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
February 20, 2007
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner
Kristin Aleshire reported on a draft of the City of Hagerstown Comprehensive
Plan and asked if the County wanted to make comment. Planning Department staff
will respond. A letter inviting nominations for the Governor's Volunteer Service
Awards was received. County Administrator Rod Shoop explained that the Convention
and Visitors' Bureau handles those nominations.
Commissioner Bill
Wivell commented on attending the Smithsburg Volunteer Fire Company annual
awards banquet. Wivell applauded the Company for donating a used piece of fire-fighting
apparatus to a company in Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Commissioner
Jim Kercheval reported on the Smithsburg Volunteer Fire Company's 75th anniversary
event. The company has issued a book commemorating its history. Nearly 1500
hours of training for volunteer and paid staff were accomplished in 2006, and
the company answered 430 calls for assistance. This week's Planning Commission
workshop discussed the need for standardization of policies for driveways in
new subdivisions to handle concerns for Fire and Rescue access. Steep driveways
and switchbacks not meeting turn radius requirements will put the homes at risk.
Policy changes were also discussed in regards to rural Villages and the requirements
for a re-zoning application at that planning session, Kercheval said. Review
of those policies will continue and the Commissioners will be briefed at a later
date.
Commissioner
Terry Baker commented on representing the Commissioners at the Indoor Soccer
League Championships at the Athletic, Recreation and Community Center at Hagerstown
Community College last week.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES
Human Resources
Coordinators Debbie Peyton and Cindy Mowen brought one new employee to the Board
for introductions. Heather Snyder was recently employed as a Senior Office
Associate in the State’s Attorney's Office.
HUMAN SERVICE COORDINATION GRANT UPDATE
Members of
the Human Service Transportation Coordination subcommittee of the Washington
County Disabilities Advisory Committee brought this report and request before
the Board. On October 17, 2006, the County Commissioners approved
recommendations, to accept the first year of the Transportation Coordination
Grant from the Maryland Transportation Administration. There are many vehicles
owned by non-profit agencies currently in use in Washington County, which can
be better utilized in transportation of human service clients to jobs, medical
appointments and other destinations. The committee's request is to approve the
application for the second year of a grant of $40,000 that will fund the development
of a plan to coordinate and consolidate aspects of human service transportation.
The Health Department is the current lead agency in the procurement of the funding
and is acting as the chief fiscal agent. The grant is a 100%/90%/75% for the
three years, with match being supplied locally. The Health Department would
include $4,450 in its operating budget for FY '08 to provide the matching 10%
for year 2. History of the need, an update on the current grant and the need
for continuance were presented. The Health Department would continue as the
lead agency for another year with work done during FY 08 directly geared to
establishing a lead elsewhere, ideally a private non-profit organization. In
addition, MTA has mandated regional transportation coordination plans for Maryland.
The grant will satisfy that mandate for Washington County. Commission on Aging,
the Department of Social Services, the Mental Health Authority, and
many other agencies stand to benefit from this effort through lower transportation
budgets. The Western Maryland Coordinated Transportation Planning Forum will
be held March 14th from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Hagerstown Community College.
The request, for support for year two of the grant, was approved by unanimous
vote.
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUDGET PRESENTATION
Washington
County Sheriff Doug Mullendore and Colonel Randy Wilkinson presented that
Department's proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2008 to the Board. Mullendore
said the Judicial Division is seeking just over $1.9 million for its operations
at Circuit Court. The increase is 37.9% or $525,970 over FY '07, would include
funding for a secure prisoner entrance to be located between the Courthouse
Annex and the McClure Piano Building, and electronic surveillance for holding
cells at Circuit Court. Major items included in the increase include wage
and salary step increases and Cost of Living allowances for uniformed personnel
and Capital outlay for land and improvements related to security. The Process
Server budget decreased by 23.2% from FY '07 to $120,740.00. Mullendore
said that the Narcotics Task Force proposed budget of $472,880.00 is an overall
change of 5.2% over FY 2007. The Detention Center's budget is proposed at
$9.77 million, up about 7% from last year. Wilkinson told the Board that the
proposed budget for the Patrol Division is $8.05 million, which includes $318,000
for 12 new cruisers. That figure represents an overall increase of 15.9% or
$1.1 million from FY '07 . Major impact on that budget is wage and salary
for uniformed officers, Wilkinson said. The total operating budget for the
Sheriff's Office is approximately $20.3 million. All budgets will be reviewed
on a line-item basis prior to the public hearing in May.
ENERGY AWARENESS WEEK PROCLAMATION
Commissioner
John Barr presented this proclamation to Dave Jordan, Director of Community
Action Council designating February 19-23 as Energy Awareness Week in Washington
County. The Commissioners cited the recent cold weather in the County and the
need for energy assistance to people who have low or fixed incomes. Assistance
is available through state programs administered by CAC. The high cost of fuel
this winter has had an adverse effect on these families and has also impacted
funding sources that depend on donations and other charitable resources. Washington
County CAC is committed to actively supporting and promoting the efforts of
the State of Maryland in these programs. The Commissioners suggested that all
citizens take part in statewide efforts to raise awareness of energy needs during
the week.
APPLICATION FOR MULTI FAMILY TAX EXEMPT BONDS
Jed Henderson,
of Michaels Development Company requested that the Commissioners send a letter
of support on behalf of that developer to apply for an award of multi-family
tax-exempt bonds from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
(MDHCD). The bonds, if approved, would be utilized in the acquisition and rehabilitation
of Halfway Manor Apartments, located at 11201 Scarlet Oak Drive in Halfway,
a 100-unit family community that receives section 8 rental assistance from the
Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Michaels Development Company
has been managing the property for the past three years.
In order to qualify for the award of multi-family bonds a letter of support
from the highest elected officials within the jurisdiction must accompany
the application. Henderson was asked by the Board to provide additional information
at the February 6, 2007 Commissioners meeting. Discussion centered on the
company presenting a scope of work and scope of service, to include security
information. The Sheriff's Department indicated that lack of enforcement of
eviction of persons involved in illegal activities by management agencies
in the past have led to increases in crime in such housing. Michaels Development
will work with the Sheriff's Department Crime Prevention Unit to compile a
list of needed security measures and return to the Commissioners with a letter
of cooperation between the company and the Sheriff's Office.
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 comment on this day.
OTHER BUSINESS
County Attorney
Issues: County Attorney John Martirano advised the Board that Assistant
County Attorney Kirk Downey would be meeting with then Local Delegation to the
General Assembly on Wednesday, to discuss any issues the Delegates may
wish to pursue. Martirano said that information concerning the Excise Tax cap
proposal was emailed to the Delegation on the afternoon of Tuesday, February
13th before close of work that day. A copy of the timed email is available,
Martirano said.
Staff Reports: Public Works Director Gary Rohrer told the Board that last
week's snow and ice removal efforts cost $126,177.00. County crews went on
12-hour shifts at Midbight on Monday and worked on those hours until Midnight
on Thursday. $53,000 of that figure was spent on contractors alone, Rohrer
said. $577,000 remains in the snow removal budget for the remainder of FY
2007.
Director of Fire and Emergency Services John Latimer reported that the
Emergency Medical Services Master Plan was approved by a vote of the Washington
County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association, with 22 companies voting "for" two
companies voting "against" and one company abstaining citing lack
of time for proper review of the document. All of the EMS companies in attendance
voted "for" the plan's approval, Latimer said.
FUNKSTOWN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR LEASE/OPTION AGREEMENT APPROVAL
Dale Hill
of the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., brought this request
before the Board. The Funkstown Company needed approval of the Board of County
Commissioners to enter into a lease and option agreement in a principal amount
not to exceed $444,435.00 to finance a KME Pumper Truck. The Funkstown Department
held a public hearing on February 5th, as required by state law and the Board's
approval would be given solely for the purpose of satisfying the requirements
of Section 147(f) of the Code. The obligations of the Fire Department under
the lease would never be obligations of the County. The measure was approved
by unanimous vote.
THE BOARD ATTENDED THE GREATER HAGERSTOWN COMMITTEE TRANSPORTATION FORUM AT THE NOON HOUR
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET PRESENTATION
Department
of Social Services (DSS) Director Dave Engel, members of the DSS Board of Directors
and DSS staff brought the annual operating budget presentation before the Board.
Although primarily funded by the State of Maryland, DSS receives a portion of
its funding from the County. The request is for $297,160.00, up from $273.033.00
in FY '07, a change of 8.8%. DSS is asking for a $4,800.00 increase in rent
for the Family Center. Support was requested to maintain the Adult Foster Care
Program, the Family Liaison Program and the Child Advocacy Center. All
operating budgets will receive Commissioners' scrutiny prior to the Public Hearing
set for April.
CITIZENS ASSISTING AND SHELTERING THE ABUSED (CASA) BUDGET PRESENTATION
Director
Vicki Sadehvandi and Jack Hall, President of the Board of Directors of the Center
for Assistance and Shelter of the Abused (CASA) brought the Fiscal Year 2008
operating budget for that organization before the Board. CASA requested $254,490.00
for the coming year, an increase of $50,160.00 or 24.55%. Sadehvandi told the
Board that the increase is needed for continuation of direct service to its
clients, women and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual
assault. The increase would include 3% cost of living increase in salaries and
a 3% COLA in benefits, plus a 9.6% increase in health insurance costs.
CASA will work together with the Sheriff's Department to follow up on domestic
violence cases. All operating budgets will receive Commissioners' scrutiny prior
to the Public Hearing set for April.
Washington Street Courthouse Entry Closed
The Washington County Department
of Buildings, Grounds and Parks has reported that the Washington Street Entrance
to the County Courthouse is closed due to safety issues.
The closure is temporary, and
citizens are advised to use the Courthouse Annex entrance on Summit Avenue until
further notice.