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November 20, 1997
Hagerstown, Maryland
A Joint Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County,
Maryland, and the Hagerstown Mayor and City Council was called to order at
12:00 p.m. at City Hall to present their legislative requests for the 1998
session to the Washington County Delegation to the General Assembly.
President, Gregory I. Snook and the following County Commissioners were
present: R. Lee Downey and James R. Wade. Also present were Mayor Robert
Bruchey, II, and Councilpersons William Breichner, Lewis Metzner, Susan Saum-
Wicklein, Al Boyer, and Wallace McClure. Members of Washington Countys
Delegation to the General Assembly in attendance included Senator Donald
Munson and Delegates John Donoghue, Louise Snodgrass, Anita Stup, Robert
McKee, D. Bruce Poole, and Sue Hecht.
City of Hagerstown
The following legislative requests were presented by the City of Hagerstown:
1) Pension Funding - request to reduce the Citys unfunded pension
liability from $7.5 million to $5 million and include municipalities in the
enhanced retirement benefit for members of the State Retirement and Pension
System.
2) Stadium Project - the need for State funding if the City decides to
proceed with construction of a new minor league baseball stadium for the
Hagerstown Suns. The Delegation discussed this request and asked for
additional information. They stated that the City may wish to wait until the
task force appointed to study this issue has made its report.
3) Residency Requirements - the Council expressed its concerns over the
1997 State legislation preventing municipalities from requiring its employees
to live in the State of Maryland.
4) Additional Circuit Court Judge - the City Council and County
Commissioners jointly requested the appointment of a fifth Circuit Court judge
in Washington County, due to the large number of drug-related cases and the
court time needed to process them. After discussion, the Delegation asked for
additional information to include a profile of the type of prisoner and the
charges being filed. Delegate Poole also suggested that it may be helpful to
try more cases at the District Court level.
5) Halfway Boulevard Interchange - the City supported the Countys
efforts to upgrade the I-81 interchange at Halfway Boulevard.
6) District Court Parking - the City asked to explore a partnership with
the State to fund and construct parking improvements in connection with the
new District Court building which is scheduled to be built downtown.
At this time Mayor Bruchey gave a brief update on the Fairground project, the
Downtown Enhancement Plan, the ice rink, the Home Ownership Program, Water
Pollution Control plant upgrades, and the Maryland Municipal League
legislative agenda.
Washington County
The following legislative requests were presented by the Washington County
Commissioners:
1) Gaming Law:
a) Request to repeal the June 30, 1999 sunset provision.
b) Eliminate in kind contributions and require clubs to pay a flat
15% of gross profits rather than increasing it to 20% next year as
NOVEMBER 20, 1997
PAGE TWO
the law now provides.
c) Extend the terms of members of the Gaming Commission to four
years from the current two.
d) Allow Gaming Commission members to serve as directors and officers
of nonprofit organizations which do not apply for funds from the
Commission.
Other revisions requested for the gaming law include the clarification of
oversight authority of the Board of County Commissioners through the Office of
the Gaming Coordinator; amendment of Article 27, Section 259 governing bingo
to provide that it will be regulated under the gaming law; elimination of
Article 27, Sections 255C(q)8) requiring funding of nonprofits at the same
level as the prior year. The Delegation discussed the requests and their
concerns regarding submission of any legislation with regard to gaming. The
Commissioners briefly reviewed additional technical and procedural proposals
needed for clarifications in the law.
2) Housing Authority - creation of a consolidated Hagerstown/Washington
County Housing Authority or amendment of the existing law if necessary to
achieve the consolidation.
3) Water & Sewer - clarify that the Water & Sewer Department is governed
by the Code of the Public Local Laws of Washington County; clarify the
Countys right to apply general fund monies to water and sewer debt; forgive
selected State loans for state debts against water and sewer; create authority
to apply reforestation funds to offset water debt; and specify the penalties
which may be assessed for a misdemeanor committed under Section 6-503(e).
4) Salaries - increase the salary of the States Attorney to 100% of that
of a District Court judge.
5) Fees - examine and amend the amounts of business license fees.
6) Budget and Finance - allow the use of line of credit borrowing,
limited to 5% of operating expenditures, to be used when revenue and
expenditure timing differences occur; and amend certain sections of the Code
of Public Local Laws to eliminate obsolete requirements for the County
Auditor.
7) Board of Zoning Appeals - examine measures which grant relief from
excessive case loads currently being considered by a subcommittee studying
Article 66B.
8) Purchasing - modify the present requirements for prior bidding for the
purchase and sale of real estate by the County and authorize the County to
piggyback bid contracts with other jurisdictions.
9) Agricultural easements - modify the agricultural easement law to
address agricultural subdivisions.
10) Addition of nonprofits to Section 1-108 - amend the Code of Public
Local Laws to add the names of nonprofits which have been approved for
donations.
11) Economic Development - consider specific types of tax relief for new
business and industry.
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PAGE THREE
12) Local Management Board - modify the confidentiality provisions
restricting disclosure of information from specified agencies to the Local
Management Board to allow them to gather accurate information as required by
the draft Memorandm of Understanding with the State.
13) Circuit Court - request that a fifth judgeship be added to the
Circuit Court for Washington County. The Commissioners also requested support
of an initiative of the Maryland Association of Counties for State funding of
operational costs of the Circuit Courts.
Commissioner Snook asked that the Delegation keep them informed of any
requests for legislation which are submitted with regard to collective
bargaining. Senator Munson asked the Commissioners to ensure that the
Countys technical staff will be attenance to supply additional information
when these requests are heard during the legislative session.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Downey, to adjourn at 2:05 p.m.
Unanimously approved.
County Administrator
County Attorney
, Clerk