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 24, 2007
INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES
Human Resources
Administrator Cindy Mowen brought newly hired
Sheriff's Patrol Deputy Jeremey Kuhnke before the Board for introductions.
CONTRACT AWARD - WASHINGTON COUNTY DIVERSION PROGRAM
County Purchasing
Agent Karen Luther and Washington County Community Partnership/ Local Management
Board (WCCP) Program Coordinator Paula Fisher brought this request before the
Board. WCCP, in partnership with the Governor’s Office for Children (GOC),
requested approval of the contract for the Washington County Diversion Program
for FY 2008 to Potomac Case Management Services, Inc. (PCMS) contingent on state
and LMB approvals in the amount of $137,700.00, for one year, with option to
renew for two consecutive one-year periods. PCMS says it will provide one full-time
Program Manager/Juvenile Offender Diversion Case Manager, one full-time Redirection
Case Manager, a part-time Group Facilitator, and a part-time clerical position
on-site at the office space in the Professional Arts Building utilizing in-kind
space provided by the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS). Specific program
goals include:
Reducing the number of first-time juvenile offenders in Washington County
from entering the juvenile justice system; Reducing the recidivism rate for
offenders previously diverted; Redirecting such cases in Washington County
to community based programs prior to entering the juvenile justice system
and decreasing costs of court and juvenile system services in Washington County
by diverting/redirecting youth from the system. DJS regional director Scott
Beal told the Board that his state agency seeks assurances of best practices
from contractors, and that PCMS has been doing a good job administrering the
program in previous years. Program funding would provide for salaries, benefits,
operating expenses, travel, training, liability insurance as well as annual
health requirements, and administrative overhead. There would be no impact
on Washington County taxpayers. The measure was aproved on a 4-1 vote with
Commissioner Kristin Aleshire voting "no".
CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
Each week
the Board of County Commissioners sets aside time to hear from citizens of Washington
County on matters of interest to the Community
No one appeared
to make comments on this day.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Appointments to County Boards and Commissions: County Clerk Joni Bittner brought
a request from the Commission for Women, for Vijay Kumar-Solanki to be reappointed
for a second three-year term. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
County Administrator's Comments: County Administrator Greg Murray commented
on the recent employee picnic, and said that between 300 and 400 employees
and family members attended. Murray commended Recreation Department Director
Jaime Dick and his staff for a job well done.
Reports from County Staff: State's Attorney Charles Strong and Hagerstown
Police Chief Art Smith requested approval to hire an Assistant State's Attorney
II to serve as a Community Prosecutor to work with the C-Safe program. Strong
told the Board that funding would come from a one-year state grant and would
have no impact on the County budget. Chief Smith said the goals for the position
would be to connect with the community and to target the most violence-prone
individuals. By state law the County Commissioners approve the number of Assistant
States' Attorneys and their salaries. Total funding for the position would
be $76,000 including benefits. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Acting Human Resources Director Dee Hawbaker requested advertisement of four
vacant positions. Two Motor Equipment Operator positions and a Lead Construction
Specialist position are open at the Highways Department, and an Equipment
Operator III position is open at Solid Waste. Advertising the positions was
approved by unanimous vote.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner’s President John Barr commented on attending a number of
events at the Agricultural Exposition held at the Ag Center Park off Sharpsburg
Pike, and urged other Commissioners to attend during this week's events. Barr
said. The Commissioner commented on attending the employee picnic last week
and commended the Recreation Department on an outstanding event. Barr reported
on the weekend motorcycle ride to raise funds for the Humane Society. Over
175 bikes were in that ride, Barr said. Over 300 young people have camped
out at Williamsport High School for the Antietam Workcamp, an event that will
make repairs to about 50 homes in Washington County for persons who are elderly,
have a disability or are disadvantaged. Barr said the camp continues through
Friday of the current week.
Commissioner Kristin
Aleshire commented on attending the Maryland Municipal League annual crab feed
at Williamsport and on a meeting with the Chair of the PenMar Development Corporation
Board of Directors. An orientation will be held within two weeks for new Board
members, Aleshire said. The monthly meeting of the Commission on Aging gave further
information as to the need for a Senior Center in Washington County, Aleshire
reported. Washington County is one of only four Counties in Maryland that does
not have a Senior Center, he said.
Commissioner Jim Kercheval reported on the Maryland Municipal League event
and on a meeting of the Local Management Board on July 20th. That board approved
three grants dealing with housing, training for families in group decision
making and on equipment for a community theater troupe that presents informational
sketches to students in local schools. The Board of Education has hired 135
new teachers, Kercheval reported, and a Health Center will open at South Hagerstown
High School in the Fall, he said. The Victor Cullen School is one of a number
of juvenile facilities that will reopen in the state to deal with youth mental
health issues, and the Health Department will expand its Dental program soon,
Kercheval said. Kercheval commended Recreation staff for coordinating
the employee picnic last weekend.
Commissioner Terry Baker welcomed internet listeners to the County Commissioners'
meeting, and commended the Recreation Department staff for activities surrounding
the employee picnic. The Maryland Municipal League event in Williamsport last
weekend was well attended by members of local municipal governments. MML is
an example of how governments can work well together, and the Mayor and Council
of Williamsport are to be commended for their coordination efforts, Baker
said. Attending the Gaming Commission hearings provided a greater insight
into the operations of that board, Baker said. The Gaming Commission asked
all who applied how each project would benefit the citizens of the County.
Baker asked that a letter be drafted to the State Highway Administration in
support of the Town of Clear Spring's request for signage on I-70 and U.S.
40 giving directions to the C&O Canal, Four Locks, McCoy's Ferry and other
sites of interest in the area. County Administrator Greg Murray told the Board
that Public Works Director Joe Kroboth is working with the SHA on those issues.
COURT HOUSE BUDGET TRANSFER
Director of Special Projects Gary Rohrer and
Project Manager Gary Pozzouli brought this request, for a budget transfer in
the amount of $535,141 along with Change Orders 65 and 66 to Callas Contractors,
Inc. for the Court House Renovation Project. Rohrer told the Board that the
request is the result of associated delays and impacts from the new prisoner
elevator located off the alley between the original Court House and the Annex,
the relocation of utilities in the alley, and the impact and delay damages caused
by a 7-month delay by Verizon. The Court House project began in September 2004. A
variety of delays mostly attributed to latent conditions had the project tracking
about six months behind schedule prior to the March 2005 courthouse shootings
in Atlanta. Rohrer said. Since that time, a number of security related
changes as well as other costs have been incurred. The Contractor’s latest
schedule projects completion of all work by February 8, 2008. In addition to
the budget transfer, approval of Change Orders 65 and 66, were requested. CO#
65 in the amount of $28,553 involves work in the Orphans Court area of the existing
Court House. In the course of renovations to this area, construction crews
discovered extensive damage to the west wall, requiring repair before finishing. In
addition, it was necessary to relocate a heating unit, provide power, data,
and phone outlets and provide bench work for three judges. CO#66 in the
amount of $104,639 compensates the Contractor for relocating an existing City
storm drain and sanitary sewer line that would otherwise have interfered with
the construction of a new prisoner access ramp into the basement detention area. The
CO also grants a 397 calendar-day time extension for the impact of extending
the contract with the new prisoner elevator as well as the field modifications
for the ramp. Rohrer said that the request includes 8% on change orders performed
by subcontractors. The primary contractor has been keeping the project open
with no provision for overhead or profit. Discussion took place on utility company
problems with the project and others statewide. The total would be transferred
from the Capital Improvement Program contingency fot the currernt fiscal year.
The Budget Transfer and Change Orders 65 and 66 were approved on a 4-1 vote
with Commissioner Bill Wivell voting "no".
THE COMMISSIONERS ATTENDED THE ANNUAL LUNCH WITH CAMPERS AT MARTY SNOOK PARK AT THE NOON HOUR.
