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HomeMy WebLinkAbout980106 January 6, 1998 Hagerstown, Maryland PRESENTATIONS - SERVICE PINS The Commissioners met at the Parks Department office at 8:00 a.m. to present service pins to County employees. Commissioner Snook presented service pins to the following individuals for their years of service with the Washington County government: 20 years - Jay Stenger, Terry Kline, Carl Flowers, and Shelby Stehl; 15 years - Karen Luther and Cindy Glessner; 10 years - Stanley Morris and Arthur Overcash; and 5 years - Clarence Swartz, James Cooper, Jr., Todd McCall, John Keefauver, and Terry Wray. Commissioner Snook thanked the employees on behalf of all the Commissioners for their hard work and dedication to County government. The Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland, was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by the President, Gregory I. Snook, with the following members present: Vice President John S. Shank, and Commissioners Ronald L. Bowers, R. Lee Downey, and James R. Wade. 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 - DECEMBER 16, 17, & 18, 1997 Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Bowers, to approve the minutes of December 16, 1997, as amended, and December 17 and 18, 1997, as submitted. Unanimously approved. DECEMBER 1997 YOUTH OF THE MONTH AWARD - MEGAN SIMMONS Commissioner Snook presented a Certificate of Merit to Megan E. Simmons in recognition of her selection as the Youth of the Month for December 1997 by the Washington County Children's Council. Commissioner Snook commended Megan for her leadership, her academic and extra-curricular activities and  her considerable accomplishments. Glenda Helman, representing the Childrens Council, informed the Commissioners that Megan will also receive a $50 savings bond, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Hagerstown. Megan thanked the Commissioners for the award and her parents and the teachers for their support. COMMISSIONERS REPORTS AND COMMENTS Commissioner Downey reported on the Local Management Board meeting. Commissioner Bowers provided an update on the activities of the PenMar Development Corporation. Commissioner Wade reported on the Planning Commission meeting. Commissioner Snook informed the Commissioners that he received a letter from the State Mass Transit Administration regarding the elimination of several of the daily bus trips from the park-n-ride facility. He also distributed a letter from the Community Action Council outlining the number of households served by the additional funding provided by the Commissioners last year. APPROVAL OF BUDGET INCREASE - WILLIAMSPORT ELDERLY HOUSING EXPANSION PROJECT Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Shank, to approve an increase in the scope of the Williamsport Elderly Housing Project expansion with the receipt of a matching grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission in the amount of $36,571 (40-4-0100-331-102) which includes development funds for road and bridge design and the corresponding local matching funds of $36,571 (40-5-0100-581-102). Unanimously approved. BID AWARD - COMMERCIAL YARD WASTE GRINDER Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Wade, to award the contract for JANUARY 6, 1998 PAGE TWO the commercial yard waste grinder to Arbor Recycling which submitted the low bid for Option I of $178,900, contingent upon the successful demonstration of the equipment. In addition to the $80,000 budgeted, funding for the grinder will also include a grant in the amount of $30,000 from the Maryland Environmental Service and funds received from the sale of used landfill equipment. Unanimously approved. FISCAL, ECONOMIC AND REVENUE STRATEGY ANALYSIS - REQUEST TO AWARD CONTRACT Robert Arch, Director of Planning & Community Development, and Karen Luther, Purchasing Agent, informed the Commissioners of the Coordinating Committee recommendation that the firm of Tischler Associates, Inc., which provided the sole submission, be awarded the contract for the Fiscal, Economic and Revenue Strategy Analysis for the lump sum contract price of $115,450. Mr. Arch stated that the consultant will provide a detailed analysis on the impact of the cost of new development in the County and will suggest strategies to ensure adequate financing to address future service needs. He also informed the Commissioners that the County has received a grant in the amount of $40,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission for this study and, therefore, the award is contingent upon the approval of the Maryland Office of Planning. After discussion and questions from the Commissioners, they asked Mr. Arch to obtain additional information from the consultant on studies the firm has performed for other jurisdictions which are similar in nature to the one requested by Washington County. RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (CP-97-01) Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Wade, to adopt amendment CP- 97-01 amending the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan for Washington County in conjunction with the development of the Long Range Transportation Plan for the Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization, as presented by the Assistant County Attorney. Unanimously approved.  COUNTYS EL NINO PREPARATIONS Ronald Karn, Chief of Fire & Rescue Communications; Ted Wolford, Superintendent of the Transportation Department; and Cindy Kline, Director of Emergency Services for the Washington County Chapter of the Red Cross, appeared before the Commissioners to provide an update on their preparations for the anticipated effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon. Mr. Karn informed the Commissioners that the State of Maryland has advised each county to take extra precautions in preparing for the possibility of extreme weather. He stated that Washington County could see heavy snow, ice, and flooding. Ted Wolford distributed information and examples of the radar and  weather maps produced at the Roads Departments command center. Ms. Kline informed the Commissioners of the preparations made for establishment of emergency shelters and the provision of shelter supplies. The Commissioners thanked them for the update. CITIZENS PARTICIPATION Michael Nye, President of Marketing Logistics International, expressed his concerns regarding the elimination of USAir flights from the Washington County Regional Airport to Baltimore. He encouraged the Commissioners to take whatever actions are necessary to promote business at the Regional Airport. ADOPTION OF 1998 GOALS FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Bowers, to adopt the following goals for Washington County in 1998: 1) Adopt fire and rescue plan, 2) Provide draft of updated Comprehensive Plan for citizen comment no later than 12/31/98, 3) Present, for consideration, the study for infrastructure funding JANUARY 6, 1998 PAGE THREE no later than 7/1/98, 4) Determine and define the public support services needed by Lakeside Corporate Center, 5) Create long range Strategic Operations Plan for the County, 6) Establish plan to provide regional water and wastewater services, 7) Continue to promote and encourage inter-governmental cooperation and elimination of duplicate services, and 8) Plan the Funkstown by-pass. Unanimously approved. RESOLUTION TO CLOSE A PORTION OF PLEASANTVILLE ROAD Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Wade, to adopt a resolution to close a section of Pleasantville Road, as presented by the Assistant County Attorney, and to approve the formal description of the roadway to be closed, as required by the Commissioners on December 16, 1997. Unanimously approved.  STORMWATER MANAGEMENT POND ACCEPTANCE - WAGAMANS GLENN Motion made by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Wade, to accept a stormwater  management pond which is located in the Wagamans Glenn Subdivision from Rocky Spring Enterprises. Motion carried with Commissioners Bowers, Wade,  Downey, and Snook voting AYE and Commissioner Shank ABSTAINING. SUBDIVISION STREET ACCEPTANCE - MEADOWS OF ST. PAUL Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Bowers, to accept 1,340 linear feet of Garrow Drive located in the Meadows of St. Paul Subdivision and to accept a one-year cash maintenance bond in the amount of $13,400. Unanimously approved. SUBDIVISION STREET ACCEPTANCE - STERLING OAKS SUBDIVISION Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Wade, to accept 800 feet of Greenwich Drive and 480 feet of Hampshire Drive located in Phase I of the Sterling Oaks Development and to accept a two-year cash performance bond in the amount of $20,000. Unanimously approved. APPROVAL TO PURCHASE PROPERTY - HAGERSTOWN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES, LLC Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Downey, to approve the purchase of 1.2 acres of land adjoining the Water & Sewer Department Administration Building facility for the sum of $26,000 from Hagerstown Industrial Properties, LLC, as a sole source procurement under Section 1- 106.2(a)(1) of the Code of the Public Local Laws of Washington County. Unanimously approved. AGRICULTURAL LEASE - KENNETH & FANNY EBY Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Downey, to approve a five- year agricultural lease with Kenneth and Fanny Eby for three parcels of land located in the Airport Runway Protection Zone for $37.10 per year. Unanimously approved. CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Shank, seconded by Bowers, to convene in closed session at 11:23 a.m. to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice and to consider personnel matters, in accordance with Section 10-508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Unanimously approved. The Commissioners recessed from 11:52 a.m. to 2:07 p.m. in order to attend the annual Washington County Farm Bureau legislative luncheon at the Agricultural Education Center. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Bowers, to reconvene in open session at 4:36 p.m. Unanimously approved. JANUARY 6, 1998 PAGE FOUR In closed session the Commissioners consulted with counsel to obtain legal advice on two (2) issues and considered five (5) personnel matters. ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN II - FINANCE DEPARTMENT Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Wade, to approve the recommendation to employ Petra Stambaugh as Accounting Technician II, Grade 7, to fill an existing vacancy. Motion carried with Commissioners Downey,  Wade, Shank, and Snook voting AYE and Commissioner Bowers voting NO. COOK - BLACK ROCK GOLF COURSE Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Shank, to employ Sharon Mann as Cook at Black Rock Golf Course, Grade 4, to fill an existing vacancy. Unanimously approved. RE/APPOINTMENTS - DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE ADVISORY COUNCIL Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Bowers, to reappoint David Cole to the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Advisory Council for a three-year term, to appoint April Bowers to a three-year term, and to appoint Bonnie Forsythe to fill the unexpired term of Sandy Graff extending to February 28, 1999, and Christina Trenton to fill the unexpired term of Sue Summerfelt extending to April 30, 1998. Unanimously approved. APPOINTMENT - PLUMBING BOARD Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Bowers, to appoint Arnold Eby to the Plumbing Board for a three-year term. Unanimously approved. REAPPOINTMENTS - RECREATION & PARKS BOARD Motion made by Commissioner Wade, seconded by Shank, to reappoint Edwin Hess  and Eugene Yogi Martin to the Recreation and Parks Board for three-year terms. Unanimously approved. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Commissioner Downey, seconded by Wade, to adjourn at 4:44 p.m. Unanimously approved. 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