December 1, 1998

December 1, 1998

Denton, Maryland

The regularly scheduled meeting of the County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland, convened at 9:30 AM in the Hearing Room, Courthouse, Denton.

Attending:

Margaret R. Myers, President

John S. LeGates, Vice President

John W. Cole, Member

Charles C. Cawley, County Administrator

On motion by Mr. Cole, the minutes of November 24, 1998 were approved. Vouchers #43617 – #43757 were approved for payment. The biweekly direct payroll was approved for release.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners conducted an advertised bid opening for project #CC-SC-12198, trash containers for the Health and Public Services Building and Jail. The following bids received were publicly opened, read aloud and recorded:

BIDDER BID

M & L Equipment Inc.

Baltimore, Maryland $ 19,700.00

Accurate Industries, Inc.

Williamstown, New Jersey $ 18,677.00

Mid-Atlantic Waste Systems

Easton, Maryland $ 24,134.44

The bids were referred to staff for evaluation.

On individual motions indicated, the following purchase orders were unanimously approved and signed:

#14035 – $3,285.00 – Caroline County Weed Control – reimbursement to various funds: solid waste, roads and bridges, animal control (LeGates);

#14097 - $1,455.40 – The Rand Company – metal shelving for ground floor storage area for equipment and supplies for the recreation and parks department in new office space in the Health and Public Services Building (Cole);

#14098 - $759.95 – Quill Office Products – four file cabinets and stool for recreation and parks department for new office space in the Health and Public Services Building (Cole).

On individual motions by Mr. Cole, the following contingency fund expenditures were unanimously approved:

$3,000 – Investigator Sean W. Kille – reimbursement for extradition of prisoner;

$78.10 – Deputy Nancy L. Runnels – reimbursement for extradition of prisoner; and

$300 – Maryland Association of Judges for Orphan’s Court – seminar registration.

Bobby Schoonover, director of Advanced Life Support Services, met with the Commissioners regarding changes to the Basic Life Support (BLS) Enhancement Program. Mr. Schoonover distributed an outline of the recommended changes, a summary of which follows:

Recommended Changes to BLS Enhancement Program:

Increase staffing during time period from 4 to 6

Place EMT providers in fire stations on rotating basis, with EMT’s performing work for fire companies instead of ALS

Utilize ambulances when EMT’s and paramedics are at the same location

Dual dispatch when personnel at different locations

Incorporate volunteers to insure they have priority

Implement sharing resources during non-BLS Enhancement times

Increase Enhancement time from 5 to 6 days per week

Enhancement period to remain from 5 a.m. – 5 p.m.

As ALS operation of vehicles decrease, shift funds to ambulances

The Commissioners deferred decision until the meeting of December 15, 1998, in order to review the proposed changes.

Bryan Ebling, director of emergency management, updated the Commissioners on the regional communications system. Mr. Ebling explained that Caroline County is in the initial stages of designing an integrated 800 MHZ communications network which will replace existing systems presently utilized in the County. Mr. Ebling and Mr. Cawley recently attended a meeting with Talbot County and Queen Anne’s County to review possibilities of forming a regional communications system, which will provide a cost-savings to all counties involved. The next step would be to develop a Memorandum of Understanding between the counties participating in the regional system establishing the groundwork. On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and signed a letter of intent to the NPSPAC Region 20 RPRC to obtain the necessary frequencies to meet the present and future communications requirements.

On motion by Cole and seconded by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners denied the request of Startech Communications, for payment of $3,180 over and above the bid contract amount, submitted due tounderbidding on project #CC-TD-6298, telephone and data cabling in the Health and Public Services Building.

President Myers called for any unfinished business, there being none, she expressed her appreciation and said that it had been honor to serve Caroline County as President of the Caroline County Commissioners for the past eight years. The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent.

At 10:15 a.m., the induction ceremony for the newly-elected officials was held on the Courthouse portico, officiated by F. Dale Minner, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Caroline County, Maryland.

Following the induction ceremony, the meeting of the County Commissioners reconvened.

On motion by Mr. LeGates and seconded by Mr. Prettyman, the Commissioners unanimously appointed Mr. Cole to serve as president of the County Commissioners.

On motion by Mr. LeGates and seconded by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously appointed Mr. Prettyman to serve as vice-president of the County Commissioners.

On motion by Mr. Prettyman and seconded by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously appointed Mr. LeGates to continue to serve as chairman of Roads Board.

On motion by Mr. LeGates and seconded by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously appointed Mr. Prettyman to serve as chairman of the Board of Estimates.

On motion by Mr. LeGates and seconded by Mr. Prettyman, the Commissioners unanimously appointed Leigh Sands as clerk to the County Commissioners.

President Cole announced that due to Mr. Prettyman’s absence at next week’s meeting, the Commissioners will conduct an organizational meeting at the meeting of December 15, 1998 to appoint committee assignments.

President Cole called for new business, there being none, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent, and a reception was held.

Vivian L. Anders

Acting Executive Assistant