BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND Hagerstown, Maryland April 3, 2018 STATE OF THE COUNTY The Commissioners presented the State of the County video followed by a question and answer period at 7:00 a.m. at the Fountain Head Country Club, 13316 Fountain Head Road, Hagerstown, sponsored by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Barr offered the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full assemblage. CALL TO ORDER President Terry L. Baker called the regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland, to order at 10:15 a.m. at 100 West Washington Street, Room 1113, with the following members present: Commissioners John F. Barr, Wayne K. Keefer and LeRoy E. Myers, Jr. Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent from the meeting due to a medical procedure. COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS No comments were offered. REPORTS FROM COUNTY STAFF Grant Management - Scholarship for University System of Maryland -Hagerstown Susan Buchanan, Director, Grant Management, updated the Commissioners on efforts to locate funding for a named scholarship fund through the University System of Maryland - Hagerstown for local students in the new Advanced Practice Programs for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners or for physical renovations associated with those programs. Ms. Buchanan described several sources investigated to pinpoint such funding though nothing concrete has been secured thus far. She has identified a community program that may assist and will continue to look for resources. The organizers have raised $580,000 toward the $1 million goal. County Administrator County Administrator Rob Slocum stated that an evening showing of the State of the County video will be presented this evening at 6:30 p.m. at Hagerstown Community College's Kepler Theatre. He thanked the County's Public Relations and Marketing staff for developing the video. Mr. Slocum noted that a School Security Task Force has been formed and its first meeting will be April 4. The group plans to develop recommendations by early May 2018. CITIZENS' PARTICIPATION Jim Kline and Rusty Baker of the Joint Veterans Council updated the Commissioners on the progress in raising funds for a planned Vietnam War Veterans Monument on South April 3, 2018 Page 2 Walnut Street in Hagerstown. Mr. Kline announced that approximately $103,000 in funds has been raised toward the $150,000 goal. The group now has a Facebook page and website. RECOGNITION OF SOUTH HAGERSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM Danielle Crabb, Director, Public Relations and Marketing, introduced members of the South Hagerstown High School Robotics Team - Catherine Ehmer, Arturo Bonilla, Brett Custer and Samantha Brammer. The team received the top score in a recent skills competition earning a trip to the 2018 VEX Robotics World Championship. The competition will take place April 24-28 in Louisville, Kentucky. The team also received the "Think Award" that is awarded to the team displaying excellence in programming their robot. Robotics Club Adviser Don Custer described the competition and skills needed to qualify for the competition. The Commissioners presented plaques of recognition and County pins to the team. SUBMISSION OF STATE OF MARYLAND HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT APPLICATION Stephanie Lapole, Grant Manager, and Tom Brown, Emergency Management Specialist, Emergency Services, requested approval to submit a $116,615 State Homeland Security grant application to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and accept all awarded funding. The grant would pay a partial salary for the Emergency Management Specialist, the cost of the Washington County Citizen Notification Program and other costs that include training, equipment, public outreach and response capabilities. The performance period for this federal grant is September 1, 2018 through August 1, 2019. There is no match requirement to accept the award funding; however, the County is required to ensure that at least 25% of the grant funds are dedicated toward law enforcement related tasks or equipment. Commissioner Barr, seconded by Myers, moved to approve the submission of a $116,615 State Homeland Security grant application to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, to accept the funding if awarded, and to execute all required documentation necessary to accept said funding. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) SUBMISSION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT Stephanie Lapole and Tom Brown requested approval to submit a $103,381 Emergency Management Performance Grant application to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. The grant will be used to provide federal funds to states to assist state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management agencies to obtain the resources required to support the National Preparedness Goals associated with the areas and core capabilities. The performance period for this federal grant is October 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. A April 3, 2018 Page 3 100% match requirement will be provided by the Emergency Services operating budget. Matching funds will be in the form of budgeted salaries which is subject to approval in the County's Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Budget. Commissioner Myers, seconded by Barr, moved to approve the submittal of a grant application for an Emergency Management Performance Grant of $103,381 to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency as presented and to accept the awarded funding and to execute all required documentation necessary to accept the funding. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) APPROVAL TO ACCEPT PLANNING ASSISTANCE TO STATES PROGRAM GRANT PHASE 3 Stephanie Lapole and Dave Mason, Deputy Director, Solid Waste, requested the acceptance of a $70,000 award from the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the completion of Phase 3 of the Urbanized Area Stormwater Infrastructure Mapping Project with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District. The project will enable the County to work toward compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System MS4 Phase II General Permit by mapping and inventorying its stormwater drainage system within the Urbanized Area. There is a 50% match requirement which is to be provided by the Stormwater Retrofit Capital Improvement Project budget. Commissioner Barr, seconded by Keefer, moved to accept a $70,000 award from the United States Army Corps of Engineers for the completion of Phase 3 of the Urbanized Area Stormwater Infrastructure Mapping Project with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District as presented. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) CLEAN COUNTY INITIATIVE — CLEAN STREETS CLEAN STREAMS Scott Hobbs, Director, Engineering, Dave Mason, Deputy Director, Alex Reed, Watershed Specialist, Solid Waste, and John Swauger, Stormwater Management Coordinator, Environmental Management, informed the Commissioners of the Clean Streets Clean Streams Initiative under the Clean Water Action Plan. Under the Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates discharges of pollutants from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants, sewer collection systems and stormwater discharges from industrial facilities and municipalities. The Clean Water action plan targets enforcement to the most important water pollution problems. In 2011, the action plan was updated to improve water quality, address compliance issues and expand transparency in reporting. Washington County and other jurisdictions in Maryland have been operating its municipal separate storm sewer system under a NPDES permit issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). In recent years, Stormwater management regulations for implementation have changed and the jurisdictions must comply as specified in their April 3, 2018 Page 4 NPDES permit. In July 1, 2018, the County will receive a new NPDES permit from MDE. To address the permit, County staff has been working on water quality projects for several years and continues to develop a strategy to provide additional stormwater runoff management on impervious acres equal to 20% of the total impervious area with the Urbanized Area for which runoff is not currently managed to the maximum extent practicable. County staff is also evaluating cost-effective stormwater best management practices, providing public education and outreach as well as establishing the framework for annual reporting. The program will also satisfy the Watershed Implementation Plan that focuses on pollutant load limits for both the Chesapeake Bay and local Total Maximum Daily Loads. The Commissioners thanked staff for the presentation. CONSTRUCTION BID AWARD — PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR 2018 CHIP SEAL APPLICATIONS Scott Hobbs, Director, Engineering, presented the recommendation to award the contract for the Pavement Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program FY 2018 Chip Seal Applications to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, American Paving Fabrics, Inc. of Hanover, Maryland, for $1,415,792.16 which includes the option to extend the contract for a period of up to two, one-year extensions. The pavement maintenance and rehabilitation program for chip seal applications involves pavement preservation and repair for approximately thirty miles of chip seal applications. Bid documents provide for eighty consecutive calendar days to complete the work. A notice to proceed is anticipated on or about May 14, 2018 with final completion by August 1, 2018. Commissioner Barr, seconded by Myers, moved to award the contract for the Pavement Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program FY 2018 Chip Seal Applications to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, American Paving Fabrics, Inc. of Hanover, Maryland, for $1,415,792.16 which includes the option to extend the contract for a period of up to two, one-year extensions as presented. Commissioner Keefer discussed the lower number of miles to be treated due to less funding. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) REZONING APPLICATION SCHEDULE Stephen Goodrich, Director, Planning and Zoning, presented a proposal to revise rezoning application administrative procedures to accept applications on an as needed schedule to improve customer service. The current policy, adopted in 2008, has a defined schedule and accepts rezoning applications only twice a year (January and July). Some of the benefits of moving to the as needed schedule relate to customer friendly service responsive to an applicant's needs, a process that can begin immediately and a shorter process depending on the complexity of the case. The Planning Commission public information meeting may be combined with regular meeting dates that may also shorten review time. Other factors to consider when determining whether to change the procedure to an as needed basis would be the increased advertising costs due to separate advertisements and staff adjusting April 3, 2018 Page 5 priorities to respond to an application submission rather than planning for submissions on a pre -determined time frame. Besides the option of retaining the current two cycles per year schedule, the Commissioners may also want to consider retaining the current two cycles per year with waiver provision with specific criteria for special or urgent circumstances or the County could add one or two additional cycles for a total of three or four per year. The Commissioners discussed the various proposals for revision of the procedures. Commissioner Myers, seconded by Barr, moved to approve a change to rezoning application administrative procedures to accept applications on an as needed schedule to improve customer service. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) DRAFT 2 OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND 2019-2028 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN Sara Greaves, Chief Financial Officer, and Kim Edlund, Director, Budget and Finance, presented changes from Draft 1 to Draft 2 of the Fiscal Year 2019 General Fund budget and 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Ms. Greaves reviewed several revenue changes that include a $580,000 reduction of State Administrative Fees charged by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation that were expected to be doubled but will not occur, and a $15,000 correction in rental income that was incorrectly doubled. Changes to expenses include $2,768.29 costs under Law Enforcement -Judicial to be redirected to Fiscal Year 2018 for shotguns to be purchased this year; a $15,000 total increase to Fire and Rescue Volunteer Services for staffing subsidies to Hancock and Community Rescue Service rescue squads, a Capital Improvement Project Fund increase of $277,000, of which $204,000 is reserved for the Washington County Board of Education - subject to change in light of discussions by the School Security Task Force and State support for $40 million in additional funding toward school security measures. Discussions have also occurred that may afford the addition of Pre -K teachers using the $204,000. The other $73,000 was moved to systemic projects such as roofing and electrical improvements to the Dwyer Center. The only other material change to the General Fund Expense Budget is under General Operations in which $150,000 was added from the remainder of savings from State Administrative fees. Commissioner Keefer questioned whether the Fire and Rescue Volunteer Services could be provided employee cost of living adjustments. Approximately $25,000 is currently provided each volunteer company though the overall funding has increased due to fuel costs. The Capital Improvement Project Budget currently reflects a $517,000 decrease from the Fiscal Year 2019 Draft 1. Reductions include a Hagerstown Regional Airport roof replacement item of $372,000 and the $204,000 proposed to be set aside for the Board of Education as earlier discussed. The General Equipment and Vehicle Replacement Program line item was reduced to $2,060,000; in the out years of 2025-2028 when increased funding is projected to be provided. The Pavement Maintenance Rehabilitation Program April 3, 2018 Page 6 was reduced by $250,000. The Eastern Boulevard Bypass Project Phase I was reduced by $190,000 due to securing a State grant for the project. Those savings are being pushed to Phase II in FY 2019. The Water Quality CIP was zeroed out due to revenue restrictions. The total amount of the CIP for FY 2019 is $46,440,000. REVISION TO COUNTY POLICY PR -5B — TRANSIT DEPARTMENT, ALCOHOL MISUSE AND PROHIBITED DRUG USE Stephanie Stone, Director, Health and Human Services, presented a proposal to update County Policy PR -513, Alcohol Misuse and Prohibited Drug Use for the Transit Department. The revisions serve to clarify that the term "opiates" in the County's current policy that must be changed to "opioid" due to the older term that only covers a naturally produced product. The word opioid covers natural, semi -synthetic and synthetic products. The synthetic version is what is tested by the Federal Transportation Administration, along with natural. Commissioner Barr, seconded by Keefer, moved to approve revisions to County Policy PR -513, Transit Department, Alcohol Misuse and Prohibited Drug Use Policy as presented. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION Commissioner Myers, seconded by Barr, moved to convene in closed session at 11:38 a.m. to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of appointees, employees, or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; or any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals; and to consider a matter that concerns the proposal for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand or remain in the State; in accordance with Section 3-305(b) (1) and (4) of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The motion passed unanimously. (4-0, Commissioner Jeffrey A. Cline was absent.) In closed session, the Commissioners discussed potential economic development initiatives relating to a business entity's proposal to locate in the County/State, and discussed a specific position vacancy and related issues with staff. During closed session, the Commissioners provided guidance to staff regarding a proposal and potential economic initiatives relating to a business entity that is hoping to locate in the County/State; and provided direction to staff relating to a position vacancy. Present during closed session were Commissioners Terry L. Baker, John F. Barr, LeRoy E. Myers, Jr. and Wayne K. Keefer. Also present were Robert J. Slocum, County Administrator; Vicki C. Lumm, County Clerk; John M. Martirano, County Attorney; and at various times Stephanie Stone, Director, Health and Human Services; Kassie Lewis, Director, and Susan Small, Business Leader, Business Development. April 3, 2018 Page 7 ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned 12:02 p.m. The Commissioners presented the State of the County video to the general public at 6:30 p.m. at the Kepler Theatre, Hagerstown Community College, 11400 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown. Robert J. Slocum, County Administrator John M. Martirano, County Attorney Vicki C. Lumm, County Clerk