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
March 27, 2007
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ATTENDED THE ANNUAL MARYLAND EXTENSION SERVICE ADVISORY COUNCIL BREAKFAST AT THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER ON SHARPSBURG PIKE.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner
Terry Baker commented on a citizen complaint on the condition of Whitehall
Road. Highways Director Ed Plank and Public Works Director Joe Kroboth talked
with the complainants. The Commissioner also commented on the "public listening" session
held by the National Parks Initiative to gather input on C&O Canal improvements.
Commissioner
Jim Kercheval reported on the Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting held
last week. The MPO reviewed transportation improvement projects receiving federal
funding. A position for Transportation Planner remains open with the MPO, Kercheval
said, and will be re-advertised. The County/City 2+2 committee discussed
economic development initiatives in its meeting last week. The Maryland Municipal
League Washington County chapter meeting Monday evening discussed House Bill
1399. Commissioners Aleshire and Barr also attended that meeting, Kercheval
said. The final Maryland Association of Counties' legislative meeting will take
place this week. The Green Fund Bill with amendments has been sent to the Senate,
as has the Gaming Task Force Bill, Kercheval reported.
Commissioner
Kristin Aleshire also reported on the Maryland Municipal League meeting and
the discussion of House Bill 1399. The bill, originally designed to give the
City of Hagerstown its fair share of recordation and transfer taxes the County
collects was written in such a way that Hagerstown would receive all $16 million
of those taxes, which are used to pay for schools. There is an urgent need for
the Commissioners to comment to the Local Delegation on the problems in this
bill, Aleshire said. The Board of Education budget figures for this evening's
meeting were received too late for proper study, the Commissioner said, and
the process for budget submissions will be reviewed.
NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL INITIATIVE
Convention
and Visitors Bureau President Tom Riford and Robert Hartman, Deputy Superintendent
of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park brought this measure
before the Board. In launching the National Park Service Centennial Initiative,
President Bush directed Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne to “invite
and receive suggestions from those who desire to preserve the scenic, cultural,
historical, geological and recreational values of our national parks.” Hartman
discussed ways to provide an opportunity to engender public support and
input to assist the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park in formulating
the long-term goals, park projects, and programs of the National Park Service
Centennial Initiative with the Board. The Canal will partner with local
organizations to prioritize improvements and ask for matching funds.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REVIEW CONTINUATION
The County's
Capital Improvement Committee, Budget and Finance Director Debra Murray, Director
of Special Projects Gary Rohrer and Planning Director Mike Thompson, brought
this further review of the proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget
for Fiscal Year 2008 to the Commissioners. Hagerstown Community College's request
included a $1.9 million roadway that was moved out past the 2013 budget cycle.
The major project in the FY' 08 request is the $4.76 million Career Programs Building
renovation project. The Solid Waste Department CIP for FY 2008 is requested
to be $5.5 million. The major CIP project is the capping and closeout of Resh
Landfill, at 5.42 million.
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.
Tom Janus
of Hagerstown commented against the Board of Education plan to fund the School
for the Arts with bond funds.
Jerry Ditto
of Clear Spring requested appointment to the Urban Growth Area Rezoning Task
Force, and commented on 10-year Agricultural Easements and donated easements.
OTHER BUSINESS
Reports from County Staff: Gaming Office Director
Jim Hovis reported on House Bill 125, forming a statewide Gaming Task Force.
The bill, with amendments, has passed the House and has been sent to the Senate.
This legislation could have adverse effects on the Charitable Gaming revenues
in Washington County. Hovis requested the Commissioners take the same position
it held when the bill was in the House, Neutral and willingness to provide information
to the legislature. Senator Munson is opposed to the bill, Hovis said.
Buildings, Grounds and Parks Director Jim Sterling
told the Board that a meeting with the Agricultural Education Center Board last
week reviewed sources of funding for the second Agricultural Museum building.
A bid for that structure was rejected at last week's Commissioners meeting.
The Ag Center Board will raise additional funds, and asked that $65,000
be forward funded as a loan, to be repaid over the next 12 to 18 months. The
funds would come from the CIP contingency fund. Total cost for the building
is near $300,000, Sterling said.
County Attorney Issues: County Attorney John
Martirano advised the Board that a closed session item requiring legal advice
would be added to the end of the meeting agenda.
County Administrator's Comments: County Administrator
Greg Murray reminded the Commissioners that the Board of Education budget Public
Hearing is set for 7 p.m. at North Hagerstown High School.
CIP REVIEW-CONTINUED
Special Projects
Director Gary Rohrer presented the Transportation Department Capital Improvement
program (CIP) budget for FY '08. The Public Transportation Department CIP
request of $750,000 includes replacement of 7 buses at a total of $600,000.
Of that total, $540,000 are state and federal funds. Clarification was requested
on the purchase price of support vehicles. Later in the day Transportation Director Kevin
Cerrone explained that $34,000 was appropriated in a prior year for a different
vehicle and that the requested amount was $50,000 for two replacement sedans.
That price could be lower, due to the vehicles being purchased off state contract,
Cerrone said. Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) Manager Carolyn Motz told the
Board that the CIP request for FY 2008 is $ 500,000.00. The expense is to cover
replacement of equipment that has reached the end of its usable life including
a dump truck, a spreader truck, one airfield support SUV, wildlife management
equipment and a Boom Flail Mower. All budgets will be reviewed prior to the
public hearing set for May.
General fund budget overview
Budget and Finance Director Debra Murray brought
a preliminary review of General Fund revenue for Fiscal Year 2008 to the
Board for discussion. Overall, increases to budgets were held to 3%, Murray
said. Departments have been notified of changes to their budgets. Total General
Fund Revenues are expected to be up about 10% due to increases in Real Estate
and Corporate Personal Property tax collections. The projection for FY 2009
is not as positive, with state projections showing a 2.9% increase. Total revenue
from all sources is expected to be $195.02 million. The County's total assessable
base is $10.3 Billion. The Commissioners looked at all sources of revenue and
credits including Admissions and Amusement tax, Recordation tax, Trailer tax,
Hotel-Motel tax, Interest earnings, Permits and Inspections charges for services,
Planning revenue, Public Safety revenue, Recreation and Parks revenue and Grants
for operations. The Commissioners will get a first look at County General fund
expenditures for the coming fiscal year at next week's meeting.
OVERVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES/COUNTY SERVICES
Dave Engle,
Director of the Washington County Department of Social Services (DSS) and staff
brought an overview of County funded DSS programs before the Board and recommended
that the Commissioners fund the Department's FY '08 budget request in
full. Engle said that Over the years the County Commissioners have funded DSS
programs that meet human service needs of County residents for which no state
or federal funding exists. Adult Foster Care provides a moderately
supervised assisted living situation with the support and security of a family
setting. Currently twenty-five homes are certified. 76 adults with
disabilities or aged adults received some level of these services in FY '06,
Adult Foster Care was created over twenty years ago to provide a safety net
for these County residents.. Since 1995 Washington County Commissioners
have paid the rent for the Washington County Family Center. The Family
Center provided services to 128 adults and 75 children in FY ’06. Participation
at the Family Center is open to any County resident with a child four years
of age or younger. Parents may complete their high school education at
the Center while their children receive on-site child care and also receive
employment counseling and parenting education. In 1999 Family Center staff
partnered with the Board of Education (BOE) to enable teen mothers to complete
their high school education at there. The Board agreed to fund the salary
of a child care worker necessary to meet staffing requirements for the additional
children of these teen mothers. The Washington County Family Center is
one of twenty in operation statewide. Ten years ago the Commissioners
began funding for one School Family Liaison Worker. Later, County funding
was expanded to pay for one and one-half positions. Another one and one-half
Liaison positions are funded by the BOE. This is a program created by
DSS and the BOE to provide early intervention services to elementary school
children who had poor attendance, poor grades or behavior problems. Families
are provided an in-home social worker who helps the family use community resources
to address the child’s problems before they become too severe. In
FY ’06, three Liaisons served 112 families and 281 children. In
FY '06 the County Commissioners began paying the salary of the Safe Place, Child
Advocacy Center Program Manager. The Child Advocacy Center served 935
physically and sexually abused children in FY '06. At the Center, law
enforcement, State’s Attorney, physicians and therapists work together
to reduce trauma to these innocent child victims. The Program Manager
oversees the multi-disciplinary team, coordinates special training and writes
grants which pay for the majority of the programs’ costs. Although no
County funds are involved, since 2000 the County Commuter has operated the Job
Opportunity Bus Shuttle (JOBS) for DSS. The JOBS Shuttle helps welfare
clients overcome a major barrier to employment and transportation. The
Shuttle picks clients and their children up at their homes, makes the trips
to the children’s day care providers and then takes the parents to work. At
the end of the workday, the Shuttle reverses the route. The Shuttles transport
over 40 adults and their children each month. The program is paid for
with federal funds that flow through DSS.
The FY '08 budget request to the County is $285,128
AGLAND PRESERVATION DONATED EASEMENT
Eric Seifarth,
Land Preservation Specialist in the Department of Planning and Community Development
and Peter Vorac of the Mid-Maryland Land Trust (MMLT) brought this matter before
the Board. The request was for use of local Agricultural Transfer Tax funds
for administrative and settlement costs for a donated conservation easement
on the 150.58 acre farm property owned by Roberta Niklewski, near Clear Spring.
The County entered into an agreement with the MMLT to cooperatively acquire
donated conservation easements, with Washington County agreeing to pay up to
3% of administrative costs, plus the usual out-of-pocket settlement fees. This
easement would extinguish 10 development rights, and help protect the farmland,
woodland, stream, and view shed integrity of property on Rockdale Road. This
easement is consistent with the Washington County Comprehensive Plan
and the preservation of open space. The property owner decided to donate a
conservation easement on the entire parcel, saving County purchased easement
funds. The Maryland Environmental Trust will be a co-grantee with MMLT on the
Niklewski easement. The estimated per acre appraisal will be similar to previous
easements and the administrative cost should be approximately $15,800 for this
size property and easement value, plus approximately $4,000 to cover the out-of-pocket
settlement costs and the appraisal. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT: SUBSCRIPTION EMPLOYMENT TRANSPORTATION (JOBS PROGRAM)
Transportation
Department Director Kevin Cerrone brought this request, to approve the Fiscal
Year 2008 Memorandum of Agreement between the Maryland
State Department of Human Resources (DHR), the Washington County Department
of
Social Services (WCDSS), and the Board of County Commissioners of Washington
County, for Subscription Employment Transportation known as the JOBS
Program. The Agreement provides for the continued transportation services to
help connect low-income workers in outlying areas of the County, as well as
those in the City of Hagerstown with employers under the Subscription Employment
Transportation Program for FY 2008. Under this Program, the Washington
County Public Transportation Department, County Commuter, is partnering with
WCDSS to provide subscription transit services for Temporary Cash Assistance
customers and low-income persons to and from their activity. Under this
Program, transportation to and from daycare facilities will also be provided
if the trip is employment related. The Program is funded by Federal grant funds,
State grant funds and WCDSS. Total funding for the Program in FY ’08
is $ 188,860. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
REUSE OF BICYCLES FROM LANDFILL WASTE STREAM
Keith Oberg,
Director of Bikes for the World (BFTW) and Phil Ruth, a volunteer for the organization
brought the issue of Reuse of Bicycles from the 40-West Landfill Waste
Stream to
the Board. The recommendation would systematically put aside bicycles
at the Forty West Landfill for removal by BFTW, donating unclaimed bicycles
at the Sheriff Department’s impound lot, and endorsing the April
28, 2007 Bikes for the World Bicycle Donation Event at Otterbein United Methodist
Church. The group asked that a small area with appropriate signage be created
at the Forty West Landfill, for deposit of used bicycles. Donation of serviceable
bikes directly to Bikes for the World by the Sheriff's Department was also requested.
The group would have to contact the Sheriff's Department about that issue. BFTW
currently works with half a dozen local jurisdictions in Maryland and Northern
Virginia, as well as with more than 80 churches, synagogues, service clubs,
schools, and other community organizations, to collect and re-use approximately
8,000 bicycles annually. The group also asked for some payment for removal
to provide incentive, cover a share of costs, and to ensure accountability.
Recycling personnel at 40-West had already supplied the group with a link to
its website, to promote donations and recycling. The Solid Waste Advisory Committee
(SWAC) had not been made aware of the group's request. Several other issues
were discussed, including liability, and the County policy prohibiting anyone
from taking items away from the landfill. The possibility of special events
at the landfill to collect such items was discussed. The group will make a presentation
to the SWAC at its April meeting.
FORTY WEST LANDFILL CELL 4 DESIGN: CHANGE ORDER #1
Division
of Public Works Director Joe Kroboth and Solid Waste Department Director Bob
Davenport brought this proposal before the Board, to approve Change Order
No. 1 in the amount of $85,183.00. The Commissioners awarded the contract for
this project to URS, Inc. on February 14th, 2006 in the amount of $130,500. Design
began on March 6th, 2006 with an anticipated completion date of December 1st,
2006.
URS has proposed change order #1 to perform a Tier II landfill Gas analysis
and a permit modification for the side-slopes of waste placed in Cells One,
Two, and Three at the Forty West Landfill. The proposed change order calls
for an increase in contract value and duration on the order of $85,183 and
345 days respectively. The current landfill permit allows for slopes
as steep as 3.5 horizontal to 1 vertical; however, waste has been placed and
covered at 3 horizontal to 1 vertical. Rather than relocate trash, Task
1 of the proposed Change Order is to seek a permit modification from the Maryland
Department of the Environment (MDE) for the Forty West Landfill that will allow
the existing slopes. As part of the Cell 4 design, a site conditions report
was prepared by URS in which an EPA Tier I Landfill Gas Analysis was performed. The
findings of the site conditions report indicate the site must also meet the
EPA Tier II state and federal regulations. On February 23rd, 2007, MDE
directed the County, in writing, to complete the Tier II analysis. Solid
Waste has scheduled an April meeting with MDE to discuss the results of the
analysis. The portion of the change order value associated with Task 1, side-slopes
and permit modification, is $69,737. The remaining value of the change
order associated with the landfill gas tier II analysis is: $15,446. This
is a budgeted CIP project. The Director of Budget and Finance and the Director
of Public Works are seeking a low interest loan through the Maryland Water
Quality Finance Administration, under the Maryland Department of the Environment,
for construction and administration. The current approved budget is $6,142,000.00.
The current cost estimate for Cell 4 construction is $4,446,000, including
a 5% contingency. The budget balance of $6,027,160.2 is adequate to cover
the proposed Change Order #1. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Lily Pinkham receives the Youth Meritorious Award from Commissioners' President John Barr
YOUTH MERITORIOUS AWARD
Commissioners'
President John Barr presented the Youth Meritorious Award for the month of March.
Lily Pinkham, an 8th Grade Student at Clear Spring Middle School
is the daughter of Edward and Dawn Pinkham. Lily was an A and B student
throughout elementary school and has been a member of the distinguished honor
and honor roll throughout middle school. Her leadership qualities include:
morning announcement crew member for two years. She performed with the Clear
Spring Middle School chorus last year in the Maryland Symphony Orchestra concert.
A Band member, Lily is first chair clarinet. She won the Principal's Citizenship
Award for 2006 and the STARS Award for band and English. Lily has been a member
of the Girl Scouts for four years.
Her service to the Community includes volunteering for a pancake breakfast,
Christmas caroling at nursing homes with Girl Scouts, replanting gardens at
Clear Spring Elementary and Clear Spring Middle schools, and participating
in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Math-A-Thon in 2001-2002.
Her teachers say Lily is cooperative, kind to others, and really cares about
school. She is a highly motivated student and an outstanding citizen. The Washington
County Community Partnership sponsors the Youth Meritorious Award based on
academic, community service and leadership criteria.
RESH ROAD LANDFILL CLOSURE, PHASE II CLOSURE CAP DESIGN; CHANGE ORDER #1
Terry McGee,
Chief Engineer and Rob Slocum, Deputy Chief Engineer brought a request to approve
Resh Road Landfill Closure Phase II, Closure Cap Design Change Order No. 1 before
the Board, in the amount of $56,130.00. As a result of ongoing discussions with
the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the contractor has proposed
Change Order No. 1 to perform a survey of intermediate cover over waste, permeability
testing of existing cover material, and an investigation of leacheate seeps
outside the waste limit. The proposed change order calls for an increase
in contract value and duration on the order of $56,130 and 61 days respectively. State
and federal regulations require the County to cap the Resh Road Landfill. Phase
II of the project, includes approximately 63 acres consisting of cells 1 through
5. Design includes placing a geosynthetic and soil cap over the intermediate
cover; installation of a landfill gas flaring system; and upgrades of various
drainage systems and structures. Because most of this portion of the Resh Road
Landfill was designed and constructed prior to existing regulations, portions
of the waste and intermediate cover slopes exceed current criteria. A
more cost effective design calls for an innovative approach able to gain Maryland
Department of the Environment (MDE) approval. Through recent discussions, MDE
is requiring that the subject testing and analysis of the existing intermediate
cover be performed and incorporated in any innovative cap design submitted for
approval. MDE recently discussed with the County the extent of the seeps
and the need to address them in the capping of the site. This task will
allow URS to listen to MDE’s concerns, analyze the seeps, and make appropriate
recommendations. Due to time constraints, the on-site meeting has already
occurred with URS in attendance as directed by the Chief Engineer.
This is a budgeted CIP project. The Director of Budget and Finance and
the Director of Public Works are seeking a low interest loan through the Maryland
Water Quality Finance Administration, under the Maryland Department of the
Environment, for construction, engineering, and administration. The
current budget balance of $3,034,465.50 is adequate to cover the proposed Change
Order No. 1. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
THE BOARD ATTENDED THE ANNUAL BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET PRESENTATION AT NORTH HAGERSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM AT 7:00 P.M.