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.
The Board of County Commissioners attended the annual breakfast function hosted by the Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association to begin the day.
Rental Allowance Program (RAP) Application
Sherry Neil of the Community Action Council (CAC) presented this request to the Board, to approve the submission of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Rental Allowance Program (RAP) Application and Grant Agreement to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The RAP allocation for FY 2005 is $57,630. The Program plays an essential role in helping meet the housing needs of approximately 60 low-income households in Washington County. RAP offers a monthly subsidy of $150 to $250 depending on household size. The initial RAP subsidy is available to the eligible household for 6 months, during which the recipient completes a needs assessment with a case manager and attends monthly case management meetings. Information on housing, continuing education, job training and employability, transportation and other referrals are provided at these meetings. In addition to the $57,630 in RAP funding, CAC receives $6,100 through a County Grant-in-Aid to assist with the administration costs of this Program. The total cost of administration is $19,175 based upon previous cost analysis completed by CAC staff. Failure to submit this application could increase the number of homeless and at-risk families who are in need of rental subsidies in Washington County. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET DISCUSSION
Budget and Finance Director Debra Bastian, Public Works Director Gary Rohrer and Planning and Community Development Director Mike Thompson brought the first of many discussions on the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget for Fiscal Year 2006 before the Board. Bastian gave an overview of projected revenues, gave an overview of changes in funding streams and explained a number of new revenue sources. The discussion made the assumption that the Adequate Public Facility Ordinance fees collected for roads and schools would be merged into the excise tax, as the Commissioners have requested by legislative action. Three major areas for funding within the CIP would be the Highway Improvement program, the Emergency Communication system and School Construction. County Administrator Rod Shoop told the Board that the $10 million request by the Board of Education for Land Purchase was not included in the CIP, due to plans to have developers donate school site land. Bastian said that the various drafts of the CIP would be included on the County’s Website www.washco-md.net in Excel format for public review. High-speed internet access is recommended in accessing the file due to its size and complexity, Bastian said. In the coming fiscal year, the Excise Tax for non-residential projects should generate $2.01 million. Residential excise taxes for Schools are expected to generate $9.3 million and the excise taxes for Roads should generate $2 million from developer contributions. Excise taxes for Public Safety and other projects are expected to be $650,000.00. The transfer tax should bring in $3 million. Bond funds will account for $13 million of the CIP budget. Of the $59.7 million projected total, there will be $ 26.6 million in Pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) funds in that budget. The presentation looked at long-term trends for revenue through FY 2010. Amounts did not include grants and other sources of revenue. All phases of the FY '06 budget will be reviewed and amended many times before final adoption, in May. Capital Improvements include all facility construction and renovations, infrastructure such as roads and bridges, as well as water and sewer lines. Largest single change in the CIP is the Interoperable Communication System, at a total of $25 million, with $8.76 million in expenditures projected for FY ’06. The City of Hagerstown’s downtown revitalization would continue to receive $300,000 per year over the next 5 years. The budget contains funds for support of the new libraries at Smithsburg and Boonsboro. Funding for a Central Booking facility is programmed for FY 2008. The Commissioners review each line item expenditure prior to budget approval. Areas reviewed included drainage projects and a number of the 31 proposed road improvement projects budgeted at $3.46 million. Rohrer told the Board that Public Works has developed a comprehensive plan for repair of roads and highways in the County. The Edgewood Drive/U.S. 40 intersection project, proposed as a joint effort by the State Highway Administration, the City of Hagerstown and the County has been estimated by the state at $11 million. The County’s portion of that project expense in FY ’06 would be about $2 million, Rohrer said. Also discussed were improvements to the Massey Boulevard/Halfway Boulevard intersection, the Hopewell Road extension, Maugans Avenue and Mount Aetna Road. Discussion of projected expenditures to the CIP budget will take place over the next three Commissioners meetings. A public hearing on the proposed FY ’06 budgets will take place on May 3 rd, with final budget approval later that month.
CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION
Each week the Commissioners set aside time to hear from Citizens of Washington on matters of community interest.
Tom Lynch, Counsel for Westfield LLC asked for Commissioners’ assistance in obtaining a grading permit for Phase Three of that development off Sharpsburg Pike. Commissioners’ President Greg Snook said that the request wills be taken under advisement and a determination made at a later date.
OTHER BUSINESS
County Attorney Issues. County Attorney John Martirano brought an addendum to a lease agreement between the University of Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station and the County Commissioners relative to activities permitted at the Agricultural Education Center Park. The amendment adds uses and activities, and puts the permitted uses under the control of the Department of Buildings, Grounds and Parks (BG&P), the Ag Center Board and the Board of County Commissioners. BG&P Director Jim Sterling told the Board that dialog would be held with the University if proposed activities were seen as objectionable. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
County Administrator Comments: County Administrator Rod Shoop told the Board that the Employee Casual Day event for the month of January took in $351.00 for the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The mission of the Victory Junction Gang Camp is to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses by creating camping experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun, empowering, physically safe and medically sound. Victory Junction serves children ages 7-15 with a number of diseases and conditions including arthritis, asthma, burn survivors, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, gastrointestinal disease, heart disease, hemophilia, immunology deficiencies/HIV, kidney disease, liver disease, neurological disease, sickle cell disease, skin disease, and spina bifida.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner Dori Nipps gave condolences to the family of Claire Mumma, a member of the Commission for Women who passed away recently. Dedication for one of the most recent Habitat for Humanity houses was held last weekend in Boonsboro, Nipps said. The CSAFE strategic planning meeting was held last week, with reports on how that organization'ss funds are spent and the children who are benefited, Nipps reported.
Commissioner John Munson asked if the County property tax rate could be altered to offset increased state assessments. Information will be provided by staff on possibility of imposing assessment caps in Washington County. Commissioners' President Greg Snook reminded the Board that the property tax is lower than Frederick, Allegany and Garrett Counties.
Commissioner Bill Wivell reported on a recent finance committee meeting of the PenMar Development Corporation Board of Directors. The Economic Development Commission is looking to fill a membership vacancy. The EDC website has been updated, Wivell said, and the annual Celebration of Business is set for April 12 th. The Department of Water Quality Advisory Board discussed water issues at PenMar and issues involving sewer allocation and the sewer interconnector project. That Board also heard a report on a possible lease of the Conococheague Industrial Pretreatment Facility at it's meeting last week, Wivell said.
Commissioner Jim Kercheval commented on a discussion of renovation projects in Hagerstown's East End at the EDC meeting, and said that a Fast Track point program has been approved by that Commission. EDC will supply additional information on Washington County to the State of Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, Kercheval reported. The Maryland Association of Counties' (MACo) legislative committee's recent meeting heard from Governor Bob Ehrlich, who said there is a $700 million surplus in the FY '05 budget, and that the state will continue to focus on Community Colleges, and K-12 school construction. House Bill 1 would close a loophole in state corporate taxes and the revenue could be used for Program Open Space or School Construction, Ehrlich told that meeting. The tip jar bill proposed by Prince George's County has been strongly opposed by the Washington County Delegation, Kercheval said. The University System of Maryland will use a tag line, "Living and Learning in Washington County--the opportunity you've been waiting for," in its promotional advertisements, Kercheval said. The 2+2 committee heard about progress made in County/City talks on sewer allocations and the interconnector line, Kercheval said.
Commissioners' President Greg Snook reported on the property tax rate versus the constant yield, saying that Washington County's rate of .948 is not very much greater than the constant yield rate of .93. Snook asked for a timeline for a staff report on the sewer allocation policy. County Administrator Rod Shoop said a report will be scheduled at next week's Commissioners' meeting. The University System of Maryland will hold a celebration on April 22 nd, designed to raise funds for scholarships at the Hagerstown Center. The Town of Funkstown has issued public notices that it intends to ask for a sewer discharge permit of 200 thousand gallons per day. A letter from the Maryland Department of the Environment has announced that Mack Truck is modifying gas-fired boilers, and asked if a public meeting should be held on the issue. There was no positive response from the Board. A visit to Hagerstown Regional Airport last week disclosed that fuel sales are going well and that 750,000 gallons are expected to be pumped at HGR this year, Sook said.
REPORTS FROM COUNTY STAFF
Permits and Inspections Director Dan Divito reported on upgrades in that department, and on progress in securing an International Code Council (ICC) testing site for Washington County. ICC training and certifications are important for inspectors, to keep them up to speed on latest developments in the field. The only testing sites are in the Baltimore area. Last week, the County hosted a regional ICC conference at the USMH center, with 7 states represented. The County has received sub-chapter status from the Maryland Building Official Association, the state ICC organization. DiVito reported that establishment of a training and testing center in Washington County would give inspectors the opportunity to achieve certifications without having to travel, and that seed money may be forthcoming from organizations involved with the testing center. Progress reports will be made as the process moves ahead, DiVito said.
MACK TRUCKS PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT
Tim Troxell, Executive Director, Hagerstown -Washington Economic Development Commission (EDC) and EDC Project Coordinator Bob Mandley brought this item before the Board, to approve the preparation and release of a Request For Proposal (RFP) to Civil Engineering firms to obtain costs to perform development assessment for approximately 100 acres of Mack Trucks Property. Troxell told the Board that EDC, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) and Volvo/Mack Trucks, is interested in exploring the development potential of approximately 100 acres of property owned by Mack. The assessment would develop costs associated with site planning and site development, including traffic impact analysis, analysis of development opportunities and constraints, development/land use trends analysis, zoning regulation review, subdivision ordinance analysis, site plan application review for land use, traffic, and environmental impacts, and environmental and traffic-related permitting. EDC has discussed the potential development with members of Mack’s management team and the DBED and the parties believe that this property is prime for attracting vendors and suppliers that support Mack Trucks and possibly other manufacturing firms within Washington County. Cost for developing this assessment is estimated not to exceed $25,000. It is anticipated that the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and Washington County would share the cost, 70% DBED and 30% County. The County would be responsible for approximately $7500. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Proposed Tip Jar Regulations Amendment
Jim Hovis, Director of the Washington County Gaming Office recommended an amendment to the Tip Jar Regulations, which would prohibit the operation of tip jars on property owned, leased or operated by the Board of Education of Washington County, Maryland. Discussion took place on the need for eliminating "leased or operated" and the language was removed from the request. Hovis told the Board that the amendment would allow for cross-referencing of Gaming Commission regulations with those on the books at the Board of Education and the State. The regulation came to light after a recent incident in which tip jars were operated at a school in the County during a fund-raising event. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Emergency Services Hazard Pre-Mitigation Plan
Emergency Management Administrator Verna Brown brought this presentation to the Board for informational purposes only. The federal government requires the assessment of the vulnerable hazards for each political jurisdiction across America to qualify for federal disaster assistance. A component of the comprehensive vulnerability assessment is to evaluate the hazards that have the potential to impact Washington County and the various municipalities within the county. A grant was obtained from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to complete the Hazard Pre-Mitigation Plan. Consulting services were obtained to complete the project. The document will be available for public inspection and comment at the public libraries, Brown said. Once presented, the Department will wait a minimum of 30 days to bring the plan back before the Commissioners for formal adoption. Towns and municipalities in Washington County participated in the plan development and will adopt the plan prior to the Commissioners adoption later this spring. The County Administrator, Director of Emergency Services, Town/Municipal Officials in Washington County, Maryland Emergency Management Agency, and Federal Emergency Management Agency are in concurrence with the report. The Grant for those consulting services was $30,000, and the cost was $28,950.
FEE INCREASE REVIEW: SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROL PLANS
Elmer Weibley, District Manager Washington County Soil Conservation District (WCSCD) brought this request, for a fee increase for review of sediment and erosion control plans before the Board. WCSCD is seeking approval of the proposed fee increase to cover costs associated with plan review and approval. WCSCD provides review and approval of sediment and erosion control plans for all construction activities that disturb 5000 square feet of soil or more. WCSCD charges fees based on the amount of soil disturbance associated with each project. The fee increase is needed to allow WCSCD to meet obligations for staff salary and benefits and continue the current level of service to the development community. The Commissioners approved the last fee increase in 2001. Examples of the fee increases would have the Standard Plans for Forest Harvest Operations to increase from $50 to $75. The Standard Sediment and Erosion Control Plan fee would increase from $55 to $100.00. Site plan review fees would increase from $150 for the first acre or portion thereof, to $250 for that same size parcel. For additional information, citizens may contact the WCSCD at 301-797-6820. A measure, to adopt the fees and accept a resolution authorizing those increases was approved by unanimous vote. See attachment.
###
The Board attended a joint meeting with the Mayor and Council of Hagerstown to present the FY '05 Tax Set-off to the City. Nine municipalities will share about $1.2 million in funds from Washington County for the 2005 fiscal years. All of the municipalities received amounts similar to the 2004 distribution, due to cuts from the state. Tax setoffs reimburse municipalities for infrastructure costs like roads and parks and public safety costs for police services, based on population, the assessable tax base and taxable income. Hagerstown received $1,018,423.00, the largest amount of the nine towns. That total was about $9,000 more than its 2004 allocation.