News Flash

Todd Mohn’s Wrap Up of March 22 Commissioner Meeting

The March 22^nd County Commissioners meeting started at 5:15 pm with a closed session to discuss Boards and Commissioners.

The regular meeting was called to order at 5:30 pm.

Boards and Commissioners

Motion to reappoint Nathan Hoxter (District 1) and Terry Morris (District 4).  APPROVED 5-0

Motion to reappoint Dion Reid (District 4) and appoint Joseph Brown (District 2) for a term until March 31, 2025.  APPROVED 5-0

Motion to appoint Robin Lanham for a term until December 31, 2025. APPROVED 5-0

D.   Chesapeake College Board of Trustee’s Endorsement – This is a letter supporting the reappointment of Chris Garvey as a representative of Queen Anne’s County on the Chesapeake College Board of Trustees.   Dr. Coppersmith made this request and has indicated that Chris, “has been invaluable to the College in his role this year as Chair of the Board and as a past leader and member of the Programs, Planning, and Outreach Committee”.  The letter of support is addressed to Governor Hogan and our delegation stating our support and interest in Chris’s application being confirmed by the Governor.    APPROVED 5-0

PRESENTATIONS

Item #                                                                                                                                                 

This is a presentation of the Bay Bridge Runway Rehabilitation project and the bids received for selection and processing to FAA for the associated grant funding.  The total cost of the project is $7,545,726 the county's portion being $402,934 with the remainder of the funding coming from a combination of FAA/MAA grants and proceeds from the sale of the (FAA funded) gardens property.   Motion to authorize the Bay Bridge Airport to apply for a federal grant for the runway Rehabilitation and Safety project for 7,545,726 with Allan Myers as the selected low bidder for the project.   APPROVED 5-0

Hofmann   Motion to Adopt Resolution # 22-02 and commence with the advertisement process for qualified members to serve on the police accountability board, administrative charging committee and the trial board and to appoint State’s Attorney Lance Richardson to provide legal and other support to these respective boards.  

APPROVED 5-0

-Informational, Budget work sessions are scheduled for March 29, 31 and April 5

ACTION ITEMS

Item #                                                                                                                                                 

In 2011, the Sanitary Commission adopted resolutions that capped the annual rate escalator at 6.5% for sewer and 5.5% for water for “all subdistricts”. The resolutions had language indicating that these increases will take effect automatically on July 1 “unless the County Commissioners determine by resolution prior to July 1 of each year that the rates will increase by a lesser percentage”. In order to keep the rate increase at 2.5% for both water and sewer fees for the upcoming FY 23 budget (as it was submitted excepting the SKI subdistrict), the Board must pass a motion to do so.  Staff recommends setting the annual sewer and water operations & maintenance rate escalator for all Sanitary District rate schedules for the FY 23 budget year at 2.5%, with the exception of the Southern Kent Island subdistrict which shall see no increase in rates. Motion to approve a (zero) 0.00% increase to the water and sewerage rates for all subdistricts in FY2023.  APPROVED 5-0.  

Consolidated Transportation Plan – Priority Letter 

Attached is the 2022 MDOT priority letter from the Commissioners to Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary, James F. Ports, Jr. The letter outlines transportation priorities for inclusion in the 2023-2028 Consolidated Transportation Plan. The letter is very similar to past years letters and continues to identify the priorities for Queen Anne’s County as:

1) Continue, and to the extent possible, expedite the process to add capacity crossing
 the Chesapeake Bay to reduce congestion within the existing Bay Bridge corridor.
 2) Construct improvements on the Rt 18 corridor from Castle Marina Road to the
 Kent Narrows
 3) Construct the US 50 & 213 interchange
 4) Construct at grade intersection improvements on the US 301 corridor
 5) Provide repair and repaving on US 301 Southbound
 6) Continued support of our local transit efforts
7) Continued support for our bicycle and pedestrian improvements APPROVED 5-0

This is a Perpetual Protective Agreement Amended Deed of Forest Conservation
 Easement document for the Coxon Administrative Subdivision #21-11-0275. Currently, the applicant has proposed reconfiguring parcel boundary lines and transferring varying acreage amounts between adjacent parcels (Tax Map 24, Parcels 90, 44, & 186).  Pending approval, this
 will result in 3 existing lots becoming 2 lots.  The applicant has proposed to amend the forest conservation easement and place 2.129 of forested land into a new Perpetual Protective Agreement Amended Deed of Forest Conservation Easement.  This 2.129 acres would meet the minimum afforestation threshold required for the property.  In addition, the applicant has proposed
 relocating and reconfiguring the existing protected forest to a new area. Staff recommends that the County Commissioners review and sign the Perpetual Protective Agreement Amended Deed of Forest Conservation Easement.  APPROVED 5-0

The FY20 Rural legacy grant was submitted in January 2019 and on January 8, 2020, the Board
 of Public Works awarded funding for the Foreman Branch Rural Legacy Area. These funds have
 been utilized for easement acquisitions on the Charles and Sherry Patterson properties. The project agreement and agreement of sale were approved by the Commissioners on September 28, 2021. The 58.816-acre property is located within the Foreman Branch Rural Legacy area and will enhance the large area of preserved lands.  No county funds were used in the preservation of this property.  Staff recommends approval and execution of this deed of easement.  APPROVED 5-0

The FY21 Rural legacy grant was submitted in January 2020 and on October 21, 2020, the Board
 of Public Works awarded funding for the Foreman Branch Rural Legacy Area. These funds have
 been utilized for easement acquisitions on the Benjamin Nordby Armiger property.  The project agreement and agreement of sale were approved by the Commissioners on October 26, 2021.  The 98.568-acre property is located within the Foreman Branch Rural Legacy. No county funds were used in the preservation of the property.  Staff recommends approval and execution of this deed of easement.  APPROVED 5-0

Annually, the County Tax Collector is authorized to bill a service fee for the lost interest and administrative costs associated with the semiannual property tax billing if the amount of the service charge is approved by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.  The annual calculation of the service fee is related to the interest we receive from our cash investments, as the semiannual payment results in lost interest to the County. It is estimated that if a service fee based on actual lost interest revenue was implemented, the charge for a typical household would be less than $2.00 per household.  Queen Anne’s County did not charge a service fee for the 2021-2022 tax year. We recommend that a service fee not be charged in the 2022-2023 tax year as well.  APPROVED 5-0

The Department of Emergency Services (DES) completed a Homeland Security Grant Program request totaling $116,000.00 to purchase four (4) trailer surveillance systems. The grant was approved and 100% of the funding is through HSGP. The systems will enable public safety and other County agencies to monitor a variety of activities including, but not limited to special events, traffic, large crowds, construction sites, areas susceptible to vandalism, evacuations, emergency incidents, and impending adverse weather.  DES publicly advertised the invitation to bid and received (9) nine bids ranging from $105,5000 to 370,040.  On final review of the bids received, DES is recommending a contract with the low bidder Industrial Video & Control Co., LLC totaling $105,500.00.  APPROVED 5-0

The Department of Parks and Recreation is requesting the County Commissioners renew the expired lease agreement with the Town of Queen Anne regarding the maintenance of Roosevelt Park (situated in the Town of Queen Anne) for the time period of March 1, 2022 through March 1, 2037.  Parks and Recreation has been maintaining this Park for the past 20+ years.   APPROVED 5-0

This is a paving contract with David A. Bramble, Inc to pave Grasonville Parking Lot and Trail for $41,850. We received two quotes for paving Grasonville Parking Lot and Trail, of which David A. Bramble was the lowest quote. The contractor will be paving approximately 35,180 square feet of the parking lot and 4,000 square feet of the trail. Funding shall come from the Capital Project Budget #40809 Parking Lot Paving account. APPROVED 5-0

Bids were solicited for the Matapeake Clubhouse Exterior Renovation & Painting contract.  

The sole bid received was by Zierfuss Painting and Restoration, came in at $52,000 to include: power washing, removing and replacing rotted wood siding, filling, sanding, application of a primer and two coats of oil-based paint. This number reflects an unanticipated increase due to rising costs of paint, lumber and fuel.  Staff recommends contacting with Zierfuss Painting and Restoration in the amount of $52,000, $25,000 from MHAA Grant and $27,000 from Parks Preventative Maintenance Capital Project #40215. APPROVED 5-0

Desk Item 11 – Data Backup System Replacement - This is a request to piggyback on the Fairfax County IT Hardware and Software contract to replace the County IT Departments’ current Veeam and Synology backup systems and aging hardware with the Cohesity backup solution.  The new solution will allow us to simplify our backups and offers improved protection and recovery from ransomware.  It also provides additional storage which lend to options for disaster recovery on premise.  Two backup systems are required to accommodate data on the Emergency Services (DES) and County Government (GOV) networks.  The GOV backup solution is proposed to be paid for from the IT Infrastructure budget 40013 ($56,525.63).  The DES backup is proposed to be paid for from the 40801 budget ($41,844.86).   Staff recommends replacement of the current aging backup system with the Cohesity backup solution on the Fairfax Hardware and Software Contract for $98,370.49.  APPROVED 5-0

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

Item #                                                                                                                                                 

COMMISSIONER MORAN INTRODUCED # 21-04.  A public Hearing will be scheduled for May 24, 2022

Watch the meeting here https://youtu.be/3uoEmHihR2s