Note: This is a SUMMARY of the Commissioners Meeting for the purposes of a Press Release. These are not the official minutes of the meeting.
CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
Each week the Board of County Commissioners sets aside time to hear from the Citizens of Washington County on matters of community interest.
No one appeared to make comment on this date.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
Commissioners’ President Greg Snook presented Tina Rupert, Administrative Assistant in the Division of Public Works, with a Certificate of Merit for work above and beyond the call of normal employee activity. For the past 4 years, Rupert has facilitated employee Casual Day events. Once each month, and on several special occasions throughout the year, employees donate $2 or more for the privilege to “dress down” at work, with proceeds going to a charitable activity. In Calendar Year 2004, employees contributed over 1,000 pounds of food, toys and clothing as well as $6,600.00 through events Rupert coordinated to a variety of organizations and individuals in need. Snook commended Rupert for "selfless and faithful coordination of employee casual days" contributing to the betterment of County citizens.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner Dori Nipps reported on attending the Williamsport Ambulance and Halfway Fire Company awards ceremonies. The Historic District Advisory Committee heard Public Works Director Gary Rohrer discuss the Barnes Road Bridge project at its recent meeting. The Recreation and Parks Board elected Debbie Murphy of Hancock as its Chair, Nipps reported. All applications for Program Open Space funds have been submitted, except by the Board of Education. That proposal should be received soon, Nipps said. Board approval was requested for reallocation of Program Open Space funds. $49,928 in funding had been previously committed to reconstruction of the track at North Hagerstown High School. With the plans to construct a stadium at that school, the funds were recommended to be allocated to the track at Hancock High School. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Commissioner Bill Wivell reported on the Key Turning event held at the University System of Maryland-Hagerstown facility last week. Wivell raised a question about other Universities in the area offering classes at USMH. The Cascade Committee was thanked for presenting a showing of “The Ritchie Boys” at the gymnasium at Fort Ritchie. A meeting with Sheriff Mades, City Police Chief Smith and Architect Brent Feight last week discussed the planned Central Booking Facility. There is the possibility that the state could provide funding in 2006 for design and engineering. Total cost for the facility would be $2.4 million, and a joint meeting with the City should be held to discuss that facility, Wivell said. Permits and Inspections Director Dan DiVito and staff were commended for prompt actions on several recent complaints.
Commissioner Jim Kercheval reported on the recent Black Rock Golf Course Board meeting, and presented a recommendation to fill an open position. Dale Beard was selected due to knowledge of landscaping needs at the course. The appointment was approved by unanimous vote. The Planning Commission met on Monday evening and approved a residential cluster development off Wright Road in the Hopewell Road area. Commissioners’ President Snook asked that developers in the area make sure they are giving facts about proximity to industrial, rail and highway facilities to prospective home buyers. Kercheval requested staff present quarterly updates on County Goals. Kercheval also suggested a meeting with City Officials on joint communications needs and the County’s new radio communications system.
Commissioners’ President Greg Snook told the Board that a letter from Home Depot announced expansion of its operations in the Hunters’ Green industrial park area to include a second warehouse facility. Warehouse space would increase by 370,000 square feet and 125 jobs would be added at that site, Snook said. Last week’s Chamber of Commerce Board meeting welcomed 4 new members, and heard a presentation on medical malpractice. State Board of Education School construction funding projections for 2006-2008 show Washington County’s funding static, while neighboring counties are receiving increases, Snook said. The State Highway Administration has approved the classification of roadways on Washington County that was recently submitted. Monday January 24 th is the next meeting of the Maryland Municipal League local chapter, Snook said. That meeting will be held at the Funkstown Legion Hall at 6:45 p.m. The State Board of Public Works has approved reallocation of Program Open Space funds at Marty Snook Park in Halfway. $35,000 had originally been intended for lighting of a playing field, but will be used to improve pathways and trails in the park instead, Snook reported. Snook requested consideration for Commissioners’ support of the University System of Maryland-Hagerstown’s marketing plan. That request will be discussed once the marketing plan has been submitted by USMH.
REPORTS FROM COUNTY STAFF
Public Works Director Gary Rohrer told the Board that Phase I of the Tollgate Road/Ford Drive project in Hancock is complete, and that access is again available to the automobile dealership at that location. Phase II of that project could be complete by April, Rohrer said. The Tollgate Road bridge, damaged by flooding in 2004, will cost about $60,000 in order to restore one lane to traffic. While Phase II of the project is underway, school buses will have to be re-routed through Fulton County, Pennsylvania. Broadfording Bridge reopened January 4 th, and will remain open to through traffic until June 1 st. The final bridge repairs will take place between June and September 30 th, Rohrer said. Clopper Road Bridge will remain closed until spring, Rohrer said.
Planning and Community Development Director Mike Thompson told the Board that the Early Action Compact that was negotiated with the Maryland Department of the Environment to satisfy federal Environmental Protection Agency standards is null and void. Information provided to the report by sources in Virginia was inaccurate, causing the entire process to be thrown out. A new round of public hearings on the standard will be held in February, Thompson said.
Human Resources Director Dave Hankinson requested approval to advertise and fill 4 vacant positions. Two Full-Time Emergency Communications Specialists, 1 Part-Time Gaming Inspector and 1 Motor Equipment Operator-I position are all vacant. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Budget and Finance Director Debra Bastian reported on the Flush Tax Collections. Bills will be separate from the annual Property Tax bills at first, and will ultimately be reflected on the property tax bills, Bastian reported. Refinancing of Solid Waste bonds will take place soon, Bastian said.
SERVICE REQUEST PROCEDURES
Planning and Community Development Director Mike Thompson brought this matter before the Board. Two weeks ago, Thompson brought recommendations for Service Request Procedures to the Board for review and approval. Under discussion were
Methods for issuing civil citations for zoning violations, and for handling complaints from citizens from the initial request to the issuance of a citation. Citizens out of compliance with zoning regulations for weeds, excessive trash, junk cars and the like could be fined $100 per day for the violation. The Board wanted a more definitive time limit, and Planning staff added a specification of 30 days for compliance. After being issued a citation, being allowed the period for compliance and any extensions of time, if the violation persists a citation would be issued providing for a fine of $100.00 per day.The wording "commencing on the date of issuance and continuing until the violation is abated", was added. In the case of second or subsequent violations, the Board requested a two year time limitation be added. Discussion centered on information presented to violators, with brochures or pamphlets with all pertinent information to be given out with the notice and compliance form. That recommendation was added, and the measures were approved by unanimous vote APPLICATION FOR REZONING County Attorney Richard Douglas brought Rezoning application RZ-04-002 before the Board. The applicants, Douglas Leazier, Joanne Leazier and Patricia Leazier requested that their property be rezoned from A – Agricultural to BG – Business General. The subject property consists of approximately 2.86 acres located on the east side of US Route 11, 13733 Pennsylvania Avenue. The applicants claimed the property has been subject to spot zoning, and is the last remaining privately owned parcel in the area that has not been zoned for business. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the zoning change. The Board reviewed the request and instructed Douglas to proceed with the case, presenting it for final approval at next week's meeting.GIS SUBCOMMITTEE FINAL REPORT
The GIS Subcommittee was created by the Information Technology Steering Committee to study the County system. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a system for management, analysis, and display of geographic knowledge. A GIS can produce information that answers specific questions and allows you to share that information with others. By visualizing relationships, connections, and patterns in data, you can make informed decisions and increase efficiency throughout the organization. The main elements of a GIS are: Software, Hardware, Data, Procedures, and People. Washington County has been using GIS technology in the Planning Department. It has been limited to this one department without the benefit of participation by other departments. The concept of a GIS centrally controlled, but maintained and used by many departments within an organization is called Enterprise GIS. The definition of enterprise in this case does not mean it is self-supporting or funded by user fees or other non-general fund sources. The Committee's recommendation was to endorse creation of an Enterprise GIS for Washington County, endorse the sub-committee report, and authorize expenditure for implementation of the plan. Fiscal impact would be $20,000.00, and would come from the Commissioners' Contingency Fund. Actual implementation would come in Fiscal Year 2007. The measures were approved by a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Munson voting "no".
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT: ELECTIONS BOARD
Jim Mobley, Chair of the Washington County Board of Election Supervisors brought this request before the Commissioners, to present Certificates of Merit to Dorothy Waters and Marianne Schneider in recognition for years of service on the Washington County Board of Elections. Commissioner Jim Kercheval presented as Certificate to Schneider, the Democratic substitute, who has served since June 1999 for a total of 5 years and 7 months. A certificate was presented in absentia to Waters, the Republican substitute, for service since August, 1993, a total of 11 years and 2 months.
Status of Revisions to the County Highway Adequacy Policy
Gary Rohrer, Director of Public Works, and Terry McGee, County Chief Engineer
brought this status report on recent reviews of the County Highway Adequacy Policy with stakeholders in the development community before the Board. Rohrer and McGee met several times with representatives of the Washington County Home Builders Association to review the draft Highway Adequacy Policy. Several key issues raised by the HBA participants and several good suggestions offered in the discussion. One related to establishing a viable means for analyzing existing and new pavement to handle projected axle loads. The Engineering staff is currently working through a more simplified approach that will be beneficial to all parties. The only remaining issue relates to objections to County recommendations to increase minimum pavement width from 18 feet to 20 feet in most areas. Rohrer and McGee discussed the need for the 20 foot minimum, citing the variety of large vehicles, including farm vehicles, that travel rural roads daily. Rohrer told the Board that the 20 foot road width minimum is applicable in larger subdivisions, and that the requirement would be compatible with the County Comprehensive Plan. McGee discussed requirements for bridges, citing a 15 foot width minimum for one-lane structures. There are over 200 bridging structures located in the County, ranging from culverts to steel span bridges. There are 90 bridges of 20 foot width or larger in the County, McGee said. Rohrer said that Policy will continue to be refined, and brought to the Board for adoption within the next few weeks.
BID AWARD: OBSTRUCTION REMOVAL AT HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT
County Buyer Michael Haifley, Airport Manager Carolyn Motz, and Mahesh Kukata, of the URS Corporation consulting firm brought this request before the Board.
The recommendation was to Award the bid for Obstruction Removal on Runway 2-20 at Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) to the lowest responsive responsible bidder, The Dirt Express Company of Glen Burnie, Maryland, in the amount of $190,435.00.
The bid consists of contractor mobilization, residential lot clearing on five properties, clearing miscellaneous out-buildings at Air View Farm, selective tree trimming and tree removal, and related work including installing obstruction lights, pavement removal, turf establishment and replacing topsoil. Primarily, the work will be performed at the northern end of Runway 02-20 in and around the “Runway Protection Zone” where the residential lots will be cleared and a majority of the tree work will be performed. The work is to be completed within 120 consecutive calendar days from the Notice To Proceed.
Funding for this project will come from a grant from the FAA and the state. The Federal share is $171,391.00 or 90%, the State 5% share is $9,521.00 and the County share is also 5 % of the amount or $9,523.00. The measure was approved by unanimous vote
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASE: NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS
County Buyer Michael Haifley, and Doug Oliver, Deputy Director of the Information Technology (IT) Department brought this request, for Intergovernmental Cooperative Purchase of Eleven Rugged Mobile Data Notebook Computers for use by the Permits and Inspecations Department to the Board for approval. The request would authorize Permits and Inspections to purchase eleven mobile data notebook computers from GTSI Corporation of Chantilly, Virginia needed for the implementation of the Accela Wireless system as previously approved. Cost of each computer is $4,348.00. The total cost would be $47,828.00, and would utilize a U.S. Communities contract in accordance with the terms and conditions of that contract piggybacking with the government of Fairfax County, Virginia. The County would benefit with direct cost savings in the purchase of this equipment because of the economies of scale this large buying group can leverage. Additionally, the County would realize savings through administrative efficiencies as a result of not preparing, soliciting and evaluating a bid, and potentially defending any resulting award. Pricing provided by U.S Communities was compared to the pricing on the State of Maryland technology contract. The GTSI pricing was approximately 3% lower than the State of Maryland contract. U.S. Communities is a nationwide strategic sourcing program designed by public purchasing professionals for use by government and public-benefit non-profits throughout the country. Commissioners' President Snook asked that a fund reserve be set aside for future replacement of the computers, which have a 5-year life span. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
The Board met with elected officials of the Towns of Clear Spring and Hancock to discuss the Tax Setoff for Fiscal Year 2005 during the evening at Clear Spring Library.