June 9, 1998

Denton, Maryland

 

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

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 June 2, 1998, were unanimously approved. Vouchers #40862 – 40950 were approved for payment.

The Commissioners conducted an advertised bid opening for project #CC-MH-52698, computer hardware and software for the health department. Becky Loukides and Elke Kirk, health department, were in attendance. Marvin MacDonald, purchasing officer, and Ellis Davison, deputy County attorney, explained that the bid opening was deferred due to a complaint from a prospective bidder regarding lack of universal notification of a correction in bid specifications. Mr. Davison mailed and faxed a corrective addendum to bidders and prospective bidders. With the addendum, he opined that bid procedures followed were adequate and consistent with the purchasing ordinance, and that bids, which had been held unopened, could now be opened. The following bids and addendum responses received were publicly opened, read aloud, and recorded:

Bidder Bid

Daly Computers $29,073.21 - Original Bid

(No Addendum Bid)

Applied Computers, LLC $26,383 - Original Bid

$26,071 - Recommended by bidder

$26,019 - Bid noted in accompanying letter

RAM Business Solutions $36,194 - Original Bid

$34,674 - Addendum Bid

Protologics Corporation $34,934 - Original Bid

$32,958 - Addendum Bid

All Comp Business Solutions, Inc. $27,830 - Original Bid

$22,300 - Addendum Bid

CE Computers, Inc. $20,806 - Original Bid

$21,807 - Addendum Bid

Bids were referred to staff for evaluation.

Marvin MacDonald presented staff’s recommendation that the low bid of Startech Communications be accepted for project #CC-TD-6298, telephone and data cabling for the new health and public services building, Denton. Chuck Emerson stated that they had done similar projects, and that the advice of Alan Visintainer and the Board of Education computer specialist had been obtained. The bidder spent a day on site evaluating the project and a certification of completion according to specifications will be obtained. On motion of Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners accepted the low bid of Startech Communications in the amount of $16, 007; and rejected all other bids received. President Myers signed purchase order #12016 in that amount, but expressed serious concern about the adequacy of the specifications for the project, the acceptance of the low bid, the general lack of attention to the computer/cabling needs of the building, and the potential for corrective expenses. She also questioned whether there was anyone on staff or in a consulting capacity with enough technical knowledge to adequately oversee the technology portion of the construction, installation, etc. of this project. The answer was no, although Chuck Emerson said that Larry Baker would be overseeing the project.

Upon individual motions indicated, the following purchase orders were unanimously approved, and signed by President Myers:

#11705 - C & D Concrete, LLC - $2,406.25 – 175 tons of #7 crushed limestone for Blades Road causeway (Cole);

#11817 - Chesapeake Publishing - $875 – 8,000 copies of recreation and parks department summer brochure (Cole);

#11963 - LaFor Corporation - $7,329 – delivery and set-up of administration office local area network (LeGates);

#11837 - Trice, Inc. - $13,863 (general fund capital account for buildings) - 3 stainless steel showers for male jail inmates (Cole). Necessitated by failing showers leaking into the jail kitchen, caused by poor original design. The Commissioners expressed their displeasure, but agreed that more damage must be avoided.

#11965 - L & K Micro Supply, Inc. - $13,116 – 12 computers, 11 monitors, modems and network cards for various departments (Cole). Mr. Cawley said this purchase, which piggybacks on a recent bid, puts some new equipment in several departments, and allows networking. Mr. Cawley believes that problems with the first order have been corrected. In answer to a question from President Myers, Mr. Cawley stated that although jail software is a priority, the appropriate software has not yet been identified. However, upon further questioning, he also indicated that funding for software for this priority has not been included in the FY 1999 CIP budget for the jail, although unexpended FY 1998 funds can be rolled over.

The Commissioners discussed with Sue Simmons her memo of May 27th regarding acquisition of the Choptank Marina auxiliary parking lot. On motion of Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Myers signed Contract of Sale with Victor H. and Vera W. Rieck, sellers, in the amount of $25,000 for 1.5 acres of land at the northwestly intersection of Poplar Neck and Choptank roads to be used as an auxiliary parking lot for Choptank Marina.

Patti Eigenbrode, personnel coordinator, and Mr. Cawley recommended that the Commissioners charge those eligible to receive mandatory COBRA health insurance continuance benefits a 2% administrative fee, currently about $2,200 total, as allowed by federal law to compensate the County for the time involved. About 50 persons receive this benefit. On motion of Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously authorized a 2% fee to be charged against the following, as generally authorized by COBRA:

    1. Former County employees, and former employees of outside agencies who are on the County health plan (e.g. Caroline County Public Library) whose status is any of the following;

a) Terminated;

    1. Voluntarily left County service;

    2. Laid off;

    1. d) Disabled.

    1. COBRA-eligible spouses, former spouses and dependent children of County employees and employees of outside agencies who are on the County health plan.

The Commissioners further specified that County retirees and their spouses shall continue to be exempt from County health insurance administration service fees.

George Jackson reviewed the recent history of the Dover Bridge replacement issue as reflected in newspaper articles, shared traffic count correspondence, presented artist’s renderings of the various replacement alternatives, and encouraged everyone to attend the June 24 MDOT public hearing on the bridge at 7 PM at Col. Richardson High School.

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Myers signed the Upper Shore Service Delivery Area Wagner-Peyser Act/Labor Exchange Plan - Program Year 1998, as requested by the Upper Shore Private Industry Council.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Myers signed the Maryland Office on Aging Senior Care System Annual Plan Review and Approval Sign-off – Fiscal Year 1999, as requested by Upper Shore Aging, Inc.

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously agreed to adopt the FY 1998-99 Caroline County Budget and Personnel Documents at the Commissioners’ evening meeting of June 23rd.

Mr. LeGates and Mr. Cole will inform staff by tomorrow if they want hotel reservations for the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference in Ocean City.

On motion by Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously approved and President Myers signed a letter to the Maryland 4-H Foundation requesting grant funds to cover the construction cost of a picnicking pavilion at the Caroline County 4-H and Youth Park, Detour Road, as requested by the 4-H and Youth Park Advisory Board and Cooperative Extension.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, and as requested by the Planning Commission, the Commissioners unanimously appointed Janice Foti, who has municipal planning experience, to the Caroline County Planning Commission for a term of five years retroactive to July 1, 1997.

Mr. Cawley will distribute his draft surplus vehicle disposal policy for discussion next Tuesday.

Dorsey Wooters, County treasurer, distributed a copy of the six bids submitted for the FY 1998-99 line of credit. On motion of Mr. Cole, the Commissioners unanimously accepted the low bid submitted by Farmers Bank of Maryland for a fixed rate of interest in the amount of 4.44%; and rejected all other bids received.

Mr. Cole read aloud the following statement:

Education Study Commission

A key recommendation of the Smith Commission was that a study commission be formed to study the entire realm of education in Caroline County. This was the view of the majority and supported in the minority report. The current strained relations with the Caroline County Board of Education and the serious questions that exist about our continued relationship with Chesapeake College make this a matter of utmost urgency. Our failure to act is only deferring the problem .

Dr. Gorsuch recently pointed out that local governments were restricted in their ability to conduct performance audits of their school systems. I don't propose such an audit, although it appears it would be beneficial to do so. There is to my knowledge no prohibition on reviewing our relationship with any institution we fund. That is simply a part of our stewardship responsibility to the citizens of Caroline County.

I request that this item of business be placed on the June 16th meeting agenda, and acted on promptly.

 

President Myers stated that the Commissioners need to make sure what such a group has the authority to do by law, and what they don’t, and for that reason the Commissioners should seek counsel from the County attorney.

Mr. Cawley reported:

    1. COLA costs have now been allocated to the various departments.

2) The County has requested the refund option from the Local Government Insurance Trust as part of a fund redistribution to Trust participants, and will be receiving $66,628.24, which will free up funds to reduce debt payments. This will allow the County to move forward with lease-purchasing items such as the special education school bus recently requested by the Board of Education. The Commissioners generally concurred with this approach.

    1. That he has updated costs on the health and public services building, and

distributed a copy.

 

At 11:40 AM, and as authorized by 1995 Md. Code, State Government 10-508(a)(1), the Commissioners, on motion by Mr. Cole and seconded by Mr. LeGates, unanimously adjourned into closed session to discuss the staff/board relationship.

The meeting reconvened in open session at 12:15 PM. President Myers reported that the Commissioners discussed the County administrator and agreed to conduct the first performance review in early July, and that President Myers would meet with Mr. Cawley to discuss several concerns with him yet today.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent.

 

 

Leigh Sands

Executive Assistant