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
June 12, 2007
INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES
Acting Human
Resources Administrator Cindy Mowen brought Kenneth Showe before the Board for
introductions. Showe was recently hired as a Project Manager in the Department
of Water Quality
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner
Bill Wivell reported on Monday's meeting of the PenMar Development Corporation
Board. Pennsylvania Congressman Bud Shuster was to tour the facilities. The
terms of several Members of the PMDC Board will expire June 30th, Wivell said,
and nominations are open. Prospective candidates should visit www.washco-md.net and
look for the link to Boards and Commissions for an application. Corporate Office
Properties Trust (COPT) presented a progress report. 250 housing units are slated
to be removed this summer as part of the redevelopment process. County Staff
will meet with COPT representatives on June 27th to discuss redevelopment issues. The
PMDC Board of Directors has approved $2.2 million to be spent on the Community
Center and $31,000 for matching funds for a grant at Cascade Elementary School. Additional
items under consideration include allocations for the proposed Fort Ritchie
Museum, PMDC reserve fund, certain EDC initiatives, other school improvements,
and the water system. Commissioner Wivell also asked if progress had been made
with the City of Hagerstown regarding County residents living in the joint City/County
water and sewer service area whose rates would rise 18% under a city fee
increase. County Administrator Greg Murray said the issue had been discussed
with City finance officials but no information has been provided. Wivell again
expressed several concerns with the process, the amount of increase to County
residents, and the need to follow cost of service studies.
Commissioner
Jim Kercheval reported on last week's meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Council,
and said that the state of West Virginia asked for a delay in finalization of
the Consolidated Transportation Plan due to some projects in that state. A meeting
with Congressman Roscoe Bartlett discussed the $35 million in federal transportation
funds earmarked for Maryland and how they are distributed. The County should
forward transportation needs to his office, the Congressman said. Reduction
of American dependence on fossil fuels was also discussed, Kercheval said. A
meeting with a citizens' group discussed makeup of the Excise Tax Task Force,
Kercheval reported.
ADOPTION OF FISCAL YEAR 2008 BUDGET
County Administrator
Greg Murray and Budget and Finance Director Debra Murray brought this
issue before the Board. On May 22nd, the Commissioners took a balanced budget
of $309 million to Public Hearing. A ten-day period is prescribed to receive
written comments from citizens. The budget must be formally adopted by resolution.
Several items were unresolved due to late changes in budget requests. Funding
issues from non-profit agencies on the Commissioners' 1-108 list were
discussed. Holly Place Senior Living Alternatives' initial request of $25,550
was reduced to $24,070 in the draft taken to public meeting. The Board agreed
to fund the original request. Discovery Station requested about
$24,000 to purchase an exhibit. A one-time funding of $20,000 from the FY '07
Commissioner's Contingency fund was approved on a 3-2 vote with Commissioners
Wivell and Aleshire voting "no". A request from the Maryland Theater
for $25,000 was not approved. $8.1 million was being held in reserve to fund
pay as you go projects. Of those set-aside funds the Board agreed to fund 3
emergency services vehicles that were to have been funded through a grant at
a total cost of $300,000; to defer $1.75 million for project cost increases
that may occur due to market factors in major transportation projects; earmark
an additional $2 million for Highway Overlay projects; and provide $1.65 million
for School Board systemic and maintenance projects, with an additional $400,000
for Phase I of the cafeteria project at Fountain Rock Elementary School. In
addition, the proposal would reduce the level of borrowing by $1 million for
FY '08, reducing that amount t to $15.9 million, and place $1 million in a restricted
reserve account for future projects that would be decided by the Board. The
Commissioners committed to providing future staffing and operation funds for
the Central Booking facility and discuss the City's share in those costs at
a future joint meeting of the Commissioners and Hagerstown Mayor and Council.
Several personnel issues were discussed, including approval to move a half-time
position at the Ag Center to full time through use of funds for a half-time
position elsewhere within the Department of Buildings Grounds and Parks. That
position would provide administrative assistance to the Agricultural Marketer
that would be housed at the Extension Service Office at the Ag Center. Two department
heads were approved for upgrades due to responsibility increases and positions
within the wage and salary grade structure. Requests to discontinue the property
tax discount, approve the semi-annual interest rate charge of 1.3%, and set
the property tax rate at $0.948 per $100.00 of fully assessed property value
were included in the budget approval. The tax rate has been at that level since
2001. The Fiscal Year 2008 budget was approved by a 3-2 vote with Commissioners
Aleshire and Wivell voting "no".
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
Commissioners'
President John Barr presented Darlene Crowley, a Grant Analyst in the Department
of Budget and Finance with a Commissioners' Certificate of Merit for completion
of the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree from Hagerstown Community College.
Barr commended Crowley for obtaining the AAS degree calling the effort a notable
achievement requiring dedication and perseverance.
Landmark Equipment Excise Tax
County Administrator
Greg Murray brought a request to the Commissioners for consideration of an extension
of the agreement by the previous Board to allow Landmark Equipment to receive
a refund of the difference between the excise tax of $70,110 paid for the new
John Deere Dealership on Salem Avenue and any reduced fees resulting from a
committee's review of the excise tax. In January 2006 Dave Quirple, of
Landmark Equipment, asked the Commissioners for a waiver of the excise tax for
his new project, based on the Ordinance's exemption for Agriculture. Quirple
also contended that the rate should be reduced for his rented storage units
as they were being charged as a "warehouse" facility without consideration
of the difference in construction costs per square foot and minimal traffic
generated by these units. The Commissioners reviewed financial data of his business
and agreed to exempt 85% of the excise tax on the commercial buildings, as 85%
of his revenue was generated by Agricultural sales and repair work. No adjustments
were made to the tax charged for his storage units as the current ordinance
did not have a special category for these types of structures. The Commissioners
also agreed to refund any difference in the tax should a review take place and
lower rates be established within a year. Since that time, no review has taken
place on the excise tax structure. However, the Commissioners are in the process
of establishing an Excise Tax task force. Quirple is asking that his year term
be extended to allow a refund should a lower fee be established following the
work of the Excise Tax task force. Based on a letter from former Commissioners'
President Greg Snook, the year term would end June 30th, 2007. The measure was
delayed pending a County Attorney's review of liability issues and will be brought
back to the Board by the June 26th meeting.
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.
A group of
parents, students and teachers from Fountain Rock Elementary School requested
that the Board provide funding for a cafeteria at that school.
John Himes
of Knoxville addressed the Commissioners regarding traffic control and
trash dumping issues.
Daniel Moeller
of Rohrersville commented on the Board of Education retirement plan and the
County's deferred compensation program.
OTHER BUSINESS
Reports from
County Staff: Special Projects Director Gary Rohrer brought two change orders
before the Board for approval. $191,809.97 was for Courthouse Inspection services
provided by Development Facilitators, Inc. of Severna Park, Maryland and
$70,327 in Architectural Construction Administration costs to Bushey, Feight
and Morin Architects were approved by unanimous vote.
Benefits
Coordinator Debbie Peyton reported that health insurance meetings have been
held for all County employees and that new insurance cards should be delivered
by July 1s, as a result of changes in the County Employee Health, Dental
and Vcision plans. In addition a supplemental health plan for retirees through
AARP is in the negotiation stage.
Public Works
Director Joe Kroboth requested advertisement of the Civil Engineer position
in the Engineering Department due to a transfer. The request was approved by
unanimous vote.
County Administrator's
Comments: County Administrator Greg Murray reported that letters from the state
have announced funding for County Water Quality Projects. $1.75 million will
be received for Environmental Nutrient Removal and other projects. Murray requested
approval of two change orders. The Inflow and Infiltration project in Halfway
added $120,000 for rehabilitation of additional sewer lines, and $32,000 was
requested to retrofit the Williamsport Water Tower with wireless communications
that will assist County water quality operations, aid schools and benefit the
Town. Both change orders were approved by unanimous vote.
BID AWARD: PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR FY 2008
Chief Engineer
Terry McGee and Assistant Chief Engineer Rob Slocum brought this request, to
award the contract for the Pavement Maintenance program for Fiscal Year 2008
to the lowest, responsible, responsive bidder, C. William Hetzer, Inc., Hagerstown,
Maryland for the total amount of $3,251,823.05. The Pavement Maintenance Program
for FY '08 includes asphalt preservation, repair and rehabilitation including
5.4 miles of Hot Mix Asphalt Overlay and Patching , 2.1 miles of Full Depth
Reclamation, 7.9 miles of Crack Fill and Patching, 12.6 miles of Chip Seal and
patching, and 5.2 miles of Thermoplastic Pavement Markings. The City of Hagerstown
intends to piggyback on the proposed contract to reclaim Marshall street, which
is the extension of Maugansville Road in the City. The coordination with the
City resulted in a competitive bid price for Full Depth Reclamation. The contract
is for a two-hundred-six calendar day period. It is anticipated that a winter
shut down will occur from November 2, 2007 to March 9, 2008. Given notice
to proceed the contract will begin on or about June 18, 2007 and end on May
16, 2008. The bid documents include Liquidated Damages in the amount of $500.00
per calendar day for work beyond the schedule above. Additional mileage
could be completed with additional funding in the FY '08 budget. The measure
was approved by unanimous vote.
THE BOARD ATTENDED RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES AT THE DESERT MOON CAFE AT VALLEY MALL AT THE NOON HOUR.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING: CONSTRUCTION OF
U.S. 40/EDGEWOOD DRIVE
Director
of Special Projects (DSP) Gary Rohrer brought this request, to accept a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) for construction of the U.S, 40/Edgewood Drive intersection
with the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) and the City of Hagerstown,
with modifications. SHA has developed two memoranda of understanding. One is
for the joint project with the SHA and the City for the intersection proper
and the other is between SHA and the County for the reconstruction of Edgewood
Drive from the City line to Mt. Aetna Road. Both agreements cover acquisition
of rights-of-way, utility costs, construction, and construction inspection and
administration. Rohrer said that of primary concern are SHA’s markups
for contingencies, overhead, and administrative costs. The entire project was
initially estimated to cost $12 million including design, rights-of-way, utility
relocation, and construction. Since then, the estimate has risen sharply due
to increases in paving, driven by oil increases, and other raw materials such
as concrete and had an early May estimate of $16.4 million. Our recent suggestions
to SHA brought the estimate down to $14.4 million. According to appraisers,
right-of-way estimates have risen from $3.2 million to as high as $6 million
in the area in anticipation of the new hospital. Recent changes proposed by
local staff brought that estimate down to $3.25 million. Other factors aggravating
the cost include 15% for contingencies, 15.3% for SHA’s construction overhead,
and 8.2% for SHA’s administrative overhead. A similar situation
exists with the MOU for Construction on the County’s portion of Edgewood,
Rohrer said. Public Works Director Joe Kroboth commented that the state expects
the County to pay overhead charges for that state highway intersection, yet is
not contributing money to the Maugans Avenue/Pennsylvania Avenue interchange,
also a state road. The City and County should get together and argue that point
with the state, Kroboth said. A letter to the state would lay the groundwork
for that negotiation, Rohrer said, and a joint agreement with the City of Hagerstown
would be developed. County and City officials would meet with State Highway
Officials and present the case.