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
October 3, 2006
PROCLAMATION: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. (L-R) Commissioner Nipps, Vicki Sadehvandi, Carol Bannon, Doug Mullendore
The Commissioners proclaimed October 2006 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Carol Bannon of the Washington County Family Violence Council (WCFVC), Vicky Sadevandhi of CASA and Sheriff's Department Colonel Doug Mullendore accepted the honor from Commissioner Dori Nipps. The WCFVC mission is to coordinate the community response to address the safety and well being of abused and neglected adults and children and to hold perpetrators accountable. CASA (Citizens Assisting and Sheltering the Abused, Inc.), a participating agency with the Family Violence Council, has provided comprehensive services to individuals experiencing family violence since 1977. WCFVC provided services to 3,433 individuals and responded to 24,354 hotline calls in Washington County from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. The Family Violence Council, in its endeavor to educate the community on family violence, documented 2,180 incidents of domestic violence in Washington County. These incidents were referred by local law enforcement agencie that also support the mission of the Family Violence Council. The proclamation said that Family Violence respects no racial, religious class or geographic boundaries and, has reached epidemic proportion in nearly all regions of our nation. The Commissioners urged all citizens to strive to recognize, understand and respond to the needs of family violence victims within our community.
PROCLAMATION: DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH
Peggy Martin,
Chair of the Washington County Disability Advisory Committee, accepted this
proclamation designating October 2006 as Disabilities Awareness Month in Washington
County from Commissioners' President Greg Snook. October is Disabilities Awareness
Month across the United States, a time when government and the private sector
take time to recognize the abilities of all people, regardless of physical or
mental limitations. In Washington County, the Disability Advisory Committee
(DAC) to the Board of County Commissioners works to keep the Board aware of
issues facing people with disabilities that need county support, and both physical
and attitudinal barriers that we can eliminate by working together. Over the
past several years, the DAC has taken a leading role in emergency management
training for people with disabilities, in concert with the Washington County
Department of Emergency Services. Washington County has representation on the
Governor's Transportation Consolidation Committee through the DAC and its work
with the Maryland Alliance of Disability Commissions. The County Commissioners
take this opportunity each year to reflect on the contributions people with
disabilities make to the community and to renew its pledge to eliminate barriers
to full accessibility in programs and activities sponsored by Washington County.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner
Jim Kercheval reported on presenting a proclamation designating National Business
and Professional Women's Week to the local BPW chapter last week. Kercheval
commended the Economic Development Commission for its Project Wormburner exercise
last week. Bob Gordon of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, Planning Director
Mike Thompson and Public Works Director Gary Rohrer were speakers at the Greater
Hagerstown Committee Transportation Summit meeting last week, The "Washington
County Basin Level Tributary Strategy Implementation Plan" meeting held
at the Water Quality Department by the Maryland Department of the Environment and
Maryland Department of Natural Resources discussed Total Maximum Daily Load
for sewerage treatment plants and said that Washington County is acting as a
role model for the entire state in its water and wastewater plans and operations.
Monday evening's Planning Commission meeting discussed the Emerald Pointe project
and approved a design change for that subdivision, Kercheval reported.
Commissioner
Dori Nipps commented on the opening of the Neuroscience and Surgery Center last
week. A meeting of the Community Action Council Board discussed the possibility
of reduction in federal funding for programs, and considered alternate budget
options, Nipps said.
Commissioner
John Munson reported on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) meeting last
week, which heard that landfill revenue for the month of August 2006 was 7.3%
below budget projections, and that total waste stream tonnage was down as well.
The reason for this decline is that Waste Management, Inc. recently began hauling
its commercial waste loads to a company-owned landfill in Pennsylvania, Munson
said. The SWAC rejected a request to consolidate with other environmentally-oriented
advisory boards, due to its ongoing work planning for the possibility of County-wide
trash pickup. Users of the Landfill whose primary hauling vehicle is down for
repairs may use a non-permitted vehicle must be used temporarily provided the
operator can show the original receipt for the permit as proof of registration,
Munson reported.
Commissioners'
President Greg Snook told the Board that there will be a Veterans' Day memorial
event on November 11th at Rocky Gap State Park. The Chamber of Commerce Board
meeting last week focused on recruiting new members to the C of C. Realtor Magazine
reports that May-June new housing sales for Washington County were down. Average
new home prices were up $10,000 from one year ago. Residential home sales
had a 3,000 unit drop statewide for the May-June period compared to the same
period in 2005, Snook said.
ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ORDINANCE EXEMPTION REQUEST
Department
of Planning and Community Development Director Michael Thompson and Howard Porter
of Interfaith Housing presented a request to the board for an exemption
from the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) requirements for a single-family
development of ten homes in Cascade. The applicant asked that the Commissioners
permit the project to proceed under the mitigation section of the ordinance
with the stipulation that no more than five permits can be issued within a calendar
year. The ordinance allows the Board to approve a mitigation plan for projects
that do not meet those requirements encouraging certain types of development
that offer advantages to the community, like affordable or workforce housing.
The preliminary plat for Vaughn Heights at Cascade was granted approval by the
Planning Commission on September 11th, 2006 for ten single-family lots. The
development is specifically designed for affordable and workforce housing. Interfaith
Housing has been in contact with the Board of Education (BOE) and has been advised
that there is a capacity issue at the high school level and therefore, without
some action by the Board the project cannot move forward. According to
information from the Board of Education staff, based on the adopted pupil generation
rates, a development of this size would generate 2.2 high school students. In
lieu of the exemption, a phasing plan could be approved as a mitigation plan.
Staff suggested a phasing schedule for issuance of building permits for no more
than five units within a calendar year.. The applicant has stated that no one
will move in until the last home is completed and the phasing proposed would allow
for permits for five of the units to be issued before the end of 2006 and the
remaining five units in early 2007, which would then allow the construction
of all ten units together. Due to the project's affordable housing focus, federal
funding and non-profit status of the developer, as well as Cascade Elementary
School being rated below state capacity, a measure to support the mitigation
proposal was approved by a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Wivell voting "no".
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.
Tony Dahbura
and Merle Elliott of the Hagerstown Community College Board of Trustees reported
that planned renovations to the Career Programs Building at HCC may cost
$2.36 million more than the allocated budget. Negotiations with bidders
are taking place in an attempt to lower the total cost. The information was
presented as a "heads-up" for the Commissioners, who could be asked
for additional funding for the project.
Realtor Preston
Faulk and residents of an area near Division Avenue, between Jefferson Boulevard
and Interval Road, requested the Commissioners convey a quitclaim deed to
a small parcel of abandoned roadbed. Commissioners' President Snook said County
Staff is conducting a Title search on the plot and no further action will
be taken until results of that search is known.
Harry Powers
and Mike Norris of the Roberts Road area requested information pertaining
to County maintenance of that road. Staff is researching ownership of the road,
Commissioner Snook said, and the County plans no change in activity at this
time.
CONTRACT AWARD: ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
FOR ENHANCED NUTRIENT REMOVAL
County Purchasing
Agent Karen Luther and Department of Water Quality Director Greg Murray brought
this request to the Board, to award the contract for Enhanced Nutrient Removal
(ENR) at Washington County’s Wastewater Treatment Plants to Buchart-Horn,
Inc. of York, PA, with the lowest Total Lump Sum Fee of $3,638,300.00. The
contract provides engineering and construction project management services for
the upgrades to the Conococheague Wastewater Treatment Plant (WwTP), Smithsburg
WwTP, Winebrenner WwTP, and Antietam WwTP necessary to achieve ENR as required
by the State of Maryland and facilitate local initiatives. The listed
facilities will be upgraded to comply with State ENR directives as well as capacity
issues and local initiatives such as bubble concepts, trading and overall utility
management. The premise driving a utility wide upgrade initiative is that through
interaction with State regulatory agencies it has been determined that the aforementioned
concepts are currently available to maximize flexibility in utility operations
to facilitate planned growth initiatives necessary to support the County’s
Comprehensive Plan. While all construction is not fully grant funded,
it is anticipated that a majority of funding for the three facilities considered
major plants (more than 500,000 gallons per day) will be available on completion
of design through ENR and/or BNR initiatives. Final local funding will
then be programmed based on construction schedules driven by cash flow analysis. The
construction management component of the RFP will only be paid to the consultant
when and if actual construction of each facility occurs. Murray told the Board
that Water Quality has been working closely with MDE on the projects, and that
funding would be available from the state. The measure was approved by unanimous
vote.
CONTRACT AWARD: HEATING FUEL
Purchasing
Agent Karen Luther and Buildings, Grounds and Parks Director Jim Sterling brought
this request, to award the County's contract for #2 heating fuel oil to
the lowest, responsive, responsible bidders, A C & T Company of Hagerstown at
a Bidder Factor of +$.1494 per Tank Wagon load, up from +$.1424 in FY
2006, and Petroleum Traders, Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana at a Bidder Factor
of +$.0439 per Transport Tanker load, up from +$.0455 in FY '06 contingent
upon Board of Education contract award approval at its meeting today. The "Bidder" Factor
is the value added to the average price of #2 heating oil as published in the
Oil Price Information Service. The Board of Education's Purchasing Department
indicated that the Board of Education would award the contract for tank wagon
loads to A. C. & T. Inc. and the contract for transport loads to Petroleum
Traders, Inc.at its meeting later in the day. The measures were approved by
unanimous vote.
FREDERICK AREA COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT FOR ELECTRICITY
Purchasing
Agent Karen Luther and Buildings, Grounds and Parks Director Jim Sterling also
requested approval to enter into the Frederick Area Cooperative Purchasing Agreement
(FACPA) for Electricity as a participating organization and to appoint a Primary
Representative and a Secondary (Alternate) Representative to act on behalf of
the Board to enter into a contract for electricity supply services. The (FACPA) establishes
a committee of organizations who have agreed to join and adhere to a standard
set of procedures for procurement of electricity. The Agreement would allow
one organization to issue solicitations for electricity, and represent the needs
of all participating organizations. Each participant would then make its
own individual award to the successful bidder or offerer. There would
be lower administrative costs by participating organizations, avoiding
duplication of effort, obtaining better prices through economies of scale, allowing
for the exchange of information and expertise, and providing a forum to evaluate
the quality of electricity service. The County’s incorporated towns, the
City ofg Hagerstown and numerous agencies were surveyed as to participation
in the bid coop. Only the Towns of Boonsboro, Smithsburg and Funkstown
contacted the Purchasing Agent. They have taken a “wait and see” approach
but may wish to participate at a later date. The Humane Society, the Health
Department and the Washington County Public Schools Board want to participate
and have granted authority to the County to act on their behalf regarding the
bid award. The recommendation included payment of a consultant fee to CQI Associates
of Columbia, Maryland in the amount of $1,250.00 from unused Purchasing Department
salary money. Sterling was appointed as Primary Representative and Luther as
Secondary Representative to that co-op. The measure was approved by unanimous
vote.
PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM UPDATE
Gary W. Rohrer,
Director of Public Works brought this informational presentation to the
Board. Following approval by the Board of County Commissioners on June 13, 2006
to accept a proposal from Motorola for $19,348,225, the contract was formally
executed on June 26th, 2006 for the approved amount. Rohrer issued a Notice
to Proceed (NTP) for July 7th, 2006 that included a condition of a mutually
agreed upon schedule following the completion of Contract Design Review (CDR). Also
in the terms of the contract, was a payment of $2,939,801.40 upon execution
of the contract. Full responsibility for implementation has been assigned
to the Deputy Director of Public Works. To date, County staff and the
consultant Dave McCobin of LRK have met with the vendor in two CDR meetings,
each lasting a full day. Eight more meetings are scheduled for October
and a final meeting for November 1st. When the CDR stage is complete,
the County will remit another payment of $1,469,900.70 under the terms of the
contract. A full report will be made to the Commissioners when the CDR phase
is complete. Timeline for implementation of the new communications system is
Summer 2008 for Law Enforcement, with Fire and Rescue going online a short time
later, Rohrer said.
OTHER BUSINESS
County Attorney
Issues: County Attorney John Martirano announced that new Assistant County Attorney
Andy Wilkinson has begun work with the Legal Department.
Appointments
to Boards and Commissions: County Clerk Joni Bittner requested approval the
appointments of Mindy Sorenson, Erin Teach, and Anne Martin to the Local
Management Board as Community Representatives. The measures were approved
by unanimous vote.
A letter
from the Governor's Office announced appointment of John Martin to the State
Property Assessment Appeals Board and of Fred Kramer as Alternate Representative
to that body, Bittner said.
Staff Comments:
Human Resources Director Dave Hankinson requested permission to advertise a
Motor Equipment Operator II position at Highways-Central, and an Office Associate
position in the Gaming Office. The measures were approved by unanimous vote.