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 December 8, 1998 were approved. Vouchers #44003 – #44139 were approved for payment. The biweekly direct payroll was approved for release.

The Commissioners signed State Assessment Change Reports #1232 - #1236.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners conducted an advertised bid opening for project #CC-PC-121598, two replacement vehicles for the Sheriff’s Department. The following sole bid received was publicly opened, read aloud and recorded:

BIDDER BID

Hertrich Fleet $ 39,752 – with 1 trade-in

Milford, Delaware $ 41,552 – without trade-in

The bid was referred to staff for evaluation.

On motions by Mr. LeGates, the following purchase orders were unanimously approved and signed:

Charles Andrew, jail superintendent, advised the Commissioners that the Caroline County Detention Center received accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care for providing quality health care. The detention center has held this national accreditation since 1982. The Commissioners commended Mr. Andrew for maintaining this achievement.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved the Basic Life Support (BLS) Program Enhancement amendments effective February 1, 1999, as presented by Robert L. Schoonover, director of Advanced Life Support, and Bryan Ebling.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and authorized the following official County holidays for 1999:

New Year’s Day Friday, January 1

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday Monday, January 18

President’s Day Monday, February 15

Good Friday Friday, April 2

Memorial Day Monday, May 31

Independence Day Sunday, July 4

Observed Monday, July 5

Labor Day Monday, September 6

Veteran’s Day Thursday, November 11

Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 25

Day after Thanksgiving Day Friday, November 26

Christmas Day Saturday, December 25

Observed Friday, December 24

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners revised the Commissioners’ evening meeting schedule from the fourth Tuesday to the last Tuesday of the month to become effective January 1, 1999. The evening meeting after a Monday County holiday will remain unchanged.

At 10 AM, the Commissioners, Dr. John A. Grant, health officer, and Rebecca Loukides, deputy health officer, met as the Board of Health. Dr. Grant provided a slide presentation that gave an overview of the health department and its functions, a summary of which follows:

ACOM, Health General, 3-301 through 3-309

• Governing body serves as Board of Health or may appoint a local Board of Health.
• Board of Health meets in May and October to review and report on public health problems and sets policy and fees for regulatory and service activities.
• Board nominates health officer; secretary of DHMH appoints nominee, if qualified.
• Health officer is unclassified, has state salary and local supplement, and may be removed by State and local consenus.
• Health officer appoints LHD staff and enforces State and local ordinances.

• Health Education – publicizing health problems
• Planning and Budgeting
• Personnel Services

• Adult Health and Geriatrics

• Geriatric Evaluation Service – Seeks out the elderly people in the county who live alone, evaluates their needs, and helps them get the services they need.
• Personal Care – Provides care to people who are home-bound to eliminate going to Nursing Home or the hospital.
• Chronic Disease Screening – Reduce incidence of some diseases.

• Communicable Disease (most important program)

• Community Immunity – Has brought child immunization up to date and is working toward bringing adult immunizations up to date (i.e. tetnus, flu shots).
• Surveillance – Monitoring diseases in the county (i. e. rabies).
• Epidemic Control – Provides case management for diseases such as rabies, AIDS, STD’s.

• Child Health

• Preventive Health Tracking – Currently visit all newborn babies to ensure they are getting all their shots and the health care that they need.
• School Health – Work in cooperation with the Board of Education.
• WIC Program – Old and successful program to provide iron-fortified milk to children and mothers, which has significantly eliminated nutritional deficiencies in children.

• Environmental Health

• Sewer and Water Regulation
• Food Sanitation – Sanitarians inspect the eating establishments in the county. There are about 250 establishments in the county.
• Hazard and Nuisance Control

• Maternity and Family Planning

• Prenatal Care Assurance – 60% of Caroline County women who have babies County go to the health department for care because there isn’t a hospital in the county.
• Contraceptive Services
• Teen Pregnancy Prevention – The teen pregnancy rate is down significantly in the last five years in Caroline County, as well as surrounding counties.

• Wellness Promotion

• Tobacco Prevention and Cesstation – Programs to promote no smoking and smoking cestation.
• Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
• Injury Prevention – Bicycle safety (wearing helmets) and elderly injury prevention.

• Local Enrichment Programs (Additional Programs)

• Addiction Services
• Developmental Disabilities Case Management
• Developmental Clinic
• Domestic Violence – handled by Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence
• Managed Care Coordination
• Medical Adult Day Care
• Mental Health – currently has a four-county regional program.
• Prenatal Care
• School-Based Clinics – currently have a school nurse practitioner in Lockerman Middle School and Colonel Middle School.

FUNDING (Example of Source of Funds for a Typical County)

15% State Match

15% County Match

20% County Funding over and above the 15%

40% State Grants

10% Collections

Dr. Grant ended stating that the business of public health is prevention. The role of the health department has changed over the years from providing primary care for low-income people to prevention by managing diseases early and containing them.

On motion by Mr. Prettyman, the Commissioners unanimously approved and reappointed George C. Nier to continue to serve as county attorney for Caroline County.

On motion by Mr. Prettyman, the Commissioners unanimously approved the following committee assignments to organizations requiring a County Commissioner member:

Addictions Advisory Committee – Cole

Economic Development Commission – Cole

Central Alarm Board – LeGates

4-H and Youth Park Board – Cole

Housing, Homelessness and FEMA Program Advisory Board – LeGates

Human Services Council – Margaret Myers, to serve as Commissioners’ designee

Length of Service Award Program Committee (LOSAP) – LeGates

Personnel Review Board – Cole

Planning Commission – Prettyman

Recreation and Parks Advisory Board – Cole

Social Services Board – LeGates

EMS Advisory Council, Inc. – Robert Schoonover, to serve as Commissioners’ designee

Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee – Prettyman (Alternate – Cawley)

Maryland Eastern Shore Resource Conservation and Develoment Council – LeGates

Maryland Rural Development Corporation – Deferred

Mental Health Advisory Committee – Cole

Upper Shore Aging, Inc. – LeGates

At 11:20 AM, and as authorized by 1995 Maryland Code, State Government 10-508(a)(3) and (7), the Commissioners, on motion by Mr. LeGates, seconded by Mr. Prettyman, unanimously adjourned into closed session to meet with Janice Davison, deputy County attorney, and Sue Simmons, director of recreation and parks, regarding potential south county recreational property acquisition.

The meeting reconvened in open session at 12:05 PM. President Cole reported that the Commissioners discussed in closed session the potential acquisition of south county property for recreational purposes, including the advisability of obtaining an option. On motion by Mr. Prettyman and seconded by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners authorized Sue Simmons, director of recreation and parks, to obtain an option on the potential property and a professional appraisal, however, the appraisal is contingent upon obtaining the option.

At 12:09 PM, and as authorized by 1995 Maryland Code, State Government 10-508(a)(7) and (a) (8); and (a)(1) respectively, as amended, the Commissioners, on motion by Mr. Prettyman, and seconded by Mr. LeGates, unanimously adjourned into closed session to meet with Janice Davison, deputy County attorney, regarding an update on the Dashiell case and employee compensation.

The meeting reconvend in open session at 12:40 PM. President Cole reported that the Commissioners received an update on the ongoing Dashiell litigation concerning the detention center, and employee compensation for certain department heads. On motion by Mr. Prettyman and seconded by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously approved and concurred with the recommendations of Mr. Cawley concerning merit compensation to department heads.

On motion by Mr. LeGates, the Commissioners unanimously granted a five-year manufacturers County real property tax credit beginning in the FY 1998-99 tax year to East Shore Development LLC/Tanglewood Conservatories, LTD on its property located in the Denton Industrial Park, as presented by Allen Stein, president of Tanglewood.

There being no further business, the meeting of the County Commissioners was adjourned by unanimous consent. Following their meeting, the Commissioners went to Centreville to meet with the Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County, state legislative representatives and officials from the Maryland Department of Transportation regarding dualization of Route 404.

Vivian L. Anders

Acting Executive Assistant