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.
Review of Actions Taken in the Washington County
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
July 11, 2006
Due to Elevator Maintenance at the Administration Building, the meeting was held in the County Administration Annex, at 80 West Baltimore Street, in Hagerstown.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner Bill Wivell discussed the recent meeting of the PenMar Development Corporation. Adoption of the budget for the coming Fiscal Year, insurance coverage and the recent fireworks display were on that group's agenda. The PMDC Board thanked residents of the Cascade area for their participation in the fireworks event, Wivell said. The Commissioner also presented a certificate of appreciation to Bonnie Parks, an outgoing member of the Water Quality Advisory Commission, at that board's most recent meeting. The City of Hagerstown Fire Police requested donation of a used Sheriff's patrol cruiser. The Commissioners donated 3 such vehicles to Citizens Patrol several months ago, and reached consensus to donate a vehicle to Fire Police, providing the Sheriff has a vehicle available.
Commissioner Jim Kercheval reported on a recent meeting of a Downtown Summit group working to support revitalization in Hagerstown. Objectives for the coming year were discussed. Kercheval attended a meeting with the city to discuss proposed alignments of an Eastern Boulevard/Marsh Pike connection last week. As a result of that discussion the need to get final design of the intersection of Marsh Pike/Eastern and Leitersburg Pike was pointed out as it's a critical tangent point for the alignment of the rest of the road. The Planning Commission, at its July meeting, recommended denial of a rezoning off Sharpsburg Pike near the Saint James area, and recommended approval of a rezoning request for a parcel of land in the North Pointe area. The City's proposed annexation of land, involving a townhouse development off Eastern Boulevard, was a cause for concern regarding a development's connection point with that road. The Commission also discussed the need for policies governing school capacity allocation issues and the prioritization of new subdivisions for that capacity. Monitoring of wells to assess the County water supply was also discussed. Kercheval also made a presentation to the Retired Teachers Association on the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and school capacity last week.
Commissioner John Munson reported on the recent meeting of the Agricultural Education Center Board, and some proposed developments at that park facility off Sharpsburg Pike. County Buildings Grounds and Parks Director Jim Sterling told the Board that the Ag Board discussed the possibility of allowing Gaming activities to occur at events held at the Park, which would be a change in Parks regulations. Commissioner Dori Nipps stated that the Recreation and Parks Board had said the Center should become self-supporting. Gaming Commission funds are being given to the Ag Center for capital development. The Commissioners reached consensus to allow the gaming activities to take place, unless restrictions were noted in the County's lease agreement with the State of Maryland. The park site is on land owned by the University of Maryland. Sterling told the Board that requests have also been received from fire companies to hold a "Bonanza" event at the Ag Center, similar to the one held recently at a local race track. That event paid the raceway $30,000.00, Sterling said. Use of alcohol is prohibited on park property at the current time, and Sterling said that further discussions on that issue would be needed.
Commissioner Dori Nipps reported on the recent meeting of the Community Action Council. CAC employee Kathy Saxman has taken a position with the Local Management Board, Nipps said.
Commissioners' President Greg Snook introduced Bob Gordon to the Board. Gordon is the new Coordinator of the Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization, which encompasses Washington County, Berkley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia and a portion of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He will have offices in the Washington County Planning Department and in the Region 9 office in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The MPO is funding the position primarily with federal and state money as the organization deals with federal and state transportation issues and regulations. The increase in regulations and specifically those dealing with air quality has caused the need for the MPO to appoint a full-time coordinator. A letter from the State has announced a request from the H.B. Mellott Quarry to expand by 70 acres. A state Public Hearing on the matter will be held on July 27th at 7:00 p.m. at the Four Points Hotel, Snook reported. Economic Development Commission employee Sonja Hoover has been recommended to represent the County on the Tri-County Council's Revolving Loan Fund Committee. Meetings in Annapolis last week with the Maryland Association of Counties (MACO) discussed House Bill 1141, which will add restrictions to annexation regulations for municipalities. Early Voting costs will be passed to the Counties by the state, Snook reported, including costs for a central registration system, to allow citizens to cast votes at any precinct in Maryland. School Maintenance of Effort funding could also see changes over the next year that could prove costly for Counties. Payment of Jury Management and Court expenses may change, adding further financial burden to local jurisdictions. The way in which Medical Examiners' fees and transportation of bodies to Baltimore for autopsies are funded could also change. The County pays a portion of M.E. and Investigators' fees, and an increase has been requested, from $75 per hour to $80 per hour. The fees have not been raised since the mid-80's. The County currently pays between $6,000 and $7,000 per year for the services, and hourly increases would mean about $1,000 in additional expense. Further discussion will take place on that issue, Snook said.
RZ-06-010: TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE
Assistant County Attorney Kirk Downey and Planning Director Mike Thompson brought this case to the Board for discussion and action. In Monday evening's Planning Commission meeting, a recommendation to modify certain wording in the Ordinance was approved. Thompson told the Board that Planning and Community Development had noticed that changes should be made to the Ordinance for clarification purposes, due to earlier changes in the Ordinance that were made during the Rural Zoning Update. Specifically, a new definition was provided for a hospital which replaced the previous definitions for Class A and Class B hospitals. In conformance with the revised definition of hospital, references to Class A and B hospitals were not incorporated into the updated Rural Rezoning sections of the Ordinance, but class references remained in other sections of the Ordinance that were not revised. The proposed amendments do not affect where a hospital could be located in Washington County, and the purpose for the amendments was to eliminate references to a Class A/Class B distinction that no longer exist in the ordinance, Thompson said. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
CONTRACT AWARD: HALFWAY AREA SEWER REHABILITATION PROJECT
Buyer Rick Curry and Mark Bradshaw, Facilities Engineer in the Department of Water Quality brought this request before the Board. The recommendation was to award the contract for the Halfway Area Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project to the responsive, responsible, bidder with the lowest bid, Am-Liner East, Inc. of Sterling, Virginia in the amount of $931,345.20, contingent on Maryland Department of the Environment approval and a Budget Transfer in the amount of $500,00.00. The project consists of furnishing and installing 14,120 Linear Feet of "cure in place" liner for 8-inch diameter sewer pipe, 1,109 Linear Feet of "cure in place" liner for 10" diameter sewer pipe and 416 Linear Feet of "cure in place" liner for 12” diameter sewer pipe. The contractor would furnish and install 352 lateral "Top Hat" connections: The contract provides for repair or replacement of 8” and 10” diameter sewer pipe at a linear unit price. The budget transfer would allow for additional area to be included in the contract. The project is an upgrade to the sewer system installed in that area in the Mid 1960's. The company will use advanced robotics to install the replacement piping. Department of Water Quality Director Greg Murray said that the project will help to eliminate inflow and influx of stormwater in the sewer system, resulting in 600-700 thousand gallons per day reduction in the amount of flow treated at the Conococheague Wastewater Plant. Murray estimated cost for treatment of the stormwater at $250,000 per year. A like amount of sewer capacity would be freed for new development as well. The recovered capacity could provide up to 3,000 homes with sewer service. $220,000 of the amount in the budget transfer has come to the County from the State's Save the Bay Fund, Murray said. The measures were approved by unanimous vote.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PURCHASE: ASPHALT PAVER
Buyer Rick Curry and Highways Fleet Manager Jack Reynard brought this request before the Board. The recommendation was for an Intergovernmental Cooperative Purchase via Piggybacking with the City of Frederick, Maryland's contract for a Self-Propelled Asphalt Paver. Valley Supply & Equipment Company of Hagerstown would supply the Asphalt Paver for $70,000.00 dollars. The Code of Public Laws provides that the Board of County Commissioners may procure goods and services through a contract entered into by another governmental entity, in accordance with the terms of the contract, regardless of whether the County was a part to the original contract. The government of the City of Frederick, Maryland solicited the agreement. The County would benefit from direct cost savings in the purchase of this equipment because of economies of scale the contract has leveraged. Additionally, the County would realize savings through administrative efficiencies as a result of not preparing, soliciting and evaluating a bid. Reynard told the Board that 5-9 foot paving would be possible using the vehicle, allowing the County to do more than patching at the edge of roadways using the existing equipment. The County has 4 vehicles of this type in its fleet at this time, and two of those would be sold following purchase of the new unit. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
Each week the Board of County Commissioners sets aside time to hear from citizens of Washington County on matters of importance to the community.
No one appeared to make comment on this day.
OTHER BUSINESS
Staff Comments: Department of Water Quality Director Greg Murray told the Board that the recent 9-inch rainfall only caused minor incidents for the County sewer system. The new sewer flow transfer line between the County and City took care of 500,000 gallons of overflow from the Hagerstown Water Department during the rain event. That sewer line will be formally dedicated next week.
Human Resources Director Dave Hankinson requested approval to fill an Accounting Supervisor position in Budget and Finance, and three positions in the Highways Department. Two Motor Equipment Operator I positions and one MEO II position are vacant. The measures were approved by unanimous vote.
Fire and Emergency Services Director John Latimer asked for approval of a request by the Boonsboro Ambulance Service for $78,000 in Fire and Rescue revolving loan funds at 3% interest over 5 years, The funds would be used to purchase a new Ambulance for that company. The measure was approved by unanimous vote. Latimer also reported on the Division's participation in rescue of a Washington County teenager last week from a cave located on the C&O canal towpath near Downsville.
Budget and Finance Director Debra Bastian told the Board that final delinquent Bay Fund fee notices will be sent to between 700 and 800 property accounts in the County, many of them State and Federal holdings. Some property owners did not receive a tax refund check as the result of a timing difference between state and county operations, Bastian said, Those checks, to less that 200 of the County's 36,000 property owners, will be issued in August.
TOUR AND PRESENTATION AT COMMUNITY FREE CLINIC
The Commissioners toured the Community Free Clinic (CFC) at 249 Mill Street and heard a presentation by Executive Director Robin Roberson, Board of Directors member Michael Stanford, and Julie Caniford, President of the CFC Board of Directors.
CFC requested to be placed on the agenda to discuss potential funding for the Clinic.
Community Free Clinic is a 501.c3 non-profit organization that, since 1990, has provided free medical care, prescription medication and laboratory services to uninsured residents of Washington County, Maryland. An increased demand for Clinic services placed a burden on the Clinic’s operating budget. CFC experienced a 49% growth in the number of patients from 2004 to 2005. From January through April, 2006 the Clinic experienced an additional 6.5% growth in the number of patients going to the Clinic for care. Clinic representatives told the Board that CFC cannot continue to operate at that level of demand without additional funding. The current operating budget for fiscal year 2006-2007 is at a deficit of $130,000, with the Clinic discontinuing acceptance of new patients as of July 1st. The group said that CFC staff and its Board of Directors is actively seeking the necessary funding to meet budgetary needs. Until those needs are met CFC will not be accepting new patients, the group said.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROPOSAL: TEEN PREGNANCY FUNDS
Earl Stoner of the Washington County Health Department and Maureen Grove, Chairperson for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force brought this request to the Board. The recommendation is that the County Commissioners support a proposal for $134,097 in funds for a Full Time Nurse Practitioner, Media Ads, Equipment and Supplies and Medications as requested in the Washington County Health Department (WCHD) budget for Fiscal Year 2007. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force officially supports the provision of additional funds to the Health Department to improve prevention efforts in the County. A special meeting of the Task Force was held on June 29th, to view a presentation by the WCHD explaining utilization of the County funds, which were set aside for use in teen pregnancy prevention. The Commissioners had asked that the Task Force be available to provide guidance on funding from the county for the prevention effort. At that meeting, the Task Force voted unanimously to support the WCHD and report that support to the County Commissioners. The Task Force says that the Health Department proposal directly supports recommendations of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Needs Assessment as reported in September 2005.. The measure was approved on a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Bill Wivell voting "no".
WASHINGTON COUNTY FINE ARTS MUSEUM PRESENTATION
Joseph Ruzicka, Director of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA) brought a request for funding for a one-time publication titled "Our Fondest Dreams and Hopes", commemorating the Museum’s 75th anniversary of service to the community, to the Board . Total cost of the publication would be $21,300. Ruzicka asked that the County fund costs of the catalogue accompanying the commemorative exhibition. A publication commemorating the 75th anniversary would allow the Museum to demonstrate to future donors the ongoing impact that the institution has on the quality of life in the area Ruzicka said. A pledge has been made by a local firm to print the catalogue at cost, and funding from Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Schreiber of Hagerstown to underwrite the costs of the exhibition has been secured. Commissioner Wivell made a motion to approve the publication's cost from the Commissioners' Contingency Fund. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
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NOTICE: The July 18th meeting of the County Commissioners will be held at the Department of Water Quality building at 16232 Elliott Parkway, in the Public Meeting Room. Elliott Parkway serves the I-70/81 Industrial Park off Maryland Route 63, Greencastle Pike, between Williamsport and Huyett's Crossroad. A map of that location and picture of the Water Quality Building can be seen on the County Website at www.washco-md.net/water_sewer/index.shtm.