Denton, Maryland

The County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland, convened their regular meeting at 9:30 a.m., in the County Commissioners Hearing Room.

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 Commissioners approved the minutes of April 7 and 14, 1998. Vouchers #40038-40127 were approved for payment. The bi-weekly direct deposit payroll was approved.

The Commissioners signed assessment change reports #1178-#1188.

The Commissioners held an advertised bid opening for project #CC-CS-42198, approximately 7,500 tons of Maryland #4 crushed limestone (retreatment and new roads), with the following bids being publicly opened, read aloud and recorded:

BIDDER	BID
Chesapeake Corporation Cambridge, Maryland	$ 143,167.20
Genstar Stone Products, Inc. Hunt Valley, Maryland	$ 99,188.75
D. M. Stoltzfus, Inc. Talmadge, Pennsylvania	$ 96,326.40
C & D Concrete, LLC Goldsboro, Maryland	$ 90,829.50

The bids were referred to staff for evaluation.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Myers signed purchase order #11355 to the Ramada Plaza Hotel, New York, in the amount of $1,950 for 13 overnight rooms for HotSpots participants through recreation and parks department (grant-funded).

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Myers signed purchase order #11359 to Richard Hayman in the amount of $721.72 for bus transportation to Ocean City for HotSpots participants (grant-funded).

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and signed lease/purchase Acceptance Certificate #4 with First Union National Bank/Corporate Trust Department, lessor, and the County Commissioners of Caroline County, lessee, accepting from Delmarva Two-Way Radio, Inc. radios and related equipment for the County detention center in the amount of $8,988.

Wayne Cole, co-chair with Renee Smith of the 1998 Caroline County You Are Beautiful Committee, unveiled the Committee’s plans for the volunteer recognition program. Only two counties use volunteer coordinators; the rest use their tourism/promotion staff. Recreation and parks will include a flyer with their program mailouts, and posters will be widely distributed to try to increase the numbers of nominations received. The Commissioners are requested to attend the September 9 evening reception at Harry’s Restaurant, Greensboro to honor the award winners.

On motion by Mr. Cole, and as requested by Bobby Schoonover, ALS coordinator, the Commissioners signed Agreement of Mutual Aid for the Provision of Emergency Advanced Life Support Services between Caroline County Advanced Life Support Services between Caroline County Advanced Life Support and Queen Anne’s County Advanced Life Support on an "as requested" basis except in cases of a major incident.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, and as requested by the individual fire companies, the Commissioners appointed the following persons to the Caroline County Basic Life Support Committee for three-year terms retroactive to June 1, 1997, pursuant to Resolution #94-009:

Marty Passwaters, Preston Volunteer Fire Company (2^nd Term)

Lou Hayes, Ridgely Volunteer Fire Company (2^nd Term)

Curtis Harvey, Greensboro Volunteer Fire Company (2^nd Term)

Lynn Cooper Humblebee, Queen Anne-Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Company (2^nd Term)

Charlotte Callis, Federalsburg Volunteer Fire Company (1^st Term)

Frank Flynn, Denton Volunteer Fire Company (1^st Term)

Joseph Hendricks, Goldsboro Volunteer Fire Company (1^st Term)

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and signed a Lease with Denton Volunteer Fire Company, lessor, for space in the Denton Firehall, Fifth Street, to be used by Caroline County Advanced Life Support and the Department of Emergency Management for a term of one year, effective June 1, 1998, for an annual rental cost of $1,000.

Bobby Schoonover, Advanced Life Support coordinator, presented the ALS FY 1998-99 budget request in the amount of $264,621 ($233,500 current year). The General Assembly passed a Medicaid reimbursement bill that will provide $100 per transport, which should provide about $9,000 annually. Fire companies will receive increased state program 508 funding, which perhaps ALS should receive part of. Medicaid will allow a subscription plan if a three-part criteria is met. If utilized, it should be tied to lowering the failure to respond rate, Schoonover said. He cautioned that reducing from six to four people or dropping the Denton unit would not be safe for the community. Robert Simpson discussed problems with the radio system, which is "bad" for the fire/EMS system, and "terrible" for the police system. Communications are not received, and the repeater systems bleed into the other frequencies and drowned out transmissions with squeal. The County console is new but the radios date to the 1960’s. Possible avenues are putting a repeater on the Sudlersville tower, linking with other cell towers, simulcasting, and leasing equipment instead of buying it. Talbot and Queen Anne’s counties have committed to spending millions of dollars to correct similar problems. The 911 Directors Alliance is looking into options.

Betsey Krempasky, county planner, presented the FY 1998-99 budget request of the department of planning and codes administration in the amount of $277,363 ($260,000 current year). A staff of seven handles five program areas. Almost every year, new state or local programs and requirements are established requiring more training and responsibility. Next year the mandatory BOCA building code (not including the personnel section) must be implemented, but will have to be delayed several months until the office relocates to the public services building. The capital request is needed for computer upgrades and possibly a new copier depending on what copier sharing arrangements can be worked out in the new building. The GIS system can be used to update some maps if printer purchase is approved. Krempasky said she feels the Caroline office does more with less than any other county in the state. One of the biggest problems from the standpoint of public perception is that the web of land use regulations is now so complex that answers to questions can no longer be short and simple. One staff person has not had an upgrade in four years despite a significant increase in the scope of her duties.

Dave Bramble, district manager, presented the FY 1998-99 budget request of the Caroline County Soil Conservation District in the amount of $48,624 ($40,000 current year). It was generally agreed that either funding should be increased or the Memorandum of Understanding specifying a 25% County allocation should be changed since allocations typically average 19%. President Myers was emphatic about the need to bring a workgroup together to discuss public drainage association funding, including broadening assessment revenue by bringing in state dollars, which can be justified on the basis of benefits to roads, parks and the Bay. Tributary Strategy team members need to be involved. At least 50% of the state funding responsibility has been shifted to local government. The Eastern Shore Delegation feels this is a local problem. The district supervisors support the $4,000 annual operating allocation request of Long Marsh Public Drainage Association. A meeting is needed with the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners since they have about $54,000 on account for the Long Marsh costshare but won’t release it. Bramble said the next annual meeting of the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts is July 1998, and the revenue issue will be discussed then.

Sheriff Brown and Captain Pinder submitted the FY 1998-98 budget request of the Caroline County Sheriff’s Department in the amount of $927,072 ($806,900 current year), with most of the increase being personnel-related. Two deputy replacements are needed. The cost for uniforms and a gun is almost $2,500 per person. Overtime has decreased almost 50%. Overtime for other departments and agencies, like the Board of Education, is billed to them. There is still one unfilled position available under the federal COPS FAST grant, which could be used for the drug task force. The total cost including vehicle is $55,321, of which the feds pay 85% the first year, 75% the second year, and 65% the third year. Following further discussion, the Commissioners, on motion by Mr. Cole, unanimously approved FY 1998-99 funding to hire one sheriff’s deputy for the drug task force, and directed the sheriff to proceed with the COPS FAST grant application to obtain a three-year federal share for this position.

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and signed a letter to Lt. Governor Kathleen Townsend requesting an increase in the Maryland state trooper allocation to the Caroline/Queen Anne’s drug task force, cosigned by the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, and state’s attorneys and sheriffs of both counties. The two-county task force is assisted by only three troopers, the same number that individual county drug task forces receive.

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners issued a proclamation declaring April 19-25, 1998 as Victim-Witness Awareness Week, as requested by the state’s attorney’s office.

The Commissioners signed a certificate honoring the 50-year anniversary of the Goldsboro Volunteer Fire Company, which will be presented at an April 26, 1998 luncheon.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved the proposal submitted by the Maryland Institute for Governmental Service in the amount of $3,500 to update the County employee handbook originally written in the 1970’s, and prepare a personnel manual for department heads.

The Commissioners agreed to attend a waste management meeting requested by Dorchester County on May 7 at Suicide Bridge Restaurant at 6 p.m.

President Myers reported that it will take at least a week before the computers at the Maryland Department of Legislative Reference are updated with final General Assembly action, and at this point it is hard to determine exactly what state bills passed. She has been informed that the treasurer’s salary increase, the five-Commissioner straw ballot, and S. 487, providing for 2% or 5% local income surtax increase/decrease increments did pass, but confirmation is awaited.

At 12:55 p.m., and as authorized by 1995 Md. Code, State Government 10-508(a)(1) and (a)(7), the Commissioners met in closed session with Janice Davison, deputy County attorney; Sheriff Brown and Captain Pinder, regarding status of sheriff’s department employees under state law.

The meeting of the County Commissioners reconvened in open session at 1:18 p.m. President Myers reported that the Commissioners met with Janice Davison, deputy County attorney; Sheriff Brown and Captain Pinder, and discussed the legal ramifications of the state law stipulating that the sheriff appoint deputy sheriffs and other personnel.

The Commissioners held a budget workshop, which was open to the public, until 2:30 p.m., at which time they adjourned to attend a Chesapeake College budget workshop with the other participating counties.

Leigh Sands

Clerk