Town Council Meeting #17-04
September 16, 2004
Council President Norman
Pinder convened meeting #17-04 at 7:00pm in the QAC Annex Building, Room
A and B. Donna Turner, Council Member Vice President, Mary McCarthy,
Council Member, Royden Powell, Town Manager, Stephen Kehoe, Town
Attorney, Police Chief Ben Cohey and Deana Ashley, Clerk, were also
present.
Welcome:
Citizens and guests were welcomed to the meeting.
Review of Minutes
from Previous Meeting: Meeting
minutes for
September 4, 2004
were reviewed and approved as presented.
Mrs. Turner made a motion to accept the minutes; Mrs. McCarthy
seconded the motion. A vote was taken, members voted in the affirmative,
and the minutes were approved unanimously. (3 ayes)
Appearances:
1.
Aileen Minor, Dan Worth, Judith Suling, Truck Traffic – Mrs.
Minor,
S Liberty St
, discussed her concerns regarding truck traffic on Rt213.
She contacted MD State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and
was notified that there are only 2 roving crews for 4 counties.
She noted that both Upper Marlboro and Frostburg have enacted
legislation to halt truck traffic on state highways and asked the
Council to consider similar legislation.
Mrs. Suling,
S Liberty St
, stated her concerns about the traffic and its impact on the Town’s
and residential infrastructures, and asked the Council to not allow
Centreville to continue as a “trucking corridor”.
Mr. Worth,
S Commerce St
, cited sections of the Town’s comprehensive plan which does not
include plans for a 213 bypass.
Mr.
Ben Cassell, QAC Commissioner, discussed their recent and future
meetings with SHA, and asked the citizens to present their findings for
inclusion at the next meeting.
Mr.
Richard Lindsay, SHA District Engineer, stated his understanding of the
utility concerns relating to the Streetscape Project.
He also reported on the findings from a Chestertown
origination/destination study and suggested Centreville consider
conducting one utilizing local law enforcement.
Mrs. McCarthy stated that she felt immediate action was warranted;
she had received numerous phone calls from citizens and
businesses and was concerned for the safety of citizens, the Town’s
infrastructure and its historical homes on Rt213.
Mrs. McCarthy made a motion to instruct Town staff to draft an
ordinance within 30 days to restrict truck traffic;
Mrs. Turner seconded the motion.
The Council approved the motion unanimously (3 ayes).
Business:
1.
Parks Board
Presentation,
Wharf
Park
Project – Mr. Jeff Anthony, Mr. Luke Phipps, and Mrs. Mary Roby,
Park Advisory Board Members, appeared before the Council to present
their plan to improve the
Wharf
Park
. Mr. Anthony reported that
the Board had met with DNR representatives regarding funding; with the
Council’s approval they would apply for 2 grants – one to stabilize
the shoreline, the other to repair the boardwalk.
Mr. Phipps presented pictures of similar projects.
The improvements include installing rip rap to stabilize the
shoreline, installation of transient/floating docks, and paving the
parking lot. The Council
thanked the Board for their efforts and asked they be kept apprised of
the status of the project.
2.
Capacity Management
Plan, Final Draft – Mr. Powell and Mr. Kehoe discussed revisions
to the document including recent average flow reports of 340,000 gallons
per day for April through August.
They also reviewed the timing of the plan to release
allocations over 2 years, and the percentages allowed for residential,
commercial and mixed-use. Mr.
Powell reviewed the schedule for the plan’s completion and submission
to MDE for approval:
Public Hearing, September 30,
7pm
, Goodwill Fire Co.
Council “Mark-Up” Session, October 4,
4pm
, Town Hall
Council Approval, October 6,
7pm
, Town Hall
Maryland
Municipal League:
None
QAC Municipal
League: None
Announcements and
Correspondence: Mr.
Pinder read the announcements and correspondence into the record.
Report of
Department Heads:
Town Clerk – Ms.
Ashley reported the following:
·
The
audit was on schedule and would be presented to Council in November.
·
Insurance
for the newly hired Goodwill Fire Co EMT’s had been secured.
Chief of Police –
·
The Chief’s report was included in the Council’s books
for their review. There was
nothing unusual to report.
·
He discussed the amount of thefts reported and those
recovered.
·
Chief Cohey is working with the Sheriff’s Department and
the local MSP Commander to secure funding for mobile data terminals.
Studies have shown significant efficiencies by officers and
dispatchers by utilizing the terminals.
·
The Chief will be attending the MD Chief’s of Police
Conference in
Ocean
City
early in October.
Town Manager –
·
Mr. Powell
reviewed the current garbage collection revenues and expenditures.
He presented the Council with detail regarding the cost of
collecting and disposing of garbage; the current fee of $12.50 per unit
per quarter is not sufficient for current expenditures.
He proposed two rates for their consideration - $35.00 or $37.50
per unit per quarter. After
discussion, including the request to review curbside recycling programs
by Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs. Turner made a motion to approve the increase to
$37.50 per quarter. Mr.
Pinder seconded the motion. The
Council voted unanimously to raise the quarterly landfill fees from
$12.50 per unit per quarter to $37.50.
(3 ayes).
·
He then reported
to the Council a proposal received from URS Engineering to conduct a
3-phase INI study. Mr.
Powell described the need for the Town to determine the amount of
infiltration into the water system; URS proposes 3 phases where 1-
Identify Flows, 2 – Smoke Tests, TV Inspection, and 3 – Report
Findings. Mr. Powell
suggested the Council adopt a $200 per building permit fee to pay for
the study to be made effective immediately upon advice of Mr. Kehoe.
Mrs. McCarthy made a motion to approve the fee; Mrs. Turner
seconded the motion. The
Council then voted unanimously to approve the fee of $200 per building
permit to pay for the INI study by URS Engineering.
(3 ayes)
·
Mr. Powell
discussed recent calls to Town Hall about water quality complaints (ie,
dirty due to end of line connections) and notified the Council a
dechlorinator had been purchased and would be used to flush end lines
and be included in an ongoing maintenance program.
Citizens Forum:
·
Mrs. Jennifer K.
Wilson, Little
Kidwell Ave
– Mrs. Wilson presented the Council a letter and signature sheet from
residents of Providence Farm requesting
the placement of “Slow – Children at Play”on Little Kidwell and
Green Ave. The Council
approved the signs and asked Town staff to facilitate their request;
they thanked Mrs. Wilson for her time.
·
Mr. Sveinn Storm,
209 S Commerce St
– Mr. Storm asked if the $200 would be applied to all permits (fence,
etc) or just building permits? Mr.
Powell answered that only building (new structures) would be charged the
fee. Mr. Storm also
suggested that flow meters are required for an effective INI study. He
discussed the circumstances regarding the spill on
August 28, 2004
; he questioned the Council
and Mr. Powell regarding notifying the proper agencies and the status of
the plant operator contract. Mr.
Pinder noted that the authorities had been immediately notified and that
an investigation was underway into the reports filed that weekend by
Miller Environmental.
·
Mrs. Karen Roth,
S Commerce St
– Mrs. Roth suggested to the Council that a capacity management plan
should not be finalized if there are questions surrounding the data
utilized in its compilation.
·
Mr. Dan Worth,
S Commerce St
– Mr. Worth asked how the flow numbers for the plant are lower if
there have more houses have been constructed and rain fall has been
higher this summer?
·
Jenna Ashley,
ACME
Center
– Ms. Ashley asked the Council if allocations fees were going to be
raised? Mr. Powell responded
that those fees would have to be reviewed in the context of next
year’s budget.
·
Mary Margaret
Goodwin,
N Commerce St
– Ms. Goodwin asked the Council to consider enacting legislation to
address skateboarding in streets and in business parking lots.
The Council asked Mr. Kehoe to review ordinances in
Easton
for their review.
·
Mrs. Dena
Anderson,
S Commerce St
– Mrs. Anderson addressed the Council about her opposition to the
skateboard park and its recent dismantling.
Motion to Adjourn:
There being nothing
further to discuss, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting
at
8:45pm
.
Respectfully Submitted,
Deana Ashley, Clerk
