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.

John W. Cole, President

Franklin W. Prettyman, Vice President

John S. LeGates, Member

Charles C. Cawley, County Administrator

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the minutes of March 30, 1999 were approved as amended. Vouchers #45562 – #45663 were approved for payment. Bi-weekly direct payroll was approved for release.

The Commissioners signed State Assessment Change Reports #1264, #1264-1, #1265 - #1268.

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

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously authorized purchase order #14075 to Charles Hayman, for a survey to be performed of an approximately .3 acre parcel located in West Denton adjacent to Old Harford Town Maritime Center, per Commissioners authorization of March 23, 1999, pursuant to a proposed long-term lease with the Center.

On motion by Mr. Prettyman, the Commissioners unanimously accepted the proposal of Redland Genstar, Inc./Lafarge Corporation, Ridgely, Maryland, in the amount of $32,415 for application of hot mix overlay at the intersections of Foy and Legion Roads; and Holly Road and Holsinger Lane, and signed purchase order #14919 in that amount.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved the following contingency fund expenditure: $165 – Office of the Public Defender – court transcription for Criminal Case N. 4641, as mandated by the Court of Special Appeals.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Cole signed Provident Lease Corporation Acceptance Certificate No. 5 for acquisition of radio equipment for the sheriff’s department, including two Motorola two-way radios, vehicle repeaters, portables, chargers, antennas, and lapel microphones from Caldabaugh Communications in the amount of $5,499.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Cole signed Provident Lease Corporation Acceptance Certificate No. 6 for acquisition of various computer equipment to include laser printer, laptop computers, copiers, digital duplication, mini-lab for computers; instructional equipment; and furniture and fixtures for the Caroline County Board of Education in the amount of $130,823.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Cole signed Provident Lease Corporation Acceptance Certificate No. 7 for telephone equipment from Easton Telcom in the amount of $4,834.32 for the department of emergency management.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved participation in the the tourism supplement, Discover Caroline, to the Times-Record newspaper, in the amount of $500 for a one page, color ad to be funded from contingency, and directed Helen Spinelli, economic development director, to work with Leigh Sands, executive assistant, regarding design and content.

Caroline County State’s Attorney Chris Jensen presented the department’s FY 1999-2000 budget request in the amount of $343,065, which is a 20.7% increase over the current year’s appropriation. The state’s attorney’s office acts on behalf of and represents the State of Maryland in all legal activities within the county; prosecutes all criminal cases; acts a legal advisor to law enforcement agencies and the grand jury; and administers a victim/witness support program to assist the victims of crime within the county. The state’s attorney’s office receives nearly one hundred percent of its budget from County general funds.

• A new assistant state’s attorney is requested in the year’s budget to assist in handling the continuing case load increase, the additional day of District Court that has been added to the schedule; and increased responsibilities involved with creating and operating the new Caroline County Drug Task Force.

• With assistance from a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant, a victim-witness assistant has been hired to assist with the increasing responsibilities and duties imposed by passage of the Maryland Victim’s Rights Amendment and related enabling legislation. This will provide enhanced services to the victims and witnesses of crime in the county.

• The new case management system, Prosecutor Dialog, is streamlining operations and making more efficient use of all the employees’ time.

Mr. Jensen advised that the office has utilized the services from the Chesapeake College paralegal work-study program in the past and has been very successful. Chesapeake College pays for the student to work in the paralegal field in order to obtain on-the-job training and exposure. Mr. Jensen said that two current employees have been derived from this program. He is requesting to expand the existing program to allow the work-study student to work year round in the office. This is the seventh year that the SAO has requested an additional assistant state’s attorney position. The department has had three attorneys on staff for the past ten years during which time the caseload has increased 143%. Mr. Jensen also advised that the Drug Task Force has now split after ten years and will become Caroline County Drug Task Force. Mr. Jensen briefly reviewed the department’s capital budget with the Commissioners, which outlines the need for furniture and fixtures due to judicial expansion on the second floor of the Courthouse; and automation updates to hardware and software for computers.

George Sands, Caroline County Public Library Administrator, accompanied by Debby Bennett, assistant director; Dr. Carol Baker, president, Board of Library Trustees; and Dr. Bill Ecker, board member, presented the FY 1999-2000 budget request in the amount of $858,445, a 10.3% increase over the current year’s appropriation. The Caroline County Public Library acts as the county’s community center, its cultural and information center and its lifelong learning center. It provides citizens with information through library services and materials which support their highly prioritized needs and interests and helps to achieve a better quality of life. In 1999, the library used 3% of the county budget to provide library services from the Central Library in Denton, the Federalsburg Branch, the North County Branch, in Greensboro, a bookmobile and a Books-By-Mail program. Mr. Sands said that last year the Board sought a modest increase to incrementally open the North County Branch Library one extra day per week. It was hoped to open the North County Branch Library an extra two days per week which would put it on par with the Federalsburg Branch (open five full days per week), and ultimately open both North County and Federalsburg Branches a sixth day per week, however, the Board of Library Trustees has focussed its request on opening the North County Branch an additional day per week. The library budget request reflects a 2% cost-of-living increase and 1% increase within salary quartile. Library staff received no salary increases in FY 1996 and had no COLAs in four out of the past eight years. The request also reflects making the position of library assistant from part-time to full-time. The proposed library budget increase is primarily to increase the hours of the North County branch to four full days per week. Much of the increase will underwrite costs to operate and support these hours. A general breakdown of the library budget expenditures by category shows that 58.8% of the budget goes for personnel costs, 11.5% is used for benefits and social security, 11.1% is expended for materials, 6.8% for utilities, 9.3% for plant operations and 2.5% for bookmobile operations and other expenses.

• Open North County Branch Library in Greensboro an extra day weekly.
• Begin a strategic planning process.
• Enhance its automated circulation system and other principal functions, improve connectivity among the branch libraries, and with county government, and add useful information to the library web site that citizens can use in the library or by dialing from home.
• Continue to provide Worldwide Web access for staff, and county government via their own personal computers and for our other customers from library PC’s or text-based Internet access remotely from home PC’s via a local telephone call.
• Offer computer-training programs for customers.
• Increase programming of all types.
• Improve access and support for children, students and teachers as appropriate.
• Improve customer access to all library material and information.
• Re-examine bookmobile hours and stops.
• Support County economic development and tourism initiatives.
• Promote reading and reading to children.

Sheriff Philip Brown, presented the Caroline County Sheriff’s Department’s FY 1999-2000 budget request in the amount of $986,676, a 6.8% increase over the current year’s appropriation. The Caroline County Sheriff’s Department is charged with safeguarding the lives of all persons within the county, protecting property and assisting in securing to all persons equal protection of the law. Sheriff Brown reviewed the line items of his department’s budget with the Commissioners. He has requested a 2% cost-of-living for the department’s employees.

• Assigned an additional deputy to the Caroline County Drug Task Force.
• Created nine neighborhood watch communities in 1998.
• Met and exceeded State of Maryland-mandated in-service training for deputies.

• Part I offenses, most serious crimes, which include rape, robbery, theft, burglary, homicide, have increased 15.3%.
• Part II offenses have increased 11.3%.
• Total offenses investigated have increased 12.9%.
• Investigated 74% of the reported crimes and 70% of the police calls for service in the county not served by a municipal police department.
• Calls for services have increased 9.4%

Sheriff Brown reviewed budget benchmarks and his capital budget with the Commissioners.

Sue Simmons, director of Recreation and Parks, accompanied by Cindy Evey, recreation supervisor; Tom Hurman, recreation specialist; David Whaley and Dalton Mann, advisory boardmembers, presented the FY 1999-2000 budget request in the amount of $306,393, a 23.5% increase of the current year’s appropriation. The recreation department strives to provide quality park and recreation services responsive to the needs of the citizens of Caroline County. Recreation services contribute directly to the county government vision, which is to ensure a safe vibrant community, that, in partnership with its citizens, preserves the county’s rural heritage. The proposed budget does reflect significant increases, but a majority of these funds are tied directly to increased revenues through fees and grants. The FY 1999 appropriation represents less than 75 cents per person per month in tax funds for public parks and recreation. The FY 2000 budget proposal is divided into three primary divisions. Recreation service dominates the budget expenditure plan at 49%. The various populations served – youth, adults, families and special events, further define this division. Park operation represents 13% of the proposed expenditures and is segmented into facility types. General administration requires 37%. Ms. Simmons briefly explained the park division, which maintains 18 different facilities in the county. The proposed budget reflects maintaining services at the same current level. Cindy Evey explained the recreation division, stating that the department services approximately 15,000 people per year, of which 80% of the programs are geared toward children. Statistics show that there is an increase of crimes and loitering when recreation programs decrease in some municipalities. The proposed budget reflects focussing on expanding the collaboration and partnerships with municipalities to provide programs; expanding senior programs to include providing more programs; to continue to apply to HotSpots grant funding; and to maintain current programs and services. There is no increase in staffing of which there are five full-time and approximately 65 part-time employees, and many volunteers.

Sue Simmons discussed with the Commissioners, a change order request for the Choptank Marina gas tank replacement project submitted by the contractor, American Combustion Industries. The BTEX levels in the water within the excavation hole exceeded the Maryland Department of the Environment limits. The water must be pumped through a charcoal filtration system into a holding tank before it can be released into the environment. ACI has submitted a change order proposal to supply, install and monitor a water filtration system that meets all MDE requirements for contaminated water filtration and discharge in the amount of $14,450. Ms. Simmons advised that 50% of this amount is recoverable through Waterway Improvements grant funds. On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners authorized the change order with funding to be expended from the contingency fund and directed Ms. Simmons to apply for the Waterway Improvements grant for 50% reimbursement. President Cole signed purchase order #15340 in the amount of $14,450.

The County Commissioners acknowledge that, due to an inadvertent drafting error, Resolution #99-005, adopted on March 9, 1999, an official declaration of intent for purposes of U. S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.150-2 relating to certain projects to be financed by County tax-exempt bonds, incorrectly identifies one of the projects listed on Exhibit A thereto. Item 10 on Exhibit A to Resolution #99-005 should read "Wiring at Colonel Richardson Middle School" rather than "Wiring at Colonel Richardson High School." On motion by Mr. LeGates, Exhibit A to Resolution #99-005 is hereby unanimously amended accordingly, and the corrected exhibit will be recorded.

Leigh Sands, executive assistant, informed the Commissioners that the monitoring reports for the following Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program projects have been received and indicate compliance with applicable program regulations on both projects:

1. Project Number MD-95-CD-11, County Courthouse ADA – CDBG grant of $99,225 on May 27, 1994 for removal of architectural barriers at the Courthouse to increase accessibility by disabled residents to services.
2. Project Number MD-96-CD-34, Dayspring II – CDBG grant of $180,000 on April 16, 1996 for construction of twenty affordable rental townhouses in partnership with Interfaith Housing Development Corporation.

Helen Spinelli , director of economic development, advised that Commissioners that upon reviewing the amendments set forth in Senate Bill 419, "One Maryland" legislation, as drafted by the Senate, the legislation has been strengthened by making the assistance that is available to qualified counties more flexible. There is concern, however, with a portion of the legislation: "infrastructure serving existing retail and office oriented centers occupying at least 400,000 square feet on a limited basis of no more than one per jurisdiction." This square footage requirement would not allow Caroline County and many other jurisdictions, to benefit from the financial assistance provided by this bill. On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners confirmed their support of Senate Bill 419, as amended and President Cole signed a letter to the chairman of the House Economic Matters Committee requesting review of the wording and removal of the limiting language of "at least" or removal of the square footage completely.

At 12:30 p.m., the Commissioners met in a budget workshop.

There being no further business, the meeting of the County Commissioners was adjourned by unanimous consent at 3:45 p.m.

Vivian L. Anders

County Commissioners Office Coordinator