MINUTES
TOWN MEETING
June 17, 2013
Emmitsburg Town Office
Present:
Mayor Donald Briggs; Commissioners Clifford
Sweeney, Christopher Staiger, Patrick Joy, James
Hoover and Tim O’Donnell, President.
Staff present were
Vickie Felix; Donna Despres, Town Clerk; Sue
Cipperly, Town Planner and Dave Haller, Town
Manager.
I.
Call to Order
Commissioner Tim O’Donnell, President of the
Board of Commissioners, called the June 17, 2013
Town Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Pledge of
Allegiance was recited.
Approval of Minutes
The Minutes of the June 3, 2013 Town Meeting
were approved as presented.
Commissioner Comments
Commissioners cited upcoming events to include
Community/Heritage Days and the MML conference
where attendees will have the opportunity to
meet with cabinet members. It was announced
that there has been positive feedback from
business owners regarding the town square
project and also the new splash park received
positive feedback and the concert in the park
was well attended.
Mayor’s Comments
Mayor Briggs cited attendances to include the
opening of the pool and the funeral service for
the young man in town that died of a drug
overdose last week. Mayor Briggs spoke at the
service and stated that the town will do all
that can be done to fight the drug issue in
Emmitsburg. He encouraged all town residents to
be involved in helping. He commended Jennifer
Joy and Commissioner Sweeney on all they have
done to prepare for Community/Heritage Day and
reported that there was an overwhelming response
for the parade.
Administrative Business
·
Clean up area around the doughboy before
Community/Heritage days
·
Tap fee agenda item
·
Garden across from Jubilee
·
Fix concrete slab at pool pavilion – drainage
issue?
·
Splash park – concern of kids standing on jets
might overload pump
·
Maintenance on cutters and curbs around town
·
Town square beautification
·
New requirements regarding training on the Open
Meetings Act
Consent Agenda
Appoint Richard Lindsey
to Advisory Committee.
Motion: to appoint Mr.
Richard Lindsey to Advisory Committee.
Motion made by Commissioner Hoover,
second by Commissioner Staiger.
Vote: 5 -0
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 are down an average
of 5.7 feet from May 2011. Rainfall is good;
there is 2/10-inch deficit which is very
minimal. There were no spills of untreated
sewerage in the month of May and the town did
not exceed the plant’s design capacity on any
days in the month of May. The splash park is
complete and operating. It seems to be
functioning well.
Town
Planner’s Report – Ms. Cipperly
highlighted that the community legacy
applications were released on May 20, 2013 the
first phase deadline is July 1, 2013. She
attended the Catoctin Scenic Byways meeting at
the U.S. 15 Welcome Center where there are new
exhibits showcasing Emmitsburg and the
surrounding area and encouraged residents to go
see them. She met with SHA District 7,
Frederick County Planner Seth Harry, and town
staff regarding traffic modeling for the
square. Evaluation and discussion will
continue. Seth Harry engaged a colleague of his
who is a traffic engineer to look at some of the
information. Detailed report at Exhibit A.
Police Report
- Deputy Patterson reported on May 2013 police
activity. Detailed report at Exhibit B.
II.
Agenda Items
Tap Fees, Persona Custom Homes
Mr. David Smith, President of Persona Custom
Homes gave a presentation to discuss the tap
fees. He stated with all the fees and permits
that would be needed to build, they’re looking
at over $37,000 before a shovel is put in the
ground; this is really a tough amount to absorb
for national or small builder like themselves.
The County is set on their fees and will not
reduce at this point. He would like to make a
proposal to cut the fees in half; then consider
a potential sliding scale, to increase the cost
of the lots as they increase in sales. He also
spoke of building a model home in which the tap
fees would be waived until the home is sold.
The price point for homes would start at
$299,000. Mr. Haller stated that the taps are
based on recent cost. Commissioner Staiger
recommended that Mr. Smith get a proposal
together with the sliding scale, the model fee
proposal to how they are going to manage the
fees related to the first and potentially second
models, a timetable and then meet with town
staff to evaluate and staff who can then bring
it to the board.
Emmitsburg Electrical Energy Efficiency Policy
/Emmitsburg Alternative Energy Policy
Ms. Cipperly stated that the town applied to the
Maryland Energy Administrations Smart Energy
Communities Program. Zoning Technician Jerry
Muir did the bulk of the work on the
application. The Town needed to apply for at
least two of the three categories. One of them
is electrical energy efficiency, next is
alternative energy and third category was fuel
savings. The process was sending in an
application showing that the town could
potentially meet the goals of the program. This
was approved and agreement signed. The next
step required is to adopt a policy for each of
the programs that the town is involved in and
submit to the state and then meet with state
staff and develop a reduction plan for each of
the programs. The first Policy P13.02 is for
electrical energy efficiency and the point of
that program is to decrease electricity
consumption for town-owned facilities by 15%
within a 5-year period. The LED project would
fit this program very well and should achieve
that goal. The baseline year would be 2012.
Emmitsburg Alternative Energy Policy – This
policy goal is to reduce conventional energy use
by 20% by 2022 by using a renewable source. The
project for this category would be to power the
new wastewater treatment plant by the solar
field and sell back to the grid, getting credit
for the sold energy as well as providing a new,
less costly energy source to power the
wastewater treatment plant. This project is
already underway. The program is a matter of
recording keeping once things are in place. The
town just needs to show it is accomplishing the
goals. During discussion the question was
raised if both of these were associated with
grants that town would be able to receive. Ms.
Cipperly reported that town was initially given
$20,000 and then they came back and said the
town could have another $17,500. It did not
state that there was any match needed, but
plenty was already spent if a match would be
needed per Mr. Haller. The $37,500 would be
used for those ongoing projects. The Board was
in favor of the policies but would like to
clarify who the community energy manger is and
how the money is being spent. Ms Cipperly
interjected that the policies need to be
accepted before next step can take place.
Motion:
approve Policy P13-02 Emmitsburg Electrical
Energy Efficiency Policy and Policy P13-03
Emmitsburg Alternative Energy Policy but, that
staff identify the community energy manager and
that Board receive a commitment that the grant
proceeds will be used to defray the cost of the
LED or Solar program.
Motion made by
Commissioner Staiger, second by Commissioner
Joy.
Vote: 5-0 in
favor
Budget ordinance item related to CIP fund and
General Fund
Commissioner Joy reported that the purpose of
this is to standardize in ordinance form the
outline of the process of the formation of the
CIP and General fund. He read over the proposed
ordinance. Discussion ensued.
Motion:
- To modify proposed Ordinance 13-08 Revenue
and Finance; Section 3.01 Budget-Generally:
delete B.; redesignate C. as B.;
and add at the end of the new B. “without
the approval of the Board of Commissioners.”
Redesignate D. as C. and in
the new C., change the last sentence from
“no less than quarter-annually” to “no less than
quarterly.” In Section 3.02
Capital Improvement Projects: change the
dollar amount from “$10,000” to “$5,000” and in
Section 3.02 B., change the first
sentence to read “the total estimated amount of
fund required” instead of “the total amount of
fund required.”
Motion made by
Commissioner Joy, second by Commissioner
Staiger.
Vote: 5-0 in favor
Addressing possible FY 2013 budget transfer
items
Donna Despres, Town Clerk presented the Board
with the proposed FY 2013 budget transfers.
Motion: - To approve FY
2013 budget transfers as submitted.
Motion made by Commissioner Joy and second by Commissioner
Hoover.
Vote:
4-0 in favor
Commissioner Hoover stepped out of the room
Mrs. Despres reported that there have been costs on the solar
project which she started to account for in
capital improvements like a project; because
that’s how the Board would like to see it, but
there are no funds in capital funds for that.
She is asking for $3,000 to be transferred from
the fund balance to the CIP fund. This request
will be brought back as an agenda item.
Set Agenda Items for July 1, 2013 Town Meeting
1.
Solar project funding
2.
Chicken ordinance Section 17
3.
Chicken ordinance Section 6
4.
Littering penalty – discussion
5.
Code of conduct for elected officials –
discussion
III. Public Comments
- none
IV.
Sign Approved Text Amendments and/or
Resolutions
V.
Adjournment