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.
COMMISSIONERS REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner
Jim Kercheval reported on last week's Economic Development Commission meeting.
FY '07 Budgetary matters were discussed, and a draft of a new Target Market
Study was presented. The Wet lab study is progressing at Hagerstown Community
College. Preliminary results are favorable towards the need for these science
labs at the College. Kercheval met with a citizen in regards to a Planning
Commission and BZA decision recently overturned by a Court action. Use of land
off Roberts Road as a simplified plat was at issue. The Mental Health Advisory
Committee has commented favorably on the Mental Health Authority's Service
Plan for fiscal year 2007. The MHAC report to the state Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene on that plan each year, as part of its oversight duties,
Kercheval reported..
Commissioner
Dori Nipps commented on making a 2-hour presentation on leadership to a class
at Hagerstown Community College, along with HCC President Guy Altieri. That
class is made up of local High School students as well as students from the
College.
Commissioners'
President Greg Snook told the Board that the Maryland Municipal League will
meet on January 23rd at the Funkstown American Legion Hall at 7:00 p.m. A League
of Women Voters' forum is set for February 8th and will discuss the Public
role of Municipal and County Governments. That meeting is set for the Village
at Robinwood on the 8th at 7:00 p.m., and all municipal Mayors have been invited.
Frederick County has increased the budget to its Community College and to High
Schools for science labs. Some $4.8 million has been allocated to that project,
Snook said. New figures on residential home sales have been released for September
and October. Washington County had 197 homes sold in the month of September
at an average cost (AC) of $268,000.00. Frederick County had 433 home sales
at an AC of $385,000. The State average was $341,000 for the period. In October
the County had 200 sales, at an AC of $259,000. Talbot remains as the
County with the highest average home cost, at $680,000, while Allegany County
is lowest at $97,000.00, Snook said.
REPORTS FROM COUNTY STAFF
Public Works
Director Gary Rohrer told the Board that the Maryland Department of the Environment
has issued its review of the Resh Landfill Capping project. Public Works and
the consultant's staffs will meet on Friday to discuss the report with MDE.
The monthly meetings with the State Highway Administration team regarding
the Dual Highway and Edgewood Drive intersection are going well, Rohrer said.
A new approach to the project has significantly reduced the right of
way needed as well as projected costs for that project, Rohrer said.
Public Works Deputy Director Joe Kroboth made a presentation to the statewide
Interoperability Executive Committee requesting $69,000 for County projects,
and was awarded $83,000. The School Design Review Committee looked at plans
at the 50% stage for Maugansville Elementary last week, and will take a final
look at the North High stadium plans today, Rohrer reported.
Emergency
Services Division Director John Latimer brought the Board up to date on last
week's Anthrax emergency. All participating agencies cooperated well, Latimer
said. Those agencies included City of Hagerstown Police, and the FBI as well
as County agencies. The incident remains under investigation, Latimer said..
The Special Operations Team conducted preliminary air test results, which were
delivered to state laboratories for final testing. No threat was shown in those
tests and field test results, available within 30 minutes of the testing, also
indicated no threat. Washington County has used grants from Homeland Security
and private sources to procure that testing equipment, Latimer said. An update
on emergency plans for building evacuation wills be made at the next quarterly
staff meeting County Administrator Rod Shoop commended Latimer for taking charge
of the situation on that day.
EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SERVICES GRANT/HOMELESS PREVENTION GRANT
David Jordan,
Executive Director of Washington County Community Action Council (CAC) and
Sherry Neil, Director of Case Management Services requested the Commissioners'
approval to apply for the Emergency and Transitional Housing & Services
(ETHS) Grant and the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) Grant for Fiscal
Years 2007-2009 to the Maryland Department of Human Resources' Office of Transitional
Services on behalf of 4 sub-recipient agencies. The ETHS program provides funds
for shelter maintenance and operation and support services for guests of area
shelters. In addition, it provides subsidies for rental and mortgage assistance.
Recipients of this funding are Community Action Council, CASA, the Salvation
Army and St. John’s Shelter. ETHS funding for FY '07 would be $127,221.
The Homelessness Prevention Program assists families experiencing housing crises
and provides services that may include but are not limited to: case management;
counseling to identify households at risk of becoming homeless; training on
budgeting and other life skills; education as to tenant rights and responsibilities;
landlord/tenant mediation; and cash grants to prevent homelessness. CAC is
the only recipient of these funds. FY '07 funding would
amount to $39,600 with the total for the two programs being $166,821.00.
The total amount awarded for the three-year period covering FY 2007-2009
would be $500,463.00. The measure was approved by unanimous vote. In addition,
Jordan reported on Project Heat-up, helping low-income families with heating
costs. That project increases the number of families that may be eligible
for assistance, and persons in need should get in touch with CAC for more
information.
SEWER CONNECTION FEE PLAN: YOGI BEAR'S JELLYSTONE
Tim Troxell,
Executive Director of the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development
Commission and EDC Project Coordinator Bob Mandley brought the issue of establishing
a 5-Year payment plan for sewer connection fees and benefit charges for Yogi
Bear's Jellystone Campground, Inc.before the Board. During the planning stage
for a campground expansion that includes a water park, discussions were held
with the Department of Water Quality (DWQ) on connecting to the County’s
sewer system. A new pump station and force main would be required due
to topography in the area. Jellystone, working with Associated Engineering
Sciences, Inc. (AESI), began the design work for the pump station and related
piping to support the expansion project. During the design process, Rehoboth
United Methodist Church petitioned the Commissioners to allow their future
property development the ability to connect to the County’s sewer system. That
request was approved by the BOCC on August 9th, 2005. That decision affected
design of the pump station and force main because the original design supported
only Jellystone. DWQ worked closely with Jellystone and AESI in the redesign
of the pump station and force main to support the Rehoboth decision. The redesign
costs and added upgrades to the pump station had a significant financial impact
on the project. Costs to construct the pump station and force main, to DWQ’s
specifications are approximately $897,000, including a $132,600 sewer connection
and benefit charge. Plans have been reviewed and approved by DWQ and
forwarded to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for its approval. Jellystone
is prepared to move ahead with expansion and would absorb the additional construction
costs associated with the pump station and force main, and requested the payment
plan with zero interest. DWQ would take responsibility for operation and maintenance
of the pump station once construction is complete. The Budget and Finance Department
has suggested that the project could be funded using the Economic Development –Promotions
account and unused capital outlay funds. The County would lose 4% interest
on the funds over the period. Tourism taxes would increase by $20,000 per year
with the expansion. Commissioners' President Greg Snook said a policy for such
payment plans should be developed and that 5 years is too long for such a repayment
period. Commissioner John Munson made a motion that the County accept the payment
plan, for a three-year period, and factor interest costs into the payments.
The motion died due to lack of a second. Commissioner Snook said a decision
would be postponed pending discussion with the Department of Water Quality
on development of a policy to deal with such plans.
REQUEST FOR EXCISE TAX EXEMPTION/REDUCTION: LANDMARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY
Economic
Development Director Troxell also requested exemption
or reduction of Excise Taxes associated with proposed Expansion/Relocation
of Landmark Equipment. Currently located on Maugans Avenue, Landmark Equipment
is considering an expansion/relocation of their business into a new multi-building
facility to be constructed on Route 58 just west of the Centre of Hagerstown
shopping area. The new location could also include additional construction
of “for lease” buildings. The company has submitted a site
plan for this project but has not yet applied for a building permit. Business
owner Dave Quirple is reconsidering the feasibility of the project because
of the additional $148,650 in project costs associated with the Excise
Tax. As an existing business dealing in Agricultural Machinery,
the company would like the Commissioners to consider an exemption or reduction
in the Excise Tax, based in part on agricultural zoning of the land, and
wording in the excise tax ordinance that would allow such breaks for agribusinesses.
Commissioners' President Greg Snook told Quirple that the Board would confer
with Planning and Zoning staff for an interpretation of the ordinance,
and give the company its decision as soon as possible.
NEWGATE INDUSTRIAL PARK INTERCEPTOR SEWER CHANGE ORDER: FIBER OPTIC CONDUITS'
Public Works
Deputy Director Joe Kroboth and Information Technologies Director Ron Whitt
brought this request to the Board, to approve a change order and transfer of
funds in the amount of $62,707.13 for the construction of fiber optic conduits
within the sewer project. Gabe’s Services, Inc. is the contractor, and
the work would entail the construction of two 4-inch conduits from the vicinity
of the Sheriff’s Office on Western Maryland Parkway to Hopewell Road
along the proposed sanitary sewer route. This is a portion of an overall
route for extending fiber optics from the Sheriff’s Office to Elliott
Parkway, proposed as a CIP project in FY ’07 & ‘08. This
fiber link would be used to provide connectivity to the Elliott Parkway facility
for normal business operations, security monitoring by Water Quality, Emergency
Services and access to other government facilities, including the statewide
fiber optic network. The opportunity exists to capture a significant
cost savings by advancing the planned construction from the east side of I-81
near the Sheriff’s Office to Hopewell Road along the path of the Newgate
Industrial Park Interceptor in the same trench. Kroboth said that the
most cost effective routing for this link coincides with the Newgate Interceptor
project, and requested permission to complete this portion of the work to reduce
the overall cost of the project. Funding is available in the CIP Technology
Development & Upgrade account to cover the costs, or the Commissioners
could forward-fund the future CIP project proposed for this work. If not approved
the opportunity to install the conduits concurrently with the sanitary sewer
line construction would pass, increasing the overall project costs an estimated
$33,000 to a total estimated cost of $127,700. The funds would come from the
Technology Development and Upgrade line item in the Capital Improvement Projects
budget. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
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.
OTHER BUSINESS
County Administrator's
Comments: County Administrator Rod Shoop reminded the Board that the budget
process is beginning and will last through April. That budget will be taken
to Public Hearing on April 18th.
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JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT SALEM AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The Board
toured the recently completed renovations at Salem Avenue, and heard reports
on SAT Test scores, Advanced Placement results and the GASB 45 financial Compliance
Plan.
TAX SETOFF MEETING: SMITHSBURG