HomeMy WebLinkAbout200721 OPEN MinutesBoard of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland
Open Session Minutes
July 21, 2020
MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
A moment of silence was observed, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by the full
assemblage.
CALL TO ORDER
President Jeffrey A. Cline called the regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of
Washington County, Maryland, to order at 10:02 a.m. at 100 West Washington Street, Room 1113,
Hagerstown, Maryland, with the following members present: Vice President Terry L. Baker and
Commissioners Cort F. Meinelschmidt and Randall E. Wagner ( Commissioner Wayne K. Keefer was
absent).
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Meinelschmidt, seconded by Commissioner Baker, moved to approve the minutes of
June 22, 2020. The motion passed 3-1-0, Commissioner Wagner abstained, Commissioner Keefer
was absent).
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner Meinelschmidt thanked the Hancock EMS Station and Emergency Room staff for
providing excellent care to his mother when in need.
Commissioner Wagner presented a request for a letter of support from Brook Lane with regards to
an application to the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund. The Commissioners reached a
consensus to provide the letters of support as requested.
REPORTS FROM COUNTY STAFF
Department of Business Development
Susan Small, Director, shared that Hub Labels will donate boxes of window clings for economic
development organizations throughout the State regarding CO VID-19, displaying "Proud to be Safely
OPEN".
County Clerk -Appointment I Reappointment to Boards and Commissions:
Board of Zoning Appeals
Commissioner Wagner, seconded by Commissioner Meinelschmidt, moved to reappoint John Cohill
to serve a second, three (3) year term from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023; this is a paid board.
The motion passed unanimously (4-0, Commissioner Keefer was absent).
CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH
Commissioner Meinelschmidt, seconded by Commissioner Baker, moved to convene as the Board of
Health for the two individual forthcoming matters. The motion passed unanimously ( 4-0,
Commissioner Keefer was absent).
AW ARD OF GRANT TO REIMBURSE MERITUS HEAL TH -COVID 19 PUBLIC
HEALTH RESPONSE FUNDS
Earl Stoner, Health Officer; Daniel Triplett, Administrator, Washington County Health Department;
and Dr. Maulik Joshi, P.H., Meritus Health, recommended award of a grant in the amount of
$6,000,000 to Meritus Health for supplies and equipment purchased by Meritus Health specifically
CARES ACT REALLOCATION DISCUSSION
Page 3 of 5
OPEN Session, July 21, 2020
Ms. Greaves, Susan Buchanan, Director, Office of Grant Management, and Ms. Small, provided the
Board with an update regarding the potential reallocation of unspent CARES Act funding from the
non-healthcare portion. Ms. Buchanan and Ms. Small provided information on remaining funds in
the Together We Serve project and the Together We Rise project. Ms. Buchanan recommended that
an amount of $500,000 remain for future potential applications, leaving $686,060 remaining. Ms.
Small shared that an amount of $2million remains and recommended various options for the
reallocation of remaining funds throughout Washington County.
The Commissioners made no decision on the matter and instructed staff to bring the matter forth at a
future meeting with information on specific numbers remaining for each project as discussed.
AUDIT AND AGREED UPON PROCEDURES PRESENTATION
Chris Lehman, Engagement Partner, SB & Company, Inc., and Dale Fishack, President, Volunteer
Fire and Rescue Association, presented the Board with information pertaining to the contract for
Emergency Services Special Procedures and Auditing Services. Mr. Lehman explained that the work
performed was in relation to the companies' 2018 financial statements.
Commissioner Wagner left the meeting at 10:53 a.m. and returned to the meeting at 10:57 a.m.
This matter was interrupted and placed on hold to accommodate the previously scheduled
Public Hearing at 11 :00 a.m.
PUBLIC HEARING: NOT TO EXCEED $165,000,000 OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
REVENUE BONDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF HOMEWOOD AT WILLIAMSPORT, MD,
INC AND HOMEWOOD AT FREDERICK MD, INC. AND PROPOSED RESOLUTION
President Jeffrey A. Cline opened the Public Hearing at 11 :01 a.m. Lindsay Rader, Bond Counsel for
Washington County, and Sara Greaves, CFO, requested approval of a resolution expressing the
intention of County Commissioners of Washington County to issue and sell one or more series of
Economic Development Revenue Bonds in an original aggregate principal not exceeding
$165,000,000 and to loan the proceeds of the Bonds to Homewood at Williamsport MD, Inc. and
Homewood at Frederick MD, Inc. (collectively, the "Maryland Obligated Group"), pursuant to the
authority of the Maryland Economic Development Review Bond Act for the purpose of refinancing
and financing costs of the Facilities identified below and financing other costs and expenses permitted
by the Act. Ms. Rader stated that The Maryland Obligated Group has requested that the County adopt
the Resolution in order to express the County's intention to issue the bonds and to preserve the
company's ability to use proceeds of the bonds for reimbursement purposes in accordance with
provisions of the U.S. Treasury Regulations, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
The proposed Resolution also authorizes appropriate County officials to take necessary actions in
connection with the contemplated transaction, including applying for certain volume cap allocations
required by the Code. Before any bonds are issued, the Board of County Commissioners will need to
adopt a separate authorizing resolution in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
The Public Hearing was opened for public comments, to which no citizen responded.
The Public Hearing was closed at 11: 10 a.m.
Commissioner Meinelschmidt, seconded by Commissioner Wagner, moved to approve the
Resolution expressing the intention of the County to issue and sell one or more series of Economic
Development Revenue bonds in an original aggregate principal not exceeding $165,000,000 and loan
the proceeds of the bonds to the Maryland Obligated Group as presented. The motion passed
unanimously (4-0, Commissioner Keefer was absent).
PANGBORN PARK DREDGING
Page 5 of 5
OPEN Session, July 21, 2020
Dave Mason, Deputy Director, and Jeremy Mose, Director, Solid Waste, presented the Board with a
request from the City of Hagerstown to accept material from the Pangborn Park Dredging "project"
at no cost. Mr. Mason explained that the project is slated to start August 2020 and is estimated to
remove between 1,200 and 1,500 cubic yards of material; the estimated cost to the City of Hagerstown
would be $110,000 to $139,000 at $55 per ton.
Mr. Mason provided a timeline for the City Park Dredging project, which was completed in 2018. He
added that approximately $1.4 million in fees for the silt had been waived. Mr. Mose assured the
Board that there is no policy for bypassing the weigh station at the landfill. Additionally, the City of
Hagerstown is not a typical customer of the Washington County Landfill but rather utilizes a location
in Pennsylvania.
Commissioner Wagner shared his concern for the non-payment of the $400k fee surrounding the 911
Dispatch Center from the City of Hagerstown.
Commissioner Meinelschmidt, seconded by Commissioner Wagner, moved to deny the request for
the Pangborn Park Dredging elimination at no cost. The motion passed unanimously (4-0,
Commissioner Keefer was absent).
CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION
Commissioner Meinelschmidt, seconded by Commissioner Wagner, moved to convene in closed
session at 11 :53 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, in accordance with Section 3-305(b )(1) of the General Provisions
Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The motion passed unanimously (4-0, Commissioner
Keefer was absent).
In closed session, the Commissioners discussed the employment, recruitment, or assignment of
County personnel with staff.
Present during closed session were Commissioners Jeffrey A. Cline, Terry L. Baker, and Cort F.
Meinelschmidt; Commissioner Wayne K. Keefer was absent. Also present were Kirk C. Downey,
County Attorney /Interim County Administrator; Krista L. Hart, County Clerk, and at various times,
Brian Albert, Assistant Director, Division of Emergency Services.
RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION
Commissioner Meinelschmidt, seconded by Commissioner Wagner, moved to reconvene in open
session at 12:06 p.m. The motion passed unanimously (4-0, Commissioner Keefer was absent).
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Baker, seconded by Commissioner Wagner, moved to adjourn at 12:07 p.m. The
motion passed unanimously (Commissioner Keefer was absent).
Krista L. Hart, County Clerk