Jun 24, 2025 Caroline County Commissioners Meeting

[Call to Order]

[00:03:21]

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. I AM PINCH INNING THIS MORNING FOR PRESIDENT BREEDING WHO IS JOINING US BY PHONE, AND WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL RISE FOR THE INVOCATION FROM BISHOP GREGORY BLACKSTONE IN GOD WE TRUST

[Invocation, Bishop Gregory Blackston, In God We Trust Church Ministries of Denton]

LET US PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT IN ALL THEIR DECISIONS.

GUIDING THEM TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE.

WE ASK FOR STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO FACE DIFFICULT CHALLENGES AND TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL BRING ABOUT POSITIVE CHANGE.

MAY THEY BE BLESSED WITH GRACE AND COMPASSION, AND MAY THEY BE A SOURCE OF UNITY AND PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL FAMILIES IN THIS COUNTY, AND FOR THE ONGOING WELL-BEING OF OUR COUNTY.

IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN.

[Pledge of Allegiance]

I'LL START BY READING OUT THE PRESIDENT'S CLOSED SESSION REPORT FROM THE JUNE 10TH MEETING.

[Agenda Review]

[President’s Closed Session Report Out]

[00:05:06]

ATTENDEES WERE COMMISSIONER BREEDING, COMMISSIONER PORTER, COMMISSIONER BARTZ, KATHLEEN FREEMAN, DANIEL FOX, STEWART BARROLL, JENNIFER REIBLY, ROBIN CAHILL, JOSH PARKER, KRYSTAL DADS, MARK GABLER, AND JESSE HAMMACK. OKAY. THE FIRST ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS KATE STANTON, UPPER SHAW, AGING FOR THE FY 2026.

[Kate Stinton, Upper Shore Aging FY2026 Caroline Senior Care Program Plan]

COME UP. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOCATING TIME FOR UPPER SHORT AGING FOR THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

I APPRECIATE IT. THIS PROGRAM AND WE DID SEND, I THINK, AHEAD OF TIME PROBABLY TOO MUCH INFORMATION AS FAR AS THE PROGRAM PLAN AND A FIVE PAGE BUDGET FOR THE $160,000 GRANT THAT WE GET FOR CAROLINE COUNTY TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM FOR OUR VULNERABLE OLDER ADULTS, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND IN THE REASON, THE REASON WHY WE DO THAT IS THE SENIOR CARE PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY DEPARTMENT OF AGING THROUGH STATE FUNDS.

IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE THE EARLY 80S, AND AGAIN, THE INTENT IS TO HELP SUPPORT THE OLDER, VULNERABLE, OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE 65 AND OLDER IN EACH OF THE COUNTIES.

EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE HAS A SENIOR CARE PROGRAM, AND THE FUNDING COMES DIRECTLY TO THE AAAS OR THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING, AND UPPER SHORE IS THE AAA FOR KENT, CAROLINE, KENT AND TALBOT COUNTY AND THEY EACH HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IS UNIQUE.

SO THE PURPOSE OF THE SENIOR CARE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR ADULTS 65 OR OLDER LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY WHO QUALIFY BASED ON THEIR INCOME ASSETS AND WHO HAVE FUNCTIONAL DISABILITIES THAT PUT THEM AT RISK OF NURSING HOME PLACEMENT.

THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO HELP THEM LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOMES.

DELAY OR DEFER ANY NURSING HOME PLACEMENT, AND ALSO HOPEFULLY ANY, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL CONCERNS LIKE GOING INTO A HOSPITAL.

EVERY AGAIN EVERY COUNTY IN MARYLAND RECEIVES FUNDS THROUGH THEIR AREA AGENCY ON AGING.

THE PROGRAM DOES ALLOW FOR A HIGH DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN DESIGN BASED ON COUNTY RESOURCES AND NEEDS, AND THIS THIS PROGRAM IS TRULY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR AGENCY WHO ADMINISTERS IT, AND OUR OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES, THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DSS, AND ALSO THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

THROUGHOUT THE STATE THERE'S THERE'S DIFFERENT MODELS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AND GENERALLY THEY'RE EITHER ADMINISTERED DIRECTLY OUT OF THE AGENCY ON AGING, SOMETIMES OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND SOMETIMES OUT OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND IN CAROLINE. IT'S SORT OF A HYBRID, SORT OF A MIX, AND HOW WE PARTNER WITH THEM.

LET ME SKIP OVER. THERE'S REALLY FOUR CORE SERVICES THAT THE SENIOR CARE PROGRAM PROVIDES, AND THE FIRST SERVICE IS WE SCREEN FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER AVAILABLE SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS. SO WE DO WHEN SOMEONE IS REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM WE MEET WITH THEM IN THEIR HOMES AND WITH THEIR FAMILY OR WHOEVER THEY CHOOSE TO HAVE PRESENT AND WE TALK ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT FINANCIAL ISSUES AND RESOURCES, AND IF WE FIND THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER PROGRAMS OTHER THAN SENIOR CARE SPECIFICALLY, SOMETIMES MEDICAID, AND THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME SERVICES, WE LINK THEM UP SENIOR CARE DOLLARS OR DOLLARS OF LAST RESORT TO BE USED WHEN ALL OTHER SERVICES HAVE BEEN EXPLORED AND THEY'RE STILL IN NEED IN THAT HOME.

THERE'S ALSO A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, AND IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

OUR PARTNERS AT THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE THE ONES THAT WILL COME OUT AND DO A VERY SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT, VERY IN-DEPTH. THEY'LL COME TO THE HOME AND TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT PERSON NEEDS TO STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE IN THEIR HOME.

THERE'S ALSO A CASE MANAGER, WHICH TO ME IS REALLY THE HEART OF THIS PROGRAM WITH OUR CASE MANAGER IN CAROLINE.

WE HAVE ONE FULL TIME CASE MANAGER PAID FOR BY THE GRANT, AND SHE IS IN THE HOMES.

IT'S ONE OF THE FEW PROGRAMS OUT THERE WHERE WE ARE.

WE DON'T DO A LOT OF TELEPHONE CASE MANAGEMENT, ALTHOUGH WE DO THAT TOO, BUT SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE IN THE HOMES MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES, SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IT'S REALLY AN EYE OPENER FOR SOME OF OUR OLDER ADULTS WILL GO

[00:10:04]

I'M TAKING ALL MY MEDICINES, AND WHEN WE'RE IN THE HOMES, WE'RE SEEING THAT 'S NOT THE CASE.

SO IT'S A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK, AND REALLY A HELP FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND THEN LASTLY ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE OTHER CORE SERVICES IS THE MONEY IS USED AS WHAT WE CALL GAP FILLING MONEY.

THERE'S A POOL OF FUNDS THAT USED ARE USED TO PURCHASE SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO MEET THE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND HAVE A NEED.

SO WE DO HAVE GRANT MONEY SET ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT, AND WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE ELIGIBILITY FOR WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM, THEY WOULD BE CAROLINE COUNTY RESIDENTS 65 AND OLDER WHO HAVE A MODERATE OR SEVERE FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY.

SO THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, AND THEN THEY MEET THE FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 300% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL WHICH IS CURRENTLY ABOUT $1,300 A MONTH.

SO 300% OF THAT IS ABOUT $3,900 A MONTH IN TOTAL INCOME, WHICH INCLUDES SOCIAL SECURITY AND PENSIONS, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE ASSET LIMITS OF LESS THAN 11,000, AND THAT'S LIQUID ASSETS.

THAT'S NOT HOME VEHICLE, THAT SORT OF THING. AGAIN, THE PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY THE KEY TO THIS, YOU KNOW, NO ONE PROGRAM, NO ONE GRANT, ESPECIALLY $160,000 IS GOING TO SOLVE EVERYBODY'S PROBLEMS. SO WE DO PARTNER, LIKE I WAS SAYING, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HELPS BY SUPPORTING THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING.

TO HELP SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE. HOME DELIVERED MEALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH HELP THE SAME POPULATION.

OTHER AGENCIES WE PARTNER WITH UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AT CHOP TANK HEALTH, MEDSTAR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH YOU KNOW, CRITICAL REPAIR. THERE'S A LOT OF AGENCIES, ENTITIES, CHURCHES, CIVIC GROUPS THAT HELP OUT IN THE COUNTY THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROGRAM.

ONE THING THE CASE MANAGERS DO WHEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY ENROLL SOMEONE IS THEY THEY WILL LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND DEVELOP WITH THE CLIENT.

IT'S VERY CLIENT AND FAMILY CENTER TO PLAN OF CARE.

WHAT DO THEY SEE IS THE GREATEST NEEDS? WHAT DO THEY NEED HELP WITH? AND THEN WE TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS BEST WE CAN WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, AND ALSO TO CONNECT THEM WITH EVERYBODY ELSE THAT I MENTIONED.

TRY TO POOL OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND TO PREVENT OVERLAPS.

WHO ARE WE SERVING NOW? AND THIS WAS BASED OFF THIS YEAR'S STATISTICS OF WHO WE SERVE AND WE'RE CURRENTLY SERVING.

WE'VE SERVED 67 SENIORS IN CAROLINE COUNTY SO FAR THIS YEAR.

WE. 71% OF OUR CASELOAD ARE FEMALE, AND I GUESS THAT GOES WITH THE STATISTICS THAT THE WOMEN TEND TO LIVE LONGER THAN MEN, AND SOMETIMES ALSO WHEN A SPOUSE IS LOST, SOME, YOU KNOW, THE FEMALES SOMETIMES HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY MAKING ENDS MEET.

THERE'S SOME FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS. 40% ARE BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN.

60% OF OUR CASELOAD ARE 80 YEARS OLD OR OLDER.

47% LIVE ALONE AND 47% ARE LIVING BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL OF 1304 A MONTH.

SO IT'S A PRETTY VULNERABLE POPULATION IN MANY WAYS, AND AGAIN, THEY ALL HAVE SOME DEFICITS IN THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING.

JUST TO THROW SOME NUMBERS OUT OF THE $160,000 GRANT IF WE, YOU KNOW, DIVIDE THAT BY THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS WE SERVE. WE'RE SERVING PEOPLE ABOUT $2,400 PER PERSON PER YEAR IS WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING TO THEM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT NURSING HOME COSTS ARE FROM STATISTICS FROM 2022 AVERAGE NURSING HOME COSTS IN MARYLAND WERE $340 A DAY. SO THAT'S ABOUT $300 AND, YOU KNOW, $124,000 A YEAR TO KEEP SOMEONE IN A NURSING HOME ON MEDICAID VERSUS MAYBE $2,400 A YEAR TO TRY TO KEEP THEM OUT OF A NURSING HOME.

IF WE CAN DEFER GOING INTO A NURSING HOME OR TAXING OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

IT'S A WIN WIN. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF MEDICAID AND GIVE THEM BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

AS FAR AS THE GRANT ALLOCATION, 10% OF OUR FUNDS ARE GO TO ADMINISTRATION.

THERE'S A LOT OF PURCHASING AND, EXCUSE ME, OVERSIGHT OF FUNDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

37% GOES FOR THE STAFF, FOR THE CASE MANAGER, AND THEN 53% ARE FOR WHAT WE CALL THE GAP FILLING FUNDS TO FOR DIRECT SERVICES, FOR SUPPLIES AND SERVICES FOR THE SENIORS. WHAT DO WE SPEND THE MONEY ON?

[00:15:02]

WE USE 10% FOR MEDICAL DAYCARE CO-PAYS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO, BUT CAN'T AFFORD IT.

A BIG CHUNK OF OUR MONEY GOES TO PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEMS. YOU KNOW, THE BUTTONS THAT THEY WEAR OR BRACELETS. 22%, AND THEN 10% FOR SURE, AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PAY FOR OUT OF THOSE GAP FILLING FUNDS.

THE MOST REQUESTED SERVICES WE'RE SEEING IS, IS SOMEONE TO COME IN, JUST SOMEONE TO COME IN THE HOME AND HELP IN THE HOME, EITHER WITH CHORES. OBVIOUSLY, TRANSPORTATION, AS YOU WELL KNOW, CAN BE AN ISSUE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, AND AND THEN PERSONAL CARE. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO HELP WITH.

AGAIN, OUR LITTLE BIT OF MONEY DOES NOT MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT SOMETIMES IF WE CAN HELP IN ONE AREA, THEN THE FAMILY OR THE CLIENT THEMSELVES OR ANOTHER AGENCY CAN COME IN AND HELP PICK UP THE REST.

IT'S A WRAPAROUND TYPE OF SERVICE SYSTEM. LET'S SEE.

FOR CHALLENGES, WE WERE LEVEL FUNDED. I THINK I DID SEND THE FUNDING DISTRIBUTION SHEET FOR THE STATE, AND WE ARE LEVEL FUNDED AT $160,000 FROM FISCAL YEAR 25 TO FISCAL YEAR 26.

WE WERE AT RISK THIS YEAR IN THE SPRING, WHEN OUR GOVERNOR WAS TRYING TO REDUCE THE OVERALL EXPENDITURES IN THE BUDGETS, AND WE WERE TOLD WE WERE GOING TO LOSE MONEY THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS DISTURBING BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY THREE QUARTERS INTO THE YEAR, AND WE ENDED UP A LOT OF PEOPLE WROTE IN AND ADVOCATED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HANG ON TO OUR FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR LEVEL FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR.

IN FISCAL YEAR 27, THERE'S BEEN SOME NEW LEGISLATION PROPOSED BY DEPARTMENT OF AGING THAT'S GOING TO CONSOLIDATE SENIOR CARE AND TWO OTHER SENIOR PROGRAMS. ONE IS IS AN ASSISTED LIVING SUBSIDY, AND THE OTHER IS CONGREGATE HOUSING, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANY ON THE SHORE, BUT IT'S COMMON ON THE WESTERN SHORE. SO IT'S GOING TO BE ONE PROGRAM.

UPPER SHORE AGING WILL GET ONE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS AND THEN DETERMINE HOW TO ALLOCATE THAT, BUT CERTAINLY OUR SENIOR CARE PROGRAM IS IS OUR.

MORE ROBUST PROGRAM AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE, AND AGAIN, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR US IS INCREASED REFERRALS. WE GET REFERRALS EVERY WEEK. MOST OF THEM COME FROM THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES, LIKE SOCIAL SERVICES, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FROM OUR SENIOR CENTER SOMETIMES FROM MEDICAL PROVIDERS, FROM EMS WHO ARE OFTEN IN THE HOMES WE SEE SEE SOME DIRE SITUATION SOMETIMES SOME OF OUR OLDER ADULTS ARE IN.

THE OTHER THING IS THE INCREASED COST OF SERVICES AND SUPPLIES.

IT WASN'T A FEW YEARS AGO WE COULD GET SOMEONE A CASE OF INSURE FOR $20 A CASE.

NOW THEY'RE DOUBLE THAT. INCONTINENCE SUPPLIES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE.

THE COST OF FINDING A PROVIDER TO GO IN AND PROVIDE PERSONAL ASSISTANCE IS IS GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY.

WE DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY. AGAIN, THIS PROGRAM HAS ALWAYS ALLOWED THAT WHICH HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PART OF IT, AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE. IF A FAMILY HAS A FRIEND OR SOMEONE THAT THEY KNOW CAN COME IN AND DO THE CHORES AND THEY CAN PAY THEM DIRECTLY, WE CAN OFFER THEM, LIKE MANY GRANTS WHERE WE CAN PAY THEM DIRECTLY, AND THEN THEY CAN PAY THEIR PROVIDER OF CHOICE.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS I THINK DOES THE MOST FOR SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE FOLKS IN THE COUNTY, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY JUST TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AND ALSO TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL AND TO GO AHEAD AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, AS DESCRIBED.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BARTZ, ANY QUESTIONS? NO. JUST BY SERVING ON THE BOARD. I KNOW UPPER SHORE AGING.

THEY DO THE BEST WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. I KNEW LAST YEAR YOU WERE HIT WITH SOME FUNDING CUTS LAST YEAR AND I THINK YOU WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET A LIKE, AN ENDOWMENT OR A FROM A LOCAL CITIZEN OR SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE MEALS OR SOMETHING.

YES . I MEAN, THIS YEAR WE'VE ALL HAD TO GET, YOU KNOW, BACK THE MEALS BACK UP AND GET WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.

I KNOW THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THE GRANT, BUT I KNOW FROM UPPER SHORE AGING, JUST FROM, YOU KNOW,

[00:20:03]

SO NO I'M FINE WITH THIS. THANK YOU. OKAY. COMMISSIONER BREEDING.

OH YEAH. SO IS IS UPPER TRADING BASICALLY LIKE A PROVIDER OF LAST RESORT? LIKE THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE SOCIAL SERVICES OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN'T CAN'T HELP OUT IN THESE PARTICULAR SITUATION.

SO THE LAST RESORT FOR A SENIOR IS TO TRY TO SEEK HELP FROM UPPER SHORE AGING .

IS THAT IS THAT KIND OF WHAT I'M HEARING? ABSOLUTELY, AND WE MEET MONTHLY.

OUR GROUP MEETS MONTHLY WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES TO TALK ABOUT CASES, AND I DIDN'T MENTION THAT ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS IN CAROLINE AND I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED IS THAT SOCIAL SERVICES HAS BEEN A STRONG PARTNER AND THAT THEY HELP BY PROVIDING THEY HAVE MONEY FOR WHAT THEY CALL IHAS, IN-HOME AID SERVICE, AND IF THEY HAVE CLIENTS THAT ARE GETTING IN-HOME AIDE SERVICES THAT THEY MANAGE AND THEY BECOME, THEY ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR SENIOR CARE FOR SOME ADDITIONAL HELP.

WE PARTNER AND THEY PROVIDE THE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THOSE CLIENTS, WHICH TAKES THE BURDEN OFF OUR ONE CASE MANAGER, AND IT HELPS US STRETCH OUR DOLLARS EVEN FURTHER, BECAUSE THEN THEY THEY ARE THEY CAN PROVIDE THE IN-HOME AIDE SERVICE, AND WE MIGHT PROVIDE THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM OR A NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT OR SOMETHING ELSE SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, AND THEY REALLY SAVE US A LOT OF MONEY BY DOING THAT AND ALSO PREVENTS DUPLICATION.

WHY WHY SHOULD WE SEND A CASE MANAGER OUT IF THEY'RE ALREADY SENDING ONE OF THEIR STAFF OUT? AND WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY AGAIN WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE SAME REASON.

SO, YES, AND AND BY DESIGN, THE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT SENIOR CARE IS REALLY THE MONEY OF LAST RESORT.

SO WE DON'T USE IT UNLESS WE'VE EXPLORED ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS TO GET HELP.

THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OR ANY NUMBERS ON HOW MANY SENIORS ARE BEING TURNED AWAY, POTENTIALLY BEING TURNED AWAY JUST BECAUSE ARE YOU ABLE TO SERVICE EVERY REQUEST? I'M SURE YOU CAN'T DO THEM ALL, BUT ANY IDEA HOW MANY SENIORS ARE UNDER SERVED RIGHT NOW? I KNOW THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OR WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER SUBSTANTIAL.

WE TRY TO WE SEE EVERYBODY THAT IS REFERRED TO US, BUT OUR REFERRALS ARE GROWING LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

WE HAD A SMALL WAITING LIST AT THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO ABSORB.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A WAITING LIST, BUT IT REALLY IS.

TO ME IT'S A MORAL DILEMMA. DO WE DO WE ADD PEOPLE TO THE RANKS AND SERVE EACH OF THEM WITH JUST A TINY BIT OF MONEY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MAY OR MAY NOT FULLY HELP THEM STAY HOME AND STAY SAFER? OR DO WE SERVE FEWER PEOPLE AND PROVIDE MORE SERVICE TO THEM IN THE HOPES OF KEEPING THEM, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE NURSING HOMES? IT'S A DILEMMA WE TALK ABOUT EVERY WEEK.

SO WE SEE EVERYBODY THAT CASE MANAGER GOING OUT CAN OFTEN GO OUT AND HELP COME UP, COME UP WITH IDEAS THROUGH OTHER RESOURCES OR JUST SOME MORAL SUPPORT, SOMEONE BEING THERE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, TO HELP, BUT I DON'T THE BOTTOM LINE IS I DON'T HAVE RAW NUMBERS.

WE DON'T HAVE A WAITING LIST. NOW WE'VE SERVED 67.

WE GET REFERRALS EVERY WEEK. IN FISCAL YEAR 27, WITH THE NEW LEGISLATION, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT LOWERING THE AGE FROM 65 TO 60, WHICH IS A GREAT THING BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE REFERRED TO US THAT ARE IN NEED THAT ARE BETWEEN 60 AND 65, AND I JUST SEE IF WE DON'T GET A MAJOR INCREASE IN FUNDS, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE PEOPLE AT ALL, BUT OUR PHILOSOPHY NOW IS LET'S GET SOMEONE OUT TO SEE THEM AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO.

WE MAY NOT HAVE THE SENIOR CARE DOLLARS, BUT AT LEAST WE COULD BE A LIFELINE TO THEM TO TRY TO CONNECT THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE IMPORTANT SERVICE YOU'RE PROVIDING TO THE SENIORS OF CAROLINE COUNTY, AND ESPECIALLY THANK YOU FOR FOR TRYING TO PREVENT REDUNDANCY AND STRETCH STRETCHING THE DOLLARS THAT YOU RECEIVE AS FAR AS YOU CAN AND

[00:25:03]

SO THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK MY BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS WAS BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS, AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THE MOST PREVALENT GROUP THAT WE SAW WERE WIDOWS WHO WERE LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY BECAUSE IN PRIOR YEARS YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN THE RURAL AREAS THE FAMILIES DIDN'T HAVE 401K, THEY DIDN'T HAVE RETIREMENT PLANS.

THEY BASICALLY LIVED ON WHAT THEY MEET AND WHEN, YOU KNOW, AND AND WE SAW, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME HAVING TO TRY TO BE STRETCHED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR. SO THE PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM FOR HOUSING WAS SET UP 62 AND OLDER.

IF YOU IF YOU MADE BELOW 60% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME, YOU WERE ELIGIBLE, YOU KNOW, AND MY PROBLEM IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, I GUESS, RETIRED NOW FOR 5 OR 6 YEARS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY MORE BUILT, AND I THINK THAT 'S BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AMONG MY NUMEROUS CRITICISMS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND IS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY PUT AN EMPHASIS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS IN RURAL COUNTIES, AND AS I'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, HAVING BEEN THROUGH THAT PROCESS FOR MANY YEARS, THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY DO IT OR THE MOST, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAY, IS THROUGH TAX CREDITS, AND YOU ACTUALLY GET POINTS DEDUCTED IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD HOUSING IN A RURAL AREA.

SO THAT SHOWS YOU KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE. SO I HAVE A PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, SOFT SPOT FOR SENIORS AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TRIED TO DO OVER THE YEARS IS KIND OF DO THINGS LIKE WHEN WE WERE NEGOTIATING ON THE HEALTHCARE THINGS LIKE TELEMEDICINE, WHERE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE DOCTORS BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WAS THE MOST PREVALENT PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE HAD. I THINK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DISEASE, AS FAR AS I CAN KNOW, IS DIABETES.

SO IT'S A CRISIS ILLNESS WHERE YOU CAN BE OKAY, BUT IF YOU DON'T TAKE YOUR MEDICATION OR IF YOU DON'T DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE THIS CRISIS. IF WE COULD JUST GET TO A POINT WHERE WE COULD KIND OF HELP PEOPLE CALL THEM UP.

HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR MEDICINE? DO YOU NEED A PRESCRIPTION REFILLED, HOWARD? YOU KNOW, CAN WE HELP YOU GO GET IT? I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD, YOU KNOW, TOWARD HELPING SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS, AND AGAIN, WE HAD THIS WAS INDEPENDENT HOUSING, BUT , YOU KNOW, AS TIME WENT ON, THINGS WERE LEFT ON THE STOVE, AND , I MEAN, THOSE WERE THE HAZARDS THAT WE HAD, AND , YOU KNOW, LOOK, THE KIDS WERE DOING THE BEST THEY COULD, BUT THEY WOULD BE LIKE, WELL, WE'LL COME VISIT MORE OFTEN. WELL, YOU'RE NOT THERE AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING. YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED. SO AND I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE YEARS, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAVE TRIED TO SUPPLEMENT AND DO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MEALS ON WHEELS. I KNOW THAT'S A TREMENDOUS YOU KNOW, SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED, AND HATS OFF TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO SOME OF THEM WHO ARE OLDER, WHO DELIVER THE MEALS ARE OLDER THAN THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE DELIVERING TO BUT THAT IS A INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT SERVICE BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY PROVIDES FOOD, BUT IT PROVIDES CONTACT. ABSOLUTELY, AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT SOMETIMES THAT PERSON WHO GOES TO VISIT, OR THAT'S THE ONLY PEOPLE THEY'LL SEE AND YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT CONTACT AND AND SHOWING UP AND MAKING SURE AND LOOKING AROUND TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS OKAY. THAT'S CRUCIAL. SO THAT YOUR YOUR CASE MANAGER, IF YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE, YOUR HANDS ARE FULL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, AND SO YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP OVER THE YEARS WITH THE WITH UPPER SHORE AG ING HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRONG.

I ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT WAY.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARTZ, FOR, YOU KNOW, SERVING ON THAT BOARD, AND I KNOW IT'S A VERY ACTIVE, STRONG BOARD. YOU'VE GOT A GREAT LEADER THERE, AND SO I DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.

YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE IN CAROLINE. YOU SAID 67 IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

OKAY. SO I THINK WE HAVE I THINK WE NEED TO PLAN EXECUTED HERE, OR WE DO NEED A FINAL SIGNATURE.

[00:30:03]

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY, AND WE'LL GET WE'LL GET PRESIDENT BREEDING TO SIGN.

WHEN HE GETS BACK WITH THIS. WE'LL PUT IT IN OUR TO SIGN POLL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT.

BECAUSE LIKE YOU JUST SAID, THAT EVEN THE MEALS WE HAVE USED, WE CAN USE SENIOR CARE DOLLARS TO PAY FOR MEALS, BUT IF WE NEED TO AND WE WOULD, BUT IF YOU HELP US WITH THE MEALS OR YOU HELP YOUR CITIZENS WITH THE MEALS, THEN THAT'S MONEY WE CAN USE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS LIKE THE PERSONAL CARE, CHORES, PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEMS, THAT SORT OF THING. SO THAT'S WHY IT JUST TAKES ALL OF US AND WHY THIS IS SUCH A GOOD PARTNERSHIP TO LOOK AT THE NEEDS AND TRY TO FULFILL THEM AS A TEAM.

RIGHT. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. YEAH. CINDY OR KATHLEEN CAN USE THE AUTO PIN SIGN IT TO IF THEY NEED IT.

SO OKAY. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. DO I HEAR A

[Legislative Session:]

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. THIS WE WILL HAVE THE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING OF LEGISLATIVE BILL 2025-007. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. HERE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS AN EMERGENCY LEGISLATIVE BILL

[• (Emergency) Legislative Bill #2025-007, Chapter 175 – Zoning – Article V. An Act to amend § 175 - 29 Wastewater Treatment Facilities, of Article V Supplementary Regulations, of Chapter 175 - Zoning, of the Code of Public Local Laws of Caroline County, Maryland]

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT A C OMMERCIAL OPERATION WHERE THE WASTEWATER IS BEING GENERATED ON ONE PROPERTY OVER HERE AND THEN BEING CONVEYED OVER PUMPED TO ANOTHER PROPERTY OWNED BY SOMEONE ELSE, WHERE IT IS THEN TREATED. SO THAT IS NOT PERMITTED.

IT'S IF YOU OWN THE PROPERTY WHERE THE WASTEWATER IS BEING GENERATED, THEN YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO BE GRANDFATHERED IN.

IT CANNOT BE A SHARED FACILITY, WHICH IS A DEFINITION IN THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE, AND ALSO IN COMAR, WHICH I WON'T BORE YOU WITH THE SECTIONS, AND THE LAST CONDITION IS THAT ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PROPOSED FACILITY ARE MET.

CRYSTAL MAY WANT TO COME UP AND GIVE US A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. SO WE TOOK THE PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THE MAY MEETING, AND THE THIS RECEIVED A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THEY DID RECOMMEND THAT THE TERM OF THREE YEARS BE CHANGED TO FIVE YEARS, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR MDE TO REVIEW AND ISSUE A DISCHARGE PERMIT, THAT CAN BE AS A MINIMUM OF 18 MONTHS.

SO THEY FELT THAT THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS PROPER TIME FOR SOMEONE TO APPLY TO REACTIVATE THAT DISCHARGE PERMIT, AND THAT FIVE YEARS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT INSTEAD OF THREE.

[00:35:02]

GENERATING FACILITY AND THE TREATMENT FACILITY ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE SAME ENTITY.

YOU COULDN'T HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES, AND THE SAME MATERIAL? YES. OKAY. THE PROPOSED CALENDAR FOR THIS IS OF COURSE, THE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING WAS TODAY, THE 24TH OF JUNE. THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE ADVERTISED IN THE STAR DEMOCRAT ON SATURDAY, JULY THE 5TH. THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE TUESDAY, JULY THE 8TH, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR ENACTMENT OR AMENDMENT ON TUESDAY, JULY 22ND. IF, IN FACT IT IS ENACTED ON THAT DATE, IT WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE THAT DATE, AS WE PROPOSE THIS TO BE AN EMERGENCY BILL, AND JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE THE DESIGNATION OF IT BEING AN EMERGENCY BILL SIMPLY MEANS THAT IT TAKES EFFECT THE DAY IT IS ENACTED. IT IS NOT HELD FOR 45 DAYS FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME IT TAKES TO PETITION TO REFERENDUM.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REGULAR BILL AND AN EMERGENCY BILL.

IS IT THE WILL OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO PROCEED WITH THE CALENDAR AS WE'VE PROPOSED IT? COMMISSIONER BARTZ, I'M FINE. COMMISSIONER BREEDING.

YEAH. I'M FINE. STEWART, CAN WE MAKE THE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENT TODAY, OR DO WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE PUBLIC HEARING? OH, YOU CAN MAKE THE AMENDMENT TODAY. OKAY, SO TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS PERIOD FROM THREE YEARS TO FIVE YEARS, I WOULD I'D MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, WE GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT AND AND ADHERE TO THE CALENDAR SCHEDULE AS PRESENTED BY THE OFFICE OF LAW. SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. WE GOOD? VERY GOOD.

ANY OTHER , T HIS IS THE ONLY BILL WE HAVE RIGHT TODAY.

OKAY. OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO BACK INTO REGULAR SESSION.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[Consent Agenda]

I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK ONE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO'S HERE TO ANSWER THIS, BUT THE RENOVATION.

THE CLOCK TOWER RENOVATION. IS THAT GOING TO INVOLVE WHEN THEY DO THAT WORK, IS IT GOING TO INVOLVE ANY DISRUPTION OF OPERATIONS IN THE COURTHOUSE OR ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW OF? THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COMPLETELY DO EVERYTHING OUTSIDE WITHOUT.

I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'LL BE OUTSIDE WORK, BUT NOTHING INSIDE.

SOME NOISE, BUT. OKAY. WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THAT WILL BEGIN? THREE WEEKS. THREE WEEKS OR SO. DO WE KNOW HOW LONG THEY HAVE TO DO THE WORK? UNTIL IT'S DONE? WE HAD REQUESTED PRIOR TO SUMMERFEST, BUT IT'S TAKING A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND GET APPROVED.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN REALLY HOLD THEM TO THAT.

MAYBE WE CAN GET THEM TO CLEAN UP AND, YEAH, WE'LL DO A SMALL AREA, BUT WE EXPRESSED OUR OPINION THAT WE WOULD LIKE IT TO LOOK PRESENTABLE AND CLEANED IF SUMMERFEST WERE TO TAKE PLACE.

THAT'S THE THIRD. THAT'S THE THIRD WEEKEND IN AUGUST.

CORRECT? CORRECT? YES. IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT.

WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL. WE WANT TO CLEANED UP.

I DON'T WANT ANY MESS OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WALK AROUND AND HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH. OKAY. THERE WILL BE, COMMISSIONER PORTER, I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE SCAFFOLDING THAT WILL HAVE TO BE SET UP, I THINK. IS THAT RIGHT, ROBIN? YES. THEY'LL NEED SCAFFOLDING SET UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDING MATERIALS THAT'LL BE SCATTERED AROUND, BUT, I MEAN, IF STAFF. ROBIN, IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SUMMERFEST AND, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH SPACE. I MEAN, IF THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE CONTRACTOR AND EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE,

[00:40:08]

THAT'S THE ROOFING MATERIAL ITSELF. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CONTRACT THAT HAS THEM TAKING UP, LIKE PARKING SPACES OR HAVING ANY ROLL OFF SLEEVE NEXT TO THE COURTHOUSE OR PARKING LOTS.

I THINK THE SCAFFOLDING, AND THEN --CAN I DECORATE THE SCAFFOLDING.

OKAY, SO HOW LONG SHOULD THE WORK TAKE? ROUGHLY.

WAS IT EIGHT WEEKS? YEAH. SO EIGHT WEEKS. SO IT'S GOING TO BE IN SUMMER.

IT'S GOING TO BE IN SUMMERFEST. YEAH AT THIS POINT IT'S EITHER SUMMERFEST OR WE PUSH IT OFF UNTIL AFTER THE SUMMER FEST. I MEAN, THAT'S I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF WE PUSHED IT OFF.

I MEAN, WE COULD TALK TO THE CONTRACTOR. YEAH, I THINK WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE TALKED TO THE CONTRACTOR. THERE'S CERTAIN PIECES IN THE CONTRACT AND BID PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE FULL PRICE FOR X DAYS, SO.

YEAH. I THINK INITIALLY WITH THE TIMELINE, LIKE, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TIME, BUT IT WAS HELD UP A LITTLE BIT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, AND I THINK IT'S A TIGHT WINDOW SO WE CAN GET A HOLD OF THEM AND TALK ABOUT STARTING IT AFTER.

I KNOW THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING DONE THE TIGHT WINDOW TO BEGIN WITH.

SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE ISSUES WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW--UNFORESEEN ISSUES, YEAH, SO I'LL TALK TO THEM.

IF IT'S NOT GOING TO COST US ANYMORE, I'D RECOMMEND PUSHING IT.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE GO AHEAD AND AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT AND THEN ALLOW THEM TO GET THEIR MATERIALS TO LOCK IN THE MATERIAL PRICING, AND YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT GOING TO COST US ANY MORE FOR THEM TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I DO, JUST TO BE SAFE. SO I WOULD AGREE. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

YEAH. WE'LL MAKE THE PHONE CALL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A LETTER. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS A LETTER OF SUPPORT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE WERE JUST. WE WERE. I JUST BECAME AWARE THAT WE CAN ASK FOR FUNDING OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.

SO WE ORIGINALLY PUT 100,000 IN THE LETTER OF SUPPORT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THREE YEARS AT $100,000 A YEAR.

SO THE TOTAL WILL BE 300,000. IF WE COULD CHANGE THE AMOUNT.

CAN WE DO THAT NOW OR DO WE NEED TO SUBMIT ANOTHER ONE? I THINK IT PRACTICE AS LONG AS YOU GUYS MAKE A SEPARATE DIRECTION TO CHANGE THAT.

IN THIS MEETING YOU CAN GO FORWARD AND THEN MYSELF OR KATHLEEN WILL ADJUST THE LETTER TO SHOW ACCORDINGLY.

THAT'S OKAY. SO OKAY. SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION UNDER IN THE CONSENT AGENDA TO AMEND THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE CAROLINE FOUNDATION GRANT BE AMENDED FROM 100,000 TO 300,000 OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.

IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. SO MOVED. I'LL SECOND.

SECOND. SORRY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY.

WE'LL GET THAT. YOU GOING TO DO THAT OR? I THINK THEY CREATE.

ACTUALLY I DO THINK I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE A TEMPLATE.

SO WE'LL WORK IT OUT. YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE CARE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR JUNE 24TH OF 2025.

I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS REPORT. DANNY, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING.

[County Administrator’s Report]

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TERRIBLY EXCITING TO REPORT.

EVERYTHING'S PLUGGING ALONG AS NORMAL. AS YOU KNOW, JEN, OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER DID HAVE HER BABY, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. REESE ELIZABETH. SO SHE IS OUT.

I WOULD GUESS, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT SIX WEEKS.

WE HAVE CINDY, WHO'S OFF TODAY, BUT CINDY TAKING CARE OF MUCH OF WHAT JEN WAS DOING FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, AND KENDALL TEAGUE FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS HANDLING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR OUTREACH, THOSE KINDS OF ITEMS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY.

[00:45:09]

GOOD. OKAY. COMMISSIONER. OPEN DISCUSSION. PERIOD.

[County Commissioners’ Open Discussion Period]

I KNOW YOU MIGHT THINK OF IT, BUT THE REASON WHY HE WAS ALWAYS REAL GOOD TO MY FAMILY HIM AND HIS FATHER, BOTH MY FAMILY THOUGHT A LOT OF HIM, AND HE THOUGHT A LOT OF MY ESPECIALLY MY GRANDFATHER.

GRANDMOTHER. SO HE'LL BE MISSED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE WAS A PART OF, TOO, AND I WANT TO JUST CONGRATULATE JENNIFER, BABY REESE.

YEAH. WE'RE GLAD. WE'RE GLAD EVERYBODY'S DOING WELL.

COMMISSIONER BREEDING. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEN, AND I HOPE EVERYTHING'S WELL.

OKAY. I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK ITEM HERE IF I CAN FIND.

I'VE GOT SO MANY THINGS HERE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME SOME DISCUSSION HERE ABOUT THE LOCKMAN SCHOOL PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW SCHOOL.

I THINK AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM IN FAVOR OF THE NORTH CAROLINA LOCATION AS OPPOSED TO BEING BUILT IN TOWN, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL AND THE NAME OF THE LOCKERMANN, YOU KNOW, BE RETAINED.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE USE IS GOING TO BE FOR THAT BUILDING, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, FROM THE ALUMNI STANDPOINT, FROM THE COMMUNITY STANDPOINT THAT THE HISTORY BE BE KEPT THERE FOR WHATEVER USE IS GOING TO BE YOU KNOW, DONE IN THE FUTURE.

SO I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD EITHER, COMMISSIONERS, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF A LOCATION WITHIN THE TOWN OF DENTON.

SO I WOULD CONCUR WITH YOU. I AGREE THE BEST LOCATION WOULD BE NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.

FOR ULTIMATE REASONS OF, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS.

I THINK THE, THE ROADS OUT BY THE HIGH SCHOOL CAN BE BETTER FITTED, AND REDONE TO THE SAFETY STANDARDS THAT WE NEED.

AS FAR AS THE ACKERMAN GOES, I MEAN, IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, WE COULD PUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IN WRITING, LIKE YOU MENTIONED BEFORE TO, YOU KNOW, SAVE THE LOCKERMANN NAME AND THE HISTORY.

I'M ALL FOR THAT. I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE HISTORY OF CAROLINE COUNTY NEEDS TO BE REMEMBERED.

SO, I MEAN, IF THERE WAS ANY WAY WE COULD PRESERVE THAT LOCKER NAME FOR EVERYTHING FOR A BUILDING TO COME.

THERE. SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT AS WELL. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER BREEDING. DO YOU KNOW, IS ANY OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL THE OLD HISTORICAL SCHOOL, IS ANY OF THAT STILL THERE, OR IS IT ALL HAS IT ALL BEEN REBUILT, TORE DOWN AND RECONSTRUCTED? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

I, I WENT THERE, SO IT'S GOT TO BE PRETTY OLD, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE IS THERE OR NOT.

THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING I THINK THE ALUMNI FOUNDATION WOULD WOULD HAVE INFORMATION ON.

WE COULD FIND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY. YEAH, AND , YOU KNOW, I ALSO SPOKE TO MISS WAYMAN, AND YOU KNOW, SHE HAD INDICATED THAT POTENTIALLY THE YMCA HAD SHOWN SOME INTEREST.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ADMINISTRATOR FREEMAN, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO THE YMCA AND MAYBE START TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THEM.

I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER WHAT OTHER USES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY SUIT FOR THAT BUILDING, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD START TO LOOK AT THAT, AND MAYBE, MAYBE WE JUST DRAFT A LETTER OF INTENT FROM THIS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS STATING THAT SHOULD THE BUILDING BE RETURNED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THAT IT WOULD BE OUR INTENTION TO RETAIN THE NAME OF THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, AS THE LOCKERMANN BUILDING FOR WHATEVER FUTURE USE IT MAY HAVE AND YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO DEDICATE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE WOULD BE

[00:50:02]

I THINK WE CERTAINLY HAVE HAD A KIND OF A MODEL FOR THIS WITH THE WHEN THE CENTRAL BOARD OF EDUCATION CENTRAL OFFICE ASSUMED THE VFW BUILDING THERE IS A PORTION THERE'S AN AREA IN THAT BUILDING THAT RETAINED SOME OF THE MEMORABILIA AND HISTORY OF THE VFW, AND I THINK IT REALLY WORKED OUT WELL.

SO I WOULD SAY SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED THAT SCHOOL. I THINK IT NEEDS TO.

THE HISTORY OF THAT SCHOOL NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED HOW IT WOULD BE DONE.

I COULDN'T TELL YOU SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE SHOULD.

I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMISSIONER SHOULD EMPHASIZE SUPPORT FOR DOING THAT.

WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO DO IT, BUT I ALSO SPOKE WITH MISS WAYMAN, AND I KNOW THERE'S A VERY ACTIVE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND GROUP THERE. THEY HAVE REMAINED ACTIVE OVER THE YEARS AND I THINK HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN MAINTAINING AND KEEPING KEEPING THE HISTORY THERE AND THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION I THINK, THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO THANK YOU. OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WE'VE HAD WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE

[Public Comment]

GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. MY NAME IS RINA CALLAHAN, AND I CAN PROUDLY SAY THAT I AM ROGER LAYTON'S LITTLE SISTER. MY BROTHER WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I DIDN'T WRITE ANYTHING BECAUSE I COULDN'T. I COULDN'T FIND THE WORDS TO SAY JUST WHAT HE MEANT TO ME, AND TO KNOW SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN CAROLINE COUNTY. ROGER, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WAS A MARYLAND STATE POLICE OFFICER UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT.

THEN HE WENT ON TO BE AN INVESTIGATOR FOR THE CAROLINE COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND HE SERVED PROUDLY AS A COMMISSIONER FOR EIGHT YEARS.

OF CAROLINE COUNTY ROGER LOVED. EXCUSE ME. I'VE KNOWN HIM.

I ALWAYS CALLED HIM ROG' OR ROGER DODGER . YOU KNOW ROG' LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT CAROLINE COUNTY THE HISTORY. WE HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS TOGETHER JUST LISTENING AND TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CAROLINE COUNTY. ROGER LOVED THE SENIORS THAT LIVED IN CAROLINE COUNTY AND HE HAD A LOVE FOR THE YOUTH.

AS A CHILD, ROGER GREW UP IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

HE GREW UP IN THE HARMONY AREA. THAT'S WHERE HE PLAYED.

THAT'S WHERE HE FISHED. THAT'S WHERE HE HUNTED, AND .

OH, MY. I'M GOING TO DO THIS WITHOUT CRYING, I PROMISE YOU.

HE JUST LOVED IT. HE LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.

HE COACHED SOFTBALL. HE ENCOURAGED THE YOUTH TO ALWAYS DO THEIR BEST.

HE WAS A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME. THE REASON THAT ROGER WAS SO SUCCESSFUL WITH EVERYTHING THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO DO, AND EVERYTHING THAT HE DID, WAS BECAUSE HE HAD PEOPLE TO ENCOURAGE HIM.

SOMETHING THAT ROGER LOVED TO DO WAS COACH SOFTBALL.

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE HARMONY COMMUNITY PARK, THAT BALL FIELD.

IT WAS AT ONE TIME A COMMUNITY CENTER. THEY SAID THEY HELD DANCES THERE.

I WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO BE ABLE TO STAND IN THE CORNER AND WATCH THEM, BUT I'M A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER THAN ROGER WAS, SO THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN MY YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I WAS A BABY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, LIKE I SAID, ROGER WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH EVERYTHING HE DID BECAUSE PEOPLE ENCOURAGED HIM WHEN HE WAS OUT THERE COACHING SOFTBALL, COACHING THE WOMEN, COACHING THE TEENS.

HE WAS ENCOURAGING THEM. HE WAS SAYING, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU SET YOUR MIND TO.

[00:55:07]

THAT WAS ONE THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE MY BROTHER PROUD OF ME EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, AND I STRIVE TO DO THAT EVERY DAY, AND THAT I WAS GOING TO BRING HONOR TO ROGER IN EVERY WAY THAT I POSSIBLY CAN.

I'M COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER CHANGING THE NAME OF THE HARMONY COMMUNITY PARK TO HONOR ROGER. AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO SPECIFIC NAME ASSIGNED TO IT OTHER THAN THE HARMONY COMMUNITY PARK. IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME WHAT NAME I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PUT ON THERE.

I CAN'T THINK OF ONE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I JUST KNOW THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, AND IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH TO ME AND SO MUCH TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, SO MUCH TO MEMBERS OF CAROLINE COUNTY. TO SEE ROGER'S NAME HONORING THAT BALLPARK.

FORGIVE ME IF I DIDN'T COME UP HERE POLISHED IN FRONT OF YOU.

I DON'T POLISH VERY WELL. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, BUT PLEASE CONSIDER CHANGING THE NAME OF THE CAROLINE UNDER THE HARMONY COMMUNITY PARK TO HONOR ROGER. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU YOU YOU PRESENTED YOURSELF VERY WELL, AND I, YOU KNOW, I KNEW ROGER VERY WELL. WE WERE GOOD FRIENDS. I THINK I PROBABLY PLAYED WITH AND AGAINST HIM ON THE BALL FIELD.

HE WAS AN INCREDIBLE GUY. HE REALLY WAS, AND I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

WE APPRECIATE THE LETTERS. WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THIS, AND COMMISSIONER BARTZ, YOU WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY.

I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ROGER.

MY PARENTS ALWAYS SPOKE HIGHLY OF HIM. TO THIS DAY, YOU KNOW ROGER'S NAME IS SYNONYMOUS FROM NORTH TO THE SOUTH COUNTY.

HE FROM ALL EVERYBODY KNOWS. ROGER. YES. SO HIS LEGACY, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'LL LIVE ON NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, BUT I THINK WE'LL TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING HERE. TO HONOR HIS NAME.

HE. I DIDN'T KNOW ROGER PERSONALLY. I MET HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT THE TIMES I DID MEET HIM AND TALK WITH HIM, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY ENCOURAGING. ALWAYS HAD A GOOD WORD TO SAY.

NOTHING. NOTHING NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW? SO. YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRADY.

I THINK YOU GUYS HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE.

SOMETHING SOMETHING WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT, AND TAKE A LOOK AT.

SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MRS. LAYTON BACK THERE, FAYE. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD SEEING YOU, I KNOW.

YOU KNOW, AND SO. YES. WHEN WE GET RECONVENED AS OUR FULL BOARD HERE, WE'LL CERTAINLY CONSIDER OUR OPTIONS AND SEE WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN. THANK YOU.

GOOD SEEING YOU. PROBABLY WON'T SEE YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE IT'S TOO HOT, BUT.

YEAH, BUT YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM? NO? OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE.

WE WE'VE STAYED ON TRACK HERE, I THINK, WITH THE TIME.

SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT,

[Closed Session:]

ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CONSIDER.

A MATTER THAT CONCERNS THE PROPOSAL FOR A BUSINESS INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION TO LOCATE, EXPAND OR REMAIN IN THE STATE.

CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL SERVICE.

CONSULT WITH STAFF, CONSULTANTS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS ABOUT PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION, OR DISCUSS BEFORE A CONTRACT IS AWARDED OR BIDS ARE OPENED.

[01:00:04]

IF PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR DISCLOSURE WOULD ADVERSELY IMPACT THE ABILITY OF THE PUBLIC BODY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS OR PROPOSAL PROCESS, IT'S A LONG WAY OF SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS A LOT OF THINGS.

SO I WOULD LOOK FOR A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

I THINK WE GOT TO DO A VOICE VOTE. YEAH ROLL CALL.

WE'LL THEN TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK BEFORE WE GO TO CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.