News Flash

Todd Mohn’s Wrap Up of the February 14 County Commissioner Meeting

The County Commissioners February 14^th meeting started at 5:00 p.m. with a closed session for Boards & Commissions, Personnel and Land Acquisition.  

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

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee   

This Board currently has two vacancies. We received one new applicant, Norman Bossie. This term will expire on February 28, 2026. APPROVED 4-0, 1 ABSENT

Position Upgrade Request for Character Counts Coach (Part time to Full time)
The Character Counts Coach Specialist has been vacant since December and the most recent part time applicant just declined the offer after going through the entire process to hire. This contractual position was to become an enhancement for FY24 to increase to a full-time position with a combination of grant and county funding. Taking into consideration the time and money spent for the hiring process, we would like to proceed now and hire this position as a full-time position. APPROVED 4-0, 1 ABSENT

PRESENTATIONS

1. Ms. Emily Crossly “FFA Indianapolis Convention Trip Update” 
2. Character Counts – Proclamation 23-08 - Respect and Proclamation 23-09 Black History Month  -  Pastor Eric Daniels & Susan Coppage
3. Fire and EMS Commission Swearing In – Bill Faust President and Buddy Thomas 

Vice President 

PUBLIC WORKS

Administration and Engineering

In partnership with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), the County provides a low-cost Mosquito Control Spray Program. The program is primarily funded through participating citizens user-fees. The fees have remained unchanged over the past three (3) spray seasons. With increasing chemical, equipment and labor costs, expenses are now starting to exceed revenues. Calendar year 2022 had Revenues of $102,300 and Expenses of $106,700. In working with MDA to continue a low-cost, sustainable spray program the following user-fee increases are proposed to offset increasing expenses. If approved, these fee increases (shown in red) will take place this 2023 spray season and will be posted on the County’s Mosquito Control webpage.

APPROVED 5-0

2. Bridgetown Development Sand/Gravel Major Extraction – Public Works Agreement       

Bridgetown Development Company, LLC has been granted conditional site plan approval for a 178.42 acre expansion of an existing sand and gravel quarry operation at 1720 Bridgetown Road. This Phase III development approval increases the mine’s acreage to approximately 321 acres. Originally, the proposed Public Works Agreement (PWA) established a $0.12/ton payment for all sand & gravel material sold for the remainder of the mine operation. These funds will be utilized by the Roads Division for maintenance of the County-owned portion of the haul route. Based upon the mine’s proposed yields, that plan would have provided an estimated $2.1 million. As requested by the Board of Commissioners, the Agreement before you incorporates an escalation clause with terms to offset the effect of inflation and rising cost of liquid asphalt over the estimated 30- year lifetime of the third phase. Additionally, the royalty payments are to become retroactively effective January 1, 2022, an estimated four years in advance of Phase III mining. These additional terms are anticipated to yield an additional estimated $258,000, for a total of approximately $2.3 million in new revenue to the County.

APPROVED 5-0

Roads

3. QACHS Parking Lot Repair and Overlay Contract Award

The Roads Division is requesting to award the Queen Anne’s County High School Parking Lot Repair and Overlay project to David A. Bramble mc, of Chestertown, MD, in the amount of $475,555, via the State Highway Administration existing contract XY9175 177. This project includes repairs to the existing storm-drain infrastructure, sidewalks and ADA compliance as
 well as mill and overlay the entranceway and the student and faculty parking lot.  Limits and scope for the project were determined in the field by DPW and BOE staff. This project was programmed in FY2023 for $550,000 and adequate funding is available in the FY2023 Capital Budget. APPROVED 5-0

4. Maryland Transit Administration Inter-Governmental Agreement 2^nd Amendment Request - Bike Rack  

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) currently utilizes the State Highway Administration owned Queen Anne’s County leased parking lot under the Kent Narrows Bridge as an MTA Commuter Bus Stop. This arrangement is outlined in a 2008 Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA). MTA wants to amend the 2008 IGA to allow the installation and maintance of a bike rack.  This requested Amendment has been reviewed by the County attorney and is being presented for the Commissioners review and approval. APPROVED 5-0

Sanitary

Attached is the deed to convey the Bay Bridge Cove sewerage pump station property to the County. DPW oversaw construction of this facility and it meets all application county standards and specifications. Sanitary District Staff have been operating the plant now for several years.  We recommend execution of the property deed of conveyance.  APPROVED 5-0

We have a public hearing scheduled for 6:05 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 to discuss the
 following amendment requests. This Informational Meeting allows the Commissioners to ask any questions of the applicant or staff in preparation for that hearing.

TOWN OF QUEENSTOWN - POTABLE WATER SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS

This is a text amendment to reflect the Town ‘s plan to improve their existing water system by taking the following actions, refurbishment of the existing 50,000-gallon elevated tank located on Wall Street, installation of a new 100,000-gallon ground storage tank located adjacent to the existing Queenstown Outlets property’s elevated tank construct a new 4-inch well into the Mattawan aquifer and a new water treatment facility located on Del Rhodes Avenue replace undersized and/or defective watermains to meet the provisions of the 10 States Standards to all areas within the Queenstown service area, and extend new water mains to recently annexed areas. In addition to the new Groundwater Appropriation for the Del Rhodes Avenue well, the Town will seek to increase the Groundwater Appropriation Permit for the two existing wells currently into the Mattawan aquifer.

NORTHWEST CHESTER WATER MAIN EXTENSION- 

This is a map amendment to reflect the County Commissioners’ intent to extend an 8-inch water main from the intersection of Main Street and Castle Marina Road (adjacent to the Chester McDonalds,) west along Main Street to Shopping Center Road. The intent of this amendment is to upgrade the water service area map designations from W-3 to W-2 to allow the properties along that route to connect to water when they so desire.

ACTION ITEMS

This is a letter of support to MDTA for the 2023 Bay Bridge Run event. Race day this year is scheduled for November 12^th. Corrigan Sports Enterprises will again be holding the event.

APPROVED 5-0 

The Kent Island High School Band Boosters are requesting funds in the amount of $1,082.65 due to the Kent Island High School track pavement renovation which caused the event to be moved from the stadium to the practice field. APPROVED 5-0

3.  Sudlersville Fire Company – Use of Funds for New Fire Apparatus

The Sudlersville Fire Company is requesting an executed letter to approve the use of $36,000 annually from the Senator Amoss (508) Funding which is distributed to the County yearly from the State of Maryland. This funding will be used to purchase a 2023 E-l Fire Engine. Sudlersville Fire Company is applying for a 1% loan from the Maryland State Firemen’s Association Volunteer Company Assistance Fund.  The total cost of the new apparatus is $699,305.

This purchase will not require additional funding from the county. APPROVED 5-0

4.  Maryland Community Development Block Grant 

This is a Grant Agreement and Authorized Signature Form for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project entitled: CDBG-MD-23-CD-2 Sudlersville Senior Center Roof Replacement. Funds (up to$ 450,000) from this grant will be used to replace and improve the roof on the Sudlersville Senior Center building.   APPROVED 5-0

5.  Rural Legacy Deed of Easement – Ripley Farm LLC             

The FY22 Rural Legacy grant was submitted and approved by the State Board of Public Works for the Lands End Rural Legacy Area. These funds have been utilized for easement acquisitions on Ripley Family Farm LLC. The 217.071-acre property is located within the Lands End Rural Legacy area which will enhance this large area of preserved lands. The attached Deed of Easement is between the State of Maryland, Queen Anne’s County and Ripley Family Farm LLC agreeing to preserve this property. No county funds were used in the preservation of the property. Staff is recommending approval and execution of the rural legacy deed of easement for the Ripley family farm LLC.   APPROVED 5-0

6.  Request for Economic Development Incentive Funding – Monocle Meat Company, LLC 

The Economic Development Incentive Fund (EDIF) Commission recommended the approval of a conditional loan of up to $40,000 to Monocle Meat Company for the startup of a butcher shop located at 130 Kent Landing, Stevensville. The funds will be used to purchase equipment that will include but is not limited to: service cases, walk-in coolers, and meat saws. The applicants are currently outfitting a commercial space to open a Butcher shop that will serve Kent Island and surrounding communities. The shop is expected to open in May 2023.  The business will employ three to five full and part-time positions when fully-staffed. The EDIF Commission has recommended that the award be conditioned upon the creation of two new full-time positions and one new half-time position. The job creation requirement must be met within three years of disbursement of funding and the business is to remain in full operation in the county for an additional two years. APPROVED 5-0                                                                                        

Desk Item #1 - Board of Education Transfer Between Major State Categories   

In accordance with Section 5-105(b) of the Annotated Code of Maryland, The Board of Education is requesting your approval to transfer funds between Major State Categories as follows: Fixed Charges to Administration - $10,285, Instructional Salaries to Instructional Other - $145,000, Instructional Salaries to Transportation - $350,000 and Fixed Charges and Instructional Salaries to Maintenance - $300,000. APPROVED 5-0

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

1. Letter from Maryland Department of Transportation – Strategic Highway Safety Plan                                                                                           
2. Benedict Andrew American Legion Thank you letter Wreaths Across America
3. Plumbing/HVAC Board Minutes December 2022 

LEGISLATIVE

County Ordinance COUNTY ORDINANCE NO. 22-13 A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT CONCERNING the 2022 Comprehensive Rezoning Requests and Rezoning of the Reduced Growth Area; FOR THE PURPOSE of rezoning twenty (20) parcels of land in Queen Anne’s County to conform with the 2022 Comprehensive Plan; BY AMENDING the official digitally generated and geo-referenced Queen Anne’s County Zoning Maps. APPROVED 5-0 

A motion was made to conceptually approve the growth allocation petition submitted by nashville properties, llc, known as armored storage kent island, requesting to reclassify 2.811 acres of limited developed area to intensely developed area.   furthermore, it was moved to request that the critical area commission consider and process this petition as a refinement. 

in addition, the following conditions Are included:

1. The applicant dedicate resulting Parcel 287 (1.464 acres) to the County for passive recreational use.  
2. The applicant deed restrict 5.987 acres of woodlands consisting of resulting Parcel 351 located within the Resource Conservation Area (RCA) and Limited Development Area (LDA) for resource protection and passive recreation.
3. In addition to normal stormwater management, the stormwater facilities shall be tested for effectiveness on a regular basis and in accordance with testing methods approved by the County Department of Public Works (DPW) with consultation with the Maryland Department of Environment. 
4. There shall be no disturbance to the non-tidal wetlands on-site.
5. Provide a fence on the north side of the building along the adjacent property owners property line. 
6. The applicant shall meet with DPW and State Highway Administration to discuss future road widening that may be necessary in the event the Shamrock Road Overpass is ever constructed in accordance with the Kent Island Transportation Plan.
7. The building will be reduced by one floor. The applicant will revisit the architecture of the building in accordance with the TC design standards.
8. The viewshed facing north from U.S. route 50/301 is to be consistent with the second rendering provided on page 4 of exhibit 5 of the growth allocation petition by utilizing existing vegetation and enhancing the understory, shrubs, and canopy trees (landscaping) provided on-site. 
9. Due to traffic from the facility, permanently protect or separate the Cross Island Trail from Piney Creek Road to provide safety for all users of the trail. 
10. In locations that do not require hard pavement for flow of moving trucks and larger vehicles, investigate permeable paving to aid water quality and runoff.

            APPROVED 4-1 OPPOSED

SB – 777 Middle Shore Counties - Sunday Hunting - Repeal of Time Restrictions

FOR the purpose of repealing the time restrictions that apply to Sunday hunting in
 Caroline County, Dorchester County, Talbot County, and Wicomico County. The Commissioners discussed if they would like to have Queen Anne’s County added to this bill.  APPROVED 4-1 ABSTAINED

Or you can watch the meeting at these two links

https://www.youtube.com/live/A6ax2lsrMYo?feature=share

https://www.youtube.com/live/F0YF33vb_tg?feature=share