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
September 18, 2007
The Board held a joint meeting with the Board of EDUCATION to hear reports on 4th Quarter Budget Adjustments, Antietam Academy, and the Public Schools' academic report card.
COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Commissioner
Kristin Aleshire commented on the earlier meeting with the Board of Education.
Questions remain to be answered relative to funding issues for the proposed
School for the Arts, Aleshire said.
Commissioner
Jim Kercheval reported on last week's meeting with Senator Barbara Mikulski.
The Commissioner thanked Mikulski for her efforts in securing federal funding
for Washington County for transportation projects. Kercheval talked about
government to third graders at Potomac Heights Elementary last week. A Commission
on Aging planning meeting discussed housing needs for Seniors, and the growth
in the age 60+ population in Washington County. Last week's MACo Legislative
Group meeting heard from Governor Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael
Bush on budget issues. A possibility exists that there will be a special session of
the legislature to work on budget issues in November, Kercheval said.
Commissioner
Terry Baker commented on the earlier meeting with the School Board regarding
Antietam Academy. The BOE wants funding for that alternative school restored
to the Capital Improvement Budget. Baker said he would like to see the Evening
High School classes conducted in such a building and would like to hear what
types of job training programs would be offered there. Additional classes in
that locality would lessen cost-per-seat values, Baker said.
Commissioner’s President John Barr presented Angie Helfrick of the Alternative Sanctions Office with the 2007 United Way Pacesetter Award, for her work as co-chair of the County Employee United Way drive over the past several years. Barr commended Helfrick for dedication to the task and long hours in getting the County over and above its annual contribution goal. Barr told the Board that the Alsatia Club has requested continued Commissioners' participation in the Mummers Parade. The Board will be making a decision on that issue soon.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES
Human Resources
Benefits Coordinator Deb Peyton brought 7 new employees before the Board for
introductions. Joseph Rathvon was recently employed as a Geographic Information
Systems Analyst in the Engineering Department. Stephen Ingram, Christopher
Kimble, Steve Reese and Scott Poole are newly-hired Motor Equipment Operators
in the Highways Department. Patsy Anne Crumbaker and John Zerkle
are the newest members of the Sheriff's Department Detention Division.
PROCLAMATION: PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Washington
County Health Officer Earl Stoner and Melissa Lewis of the Health Department
received a proclamation from Commissioners' President John Barr designating
September, 2007 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the County. The proclamation
said that prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death among men
in Maryland
and over the past decade, has been one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers
In 2007, the American Cancer Society projects about 4,690 new cases of prostate
cancer among men residing in Maryland, and that approximately 540 Maryland
men will die from the disease during the same period. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a man in his lifetime has about
a one in six chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and one in 33
chance of dying from prostate cancer. Men with a father or brother who had
prostate cancer are more likely to develop the disease and it is more common
among African-American men than Caucasians. Washington County is encouraging
men to learn as much as they can about their personal risks for prostate cancer
and to talk to their doctors about options for early screening and potential
complications of diagnosis and treatment in order to make an informed decision
about their health
DONATED CONSERVATION EASEMENT: RUANN AND JACK GEORGE
Agricultural
Land Preservation Planner Eric Seifarth and Peter Vorac of the Mid-Maryland
Land Trust brought this Donated Conservation
Easement by Ruann and Jack George before the Board for approval. The request
was to approve the use of local Ag transfer tax funds in the amount of $6,000
for administrative and settlement costs for a donated conservation easement
on the 10.568 acre Ruann George property located in Boonsboro, Maryland. Washington
County entered into an agreement with the Mid-Maryland Land Trust 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 will extinguish three development rights, and will help protect the
agricultural, stream, and viewshed integrity of property along Benevola Newcomer
Road. This easement is consistent with the Washington County Comprehensive
Plan and the preservation of open space. This easement is contiguous to
the Newcomer purchased easement, which adjoins the Larry Loudenslager 144 acre
easement. The estimated per acre appraisal will be similar to the Newcomer
easement and the administrative cost should be approximately $3,000 for this
size property and easement value, plus approximately $3,000 to cover the out-of-pocket
settlement costs and the appraisal. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
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 comment on this date.
OTHER BUSINESS:
County Attorney
Issues: Assistant County Attorney Kirk Downey reported that rezoning case RZ-07-003,
pertaining to a proposed campground near Hancock, has been withdrawn by the
petitioners.
County Administrator's
Comments: County Administrator Greg Murray commented on the list of Legislative
Agenda Items for 2008 that will be discussed later in the day. A 50-page report
on specifications for the proposed Antietam Academy has been received from the
Board of Education for Commissioners' review. This afternoon's meeting at Hagerstown
Community College will be held in the College Center building, Murray said.
Reports from
County Staff: Director of the Division of Fire and Emergency Services, John
Latimer, brought a request to the Board for renewal of the annual contract for
the Jurisdictional Emergency Medical Service Medical Director for the period
of September 1, 2007 to September 1, 2008 with current EMS medical director,
Dr. Vincent Cantone of Smithsburg, Maryland. State law requires that each County
or jurisdiction appoint a medical director to oversee pre-hospital care. In
addition, the medical director supports Fire and Rescue Communication with medical
direction for emergency medical dispatch protocols. According to the contract,
the medical director is compensated $25,000, and the amount is included in the
FY '08 operating budget. Commissioner Wivell requested breakdown of hours worked
by that physician on the County's behalf. Further discussion of the issue was
scheduled.
Public Works
Director Joe Kroboth requested a budget transfer in the amount of $548,927.00
from the Robinwood North project to the Tollgate Road Bridge project. Due to
procedural issues a federal grant funding the project was withdrawn. Funding
can be recaptured in an upcoming federal funding cycle, Kroboth said. The measure
was approved by unanimous vote.
Special Projects
Director Gary Rohrer reported on the recent inaugural meeting of the I-81 Coalition
held in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The group is made up of government representatives
from 6 states that I-81 connects, from New York to Tennessee, and will study
highway improvement issues and lobby for federal funds for those improvements.
Rohrer suggested the County Commissioners send a letter of appreciation and
support to Commissioner Rick Rovegno in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania for
organizing the group. Rohrer requested approval of two memoranda
of understanding (MOU) with the State Highway Administration. One MOU was regarding
contributions the County and City of Hagerstown will make to the Edgewood Drive/U.S.
40 project. Discussions with the state resulted in an 8.2% reduction in direct
costs for rights of way and overhead , a savings of $500,000.00. A second MOU
was in regards to the construction phase for the Robinwood-North road widening
project that would tie the County's contract to the larger contract that the
state will have in that area. After discussion, the Commissioners suggested
bringing the issue back in two weeks for further consideration.
VERIZON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY
Briana Gowing
and Mark Salazar of Verizon were present to discuss various construction projects
and the working relationship between Verizon and the County. There have been
reports of delays in County construction projects due to utility companies lack
of prompt response in moving utility lines. Projects affected have included
those at Hagerstown Regional Airport, Maugans Avenue and the County Courthouse.
Commissioner Jim Kercheval commented that utilities that have poles in the County
Right of Way should work around County schedules. Salazar told the Board that
his company has met or exceeded all deadlines given for County projects. Additional
discussions with the Special Projects Director and the County Chief Engineer were
scheduled. County Administrator Greg Murray said that the discussion was a good
start to resolution of differences.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ATTENDED A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HAGERSTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO DISCUSS CAPITAL PROJECTS ON THE CAMPUS.
GENERAL DISCUSSION: COUNTY LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS FOR 2008
The Board
discussed a proposed list of legislative requests for the 2008 session, collected
from staff and Commissioner discussions. Proposed were enabling legislation
regarding calculation and application of the Building Excise Tax; Updating and
revising the Code of Local Public Laws to remove obsolete items pertaining to
road and highway issues; Enabling legislation to pass an ordinance prohibiting
parking of commercial trucks on public roadways; Raising the public bid threshold
from $25,000.00 to $50,000.00; Revision of the method by which professional
and specialized services are awarded, distinguishing them from purchased goods;
Enabling legislation allowing assessment of a fire/emergency services tax or
fee, if recommended by the Emergency Services Task Force; Removing specific
regulations from the Code of Local Public Laws dealing with electrical
regulation and replacing with language that allows the Electrical Board to adopt
and revise regulations after Commissioners' oversight; Reduction of the length
of time that a third party could have custody of a child and return the child
to its parents; Enabling legislation to adopt a Special Events Ordinance governing
the permitting and public service provisions of certain assemblies; Updating
language pertaining to the duties of the County Clerk to reflect present practices;
Requesting delegation support in maintaining the structure and financing of Local
Management Boards; Monitoring impact of the Green Fund Initiative on local governments;
Consideration of a means to address the provision of livery services for delivery
of bodies to the State Medical Examiner for autopsies. Additional discussion
on the items will be scheduled prior to the legislative session that begins
in January.
THE COMMISSIONERS ATTENDED A RENAMING CEREMONY AT 2:00 P.M. MARKING THE CHANGE OF NAME OF HAGERSTOWN BUSINESS COLLEGE TO KAPLAN COLLEGE.