MINUTES

WALKERSVILLE BURGESS & COMMISSIONERS TOWN MEETING

May 11, 2005

The Town meeting of the Walkersville Burgess & Commissioners was called to order on Wednesday, May 11, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. Those in attendance included Burgess Ralph Whitmore, Commissioners Sam Eyler, Joe Magluilo, Donald Schildt, and Debbie Zimmerman, Town Manager Gloria Long Rollins, Public Works Supervisor Dennis Miller, Zoning Administrator Susan Hauver, Brian Lopez of Osprey Development, 6 citizens, and 0 press. Commissioner Chad Weddle was absent.

The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.

  1. MINUTES

Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Joe Magluilo, to approve the town meeting minutes of April 27, 2005. The motion passed by a vote of 4-0.

2. WORK SESSION WITH BRIAN LOPEZ, OSPREY DEVELOPMENT

Burgess Whitmore began by stating that he has a problem with grants and the strings attached to them. Mr. Lopez stated that the grant is off the table at this time as the proper advertising and notice of public hearing was not done within the 15 day time frame needed prior to applying for the grant. He stated that the $800,000 CDBG grant would only have affected 10 units of the project. He informed the commissioners of his progress in meeting with the various service and senior citizen agencies. The consensus was that it is a needed and worthwhile project, but many questions have to be answered prior to proceding.

The Planning Commission will vote on the Senior Housing text amendment on 5/24/05.

The Burgess and Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the text amendment on 5/25/05.

3. CITIZENS’ QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

Citizen Dan Thomas thanked the town commissioners for the new flagpole installed at Memorial Park.

Karen Sellers, 120 Glade Blvd., notified commissioners of her concern of the traffic speeds on Glade Blvd. She and her husband have experienced an altercation with a speeding driver on Glade Blvd. She estimates the speed at 70 mph.

Commissioner Joe Magluilo made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman, to install the Town’s 2 portable speed bumps and associated signage on Glade Blvd. The motion passed by a vote of 3-1, with Commissioner Schildt opposed.

Trooper Funk and Dennis Miller will look into the spot to install the speed bumps.

4. WALKERSVILLE WATER AWARDS FROM MARYLAND RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION

Ms. Rollins read a letter from Public Works Director Bob DePaola, announcing the Town’s Awards from Maryland Rural Water Association. The Town was crowned WATER SYSTEM OF THE YEAR, won BEST TASTING DRINKING WATER award , AND BEST WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OF THE YEAR (DENNIS MILLER). We are proud to accept these honors on behalf of the Town and congratulate our diligent water operators and the entire town staff for their efforts in maintaining the best water system around.

 

 

5. INTRODUCE GENERAL FUND AND WATER FUND BUDGETS FY2006

Ms. Rollins reviewed the changes made since the last meeting’s budget discussion. A capital project for the Water Fund includes replacing water mains on William Street, George Street, and Hahn Circle in the budget amount of $365,000. This proactive project will continue to insure that citizens are provided with an uninterrupted source of the best tasting drinking water in the state. Burgess Whitmore announced that he will be proposing a 5% water rate increase in the fall of 2005 to become effective on the May 2006 billing.

Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Don Schildt, to introduce Ordinance 2005-05, the Water Fund budget for FY 2006. The motion passed by a vote of 4-0.

Discussion ensued on the General Fund Budget. The merits and effectiveness of the tar and chip project to be done on the Heritage Farm Park loop road was discussed in depth.

Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Sam Eyler, to introduce Ordinance 2005-04, the General Fund budget for FY 2006, with the inclusion of the $35,000 tar and chip road. The motion passed by a vote of 4-0.

 

  1. AUDIT AGREEMENT WITH SMITH, ELLIOTT, KEARNS & COMPANY, LLC
    2.

    Commissioner Don Schildt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Sam Eyler, to retain Smith, Elliott, Kearns & Company, LLC as the town’s auditors. The motion passed by a vote of

    4-0.

  2. ROAD RESURFACING BID AWARD
    3.

    Projects included in the proposals were Glade Road, from the entrance of Glade Elementary to Silverstone Drive, and Biggs Ford Road, from Glade Creek to Kenneth Drive, and Crum Road, sections from Rt. 194 to the bridge.

    Commissioner Sam Eyler made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman, to award the road resurfacing contract to W.F. Delauter & Son for the Glade Road and Crum Road projects. Work on Biggs Ford Road will be postponed until further information is obtained regarding the scheduling and citizen sentiment for the county sewer line extension (project coming in 2008.) The amount of the award is $287,856.22 - $43,601 for Biggs Ford Road. The motion passed by a vote of 3-1, with Commissioner Schildt opposed.

  3. DISCUSSION OF TAX RATE
    4.

    Burgess Whitmore supports lowering the tax rate to the constant yield rate of 15.8˘ per $100 of assessed value. Commissioners who were present were split on lowering the tax rate or keeping it the same at 17.6˘. The decision will be made at the next meeting on May 25, after the tax rate and budget public hearing.

  4. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

    5. Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Joe Magluilo, to pay the attached bills. The motion passed by a vote of 4-0.
  5. COMMISSIONERS’ CONCERNS

Commissioner Schildt noted that the petition for referendum for a vote on the zoning of the Staley property did not pass. The Election Board will verify the results tabulated by Ms. Rollins.

Commissioner Schildt has received major complaints about speeding and blocking of Mr. Green’s mailbox on Pennsylvania Avenue by the beauty shop.

Commissioner Zimmerman confirmed with Mr. Dennis Miller that calcium chloride would be applied to the loop road in Heritage Farm Park to keep dust under control.

Commissioner Magluilo asked if anyone had information as to the activity on the old Exxon property, which includes tractor-trailer parking and a camper for sale. It was discussed that there were no town ordinances being violated on the private property.

Ms. Rollins passed out the judging packets to commissioners for the Memorial Day essay contest, "What Freedom Means to Me."

Ms. Rollins brought a complaint from a resident of Chestnut Grove Road as to the noise created by the activities of the Boy Scouts on the watershed property. The letter will be forwarded to leader Mr. Ron Layman for his input.

Ms. Rollins passed out a summary of the town’s capital projects that span more than one fiscal year.

Ms. Rollins updated commissioners on the status of the Adelphia purchase by Time Warner, Inc. and Comcast.

Reminder that the Memorial Day celebration will include a dedication of a stone monument honoring Vietnam veterans on May 29, at 3:00 p.m.

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Gloria Long Rollins

Town Manager