MINUTES

WALKERSVILLE BURGESS & COMMISSIONERS TOWN MEETING

May 31, 2006

The Town meeting of the Walkersville Burgess & Commissioners was called to order on Wednesday, May 31, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. Those in attendance included Burgess Ralph Whitmore, Commissioners Sam Eyler, Joe Magluilo, Don Schildt, Chad Weddle, and Debbie Zimmerman, Town Manager Gloria Long Rollins, Public Works Supervisor Dennis Miller, Planning and Zoning Administrator Susan Hauver, Public Works Director Bob DePaola, Town Attorney David Severn (8:30 p.m.), 9 citizens, and 1 press.

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

1. MINUTES

Commissioner Debbie Zimmerman made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Chad Weddle, to approve both the Town Meeting minutes and the Closed Legal minutes of May 10, 2006. The motion passed by a vote of 5-0.

 

2. PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE

Ms. Rollins informed commissioners that although they have advertised, held a hearing, and passed a tax rate of 15.6¢ on May 10, this hearing was required to legally adopt the rate. The State Department of Assessments notified the Town that the 1/8 page ad that ran on April 22, in fact was not a full eighth of a page and therefore did not meet the requirements for a legal ad. The error on the part of the Frederick Post was identified and the ad was rerun for the hearing at this meeting. There were no public comments on the tax rate.

3. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE 2006-05 GENERAL FUND FY 2007 BUDGET

Ms. Rollins reviewed the proposed budget and the implemented changes discussed at previous town meetings. The budget incorporated the 15.6¢ tax rate. There were no public comments on the General Fund budget.

4. PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE 2006-04 WATER FUND FY2007 BUDGET

Ms. Rollins reviewed the proposed budget and the implemented changes discussed at previous town meetings. The budget incorporated the 15% water rate increase, the revenue from wireless telecommunications leases, and the inclusion of Discovery water tower in the perpetual maintenance plan. There were no public comments on the Water Fund budget.

5. DISCUSSION ON ELECTION OF MARYLAND STATE PENSION PLAN ENHANCEMENT

Ms. Rollins explained the proposed enhancement to the Maryland State Pension Plan. Municipalities will have to elect to join the plan in order to participate in the enhanced benefits at retirement. Employees now contributing 2% of gross salary will contribute 3%, 4%, and 5% respectively in fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009 and on. The estimated surcharge on the Town will be 1.76% beginning in FY 2008. Ms. Rollins noted that town staff is hopeful that the new plan will be elected, as Maryland’s retirement is ranked 49^th in the nation.

Commissioner Don Schildt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Joe Magluilo, to elect to participate in the alternate Contributory Pension plan by adopting Resolution 2006-01. The motion passed by a vote of 5-0.

 

6. PUBLIC HEARING ON DELETING CHAPTER 49 OF THE TOWN CODE, PERSONNEL POLICIES

Commissioner Weddle explained that Chapter 49 of the Town Code could now be deleted as the Personnel Manual had been adopted.

There were no comments from the public at the hearing.

7. AWARD GLADE ROAD RESURFACING BID

Mr. Miller described the work to be done on each end of Glade Road – the section on South Glade Road from Pennsylvania Avenue to Frederick Street, and the section at the north end by Glade Elementary School. The low bidder was Daniel Moxley at $107, 876.

8. SHOEMAKER ANNEXATION REQUEST

Mr. Jack Shoemaker requested that his property located just outside of Walkersville on the east side of MD Rt. 194 and to the south of Daysville Road be annexed into the town. He is requesting annexation and R-4 zoning designation. He proposes to use the property for Senior housing, a library, or post office. Commissioners will discuss this again at the July 12^th Town Meeting.

9. CITIZENS’ QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

David Moxley, of 8939 Woodsboro Pike, presented the town with a copy of a report from the State Highway Administration. The document reported accidents on MD Rt. 194, from MD Rt. 26 (Ceresville) to Devilbiss Bridge Road, from January 1, 2002 through August 2005. The report included 138 accidents, 2 fatalities, 101 injuries, and 73 property damages. Mr. Moxley asked, in regards to Mr. Shoemaker’s requested annexation, if there was an allowance of 3.5 lots per acre. Staff will need to research to answer this. Mr. Moxley then asked how many water taps were available. Staff estimated 330-400 taps. Mr. Moxley asked if the town had investigated any new water sources since the water study of 2001. Burgess Whitmore answered no. Mr. Moxley then asked, in regards to the town’s written comments to the Frederick County Planning Commission’s Walkersville Region Plan, what was the Town’s logic in the following strategy for development within the Town: plan for development to occur within the next 10 years on current properties within the Town that are zoned for residential or commercial development, plan for development to occur within the next 20 years on properties within the Glade Creek basin, and 20 years after that, to consider development within the Israel Creek basin. Mr. Moxley also asked if the Town would consider developers improving MD Rt. 194 or donating the Town’s 3.8 million of reserve funds to Maryland State Highway for dualizing MD Rt. 194. Commissioner Magluilo noted that the Town had not considered using the reserve funds for a state highway project.

Alex Renko, 304 Kenwood Court in Deerfield, told commissioners that development of the triangular parcel, Mr. Shoemaker’s request, with an apartment complex would ruin the appearance and aesthetics of the area and asked commissioners not to consider the request.

10. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

11. COMMISSIONERS’ CONCERNS

Commissioner Don Schildt noted that the Memorial Day Observance had gone well, that the children reading their essays had done a nice job, and that he would like to expand the day for next year, which is the 25^th anniversary of the ceremony at Memorial Park. He complimented Susan, Chad, and Ralph on their presentations to the Frederick County Planning Commission during the hearing on May 24^th. He also noted that it seemed Mr. Moxley had solidified our case for slow growth with the presentation of the traffic report from MD State Highway.

12. CLOSED LEGAL MEETING

The meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Gloria Long Rollins

Town Manager