[00:01:56]
[Call to Order: Invocation – Rev. Don Reynolds, Calvary Baptist Church of Denton; Pledge of Allegiance; Agenda Review.]
THIS MORNING WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY REVEREND DON REYNOLDS OF CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN DENTON.AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE RISE.
I APPRECIATE THE NATIONAL MOTTO BEING POSTED IN GOD WE TRUST.
THAT'S WHO WE'RE LOOKING TO THIS MORNING AS WE PRAY.
FATHER, WE COME THIS MORNING AND WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A GOD THAT IS GREATLY TO BE PRAISED.
WE KNOW THERE'S NO ONE ABOVE YOU TODAY.
AND YET, LORD, WE FEEL SO HUMBLED TO BE JUST A FEW AMONG BILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
WE STAND HERE THIS MORNING JUST IN MUCH NEED OF ALL SORTS OF HELP, BUT ESPECIALLY SPIRITUAL HELP. SO, LORD, HELP US TO DEPEND UPON YOU, TO TRUST IN YOU, TO RELY UPON YOU.
RIGHT HERE LOOKING AT THIS AGENDA OUR COMMISSIONERS AND THOSE WHO WORK UNDER THEM AND THOSE WHO ARE CITIZENS, WE WE KNOW TODAY THAT WITHOUT YOU WE CAN ACCOMPLISH NOTHING.
BUT LORD, WITH YOU ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
SO I PRAISE YOU TODAY FOR SO MANY ANSWERS TO PRAYER.
I THANK YOU FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT LOVE YOU.
WE PRAY ESPECIALLY DURING THIS ELECTION YEAR.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE THOSE THAT WE VOTE UPON, BUT ISSUES THAT WE WILL BE A PEOPLE THAT WILL BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO SEEK YOU IN YOUR WAY ACCORDING TO YOUR SCRIPTURES AND VOTE ACCORDINGLY LORD AND LORD, I PRAY AGAINST ANYTHING THAT WOULD DISRUPT YOUR LORD. SO NOW WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AND YOUR PRESENT HELP AT THIS TIME.
SO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS ARE DISTRAUGHT, DISCOURAGED NEEDING ALL TYPES OF HELP.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR GOVERNMENT, BUT LORD, GOVERNMENT ONLY HAS WHAT IT RECEIVES FROM PEOPLE.
SO HELP US TO BE STRONG AND TO DO OUR BEST TO BE GOOD CITIZENS.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY SHOW UP.
THEY DO. THEY'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB.
[00:05:05]
3-305 B, SECTION ONE, AND TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE UNDER GENERAL PROVISIONS 3-305 B, SECTION 7.THE ATTENDEES WERE COMMISSIONERS BREEDING, PORTER, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR KATHLEEN FREEMAN, COUNTY ATTORNEY STEWART BARROLL, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER JENNIFER REIBLY, AND DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DANIEL FOX.
[Robin Cahall, Health Officer, Caroline County Health Department]
GOOD MORNING ROBIN.[Caroline Goes Purple Proclamation—September 2024]
DO YOU HAVE A CREW HERE? YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD? YES. EVERYONE WITH A CAROLINE GOES PURPLE PROCLAMATION SEPTEMBER 2024.I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BARTZ IS GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION.
PROCLAMATION FOR CAROLINE GOES PURPLE.
WHEREAS CAROLINE GOES PURPLE IS A SUBSTANCE USE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION INITIATIVE SPONSORED BY DRUG FREE CAROLINE, CREATED TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND YOUTH TO STAND UP AGAINST SUBSTANCE USE.
AND WHEREAS CAROLINE GOES PURPLE FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SHARING EDUCATIONAL MESSAGES, PURPLE CLUBS AND MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, OUTREACH TO CIVIC GROUPS, HEALTH AND RESOURCE FAIRS, AND THE COMMUNITY FILM SCREENING.
WHEREAS CAROLINE GOES PURPLE, ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO GET INVOLVED, HAD A NEW CONVERSATION WITH THEIR KIDS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF PRESCRIPTION USE, DRUG USE, AND TO JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON SUBSTANCE USE AND TO END THE STIGMA SURROUNDING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY PROCLAIM BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF CAROLINE COUNTY, MARYLAND, THAT SEPTEMBER 2024 IS CAROLINE GOES PURPLE MONTH AND THAT ALL CITIZENS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION.
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ALSO CALL UPON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, AND CAROLINE COUNTY TO RECOMMIT OUR COMMUNITY TO INCREASING AWARENESS UNDERSTANDING OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
SIGNED THIS THE THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2024.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS PROGRAM.
WELL, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE THE COURTHOUSE IN PURPLE.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, BRINGS A AWARENESS TO THIS.
IT DOESN'T NOBODY'S DISCRIMINATED AGAINST WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.
IF I COULD JUST SAY ABSOLUTELY THINGS FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND JESSICA POOLE, WHO IS OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
SO WE THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SLOANE FRANKLIN.
HE IS OUR CHAIRPERSON FOR OUR LOCAL ALCOHOL ADDICTION DRUG COUNCIL OR COALITION.
AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DATES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE OF.
SEPTEMBER 14TH IS OUR GOING PURPLE TOGETHER EVENT.
THAT'S FROM 10:30 TO 1:30 AT THE JAMES T WRIGHT PARK IN PRESTON.
I INVITE EVERYONE TO ATTEND SOME REPRESENTATION.
I THINK LAST YEAR IT WAS HELD IN TALBOT COUNTY, I BELIEVE.
BUT THIS YEAR WILL BE CAROLINE'S IT'S CAROLINE'S TURN.
SO THERE ARE SOME EVENTS PLANNED DURING THAT DAY AT THE JAMES T WRIGHT PARK.
ON 9/21, WE HAVE OUR CAROLINE GOES PURPLE COLOR RUN AGAIN AT JAMES T WRIGHT PARK AS WELL.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE OUR SATURDAY EVENTS.
[00:10:02]
IT'S WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST INDIVIDUALS TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER CAN COME AND, YOU KNOW REMEMBER THEIR LOVED ONES AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.THAT WILL BE ON 9/27 AT MARTIN SUTTON PARK FROM 6 TO 8 P.M..
I BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO DO A LUMINAIRE CEREMONY.
I THINK THAT THAT'S THE PLAN FOR THAT ONE.
SLOAN, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? NO, I DO NOT.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU GET THOSE DATES TOO WHO ELSE DO YOU HAVE WITH YOU? OH, I HAVE EMILY WITH ME, EMILY STEVENSON.
SHE ALSO ATTENDS THE MEETINGS AS WELL.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HERE'S YOUR PROCLAMATION, ROB.
OH, YES. DO YOU WANT A PICTURE? OH, SURE.
MIC] OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE CARLY PALMER WITH OUTREACH OR THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR ALL SEASONS, INC..
[Robin Cahall, Health Officer, & Crystal Dadds, Director, Planning & Codes]
IS CARLY HERE? IS ANYBODY HERE FROM SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH? NO. OKAY.WELL, WE'LL JUST SEND THIS ALONG.
MOVE ON THEN. PASS IT DOWN TO JEN.
SIMMONS HERE OR MR. MANGLE, SO I GUESS WE WILL PUT THIS ITEM OFF THIS, I WILL MOVE BACK TO ROBIN AGAIN.
I ALSO HAVE CRYSTAL DADDS DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND CODES WITH ME AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, OUR DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, JOSH PARKER.
I'M GOING TO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
THAT'S OKAY. JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
MIC] ALRIGHTY SO LIKE I SAID, WE'RE HERE TO TO REQUEST APPROVAL FOR CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S WELL AND SEPTIC PERMITTING TO BE ADDED TO THE CURRENT CAROLINE COUNTY PLANNING AND CODES SYSTEM.
[00:15:07]
TERMS OF THE PROCESS THAT CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT USES FOR ASSISTING.WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY ASSISTING IT'S THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW FOR PERMITS.
AND HOW WE CAN WE'VE DONE SOME SURVEYS DONE SOME INTERNAL REVIEW OF THE PROCESSES AND LIKE, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE UPON THE PROCESS THAT'S ALREADY THERE? RIGHT. BECAUSE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW IS STILL REQUIRED FOR THESE THINGS.
SO NOT ONLY DOES THE PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE OR THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY IMPROVE THE PERMIT, THE ACTUAL BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS, BUT IT ALSO IMPROVES UPON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PERMITTING PROCESS OVERALL, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME INSTANCES WHERE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW IS REQUIRED FOR THINGS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY PURVIEW.
SO WE'VE TAKEN LIKE ALL THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, AND WE'VE COME UP WITH A LITTLE PROPOSAL.
LIKE I SAID, REQUESTING PERMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
SO WHAT IS THE SOFTWARE THAT'S USED TO MANAGE PERMITS, LICENSES, PLANNING PROJECTS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT? AND I APOLOGIZE. THIS IS YOUR PORTION.
OKAY. SO ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE DID A DEMONSTRATION ON OUR SOFTWARE.
AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE OUR KEY MODULES THAT WE USE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES OF THAT SYSTEM IS IT ALLOWS FOR MOBILE INSPECTION.
WE ALSO CAN DO ELECTRONIC PLAN REVIEW.
NOW, THEY CAN DO ALL OF THAT ELECTRONICALLY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE, WHICH IS THE ONLINE PERMITTING CAPABILITIES FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO ALLOW THEM 24/7 ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM TO APPLY FOR THEIR PERMITS, CHECK THE PROGRESS, CHECK THE STATUS, CERTAIN INSPECTIONS THEY CAN SCHEDULE ONLINE.
IF IT'S THROUGH OUR OFFICE, THEY CAN PAY THEIR FEES AT ANY TIME, AND THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM THROUGH THE SYSTEM ON AN EMAIL MESSAGING SO THEY CAN SEND THEIR MESSAGES DIRECTLY THROUGH THEIR ATTACHED RIGHT TO THE PERMIT INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUAL STAFF EMAILS.
SO THE CURRENT PROCESS FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, REVIEW OF BUILDING PERMITS, AND INCLUDES AN INDIVIDUAL SUBMITTING THROUGH THE ONLINE PROCESS TO PLANNING AND CODES THE INDIVIDUALS THE APPLICANTS INFORMED IF THE PROJECT REQUIRES A HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW.
IF IT'S REQUIRED, THE APPLICANT THEN MUST SUBMIT PAPER FORMS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A MATTER OF REVIEWING HISTORICAL FILES, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SANITARIAN COMPLETES THE REVIEW, AND THEN INFORMATION FROM THAT REVIEW IS UPLOADED INTO THE LAMA SYSTEM NOW, AS OF RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN PLANNING AND CODES FINALIZES THE PERMIT PROCESS ON THEIR SIDE.
LET'S SEE. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW, IT'S REQUIRED FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE DOWNFALLS ABOUT THE PAPER FORMS. ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SIDE, THIS IS A DUPLICATION OF EFFORT FOR US WHEN WE'RE DOING THE REVIEW, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE WE ADDING THE INFORMATION INTO THE PLANNING AND CODE SYSTEM, BUT INTO LAMA, WE'RE ALSO IT HAS TO ALSO BE ADDED INTO OUR PET TRACK SYSTEM, WHICH IS IT'S A HEALTH RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
MOVING TOWARDS LAMA WOULD ALLEVIATE THE NEED FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO THIS ELIMINATES THAT THAT STEP.
MOVING TOWARDS ADDING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW AND OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MODULE WITHIN LAMA, THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD REMAIN THE SAME AND THE SAME FOR PLANNING AND CODES.
[00:20:05]
SO THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL YOU KNOW FEES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT APPLIED TO PLANNING THE PROCESS.AND WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED A PROCESS FOR MONTHLY RECONCILIATION.
WE THREW A COUPLE OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR INVOICING BACK AND FORTH TO ENSURE, LIKE A STREAMLINED PROCESS.
SO WE THINK THAT THIS IS THE BEST WAY.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF MOVING TO LAMA, OF COURSE, THE EFFICIENCY AND TIMELINESS, THE STREAMLINED APPLICATION PROCESS, REAL TIME UPDATES, FASTER RESPONSE TIMES.
YEAH, FROM FROM THE ACTUAL REGULATORY AGENCIES.
PUBLIC ACCESS AND CONVENIENCE.
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE THAT'S AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST.
ENHANCED COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION.
I MEAN, WE WORK VERY WELL WITH PLANNING AND CODES NOW, I THINK JUST THIS JUST ADDS ANOTHER LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT, LIKE IN TERMS OF THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT OFTENTIMES THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE CONFUSED ABOUT SUBMITTING A BUILDING PERMIT.
SO A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE SITTING THERE PLANNING AND CODES WAITING FOR AN APPLICATION OR WAITING FOR A HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW, BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
OF COURSE, THE INTERNAL COORDINATION, IT SIMPLIFIES THE WORKFLOW FOR STAFF.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES, THE REGULATORY REPORTING.
RIGHT NOW, IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL THAT INFORMATION OUT OF OUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND MANIPULATE IT AND AND LITERALLY DO SOME TICK MARK COUNTING. RIGHT. THAT'S JUST LABOR INTENSIVE.
THIS LAMA HAS THE CAPABILITIES TO PULL THAT INFORMATION OUT FOR US.
SO IT WOULD IT WOULD BE VERY EFFICIENT, I THINK.
SO OF COURSE DEVELOPING AND DEPLOYING THE MODULE.
WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH THE VENDOR.
THEY'VE ALREADY GIVEN US THE MAINTENANCE FEES.
WHAT THE COST THAT IT WOULD, THAT WE WOULD INCUR TO ADD USERS, THE MODULE, ALL THOSE PIECES.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, FINALIZING PROCESSES ENSURING BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHANGE FOR OUR STAFF AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GO FROM PAPER FILES TO ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE A TABLET OR A SMARTPHONE TO COMPLETE THE THINGS SO THAT THAT PIECE OF THE TRAINING, ALONG WITH THE VENDOR SUPPORT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT CAPABILITY FOR THEM.
AND THEN OUR TIMELINE, YOU KNOW, CRYSTAL AND I, WE WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHAT WE WOULD REALLY WE WANT TO TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A SOFT LANDING AND DO SOME TESTING OF COURSE, ON THE MODULE.
ALSO START OUT SMALL AND THEN REALLY PUSH IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
RIGHT. SO I ANTICIPATE I MEAN, I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO LIKE, PUT MYSELF IN A BOX OR ANYTHING OR PUT US ALL IN A BOX IN TERMS OF LIKE WITH A HARD DEADLINE ON IT.
BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE WOULD BE IT WOULD BE UP AND RUNNING PROBABLY FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS IF WE WERE TO BE APPROVED TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD CRYSTAL? I DON'T THINK SO. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE.
[00:25:02]
AND THEN WE'VE TRIED TO WORK ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW OF BUILDING PERMITS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY DONE WITH THAT WATER SEWER VERIFICATION PIECE THAT REQUIRES A SEPARATE APPLICATION TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND FEE.IT'S PART OF THE ACTUAL BUILDING PERMIT, AND WE WOULD COLLECT THAT FEE.
WE WOULD GATHER THAT INFORMATION AS PART OF THE PERMIT.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD SIMPLY JUST GET NOTIFICATION THAT A REVIEW IS DONE.
THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE SAME DOCUMENTS, WHICH THAT TENDS TO BE A PROBLEM CURRENTLY, IS THEY MAY SUBMIT ONE SET OF PLANS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO US OR SOMETHING CHANGES MID PROGRESS BECAUSE WE HAD A CHANGE OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAD A CHANGE AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY THAT DOCUMENT GETS SHARED THIS TIME IT'LL BE ONE DOCUMENT THAT BOTH AGENCIES WOULD REVIEW.
SO THAT WOULD HELP ON THE BUILDING PERMIT SIDE TO HELP STREAMLINE THAT.
YEAH. AND WE ARE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WATER SEWER VERIFICATION FORM.
WE DID GET SOME GUIDANCE FROM MDE, FROM OUR REGIONAL CONSULTANT AND ONE OF THE PROGRAM MANAGERS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT PROCESS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING FOR THAT. AND IT PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED AS A WATER SEWER VERIFICATION.
IT SHOULD BE MORE IN LINE WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW.
AND THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING FOR THE REVIEW OF THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE JUST A LITTLE BIT.
SO JOSH AND I ARE WORKING ON THAT TOGETHER AS WELL.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, JOSH, ABOUT THE TRANSITION? THE TRANSITION REALLY ON OUR SIDE IS WHEN ROBIN SAYS THERE'S DOUBLE WORK.
THAT IS A BIG BOTTLENECK IN OUR OFFICE.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE ON SITE, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIELD APPROVALS, THAT'S REALLY GOING TO ALLEVIATE A LOT OF PAPERWORK AND A LOT OF PAPERWORK ON OUR SIDE.
AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF TIME SCANNING, UPLOADING, VERIFYING.
IT JUST IT WON'T NEED TO BE DONE ANYMORE.
SO THE WATER AND SEWER VERIFICATION IS, LIKE, THE MOST REQUESTED THING THAT YOU DO IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, RIGHT? LIKE, IF I WANT TO PUT A DECK ON, I NEED A WATER AND SEWER VERIFICATION IF I WANT TO PUT A PORTABLE BUILDING UP.
YEP. YOU KNOW, I NEED A WATER AND SEWER VERIFICATION.
SO PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT I'M GOING TO CONSTRUCT ON MY PROPERTY, I NEED TO COME IN AND PAY THE $40 AND GET THE WATER AND SEWER VERIFICATION IN ORDER TO DO THAT. OUR IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT VISUALLY GOING OUT TO EVERY PROPERTY TO DO THAT INSPECTION OR IN SOME CASES WHERE YOU HAVE GOOD DOCUMENTATION, WHERE YOU HAVE A WELL LOCATION, YOU HAVE A SRA DELINEATED, YOU HAVE GOOD AS BUILT DOCUMENTS ON WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK AND FIELD DRAINS ARE.
CAN YOU DO THAT REMOTELY FROM THE OFFICE, OR DO YOU NEED TO PUT EYES ON EVERY? CURRENTLY, WE PUT EYES ON JUST ABOUT EVERY PROJECT, SIMPLY BECAUSE PART OF THAT REVIEW IS NOT ONLY WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING IT.
IS IS THE SEPTIC SYSTEM FUNCTIONING? YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY SHOW UP ON SITE, YOU KNOW.
IS IT VISIBLY FAILING? THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT.
IS THE WELLHEAD PHYSICALLY THERE AND IN USABLE SHAPE ARE THE SEPTIC LIDS, IF YOU CAN SEE THEM, ARE THEY THERE? ARE THEY SECURE? THOSE ARE THE FEW THINGS THAT WE DO CHECK OTHER THAN THE LOCATION THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T DO ON THE FILE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON WE GO ON SITE.
RIGHT. SO AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU KNOW NOTHING NO IMPROVEMENT.
IMPROVEMENTS HAVE NOT OCCURRED ON THOSE PROPERTIES.
SO THE FILES THAT WE MAY HAVE MIGHT BE JUST AN ORIGINAL WELL, LIKE IN THE 1960S OR WHATEVER.
SO YES. SO SOMEONE DOES HAVE TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY REVIEW AND DO A SITE INSPECTION.
AND WHEN THOSE IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM.
BUT IF IT'S NOT STATE STATUTORY, YOU KNOW, IN STATE LAW THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY'S COMING IN AND PUTTING A BUILDING ON THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THEIR PROPERTY, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE GOT TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT THEIR SEPTIC AND THEIR WELL FOR THAT IF WE HAVE GOOD DOCUMENTATION.
SO IF THE STATE DOESN'T MANDATE THAT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, DO WE? BECAUSE THAT COULD CUT DOWN ON WAIT TIMES.
THAT COULD BE AN INSTANT, YOU KNOW, PULL THE FILE.
YOU KNOW, WELL WAS PUT IN IN 2020.
THE SEPTIC WAS PUT IN IN YOU KNOW, 2020 LET'S ASSUME.
AND THEY WANT TO PUT A PORTABLE BUILDING UP.
COME ON. I MEAN, DO WE REALLY HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT ALL THOSE THINGS AND, YOU KNOW.
YEAH, THAT, I MEAN AND THAT THAT IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
[00:30:09]
ABLE TO LIKE LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE THINGS I THINK ARE ALL VALUABLE THINGS THAT THAT WE NEED TO REVIEW AND DETERMINE, LIKE, IS IT NECESSARY FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND PUT, YOU KNOW, EYES ON IT? I THINK THE ONE CONCERN THAT CROPS UP WITH THAT IS LIKE THE UNPERMITTED, THE UNPERMITTED BUILDING OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT WERE NOT AWARE OF.RIGHT. SO LIKE THAT AND THAT OCCURS.
SO YEAH, THE BIG ISSUE IS ALSO IT'S UNIFORMITY.
RIGHT. AND IF ONE PROPERTY HAS ALL THAT STUFF IT'S ONE THING.
BUT THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR IS DOING THE SAME THING AND WE HAVE NOTHING ON IT.
RIGHT. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE UNIFORMITY BETWEEN THE IN THE PROCESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I JUST YOU SAID THE PROPERTY I JUST I YEAH, LOOK AS AN EXAMPLE.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THIS IN A NICE WAY, BUT MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN WHEN I, WHEN I WAS FIRST PITCHED, THIS IDEA WAS PERCEPTION THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS A COUNTY AGENCY, AND WE ALREADY STRUGGLE WITH THAT, EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE THAT IT'S A STATE AGENCY, ALTHOUGH WE DO SERVE AS THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
SO, YOU KNOW BUT BUT THAT PERCEPTION, YOU KNOW, WITH US COLLECTING THE FEE IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS ARE TAKING A WHILE ON A PERMIT AND IT'S HOLDING UP, THE PERCEPTION IS GOING TO BE THAT THE COUNTY IS DOING IT, NOT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS DOING IT.
SO. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE PERCEPTION NOW.
RIGHT BEFORE WE EVEN HAD THIS CONVERSATION, WE WERE LIKE, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE EDUCATE THE INDIVIDUALS ON THE FACT THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS SEPARATE FROM PLANNING AND CODES? HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S REALLY POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO.
THEY'RE STILL GOING TO THINK THAT IT'S BECAUSE THEY ONLY UTILIZE THEY UTILIZE PLANNING AND CODES, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON A RANDOM BASIS, LIKE IT MIGHT BE ONCE EVERY 10 OR 20 YEARS THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT COME IN TO BUILD A NEW HOUSE.
THEY MIGHT NOT EVER HAVE TO DO A BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS FOR 30 YEARS.
SO LIKE THEY STILL HAVE HAD THAT ONE EXPERIENCE.
I STRUGGLE AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LEAD IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE ARE THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS A STATE AGENCY, THE STATE SEES THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SOMETIMES DEPENDING ON WHO WE'RE TALKING TO.
RIGHT. SO THEY SEE US AS A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND YES, THE EMPLOYEES ARE ALL STATE EMPLOYEES FOR THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ANYWAY.
BUT IT WE STILL HAVE SOME LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESSES FLOW, FLOW WELL AND THAT IT'S EASY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GET WHAT THEY NEED.
IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL THE ISSUES.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS, BUT THEY NEED TO BE MITIGATED.
I THINK THAT THIS WILL CERTAINLY SOLVE SOME OF THEM, BUT YEAH.
ALL RIGHT. WHAT IS WHAT'S YOUR GUESS AS FAR AS HOW MUCH WILL THIS REDUCE THE TIME PERIOD FOR REVIEW? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO HOW MUCH, WHEN YOU GUYS TRANSITIONED TO UTILIZING LAMA FROM UTILIZING PAPER TO USE UTILIZING LAMA? IT DID CUT OUR TIME DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE WE CAN GENERALLY DO A BUILDING PLAN REVIEW WITHIN A DAY OR TWO.
OUR OFFICE STAFF CAN USUALLY LOOK AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING PORTION OF IT CHECKING, ZONING, CHECKING, CRITICAL AREAS, WETLANDS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WITHIN A TWO WEEK TIME PERIOD. OUR STRUGGLE IS USUALLY WITH THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES BECAUSE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T ALWAYS GO TO THE AGENCY AND APPLY.
YOU DON'T FIND THAT OUT TILL LATER IN THE GAME.
YEAH. AND ARE WE VISITING THE SITE ON EVERY APPLICATION CRYSTAL? WE DO EVERY.
SO BOTH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND PLANNING CODES ARE BOTH VISITING THE SITE.
YEAH. AND RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF LIKE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEW, WE WE SAY 30 DAYS.
RIGHT. AND LIKE I ON SIMPLE ON SIMPLE ITEMS LIKE THAT REALLY SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE.
WELL THERE THERE ARE SOME OUTLIERS THERE, RIGHT?
[00:35:01]
LIKE IF WE GET IF WE GET A SIMPLE REVIEW IN THAT COULD BE TURNED AROUND IN A TWO DAY TIME PERIOD PROBABLY.RIGHT. MAYBE SOMETIMES EVEN A DAY TURN AROUND.
SO IT GOES BACK TO THEM, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT AND IT DOESN'T COME BACK TO US FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.
WELL, SHOULD THAT TWO WEEK TIME PERIOD BE INCLUDED IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TIME FRAME? NO, IT SHOULDN'T BE. IT SHOULD BE THAT THEY REVIEWED IT.
RIGHT. AND THAT'S NOT DESIGN, WHATEVER MIGHT HAVE NEED TO BE ADDED ONTO THE PLAT OR WHATEVER IT MARKS IT AS THAT.
SO THEN YOU CAN SEE LIKE THE TIME FRAMES IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH IT WHEN THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN IT BACK IN.
AND I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES THAT'S HAPPENED THAT WHEN I COME IN AND SAY, WHEN WAS THIS BROUGHT IN AND IT WAS DATE STAMPED, THEN I CALL THE PERSON BACK AND SAY, YOU LIED TO ME.
AND SO WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVISING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS PROCESS? BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS AMAZED ME OVER THE YEARS.
YOU GUYS ARE RIGHT ACROSS THE HALL FROM EACH OTHER.
HOW DO WE LET THE PUBLIC KNOW? HOW DO WE TELL THESE PEOPLE THIS IS WHAT YOU GOT TO DO? SO WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
WE HAVE A CONTRACT OR A VENDOR FOR THOSE SERVICES.
NOW, WILL PEOPLE STILL BE ABLE TO BRING IN A PAPER DOCUMENT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO HAVE IT STARTED FOR LIKE, SAY, A MUNICIPALITY SITUATION, RIGHT? YES, THEY CAN, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS IT GETS ENTERED INTO THE LAMA SYSTEM.
IS THERE A WAY TO GENERATE A DOCUMENT? SURE. LIKE A CHECKLIST? YES. AND HAND IT TO SOMEONE WHEN THEY COME IN AND SAY, I WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE.
HERE ARE THE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO DO.
HERE ARE THE PLACES YOU'VE GOT TO GO.
AND HERE'S ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE IF YOU GET EVERYTHING TO THEM THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO.
I MEAN, I THINK. DO YOU GUYS HAVE DO YOU HAVE A CHECKLIST THAT IDENTIFIES.
YES. YEAH. AND WE CAN IT HAS HEALTH DEPARTMENT STUFF ON IT.
YEAH. AND I'VE GOT A PAGE LONG.
NOW THE ISSUE, I GUESS MAYBE IT'S ALL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
YES. AND CHECKS ARE ON OUR PLANNING CODE.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS OUTSIDE OF THAT.
RIGHT. SO FOR A MUNICIPALITY, SAY IF THEY WERE BUILDING WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY, THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THAT SAYING, HEY, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO INCORPORATE THE MUNICIPALITY CORRECT REVIEW PROCESS INTO THAT AS WELL.
YES. SO AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS WHEN SOMEONE GOES TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND SAYS, I WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING, THE MUNICIPALITY SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE WATER AND SEWER VERIFICATION FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
RIGHT. SO THEY AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO COME.
BUT STILL THE MUNICIPALITY COULD ESSENTIALLY GO INTO THE SYSTEM AND LOOK.
ARE YOU DOING WATER AND SEWER VERIFICATIONS EVEN IF THEY'RE ON TOWN WATER AND SEWER? FOR THE MOST PART, NO.
[00:40:02]
YOU STILL HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON THE ON THE PLAT FOR LOT LINE REVISION IN A TOWN LIMIT.RIGHT. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NO OTHER REAL.
NOW, IF I'M IN CORPORATE, IF I'M IN THE INCORPORATED LIMITS.
BUT I HAVE A ON SITE DISPOSAL SYSTEM OR A WELL, THEN YOU HAVE TO COME OUT AND DO IT.
YES. SO LIKE THAT'S THE THAT'S SOMETIMES DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN OR ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES PRETTY MUCH CONTACTING YOU NOW? I'LL LET JOSH ANSWER THAT BECAUSE WE DO STRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT WITH STAFF TURNOVER SOME DO NOT. SOME DO.
RIGHT NOW, FEDERALSBURG HAS BEEN EASY TO WORK WITH WHERE ORIGINALLY HAS NOT.
YEAH. AND I THINK AGAIN THAT'S AN EDUCATION PIECE, RIGHT? LIKE TALKING TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AND SAYING LIKE, HEY, LIKE, HERE'S OUR PROCESS.
AND THIS IS I MEAN, AND WE DO THAT ON WE ATTEMPT TO DO THAT WHEN WE IDENTIFY AN ISSUE.
WE REACH OUT BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF THE SAME SITUATION WITH FOOD SAFETY, RIGHT? WE HAVE THAT. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE STAFF TURNOVER IN THE MUNICIPAL OFFICE, THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW, RIGHT? THEY DON'T ALWAYS KNOW. SO THEN WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO GO BACK FOR THAT.
AND I THINK WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'RE CURRENTLY COORDINATING A MEETING WITH THE TOWNS TO GO OVER IMPACT FEES AND PERMIT PROCESSES, ALONG WITH ADDRESS NOTIFICATIONS AND CHANGES WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITIES, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GETTING THOSE CHANGES THAT WE NEED, OR THEY MAY NOT BE COLLECTING THE IMPACT FEES PROPERLY.
AND MAYBE THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO JOIN IN WITH US ON THAT MEETING.
WE'RE SETTING UP TO, TO ADD THAT PART OF IT, OF WHAT NOTIFICATION WE NEED.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
AND OVER THE YEARS, THIS HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST PUBLIC COMPLAINT THAT I'VE HAD.
YEAH. I MEAN, LIKE, I WANT TO PUT A PORTABLE BUILDING.
I CAN GO DOWN TO TJ'S AND BUY A BUILDING, BUT IT TAKES ME 30 DAYS TO GET A PERMIT TO PUT IT ON.
I CAN BUY IT AND HAVE IT DELIVERED TOMORROW, BUT I GOTTA I GOTTA WAIT 30 DAYS OR 45 DAYS, YOU KNOW? AND I THINK THAT'S THE PART THAT'S JUST ASININE.
YEAH. AND I THINK THE OTHER THING IS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING, LIKE, IF WE DON'T HAVE TO GO PUT EYES ESPECIALLY, I MEAN, IF THE THING WAS JUST BUILT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN SIX MONTHS AFTER THEIR HOUSE IS CONSTRUCTED OR SOMETHING AND SAY, HEY, I WANT A PERMIT FOR A PORTABLE BUILDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, HERE'S 40 BUCKS.
YOU GOT TO WAIT 30 DAYS FOR US TO COME LOOK AT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WERE YOU JUST HERE SIX MONTHS AGO.
YOU FILED MY WELL AND MY SEPTIC.
NOTHING'S CHANGED IN THAT TIME PERIOD, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE AND THOSE PARTICULAR CASES, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT COMES DOWN TO, DO I OWN THE PROPERTY OR DOES THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND PLANNING CODES OWN MY PROPERTY? I MEAN, I OWN IT IS THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE THING THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS THE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BEAT THE SYSTEM.
WELL, THEY DO BECAUSE IT TAKES 30 DAYS.
YEAH, BUT BUT I THINK THAT THE THING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE BECOME AWARE OF IS THERE'S A LOT MORE DUE DILIGENCE BEING DONE BY PEOPLE WHO ARE BUYING AND SELLING HOUSES.
MY CLIENT'S GETTING READY TO BUILD IT BUY THIS HOUSE.
IT'S GOT A SWIMMING POOL AND I NEED TO SEE THE INSPECTION.
YOU KNOW, AND PERMITTING INFORMATION ON THE POOL.
WELL, GUESS WHAT IT WAS PUT IN WITHOUT A PERMIT.
WELL, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUY THE HOUSE.
GUESS WHO THAT GUESS WHO THAT FALLS.
BUT I HEAR THAT MORE AND MORE ALL THE TIME.
AND SO IT MIGHT BE BETTER OFF TO GO DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND BUT I'M THIS IS GOOD NEWS, SO I'M, I'M REALLY ANXIOUS TO SEE HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK AND HOW THIS IS GOING TO MOVE THINGS ALONG AND SMOOTH OUT THE THE OPERATION.
AND BECAUSE I AGREE WITH TRAVIS.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TO DO THIS ON A TIMELY BASIS.
WHEN PEOPLE GET READY TO DO SOMETHING, THEY'RE READY TO DO IT.
AND THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY STANDING IN THE WAY AND LOSING INFORMATION.
OH, YEAH. WE WE CAN'T FIND THAT.
[00:45:01]
YEAH, I WE CAN'T DO THAT.SO IF THIS WILL HELP, LET'S GO.
AS LONG AS IT INCREASES IN COMMUNICATION, WHICH I THINK THE PLANNING AND CODES AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS LACKING FROM, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM THE CONSTITUENTS POINT OF VIEW.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THE THE CUSTOMER PORTAL IS HELPFUL.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IT'S ALL PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS AND IT'S VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME CONSUMING FOR STAFF AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHEN WHEN THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF REVIEWING SOMETHING AND THEY HAVE TO STOP TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A STATUS ON SOMETHING OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE ARE PRETTY MUCH I MEAN, WE'RE WELL STAFFED, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW COMPARED TO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS. BUT STILL LIKE IT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE ALL THE TIME.
SO I THINK THAT THIS WILL THIS WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY.
I WILL THE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES THEY HAVE TO DO.
YEAH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT ON A REALLY GOOD NOTE OUR TRAINEE THAT JOSH MENTIONED SHE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY LICENSED TO THE BOARD, AND HER LICENSE HAD LAPSED. SHE HAD TAKEN ANOTHER CAREER MOVE.
ABOUT A YEAR AGO SHE INDICATED THAT SHE WANTED TO SHE WANTED TO TAKE A JOB WITH US AS A TRAINEE.
AND THEY DID THAT AT GENERALLY IT TAKES YOU GOT IT'S LIKE TWO YEARS AS A TRAINEE, IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN THEY THEY AWARDED THEY ACTUALLY WENT AHEAD AND MOVED THROUGH THE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
RENEW IT. YEAH. THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW HER TO RENEW IT.
YOU KNOW THEY REVIEWED ALL OF OUR INFORMATION.
I MEAN, SHE'S GOING TO MOVE FROM TRAINEE TO AN ACTUAL SANITARIAN.
WHAT IS THE SHORTAGE OF SANITARIANS IN THE STATE.
IT'S PRETTY. RECENTLY WE HAVE 520 LICENSED PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
A GOOD MAJORITY OF THEM ALREADY WORK FOR THE STATE.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRANSITION BETWEEN COUNTIES.
YOU KNOW YOU DON'T GET SOMEBODY THAT'S YOU KNOW WE LIVE IN A RURAL AREA.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF US THAT LIVE ON THE SHORE TO BEGIN WITH.
RIGHT. YOU LIVE IN THE 95 BELTWAY.
THEY THEY MOVE AROUND THOSE TO THOSE DIFFERENT COUNTIES BECAUSE IT'S AN EASY COMMUTE.
YEAH. MY COUNTERPART IN KENT, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TWO TRAINEES THAT LIVE IN HER COUNTY, BUT SHE CANNOT GET A SKILLED, LICENSED OR EXPERIENCED PERSON CAN EVEN APPLY.
RIGHT. AND YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT THAT HAS THAT, ALONG WITH THE SALARY SITUATION, HAS HINDERED HIRING.
THE STATE HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO DO AN ASR, WHICH IS ANNUAL SALARY REVIEW AND BUMP UP THOSE STARTING SALARIES FOR SANITARIANS, WHICH I THINK HAS HELPED. BUT AGAIN, LIKE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF OUT OF COLLEGE WITH THOSE TYPES OF DEGREES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR SANITARIAN, IT'S IT'S LIMITED.
THEY WANT TO GO DO SOMETHING REALLY FUN AND NOT WORK WITH SEWER AND WATER, RIGHT? YEAH. I'VE TOLD MANY PEOPLE I WOULDN'T TELL MY KID TO BECOME A LICENSED ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST AFTER GOING TO FOUR YEARS AFTER GOING TO FOUR YEARS OF SCHOOL, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, I JUST WOULDN'T.
IT'S NOT WORTH. IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB TO FILL.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, AND WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS EFFICIENT FOR THEM SO THAT THEY FEEL, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTIVE WHEN THEY COME TO WORK AND THAT THERE'S NOT ROADBLOCKS EVERYWHERE AND THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING SCRUTINIZED AT EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY CORNER THEY TURN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, A LOT OF THINGS ARE LEFT UP TO INTERPRETATION.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW, IT'S CLEAN.
REGULATION, INTERPRETATION, ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO YOU KNOW, WE I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT NOW HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP.
[00:50:04]
I'M IN SUPPORT OF OF DOING IT.AND IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE WITH WHAT THE SYSTEM CAN PROVIDE TO US.
PRETTY EASY TO TO REIMBURSE THE MONEY BACK OR SEND THE MONEY TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
YES, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GENERATE A REPORT AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR IT SOMEWHERE.
ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE].
THE CONFUSION ABOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEING A STATE AGENCY AND BEING CONFUSED AS A COUNTY AGENCY IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU'RE LABELED, YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE SAYS CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
YOUR WEBSITE SAYS CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE WITH THESE OTHER STATE AGENCIES? I MEAN, MARYLAND STATE POLICE, MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.
CAN YOU BE RELABELED? GET YOUR LETTERHEAD CHANGED TO YOUR SIGNAGE TO BE THE MARYLAND STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY? OH, THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER COUNTY HAS DONE THAT.
YEAH. LABELED AS THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE STILL HAVE THE COUNTY SEAT ON THE LETTERHEAD.
AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BECAUSE WHENEVER ANYBODY WOULD COME WITH A QUESTION AND I WOULD SAY IT'S A STATE AGENCY, THEY WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE COUNTY SEALS ON THE LETTERHEAD. SO, YEAH, NO, IT IS NOT.
I MEAN, AND I, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE], IT, IT IS IT'S CONFUSING AS TO I MEAN, BECAUSE THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH IS THE ONE WHO OVERSEES, WELL, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, APPOINTS WELL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE SOME OF THE CONFUSION LIES.
BUT IT'S STILL YEAH, IT'S I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY OTHER LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF RENAMING TO MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN, IN WHATEVER COUNTY.
THAT LABELING IS IMPORTANT, AND IT'S A MISREPRESENTATION, IN MY OPINION, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S WHY SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH I RECEIVE PIA REQUESTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL.
YEAH. AND WE ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY WE ARE THE COUNTY THAT'S A STATE AGENCY.
YEAH. IN TERMS OF THAT SITUATION RENAME.
AND IT PRETTY MUCH ALL REVOLVES AROUND MD REGULATION AND INTERPRETATION.
I MEAN WE DON'T IF ANY ANY CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE ABOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE EITHER PERMIT REVIEW TIME RELATED OR I WANT TO DO SOMETHING AND I CAN'T GET AN ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THE ONE GENTLEMAN ABOUT MOVING HIS SRE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S MADE ANY HEADWAY WITH THAT OR NOT.
THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM DOWN THE FEDERALSBURG.
BUT YEAH, THE ONE WE WANTED TO PUT A POOL WHERE IS THAT? OH, YEAH, THAT ONE'S MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK WE FINALLY GOT TO A PLAT REVIEW STAGE.
OKAY. YEAH, IT'S BEEN MOVING FORWARD.
DID HE FIND SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK? YEAH, HE DID FIND AN AREA THAT WOULD WORK.
YEP. OKAY, SO IT'S REGULATION INTERPRETATION AND YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT HOPEFULLY LAMA WILL HELP AND WE'LL AND IT HASN'T BEEN TERRIBLE.
SO ON OUR SIDE, WHAT WE'RE GETTING RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DESIGNING SEPTIC SYSTEMS ANYMORE.
YEAH, BUT YOU STILL GENERATE THE SPECIFICATIONS.
YEAH. AND THAT WAS AN MD THAT CAME FROM MD.
YEAH. HAVE BEEN DRAWING SRES FOREVER OR NOT SRES BUT HAVE BEEN DESIGNING THE LAYOUT OF THE FIELD DRAIN SYSTEM AND TANKS AND THEN THEY SAID, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
WAS IT DECEMBER? DECEMBER OF 23, 24 OR 22, 22.
WE DID PROVIDE TRAINING OVER THE SUMMER.
WE HAD A TRAINING SESSION FOR LOCAL CONTRACTORS TO COME IN AND.
AND THAT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED TO EXPLAIN WHY THAT OCCURRED.
WELL, TO EXPLAIN THAT AND AND WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS AND LIKE ACTUALLY HOW TO DO IT.
RIGHT. SO YEAH, THAT WAS PRODUCTIVE.
AND I ANTICIPATE WE'LL MOST LIKELY DO THAT AGAIN AT SOME POINT JUST TO KEEP YOU KNOW.
[00:55:01]
I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING OF CHANGING A PROCESS AND NOT PROVIDING TRAINING NOT ONLY TO STAFF, BUT ALSO WHEN IT INVOLVES THE PUBLIC ASPECT OF THINGS AND YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO DO SOMETHING, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE THE HOW TO.SO I THINK THAT THAT TRAINING PIECE WAS, WAS VALUABLE IN TERMS OF THAT.
AND I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON THIS.
THIS IS OUR IMMEDIATE NEED RIGHT NOW IS PERMIT PROCESSING WELLS AND SEPTICS.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF THIS WORKS WELL AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO EXPAND ON IT IN TERMS OF DOING THEIR PERC TESTING APPLICATIONS THROUGH THEIR OR THEIR FOOD PERMITS, THROUGH THEIR OR THEIR LICENSING, THROUGH THEIR.
THERE IS THERE IS A BIG PUSH FROM BOTH MDE AND MDH FOR ONLINE PERMITTING.
CURRENTLY, MDE IS ACTUALLY EXPERIMENTING WITH AN ONLINE SEPTIC PERMIT IN WICOMICO.
WICOMICO? IT'S NOT BEEN WELL RECEIVED.
IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT.
BUT ON FROM THE DIRECTOR'S SIDE, IT'S NOT BEEN WELL RECEIVED.
IT'S NOT A VERY FRIENDLY, USER FRIENDLY, USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE WITH IT.
YEAH, I TRIED IT MYSELF AND IT WAS KIND OF HARD.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AND GOOD LUCK.
I'M HOPING BY MAY THAT WE'RE FULL FORCE.
THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WHILE WE'RE WAITING, DR.
SIMMONS WILL BE HERE ON THE 17TH.
OKAY. HE WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY.
[Robert Zimberoff, Director, Economic Development & Tourism]
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. EXCUSE ME.THANKS FOR HAVING ME. HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD LABOR DAY.
SO I'M ON THE AGENDA A COUPLE TIMES TODAY.
BUT FIRST HERE WITH AN UPDATE.
I CAN CONSUME AN HOUR JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE CONSENT LETTER.
IT IS A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, IF YOU ASK ME.
THE US ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION IS SIGNALING WITHOUT SAYING FOR SURE THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO RELEASE US FROM ALL ENCUMBRANCES, LOANS, FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN LINGERING FOR YEARS WITH RIDGELY TECH PARK.
AND JUST THE WAY HIS EMAILS ARE WORDED ARE VERY ENCOURAGING, BUT WE HAVE TO GET THEM THE LETTER FOR THEM TO REALLY CONSIDER IT WITH FINGERS CROSSED LET ME. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
YES, SIR. THIS IS THE US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE? YES. CORRECT.
STATE. THE STATE WHERE WE ARE IS I'D SAY THEY'RE ENCOURAGING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MARKETING THE PROPERTY AND SELLING IT.
ALTHOUGH SAYING SELLING IT TO MY UNDERSTANDING ISN'T EXACTLY RIGHT.
JUST THE EASIEST WAY TO PUT IT.
THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE FINAL OFFER MIGHT BE AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT PAYS OFF THEIR LOAN SLASH GRANT THAT HAS BEEN LINGERING FOR YEARS AS WELL.
I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THE DOCUMENTS VERY CAREFULLY, AND IT'S BEEN TIME CONSUMING BECAUSE I'M CATALOGING THEM TO, FOR THE SAKE OF RETENTION, SCHEDULING AND TAKING NOTES AS TO WHAT THEY ARE.
SO I'M NOT JUST FLYING THROUGH THEM.
BUT I'D SAY I'VE BEEN THROUGH PROBABLY A QUARTER OF THEM.
BUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS DOCUMENTATION STATING VERY CLEARLY
[01:00:07]
WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO MEET THE PAYOFF REQUIREMENT, AND THAT IS THAT $18,000 AN ACRE NUMBER WE HAVE DISCUSSED BEFORE.I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING TO SUBSTANTIATE A DIFFERENT NUMBER OTHERWISE.
SO WE'RE CIRCLING BACK TO ANDY FISH BEING THE HIGH LEVEL GUY AT THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
HE HAS FORWARDED ME TO TIM DOYLE, AND THEY REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUOTE UNQUOTE, HAIRCUT.
SHOULD THE PROPERTY SELL FOR LESS THAN $18,000 AN ACRE? WELL, AND I THINK THAT THE THING THE QUESTION IS, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A MEETING THAT WAS THAT WAS COORDINATED THROUGH BRUCE BARIANO WITH MR. FISH AND WITH THE SECRETARY.
RIGHT. AND THE IDEA OF THEM JUST FORGIVING THE LOAN WAS NOT WITHIN THEIR REALM OF WHAT THEY THEY DETERMINED THEY COULD DO.
YOU KNOW, AS IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME, THEY HAVE A BOARD THAT THEY HAVE TO ANSWER AS WELL.
YES. AND THAT BOARD IS GOING TO SAY, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.
WE'VE GENERATED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS MONEY THAT'S BEEN USED TO DEVELOP THIS PARK.
WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO GIVE IT AWAY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO JUSTIFY THE COST.
THE QUESTION WAS, HOW MUCH WOULD IT BE? HAVE WE EVER. IS THAT THE $18,000 FIGURE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PER ACRE? THAT IS THE NUMBER THAT WAS ESTABLISHED.
AGAIN, I COULD COME ACROSS SOMETHING WHERE THAT NUMBER HAS CHANGED, BUT FROM WHAT I FOUND, THAT NUMBER WAS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND DOCUMENTED ALL THE WAY BACK WHEN THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WAS [INAUDIBLE].
WE HAD MCLEOD LAW GROUP GO, GO, GO DO A DEEP DIVE.
RIGHT. BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL, THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT, I BELIEVE WAS 33.
THAT WOULD BE INCLUDING THE EDA, THE THE FEDS, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, THAT WOULD BE THE GRAND TOTAL, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL ENCUMBRANCES, THE THE US, WHICH WE ARE TRYING TO GET RELEASED FROM.
WE GET BACK DOWN TO JUST DEALING WITH WHAT THE STATE IS GOING TO HAVE.
OKAY. AND YEAH, I HAVE BEEN TOLD AS WELL THAT THIS IS A REVOLVING LOAN SLASH GRANT SLASH FUND.
SO, YOU KNOW IT'S FOUNDATIONAL.
THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO BIG OF A HAIRCUT.
HOW MANY ACRES WAS IT, BOB AGAIN? DO YOU REMEMBER? RIGHT AROUND 90, BUT 72 USABLE.
SOME OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, THE DRAINAGE FIELD AND.
BUT THIS IS 18,000 AN ACRE ON THE 90 ACRES, ROUGHLY.
YES. THE WHOLE PROPERTY? YES. SO YEAH, IF YOU'RE DOING THE MATH AND WE'RE ONLY MARKETING 70, THEN THAT NUMBER IS GOING UP.
THAT HAS BEEN REALLY THE CAUSE FOR ME TO DO THIS DIGGING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A SOLID NUMBER DOCUMENTED.
BUT I WILL SAY WHAT I HAVE FOUND SO FAR IS YOU COULD SAY EMAILS FROM COMMERCE WHEN IT WAS [INAUDIBLE] POINTING TO A COUPLE MEMORANDUM MEMOS BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE TOWN.
NEITHER OF WHICH I HAVE FOUND, BUT THEY DATE TO 2002 AND 2004, AS REFERENCED IN THESE EMAILS.
SO ONE OF THE MORE RECENT THINGS I'VE DONE IS ASKED THE STATE, HEY, LOOK, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING BACK 2015 TO 20 YEARS, BUT DO YOU STILL HAVE THOSE MOUS ON FILE? I HAVE NOT FOUND THEM YET.
BUT EVEN THOSE EMAILS SAY THEY ARE VERY VAGUE, VERY HIGH LEVEL, AND THEY ARE ENCOURAGING THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY TO FLESH OUT EXACTLY WHAT THOSE MOUS MEAN.
THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT IN WHAT MCLEOD AND MCLEOD'S RESEARCH.
NOT NOTHING IN I CALL IT THE MCLEOD DOCUMENT.
IT IS VERY MUCH DRIVEN TOWARD NEGOTIATING WITH EDA AND NOW COMMERCE, MARYLAND COMMERCE.
[01:05:02]
AND IT'S BEEN HUGELY HELPFUL.BUT IT DOESN'T GET INTO INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS UNSIGNED DOCUMENTS, NOT EXECUTED DOCUMENTS.
SIGNATURE LINES, BUT BLANK WHERE THE COUNTY IS ASKING THE TOWN TO AGREE TO PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO, PHASE THREE OF WATER USE. NOW, IT'S NOT EDUS, IT'S GALLONS PER DAY.
THE ONLY REFERENCE I'VE SEEN TO EDUS IS GS.
THE NAMES HAVE CHANGED TOWN MANAGERS, COUNTY MANAGERS A TOWN MANAGER STATING WHAT PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO, PHASE THREE, WHAT THE EQUIVALENT EDUS WOULD BE TO THE GALLONS PER DAY REQUESTED, BUT NOTHING SOLIDIFYING THE ACTUAL EDUS.
AND I GUESS YOU COULD SAY WHO OWNS THEM.
ONE OF THE LETTERS WAS BASICALLY THE RIDGELEY TOWN MANAGER, OR MAYBE THEIR TOWN PRESIDENT AT THE TIME ASKING THE COUNTY TO FUND THE TOWN FOR GALLONS PER DAY SET ASIDE FOR PHASE THREE, WHICH WOULD BE THE FINAL COMPLETE BUILD OUT.
AND THE NUMBER WAS SOMETHING LIKE 140,000 GALLONS PER DAY.
AND THE LETTER STATED, SURE, WE'LL SET THAT ASIDE FOR YOU AT THE COST OF SOMETHING LIKE $250,000.
RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
THAT'S THE MOST RECENT RELEVANT DOCUMENT I FOUND.
IF WE CUT HIM A CHECK FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND, THEN WE BOUGHT SOME EDUS.
AND I ALSO THERE WERE SOME EDUS OBTAINED BY BY THE COUNTY UPGRADING A PUMP STATION AS WELL.
SO, AND THAT IS MORE OR LESS EXACTLY WHAT I'M HOPING TO FIND, BUT I'VE SEEN THAT DEBBIE, THE FORMER DIRECTOR, SENT US SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
I'VE SEEN SOMETHING THAT INDICATES THAT WE WE UPGRADED A PUMP STATION IN RETURN FOR SOME EDUS.
WELL, SO LET ME MAKE NOTE OF THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR.
WE OWN SOMEWHERE AROUND 40 EDUS FROM THE TOWN OF RIDGELY.
SO THESE ARE THE FIRST TWO STEPS.
NUMBER ONE IS TO TRY TO GET THE FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS LIFTED.
SO AND FIGURE OUT DETERMINE THE STATUS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE ENGINEERING REPORT.
I KNOW IT WAS DAN WAS GETTING CLOSE TO WRAPPED UP.
OKAY. SO I HAD FOLLOWED UP WITH [INAUDIBLE] PROBABLY THREE WEEKS AGO ON THIS MATTER, AND THEIR ENGINEER JUST CONFIRMED, HEY, WE'RE FINALIZING DOCUMENTS.
WE'LL HAVE A WRITTEN REPORT TO YOU GUYS IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT OR CONVERSATIONS WE HAD WITH [INAUDIBLE] WAS IN REFERENCE TO EDU'S GALLONS PER DAY AND WHAT THE TOWN MAY HAVE OR DISCLOSE THAT THEY HAD RECORDED ON THAT AS WELL.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOT SEEN THE REPORT OR ANY NOTES TO THAT DO MORE THAN PAYING THEM.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL CALL THEM WHEN WE GET OUT OF THE MEETING TODAY.
SURE. SO WE HAVE THAT REPORT ASSUMING WE GET A RELEASE BACK FROM USDA AND WE DETERMINE HOW MANY EDU'S WE DO HAVE, WE CAN MARKET THIS THING AND TRY TO MOVE IT.
THAT'S. THOSE ARE THE THREE OUTSTANDING ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
[INAUDIBLE] SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION TO EXECUTE THIS LETTER.
YEAH. IT'S LATER ON IN THE AGENDA ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO IT'S ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA TO THE LETTER.
YEAH. SO, COMMISSIONER, MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION? YEAH. THAT LETTER IS UNDATED.
IS THERE A WAY TO ADD TO THE LETTER? YEAH, I SENT IT AS A PLAIN WORD DOCUMENT LOOKING TO GET IT ON COMMISSIONER'S LETTERHEAD AND THEN DATED.
ALL RIGHT. I GUESS WE'RE GOOD.
MR. PORTER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO. IN MY IN MY LIFETIME WE ALSO HAVE THE RURAL MARYLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.
DID YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT REAL QUICK? CERTAINLY. IT'S REAL QUICK.
I DID PROVIDE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR PACKET.
THESE ARE THE EXTENSION REQUESTS FOR THE RURAL MARYLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.
[01:10:05]
AS YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE OURS.SOME OF THEM ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'RE WAITING. THEY WERE THEY WERE DUE AUGUST 8TH.
I'M WORKING WITH SARAH GUY, WHO CONTRACTS WITH THE MID-SHORE REGIONAL COUNCIL.
BUT ULTIMATELY, IT'S THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE DECIDER HERE.
I DID ASK MISS GUY LATE LAST WEEK IF THERE WERE ANY UPDATES.
I WILL SAY THAT THERE IS ONE REQUEST TO PUSH OUT THE FUNDING EXTENSION THROUGH, NOT THIS COMING NOVEMBER, BUT NEXT NOVEMBER.
AND I WAS TOLD THE MID-SHORE REGIONAL COUNCIL'S METHOD WAS GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH REQUEST HAD THE LONGEST DATE ON IT AND PUSH FOR THE SAME EXTENSION FOR EVERYTHING.
AND MIND YOU, IT'S MORE THAN JUST OUR COUNTY, SO THE LONGEST ONE I'M AWARE OF IS THROUGH NOVEMBER.
BUT OTHER COUNTIES MIGHT HAVE OTHER REQUESTS EVEN BEYOND THAT.
OKAY. 20. WHERE ARE WE? 2025. SO IF IT GOES THAT WAY, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT BY THIS NOVEMBER, CORRECT? THAT. YES, YES.
AND IF WE GET A NO, YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING AN AWFUL LOT FROM ME WHENEVER WE.
I'M I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'RE NOT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE WE DO HAVE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FUNDS IN THE BANK.
WHY IS IT ON YOUR SPREADSHEET HERE? LIKE, YOU HAVE BARROLL BROADBAND.
YES, BUT YOU HAD THREE HERE WHERE YOU KNOW THE BUSINESS ATTRACTION CAPACITY OF 11,000.
CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE IS STILL 149, AND THEN BROADBAND IS 224.
SO MARYLAND BROADBAND IT'S THE WAY THAT THEY SET UP THE FUNDING AND PAYMENT FOR THE PROJECT.
THEY DETERMINED IT WOULD BE EASIER JUST TO COLLECT ALL THE INVOICES ONCE THE PROJECT IS DONE AND MAKE ONE BIG PAYOUT, AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO IT WITHIN THE ORIGINAL TIME FRAME, WHICH IS THIS NOVEMBER.
BUT THEY WANTED A COUPLE EXTRA MONTHS.
THE OTHER TWO PROJECTS, CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE AND THE ONE THAT FALLS UNDER MY OFFICE THEY JUST THINK THE BEST, MOST RESPONSIBLE USE OF FUNDS IS TO CHIP AWAY AT IT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW WELL, THE NEXT YEAR IT'S AN ONGOING PROJECT FOR THEM.
THEY DEDICATED FUNDS TO HIRING A NEW INDIVIDUAL.
IT'S A LOT OF PROMOTIONAL MARKETING TYPE OF THINGS.
THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY MAKING A BIG PUSH, HONEST TO GOODNESS, TO DO BETTER WITH MANUFACTURING.
AND THIS FUND IS SUPPORTING THAT.
AND THEY WANT TO USE IT FOR PAMPHLETS AND MATERIALS AND ALL THOSE.
SO I YOU CAN SAY I ROLLED WITH IT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, YOU KNOW, FUNDS THAT FALL UNDER MY OFFICE, THEY WERE ORIGINALLY USED TO BUILD THE NEW WEBSITE, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE WE FINALLY FULLY LAUNCHED TODAY.
WE'RE BLASTING IT OUT THERE. IT'S GOT ALL FRESH CONTENT ON IT.
IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, TAKE A LITTLE LOOK.
I THOUGHT WE GOT A GRANT FOR THAT.
OKAY. YOU JUST PUT IT UNDER THE.
SO MORE OR LESS IT'S THE FUNDS THAT ARE REMAINING FROM BUILDING IT.
AND GOSH, I CAME INTO THIS ROLE KNOWING THAT THE NEW WEBSITE WAS BEING BUILT, KNOWING THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO BRING IT TO THE FINISH LINE AND THINKING THAT ONCE IT WAS BUILT AND DONE, THAT MY STAFF AND I WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT, UPDATE IT, KEEP IT FRESH WITH MY JOURNALISM BACKGROUND.
IT'S VERY, VERY TIME CONSUMING.
IT'S VERY, VERY TIME CONSUMING BUILDING CONTENT.
SO I AFTER TRYING TO MAKE A PUSH TO KEEP IT IN MY OFFICE DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE WAY IT'S
[01:15:05]
BEEN DONE, WHICH IS HAVING A CONTRACTOR KEEP IT FRESH FOR US, AND THAT'S WHAT THESE FUNDS ARE FOR.BUT THAT ENABLES ME TO DO OTHER THINGS WITH MY MARKETING BUDGET.
SO WHEN THE SO WHO'S GOING TO DO IT AFTER $11,000 RUNS OUT? TOUGH TO SAY.
IT'LL PROBABLY COME OUT OF THE MARKETING BUDGET LIKE IT DID IN THE PAST.
AND THAT SUBSCRIPTION WAS ALSO FUNDED BEFORE I CAME IN.
SO THE WAY I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO.
WAS IT $18,000? THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
SO I'M NOT. YEAH. SO YOU GET IT.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY PETTY, BUT IT JUST THIS IS GOVERNMENT AT ITS FINEST SOMETIMES.
SO YOU GET A GRANT FOR $18,000.
RIGHT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A WEBSITE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BIGGER, BETTER, EASIER AND ALL THAT.
SURE. I MEAN, IT'S MORE OR LESS TO KEEP THE NEWS, THE NEWS SECTION FRESH PROMOTE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COUNTY. EVENTUALLY, I WHERE I THINK WE'RE TRENDING IS IT'S GOING TO FREE UP THE GENERAL MARKETING FUND TO HELP MARKET THE TECH PARK.
SO THAT'S THE WAY I'M VIEWING IT IS IN THE PAST, THESE FUNDS HAVE COME OUT OF MARKETING.
THEY'VE COME OUT OF MARKETING THAT WERE JUST PART OF OUR BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, I'M WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS GO WITH THE EDA.
BUT MY PLAN IS TO TAKE THESE EXTRA FUNDS THAT CAME WITH THIS GRANT SET THEM ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE WEBSITE, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING FROM OUR OWN FUNDS, AND THAT WILL BE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DEDICATE FUNDS TO MARKETING THE TECH PARK.
I FEEL I NEED TO KNOCK ON WOOD EVERY TIME I SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S MORE OR LESS WHAT I'M THINKING IS, IS WEBSITE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN COMING OUT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GENERAL FUND, YOU COULD SAY THE MARKETING PORTION OF IT FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I'M READY TO NOT HAVE THAT KICKER ANYMORE.
BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF STACIE'S UNDERTAKING.
AND I KNOW SHE'S PROBABLY HAD A MORE CONVERSATION WITH BOB ABOUT IT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO SPEND IT DOWN AND GET RID OF IT, JUST LIKE THE MARYLAND POP UP.
THE MESSAGE WE'RE GETTING IS THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT IN THE TIME THAT'S REQUIRED.
SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO PUSH THEM IF THEY'RE PROMISING TO HAVE IT SPENT BEFORE THE END OF NOVEMBER.
BUT AGAIN, I HATE THINGS LINGERING ON.
CHESAPEAKE HAS AN EXTENSION LETTER IN HERE AS WELL.
THEY DID, BUT ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS.
YEAH. THEY JUST WANT TO BUY THEMSELVES AN EXTRA MONTH OR TWO JUST IN CASE, IS WHAT I WAS TOLD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
[Daniel Fox, Deputy Administrator]
FEES AND A REVIEW OF THE MARTINS HOUSE BLOCK GRANT INTEREST LETTER, WHICH IS ALSO IN OUR CONSENT AGENDA.[01:20:02]
YES, YES.SO I HAVE NICOLE HERE WITH ME THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT.
SPEAKERS] NOW, ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE COMING BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTAL IMPACT FEE.
AND WHEN WE CHANGED THE EXCISE TAX OVER TO AN IMPACT FEE STRUCTURE BACK IN 2019, IT CALLED FOR A REVIEW EVERY FIVE YEARS BY THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
SO THIS IS MORE OF A FORMALITY TO CHECK THAT BOX.
GIVE YOU A GENERAL UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT AND HOW MUCH IS LEFT IN THE FUND.
SO AS I WAS MENTIONING BACK IN 2019, THE COUNTY WENT AWAY FROM THE EXCISE TAX THAT WAS BEING COLLECTED AND CHANGED OVER TO WHAT WE KNOW IS THE IMPACT FEE.
LONG AND SHORT OF THAT, IT'S $5,000 PER UNIT WHEN THE BUILDING PERMIT IS ISSUED.
WE'RE HOVERING JUST OVER $1.2 MILLION SET ASIDE IN THIS FUND.
SO TO THIS DAY, WE HAVE ONLY COLLECTED IT IN ONE CATEGORY, WHICH IS EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.
SO IF YOU LOOK DOWN IN THAT YEAR OF 2023, YOU SEE A TRANSFER OUT OF ABOUT $251,000.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FUNDS OR.
WE HAVE THIS INVESTED, I'M ASSUMING.
SO THIS IS A PART OF OUR FUND THAT DOES HAVE A PRETTY HEALTHY RETURN AND INTEREST.
COULD THIS COULD THIS INCLUDE CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE? EDUCATION IN THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO I HAVE A FEELING WHEN DR.
SIMMONS LEAVES HERE NEXT WEEK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME PLACES TO SPEND THIS MONEY.
COULD IT BE USED FOR OUR LOCAL SHARE ON THAT? YEAH, IT DOES SPEAK TO SO BECAUSE OUR KIDS WILL BE YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE USING THAT FACILITY.
SO AND JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS, SO PRIOR TO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE 2019 COLUMN, THE COUNTY ACTUALLY DID A TRANSFER EVERY YEAR INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF ABOUT $150,000 THAT WENT TOWARDS WHAT WE LABELED AS PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST ON DEBT TAKEN OUT BY THE SCHOOLS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN A PRETTY HEALTHY BUDGET STANCE.
WHAT WAS THE TRANSFER OUT OF $251,334 THAT WAS THE RIDGLEY ELEMENTARY.
YES. WE'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN IN ABOUT $150,000 ALREADY THIS YEAR.
[01:25:02]
DUE TO SOME CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON IN FEDERALSBURG.WE HAD ONE DEVELOPER PAY THAT'S THE RIVERWALK TERRACE.
AND THEY STILL HAVE 20 MORE LOTS TO ALSO PAY ON WHEN THEY START DEVELOPING THOSE.
AND THAT IMPACT FEE, I THINK WAS BEING PAID AS THEY SOLD THE UNITS.
IS THAT IS THAT THE WAY WE'RE DOING THAT? IF I HAD TO TAKE A GUESS, I WOULD SAY THE DEVELOPER WOULD PROBABLY BE COLLECTING THEM AT THAT TIME FOR US IT ONLY COMES DUE WHEN THEY ISSUE THE PERMIT FROM THE TOWN SO. OKAY.
WHAT IS THE EXCISE TAX COLLECTION DANNY, THAT IS IS THAT ON TRANSFERS? SO I SAY PRIOR TO 2019, THE EXCISE TAX WAS I'M GOING TO SAY THE PRIOR VERSION TO IMPACT.
AND THAT WAS THE WAY. IT DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE A DWELLING IT WAS THE TIME OF TRANSFER.
OKAY. SO IF YOU TOOK A IF YOU TOOK A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND SUBDIVIDED IT, YOU PAID THE EXCISE TAX.
OKAY. WE CHANGED IT SO THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A MUNICIPALITY, TO TAKE A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND BUILD MULTI-FAMILY UNITS ON IT WITHOUT DIVIDING THAT LOT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THAT.
SO ARE WE STILL COLLECTING WE'RE NOT COLLECTING BOTH THEN.
NOW WE'RE IT'S JUST THE IMPACT FEE.
SO EXCISE WAS A UNIQUE SITUATION.
WE HAD A FEW THAT WERE, I WANT TO SAY, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY STARTED IN 2019, WE HAD ABOUT 41 PROPERTIES THAT ALREADY HAD A DWELLING BUT HAD NOT PAID THE EXCISE TAX. SO WE PHASED IN OVER FIVE YEARS ON THEIR TAX BILL.
BUT AS THEY TRANSFERRED THE PROPERTIES TO NEW OWNERS, WE WOULD COLLECT THE FULL AMOUNT AT THAT TIME.
OKAY. I THINK THE EXCISE TAX WAS I THINK IT WAS INITIATED ACTUALLY IN THE 80S ACTUALLY.
SO BUT IT'S BEEN BEEN A WHILE.
OKAY. AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY PAID THE EXCISE ON A LOT, WE DO NOT COLLECT THE IMPACT NOW.
SO SOMETIMES IT TAKES A A DIGGING THROUGH FILES.
IT IS IT'S AND I THINK TEDIOUS I THINK WE ALSO, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE EXEMPTED IMPACT FEES ON LIKE A FARM THAT WAS SUBDIVIDED FOR A DIRECT DESCENDANT.
RIGHT. I MEAN, LIKE, IF THERE'S A RELATION, WE CUT OFF A LOT FOR A CHILD THAT WOULD AS LONG AS THEY DON'T TRANSFER, I BELIEVE WITHIN FIVE YEARS, AND THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO KEEP IT FOR FIVE YEARS. CORRECT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
AND THIS IS ONE THIS IS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THE CODE SPEAKS TO FIVE YEARS TO DO AN UPDATE.
YOU SET A CALENDAR ALERT FOR FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE A BAD IDEA.
I HONESTLY DON'T RECALL HOW I EVEN REMEMBER.
YOU PROBABLY DO IT EVERY YEAR, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE SAFEST WAY TO HANDLE IT.
THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT TO STAY.
NO. I'M GOOD. SO KIND OF SECOND ON MY LIST IS A PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING FOR
[Review of Martin’s House & Barn Block Grant Interest Letter]
MARTIN'S HOUSE AND BARN THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS.KIND OF SUMMARIZE THIS INTERACTION ABOUT A MONTH AGO, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING HAD REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE SPEAKING TO SOME FUNDS THEY HAVE AVAILABLE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.
MARTIN'S HOUSE AND BARN WAS A PROJECT ON THAT LIST.
SO WE TALKED TO MARTIN'S HOUSE AND BARN IN CONJUNCTION WITH CINDY STONE AT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, SHE IS THE DIRECTOR, AND THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT THEY HAVE $175,000 SET ASIDE THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE MARTIN'S HOUSE AND BARN FOR CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT. SO THEY'VE PROVIDED A LETTER OUTLINING THAT THEY WANT TO HIRE ONE FULL TIME SOCIAL WORKER PROVIDE THAT INDIVIDUAL WITH BENEFITS
[01:30:10]
FOR TWO YEARS.WHEN YOU ADD UP THE COST OF THE TWO YEARS, IT COMES TO APPROXIMATELY THE $175,000.
AS YOU THREE GENTLEMEN KNOW, BLOCK GRANTS REQUIRE THE THE COUNTY TO BE THE RECIPIENT, AND THEN SAINT MARTINS IS THE SUB RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IF WE CHOSE TO GO THROUGH THIS.
I WILL SAY WE HAVE HAD SIMILAR RELATIONS WITH GRANTS WITH SAINT MARTINS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I'D SAY PROBABLY WHEN I CAME ON WITH THE COUNTY AND WAS DOING GRANTS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT 7 OR 8 YEARS AGO, WE HAD A LOT OF WE USED TO CALL THEM ESG GRANTS WITH THEM.
WE TYPICALLY TYPICALLY BECOME LEERY IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER LARGER PROJECTS THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE FEDERAL DAVIS-BACON WAGE REQUIREMENTS, A LOT OF AUDITING AND REPORTING.
SO YOU'LL SEE THIS LETTER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THIS OR KIND OF THE RELATION THAT THIS CREATES BETWEEN THE OFFICES? I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE HERE WHO GOT ALL DRESSED UP AND CAME IN HERE.
SO DO YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT.
YOU'RE NOT HERE FOR THIS? NO. OH, YEAH.
IT'S NOT SAINT MARTIN'S ANYMORE.
CORRECT? YES. THEY ARE LABELED AS MARTIN.
SAME. SAME CORE GROUP THAT YOU DEALT WITH PREVIOUSLY.
YEAH. SO DEBORAH IS THEIR I DON'T KNOW WHETHER DEBORAH IS CONSIDERED THE DIRECTOR OR NOT, BUT YES.
STILL UNDER THE SAME MANAGEMENT FROM SOME OF THOSE LATER AWARDS THAT WE HAD.
YEAH. AND I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY BE CAREFUL.
IS THE GRANT FOR 200,000, AND THE COUNTY IS GOING TO GET $25,000 OF IT.
OR IS IT FOR $175 AND THE COUNTY IS GOING TO GET $25,000 OF THAT $175.
AND WE WOULD GET MARTIN'S BARN WILL GET $150, $150.
YES, SIR. SO WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WHAT'S CALLED LIKE AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THIS, WHICH INCLUDES A PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE'LL WE'LL HAVE THAT SCHEDULED AND BROUGHT BACK TO YOU.
AND IS THERE A CALLBACK REQUIREMENT OR PROVISION IN THIS? GREAT QUESTION. YES.
WITH ANY BLOCK GRANT, THE COUNTY AGAIN IS THE AWARDEE.
SO ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I BELIEVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS MADE THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO PARTNER IN IS REQUIRING THEM TO PROVIDE A PERFORMANCE BOND FOR THE TOTAL COST OF THIS GRANT.
I KNOW AGAIN, STEWART HAS PROVIDED DOCUMENTS IN THE PAST WHEN WE WERE LOOKING.
THEY'RE UP TO DATE ON REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
THANKS, DANNY. THANK YOU GUYS.
WHERE DID WE ORIGINALLY HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE BILL SCHEDULED? WAS IT EARLIER? DO YOU DO YOU YOU GENTLEMEN WANT TO GO OVER THE CHANGES NOW, OR YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THEN GO? DOESN'T MATTER.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS ON ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA?
[Consent Agenda]
YOU WANT TO GO FIRST, COMMISSIONER BARTZ? SO THIS IS JUST A MIC]. ALL RIGHT.I DON'T THINK I'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ON IT.
OKAY. ROBIN, DO YOU KNOW THE TOTAL CONTRACTING, INC.?
[01:35:10]
IS THAT A DIFFERENT.THAT'S A DIFFERENT COMPANY THAN DID THE LAST BRICK POINT UP, I THINK, ISN'T IT? YES, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
OKAY. DID DID THE COMPANY THAT DID IT LAST TIME DID THEY BID ON THIS.
THEY DID. AND I BELIEVE THEY WERE SECOND IN PRICING AND REVIEW.
OKAY. BUT WE HAVE DONE WE HAVE CALLED FOR REFERENCES ON THIS.
YES WE HAVE. WHAT WAS IT OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES THAT YOU TALKED TO, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
DO WE KNOW HOW HOW MANY HOURS OF SERVICE IS MES PROVIDING AT THE DROP OFFS, THE HOMEOWNER DROP OFFS? DO WE KNOW EXACTL? THIS IS A THREE HOMEOWNER DROP OFFS.
THIS IS AT PRESTON, FEDERALSBURG AND [INAUDIBLE].
IS IT GOLDSBORO? HENDERSON. HENDERSON.
I DO NOT KNOW THE TOTAL HOURS, BUT WE COULD.
OKAY, WE COULD ADD THOSE UP AND COME UP WITH IT FAIRLY EASILY.
YEAH. I'LL BE CURIOUS. HOW MANY DID THEY DO THEY STAFF ONE PERSON OR TWO PEOPLE AT EACH LOCATION.
AND HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK ARE THEY SERVICING THAT? I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW THAT.
YOU KNOW, FOR REFERENCE. I MEAN, I THINK MES IS BEING FAIR HERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A RELATIVELY COMPETITIVE NUMBER, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT.
OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, THEN.
YEAH. LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS HERE, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO.
[01:46:05]
OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.[01:46:06]
OKAY, EVERYONE, WELCOME BACK TO THE MEETING.CLAUDIA AND ALLISON, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD.
YOU WANTED TO LISTEN TO ALL THIS ANYWAY.
I WAS JUST TELLING DANNY IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR PERMIT WAIVER.
WE HAVE A PLAYGROUND AT BENEDICTINE AND FULL SUN ALL YEAR ROUND.
THIS IS A PRETTY SIMPLE STRUCTURE WITH POLES LIKE FLAG POLES WITH FABRIC COVERING IT.
SO WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR THE $800 SOME ODD DOLLARS THAT WERE REQUIRED FOR THE PERMIT.
SO WE WERE GOING TO ASK TODAY FOR A WAIVER ON THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? NO, I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING.
YEAH, I'M FINE WITH ISSUING THE WAIVER.
YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION WE WAIVE THE PERMIT FEE FOR THE PLAYGROUND.
MOTION SECOND ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYES HAVE IT. NOW, WILL YOU NEED AN OFFICIAL LETTER FOR THE I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO DIRECT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR PLANNING CODES NOT TO CHARGE COLLECT THE FEE. WE HAVE ALREADY PAID THE FEE.
SO JUST GETTING THE THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT AND AND THE PERMIT SO WE CAN START THE CONSTRUCTION.
OKAY. YOUR REIMBURSEMENT GUYS BACK BACK THERE SO.
SORRY YOU HAD TO WAIT FOR THAT.
OKAY. SO WE'LL GO OVER THE LEGISLATIVE BILL CHANGES STEWART.
WELL, WE'VE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, I BELIEVE REMOVAL OF THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE INVOLVING SECONDARY.
EXCUSE ME, SECONDARY CONTAINMENT.
WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD FIND STANDARD FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE STORING PETROLEUM OR SOME OTHER PRODUCT LIKE THAT, YOU WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE WAS A LEAKAGE OF ANY KIND, THAT THERE WOULD BE AN AREA THAT WOULD OR STRUCTURE THAT WOULD CATCH IT, WOULD KEEP IT FROM SPREADING.
AND IT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED THAT WE DELETE THAT REQUIREMENT FROM OUR ORDINANCE, WHICH WE HAVE DONE.
THE OTHER SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IS ORIGINALLY WE HAD BEEN REQUESTING OR REQUIRING THAT THE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATION BE DISCLOSED TO THE COUNTY SO THAT WE COULD ASCERTAIN THE APPROPRIATE SIZE OF THE STRUCTURE, HOW MUCH IT WOULD STORE TO BE SURE THAT IT WAS NOT OVERSIZE AND THAT WE WERE GUARDING AGAINST BASICALLY COMMERCIAL STORAGE OF THIS INDUSTRIAL WASTE PRODUCT.
THERE HAS BEEN AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THIS.
[01:50:06]
PLAN, WHICH IS TECHNICALLY SOMETHING THAT IS CONSIDERED PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL, THAT WE WOULD INSTEAD REQUIRE, AND LET ME PULL THE SECTION UP FOR YOU AS PART OF THE APPLICATION.THE APPLICANT OR THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THIS IS IN SECTION 128-12 PERMIT REQUIRED.
AND THAT SECTION NOW READS FILE AND UPDATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT AN AFFIDAVIT OF THE APPLICANT OR THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE, MADE UNDER THE PENALTIES OF PERJURY AND UPON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE, DISCLOSING THE NUMBER OF ACRES TO THE NEAREST 10TH OF AN ACRE TO WHICH THE FBRS WILL BE APPLIED.
THE MAXIMUM RATE OF APPLICATION IN GALLONS PER ACRE ALLOWED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
THE MAXIMUM RATE OF APPLICATION IN GALLONS PER ACRE, ATTAINABLE IN ONE APPLICATION BY THE PROPOSED EQUIPMENT SLASH MEANS AND METHODS. AND THAT IS THE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE THAT WE HAVE MADE.
SHOULD THAT BE FILE AND UPDATE INSTEAD OF AND? YES, IT DOES SAY FILE AND UPDATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND AFFIDAVIT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF 11.
BUT IS IT FILE AND UPDATE OR FILE AND UPDATE.
OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YEAH.
I WANTED IT TO BE A CONTINUING OBLIGATION.
SO THEY HAVE TO FILE A NEW AFFIDAVIT.
AND PEOPLE DON'T SOMETIMES UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF AFFIDAVITS.
THEY HAVE TO BE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY BOTH OF THEM.
BUT ONE OF THEM IS, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION AND BELIEF, THE OTHER ONE IS UPON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE. UPON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE IS THE HIGHER STANDARD.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, WELL, SOMEONE TOLD ME THIS SO TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, IT'S TRUE NUMBER.
THIS HAS TO MEAN THAT THEY THEY KNOW WHAT THAT NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN SAYS.
SO WE ENDED UP THIS WAS ADVERTISED ON OUR AGENDA CORRECT FOR ENACTMENT TODAY.
BUT WE ENDED UP PULLING IT OFF BECAUSE IT'S NOT A [INAUDIBLE].
IT WASN'T OKAY, BUT IT WAS POSTED ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE THAT THIS WAS ON OUR AGENDA.
BUT WE HAVE TWO LEGISLATIVE DAYS A MONTH THAT WE CAN ENACT OR [INAUDIBLE].
WE WERE OKAY ON THE PRIOR ONE, BUT WE WERE MISSING A COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? SO IT WAS JUST PUSHED INTO THE NEXT ONE, WHICH WAS TWO WEEKS LATER, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT ON A LEGISLATIVE DAY, WHICH WE COULD CHANGE THAT AND HAVE THREE LEGISLATIVE DAYS A MONTH AND HAVE 36 TOTAL.
WE JUST CAN'T HAVE IS THAT IN THE STATE CONSTITUTION OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARTICLE.
A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT HAVE MORE THAN 45 LEGISLATIVE DAYS IN A YEAR.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 24 WE COULD ADD, BUT WE'D HAVE TO CHANGE OUR CODE.
WE'D HAVE TO GO. WE CAN DO RIGHT TO ADD MAYBE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH AS WELL.
SO THAT WOULD JUST MEAN THE FOURTH MEETING OF A MONTH.
ALL RIGHT. SO THE ISSUE OF KATE STORAGE WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
HOW DO WE ADDRESS MORE SOLID FORMS OF STORAGE OF THIS MATERIAL? IF IT WASN'T LIQUEFIED ENOUGH TO GO INTO A TANK, WOULD THIS BILL STILL COVER THAT STORAGE? I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE DEFINITION OF FBRS.
AS LONG AS IT'S AN ORGANIC MATERIAL.
STEWART. I MEAN, THIS IS STORED IN SOLIDS.
THEY STORE THESE MAINLY IN SOLIDS, OLD SOLID PITS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST A CONCRETE SLAB.
YEAH. SO THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY STORE CAKE.
CAKE IN. WELL, WHETHER IT'S LIQUID OR IT'S SOLID CAKE.
IS IT AN ORGANIC MATERIAL? AND THIS THIS, BY THE WAY, IS TRACKING THE STATE DEFINITION, AN ORGANIC MATERIAL GENERATED BY PROCESSING AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION AND INCLUDES FOOD RESIDUALS, FOOD CO-PRODUCTS, FOOD PROCESSING WASTES, FOOD PROCESSING SLUDGES, OR ANY OTHER INCIDENTAL MATERIAL WHOSE
[01:55:10]
CHARACTERISTICS ARE DERIVED FROM PROCESSING.OKAY. YOU SEE. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE COVERED, BUT WOULD IT BE ABLE TO BE STORED IN THE SAME WAY IN THOSE TANKS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE MIGHT HAVE TO LOOK AT? I KNOW THE I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE EXACT I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE EXACT LANGUAGE, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE STATE BILL THAT I THINK IT HAD TO BE 75% 70%.
70%. MOISTURE RELATED TO THE MOISTURE CONTENT.
LESS THAN 70% MOISTURE CONTENT.
THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT IT, I BELIEVE A DIFFERENT STANDARD FOR TRANSPORTING IT.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE COVERED THEN.
WELL WHETHER IT'S CAKE OR LIQUID IT'S, IT'S AN ORGANIC.
IT'S A BYPRODUCT OF THE PROCESSING OF THE FOOD.
SO, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THE STORAGE PIECE THAT WE HAVE WOULD PROVIDE.
IT'S NOT STORED IN THE SAME MANNER.
I COULD BE WRONG, I DON'T KNOW.
SO DO YOU ADD A LINE THAT SAYS, HEY YOU KNOW IT HAS I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE WORDING TO SAY YOU WOULD BASICALLY HAVE TO ADD A SECTION THAT SAID, IF THE FBR IS IN SOLID FORM IS LESS THAN 70%. THESE ARE THE STORAGE PROVISIONS IN THAT FOR THAT CASE IN THAT INSTANCE.
CORRECT. OR YOU KNOW, STILL HAS TO FOLLOW, YOU KNOW, THE PERMIT PROCESS.
OF COURSE. WHO DECIDES WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT PERCENTAGE OR NOT? HOW IS THAT TESTING DONE? WHO'S PAYING FOR IT? AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU RETEST TO SEE WHETHER IT'S STILL MEETING THAT STANDARD? RIGHT. IT GETS YOU INTO THAT RABBIT HOLE.
OKAY. SO YOU'RE SAYING [INAUDIBLE] THIS IS ALL THE SAME NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU LOOK AT IT.
HOW DO YOU POLICE IT? RIGHT. AND WE'VE, WE'VE HAD REPORTS TO US FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING LAST YEAR INVOLVING THIS STUFF BEING CAKED ON THE SURFACE.
AND SUPPOSEDLY THAT'S SOME SORT OF A BARRIER TO THE ODOR AND THE ATTRACTION FOR FLIES.
SO THIS WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING.
IT IS A LEGISLATIVE DAY SO WE CAN ENACT THERE.
DID YOU, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING? NO. I MEAN WE, WE DID HAVE SOME, SOME CORRESPONDENCE YOU KNOW, RAISING ISSUES ABOUT GRANDFATHERING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT YEAH, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL SAID AT VARIOUS TIMES THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PICK AND CHOOSE WHO YOU GRANDFATHER.
I'LL JUST ADD I DID LOOK AT PERMITS RELATED TO THE CORRESPONDENCE COMMISSIONER PORTER IS TALKING ABOUT ON SPECIFIC PROPERTIES TO SEE WHAT KINDS OF PERMITS THEY HAD, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE GRANDFATHERING, PRESUMABLY YOU WERE ALLOWED TO DO THE ACTION PRIOR TO THIS LEGISLATION.
AND THERE WERE SOME FARMS THAT HAD OR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS THAT HAD STORAGE OF ANIMAL WASTE.
I, I DID NOT SEE ANY PERMITS SPECIFICALLY FOR FOOD PROCESSING RESIDUALS STORAGE.
SO I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, I DID A DEEP DIVE.
ALL RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? NO. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, STEWART, FOR THE THIS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR ADOPTION NEXT WEEK.
OKAY. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.
[County Administrator’s Report]
[02:00:04]
ACTUALLY, WE HAVE DISCUSSED EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, SO UNLESS DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOX HAS ANYTHING.DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO BRING UP FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT? NO, NO, I WAS RACKING MY BRAIN, BUT REALLY, I THINK EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN DOING IS BEING DISCUSSED.
OKAY. COUNTY COMMISSIONER OPEN DISCUSSION PERIOD.
[County Commissioners Open Discussion Period]
COMMISSIONER PORTER.I SENT AN EMAIL, FORWARDED AN EMAIL THE OTHER DAY FROM A CONSTITUENT ABOUT GOODEN ROAD. AND I RODE BY THERE, RODE DOWN THERE A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK IT CONCERNED TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES.
ONE WAS GETTING FARM EQUIPMENT DOWN THAT ROAD, YOU KNOW, FOR TREES AND BUSHES.
THE OTHER ONE WAS ASKING FOR IT TO BE CLOSED.
YOU KNOW, WE RESPONDED BACK, SAYING THAT THE CLOSING PART WOULD HAVE TO BE A LEGAL PROCESS.
WE'D HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT OTHER PROPERTIES WERE OWNED ON THAT ROAD.
BUT THERE IS A THERE ARE SOME HOUSES ALONG THERE.
I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF THE OWNERSHIP, BUT HAVE WE HAD A CHANCE TO GO UP THERE AND DO ANYTHING AT ALL? YES, WE DID TRIM THE TREES IN QUESTION.
ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF POWER POLES.
THERE ARE VERY RIGHT ON THE ROAD.
THAT'S MAKING FOR A TIGHT SPOT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THOSE ARE IN THE ROADWAY RIGHT OF WAY AS OPPOSED TO IN THE EASEMENT.
THEY'RE NOT IN IT. THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE.
SO I HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH MR. MANDIC. I'VE NOT HEARD BACK FROM HIM, BUT.
SO WE'VE TRIMMED IT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN AT THIS POINT.
ALL RIGHT. DANNY, THE DAYSPRING DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAD THAT WE RECEIVED, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT THAT ABOUT THOSE.
WE THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WAS FOR DAYSPRING ONE.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ONE FOR DAY SPRING TWO.
AND THIS WAS EXECUTED IN 2000 AND IT'S JUST BEEN COMPLETELY I MEAN, IT'S BEEN CONTINUALLY RENEWED, BUT THIS IS $30 PER OCCUPIED UNIT, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT'S PROBABLY INCREASED.
SO THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION IN REVISING THOSE.
IT TALKS ABOUT THE OWNER, CORRECT.
DOING THESE THINGS. IT'S NOT THE OWNER, IT'S THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY.
YES. AND FOR EXAMPLE, FOR DAYSPRING ONE, IT'S CALLING FOR MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL TO PHYSICALLY BE PRESENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT NOT LESS THAN FOUR HOURS PER DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
YEAH. WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT HAPPENING.
SO THESE NEED TO BE IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS ARRANGEMENT, THESE NEED TO BE UPDATED AND THEY NEED TO BE HAVE PROPER SIGNATURES ON THEM AND THEY NEED TO HAVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION ON THEM.
SO YEAH, THOSE WERE YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE WERE MY COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
AND SO THAT'S AND I AND I'VE TRIED I MEAN, MARGARET WAS A METICULOUS NOTE TAKER AND DOCUMENTS AND I'VE GONE THROUGH SOME OF HER OLD FILE CABINETS THROUGH DAYSPRINGS TRYING TO FIND IF THERE WERE ANY MORE RECENT VERSIONS OF THIS WHERE WE UPDATED IT AT ANY TIME.
AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING.
WELL, THERE IS A PROVISION TRADITIONALLY IN THESE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS THAT THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THERE IS A NOTICE GIVEN TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT.
AND CERTAINLY THE ADDENDUM WOULD HAVE THE CORRECT SIGNATURES.
[02:05:05]
I MEAN THIS ISN'T EVEN I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS EXECUTED BY PAT BATCHELLER, WHO HAD EAST COAST PROPERTY BEFORE HE WENT TO MILFORD HOUSING.SO THIS ISN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, SO IT NEEDS TO BE IT NEEDS TO BE SERIOUSLY UPDATED AND REVISED, AND WE NEED TO GET, YOU KNOW AGREEMENTS FOR BOTH DAYSPRING ONE AND TWO.
I WENT BACK AND DOUBLE CHECKED THE LOAN NUMBERS.
YEP. OKAY. THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAD WAS, AND THIS IS KIND OF OFF THE WALL HERE, BUT I WANTED TO TO GET I'M HEARING A LOT ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION.
THE CARE ACT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, PASSED IN CONGRESS ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION.
COULD WE COULD WE KIND OF REACH OUT? I'M NOT CLEAR ABOUT THIS.
COULD WE KIND OF REACH OUT TO THE MARYLAND ELECTION OFFICE TO FIND OUT WHO ACTUALLY CAN VOTE IN THIS IN THE STATE? I'M JUST CURIOUS FOR MY BECAUSE I'M HEARING I'M HEARING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS HERE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IF THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE REGISTERED AND HOW THEY CAN BE. I JUST FOR MY OWN INFORMATION, I'D LIKE TO YEAH, WE COULD CERTAINLY SPEAK TO ALLISON AND GET AN UPDATE ON THAT.
OR ARE THEY REMOVED? ARE THEY REMOVED? YOU KNOW. WELL, THE CARE ACT, I BELIEVE, SAID THAT YOU HAD TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
AND IN ORDER TO BE REGISTERED, YOU HAD TO BE A CITIZEN.
I MEAN, THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME.
AND WHAT IS I MEAN, I THINK THAT IF SHE COMES IN, I MEAN, I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, DO THEY MONITOR, LIKE, DEATH CERTIFICATES AND REMOVE PEOPLE FROM THE VOTER'S ROLLS WHEN THOSE. AND HOW OFTEN? YEAH, BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT CLEANING UP VOTER ROLLS IN DIFFERENT STATES.
SO DO THEY. DO THEY DO THAT HERE? I MEAN, IF ALLISON WANTED TO COME IN OR SOMEONE WANTED TO COME IN FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, I KNOW THEY'RE BUSY.
THEY'RE GOING INTO A BUSY TIME.
BUT, I MEAN, YEAH, WELL THESE ARE THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT POPPED UP.
YEAH, YEAH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY I'M SURE BETWEEN JEN AND I, WE CAN TALK TO ALLISON, AND IF SHE HAS SOME TIME, WE CAN GIVE HER THESE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME AND HAVE HER COME IN TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THEM.
SO DEFINITELY. SO YEAH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY GOING INTO ELECTION SEASON.
SO THAT'S ALL I THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
COMMISSIONER BARTZ. WHILE YOU'RE HERE.
YEAH. GO AHEAD. WHAT'S THE LATEST WITH THE SECURITY CAMERAS [INAUDIBLE].
YES. SO I SPOKE TO CHRISTINA, AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THE END OF LAST WEEK BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON SITE DOING THE UPDATES.
I THINK THEY WERE WAITING ON SOME OF THE PARTS FROM TALON TO TO DO THE INSTALLMENT.
I, I KNOW I HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP WITH THEM ON SOME OTHER THINGS.
I CAN CERTAINLY ASK AND SEE IF THEY'RE DONE WITH THOSE AND IF THEY'RE ONLINE.
AND THEN THERE IS THE PROCESS OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BEING HOOKED INTO THAT AS WELL.
AND MAKE SURE THAT'S GONE GONE THROUGH TOO SO.
RIGHT. ONE MORE THING THAT I HAD WE CERTAINLY WANT TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO REVEREND DUNN.
JUST, YOU KNOW, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE SITUATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE HE'S ALWAYS BEEN HERE FOR US.
SO I MEAN, I THINK, I DID GIVE HIM A CALL AND EXPRESSED OUR CONDOLENCES FROM ALL THREE OF US.
YOU KNOW, OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY, SO.
I'VE BEEN I'M SORRY. I WAS HAD COVID AND I WAS ON VACATION.
I'VE BEEN I DON'T HAVE I DON'T HAVE A LOT EITHER.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RENOVATION NEXT DOOR.
HOW DID WE GET SOMEBODY CONTRACTED TO DO TO DO THE DESIGN?
[02:10:01]
YES. AND ROBIN'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT A LITTLE MORE THAN I HAVE, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE ENGINEERING FIRM HAS MET WITH ROBIN AND KEVIN GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE DESIGN. THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL SO THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE.GOOD. YEAH, THEY MOVED ON THAT ONE PRETTY QUICK.
AND ARE THEY LOOKING AT THE CLOCK TOWER FOR US AS WELL? OKAY, WELL, WE'LL TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME ON THAT AND PUT THE RFP OUT THROUGH THE WINTER.
AND THEY CAN START IN THE SPRING ON THAT ONE.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION FROM EARLIER, JUST REAL QUICK, I DID THE NUMBERS REAL QUICK.
SO IF YOU USE THE TOTAL $101,210, IT'S $40.55 AN HOUR.
OKAY. IF YOU USE JUST THE SALARIES LINE ITEM, IT'S $19.16 PER HOUR.
AND THE SALARIES PLUS BENEFITS WOULD BE $20.26 PER.
OKAY. SO WITH THE MANAGEMENT FEE AND ALL IN THERE.
YEAH. AND THAT THAT'S BEEN A NUMBER WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THE COUNTY ABOUT WHETHER IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO PRICE OUT AND HAVE OUR OWN EMPLOYEES DOING IT, AND IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN A WASH AND THE HEADACHE OF IT HAS BEEN.
I THINK COMMISSIONER PORTER HAS DEFINITELY BEEN AROUND FOR A LOT OF THOSE.
YEP. I JUST JUST WANTED TO VERIFY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS STILL IN LINE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU FIGURING THAT OUT.
ANY ANY UPDATE ON RIVER ROAD? I MEAN I'M SO WE'RE CONTINUING AND.
GILLESPIE'S BUILDING THE STRUCTURE IT'S OR HAS BEEN BUILT AND IT'S ACTUALLY SITTING IN CHESTERTOWN.
SO AT THIS MOMENT, THERE WILL BE TWO SIGNIFICANT DAYS, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 10TH AND SEPTEMBER 12TH, WHICH IS NEXT TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, THE COMPONENTS WILL BE DELIVERED.
AND THEN ON THURSDAY, THE ARCH STRUCTURES WILL BE DELIVERED IN A COUPLE LOADS.
SO IT'LL GO FROM AN OPEN HOLE WITH NUMBER TWO STONE IN AT A 3000 PSI COMPRESSION TO A STRUCTURE AND IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
SO WE MET WITH COMTECH REPRESENTATIVES THERE LAST TUESDAY MORNING, WHICH IS PART OF THE CONTRACT THAT THEY WERE THERE, AND HE ACTUALLY HAD LIKE A LEGO DESIGN OF IT AND PUT IT ALL TOGETHER FOR US.
THEY HE TELLS THEM THAT TRUCKS SHOULD ARRIVE ABOUT 8:00 IN THE MORNING AND BY NOON EACH OF THOSE DAYS, THE THINGS WILL BE IN PLACE. SO, LIKE I SAY, IT'LL GO FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND TO A STRUCTURE PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND THEN YOU GOT BACKFILL AND THE GUARDRAILS GO UP AND PAVEMENT.
BUT I WAS STRESSED WITH THE OCTOBER 1ST DATE KNOWING WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT AND ONCE COMTECH SHOWED UP AND LAID OUT HOW IT WOULD BE PUT TOGETHER AND DELIVERED, AND I FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT OCTOBER 1ST DATE.
YEP. THANK YOU FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE COORDINATION ON TRAFFIC CONTROL TOO.
I MEAN, IF WE IF WE OPEN IT, I MEAN WE'LL SEE SEE HOW IT GOES.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY IT, THE ACTUAL PAVING HAS MOT IN IT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S GOING TO PUT IT IN AND IF WE UTILIZE IT WE DO IF NOT WE'LL BACK IT OUT.
BUT SO THAT IS IN THERE ONCE THE STRUCTURE IS THERE AND WE GET PAVEMENT DOWN TO DO DUAL LANE CLOSURE, EVEN IF IT'S TALKED WITH THE BOARD, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR BUSSES, ALLOW BUSSES TO GET THROUGH ON ONE LANE FOR A WEEK OR TWO, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
SO WE WILL NOW HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[Public Comment]
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY. NO ONE BEING SEEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO[Closed Sessions:]
CLOSED SESSION HERE FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.STATE GOVERNMENT 3-305B, SECTION ONE NUMBER TWO TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT,
[02:15:08]
EMPLOYMENT, OR ASSIGNMENT OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES UNDER AUTHORITY.2014 MARYLAND CODE STATE GOVERNMENT 3-305B, SECTION ONE.
AND THE THIRD REASON TO DISCUSS OR CONSIDER THE MATTER THAT CONCERNS THE PROPOSAL FOR A BUSINESS OR INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION TO LOCATE, EXPAND, OR REMAIN IN STATE UNDER AUTHORITY 2014 MARYLAND CODE STATE GOVERNMENT 3-305B, SECTION FOUR.
SO I HEAR A MOTION TO GO INTO THOSE THREE CLOSED SESSIONS.
MOTION AND SECOND. ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
AYE. OKAY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.