MINUTES
TOWN
MEETING
May
19, 2014
Emmitsburg
Town
Office
Present:
Mayor Donald Briggs; Commissioners Clifford
Sweeney, Christopher Staiger, Jennifer Mellor,
Glenn Blanchard and Tim O’Donnell, President.
Staff
present was Vickie Felix; Cole Tabler, Town
Accountant, and Dave Haller, Town Manager.
_________________________________________________________________________I.
Call
to Order
Commissioner
Tim O’Donnell, President of the Board of
Commissioners, called the May 19, 2014 Town
Meeting to order at
7:30 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Approval
of Minutes
The
Minutes of the
May 5, 2014
Town Meeting were approved as presented.
Commissioner
O’Donnell welcomed County Commissioner liaison
David Dunn who was in attendance.
Commissioner
Comments
Commissioner
Blanchard commented on Commissioner O’Donnell
riding his bike to the meeting and encouraged
other commissioners to get bikes out and ride and
be an example.
Mayor’s
Comments
Mayor
Briggs cited attendances to include Mount Saint
Mary’ graduation; the Peter Pan and Wendy Play,
and the Vigilant Hose Spring Fling.
He reported that the town experienced
flooding at Northgate; paving was finished on
Schoolhouse Lane; there are four properties
working under the 50/50 Legacy grant for
improvement; Town was approved for a $30,000 grant
from the Maryland Department of Energy; the town
was approved for $4,000 from the county for
potholes; the town was approved for a grant of
$12,500 to contribute to the solar project.
Administrative
Business
·
Email
–Little League having state tournament;
concerned about repairs needed in the press box;
can town help replace the floor? There was support
from the Board to do a $1,000 budget transfer.
Agenda item for the next town meeting.
Consent
Agenda - none
Reports:
Town
Manager Report
- reported on the public works department monthly
activities to include a water production and
consumption analysis. Mr. Haller highlighted that
the wells and water are good. The town received
6.2 inches of precipitation this month; the
average is 3.8 inches. The town has a
precipitation surplus of 9.6” over the last
since months. However, on April 20, 2014 there was
a spill of untreated sewerage at MH 98 and MH 35
totaling 23,400 gallons. Commissioner Staiger
asked Mr. Haller if he was able to find the
information about the solar project and solar
field, i.e.
motions that were made from prior meetings and the
funding. Mr. Haller passed out a packet of
information in regards to Commissioner Staiger’s
concerns related to the solar project. Commissioner
Staiger directed staff to research when it was
passed that administration needed to report to the
Board when the budget was over spent by 50% and
when the payment was made that drove town over
budget for the solar project. There was a brief
discussion about a letter concerning a sidewalk
from Memorial Park to South Seton and the town
right-of-way. Commissioner O’Donnell would like
staff to clear gutters; repair sagging signs at
Brookfield Rd. and Pembrook Ct. and at Jubliee.
He also commented on the pothole at
Brookfield Rd. and Irishtown Rd. He would like a
written report from Mr. Haller on how to manage
infrastructure. Commissioners stated that some
trees need trimming at the town park tennis courts
and the pavilion at the playground at Memorial
park. Town
Planners Report -included in packet for Board
to review. Detailed report at Exhibit A.
Police
Report
- Deputy
Rohrer reported on April 2014 police activity. He
gave a brief update on the drug use in town in
response to Mayor Briggs inquiry. Detailed
report at Exhibit B.
II.
Agenda Items
Funding
and Tax issue
Mr.
Haller stated that staff recommends maintaining
the 2015 constant yield tax rate at $.36 per $100
of assessed value which the fiscal year 2015
budget is based on.
Motion:
to approve Ordinance 14-04 a
Resolution/Ordinance to Levy of Taxes by the Town
of Emmitsburg for the Fiscal Year of July 1, 2014
to June 30, 2015.
Motion
made by Commissioner Blanchard second by
Commissioner Sweeney.
Vote:
5-0 in favor
FY
2015 Budget discussion
At
the last town meeting, Mayor Briggs handed out the
budget for the Board to review. Tonight the board
went through the budget sequentially. Mr. Haller
entertained questions from the Board along with
Cole Tabler, Town Accountant. Commissioner Mellor
questioned about funds for parks to be compliant
with ADA. Mr. Haller stated those paths will be
put in this year.
The paths will be added for bid purposes to
the paving project. The town has the money to fund
that. Staff will be applying for Community Parks
and Playgrounds grants. Commissioner Mellor would
like copies of the grant request. She also asked
about the funds for a new website. Mayor Briggs
interjected that $2500 has been put in the budget
to launch the upgrade of the website but he also
has some concerns on this item because he does not
want to create another staff position. Commissioner
Staiger had some questions in regards to the town
square construction cost. Mr. Haller gave some
clarification on the terminology of construction
drawings. Staff has met with District 7 Engineer
and he said the state is willing to undertake most
of the task of the construction drawings. Town
should get a letter mid June detailing that
information. Commissioner Sweeney asked about
funding for the second phase of the solar project.
Mayor Briggs stated at this time they are working
on a lot of things in regards to that issue. The
voltage for the new wastewater treatment plant is
extremely high. Commissioner Staiger questioned if
the power company was approached about how much
the tariff would go down at that rate. Mr. Haller
commented staff is looking into that presently so
it can be weighed against the solar. The Board
will come back at the next meeting with further
questions and possible consideration of the FY
2015 budget.
Trail
Route presentation
Commissioner
O’Donnell handed out a map of the Emmitsburg
watershed trail project and presented it to the
Board. He reported that the beginner trail,
intermediate and advanced trails shown on the map
are all complete.
The dotted lines are the proposed trails
that need approval for the Trail Conservancy to
begin construction after turkey season this
summer. At this time there is funding in place and
town will not need to fund.
Motion: -
To approve the proposed trails as presented and
the construction of the layout trail as written.
Motion made by Commissioner Blanchard
second by Commissioner Mellor.
Vote:
5-0 in favor
Set
Agenda Items for June 2, 2014 Town Meeting
1.
FY
2015 budget consideration
2.
Budget
transfer related to Emmitsburg Little League
At
this time there were some issues of side comments
by some members of the Board that President
O’Donnell addressed.
III.
Public Comments - none
IV.
SIGN APPROVED TEXT AMENDMENTS AND/OR
RESOLUTIONS