Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:42 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., W. Whaland Clark, Mabel Mumford-Pautz and J. Brian Kirby, W. S. Ingersoll, Town Manager, Joan Merryman, Stenographer, and guests.

Mayor Bailey stated that the Mayor and Council has cash on hand and in banks of $956,569.30.

Mayor Bailey stated that our auditor, Bud Wallace, was present to present the audit for the year ended June 30, 2000. Mr. Wallace stated the major purposes of an audit was that it was required and that an auditor issues an opinion on the financial position of the Town of Chestertown. He said they were able to issue an unqualified opinion, which means that the Town was in compliance in all material respects with generally accepted accounting standards and principals. He said of June 30, 2000 the total assets of the Town (in all funds) increased by approximately $331,000; total assets of the Town are approximately $13,500,000. He said during the last fiscal year the debt decreased by approximately $257,000 and the fund equity increased by approximately $588,000. He said the from the point of overall financial management of the Town had a really good year. He said overall there was an increase of revenues over expenditures for the year of $261,000. Mr. Wallace said the Council, Town Manager, and staff did an outstanding job and the Town was in a good financial position. He said he was available for questions at the meeting or in his office at any time. Mayor Bailey thanked Mr. Wallace for his presentation.

Mayor Bailey called on the Town Manager for his report. Mr. Ingersoll said there will be a Christmas parade on Saturday, November 25, 2000 beginning at 10 a.m. He said the tree lighting will be Friday, November 24, 2000 at 7 p.m. in the park.

Mr. Ingersoll said he would like to discuss the police department telephone system. He said their current system was at the maximum number of lines and Lucent will not maintain the old Merlin system. He said an upgrade was needed at the Police Department to provide more lines. He said there are four lines coming in but one was used for the fax and one for the computer. He said we have been without an officer and a chief for several weeks and that will add about $27,000 to the budget. He said the new telephone system would cost about $5,000. He said we will have voice mail here at Town Hall and at the Police Department. He asked the Council to consider the budget change, but if Lucent will not honor the maintenance on the current phone something has to be done. He said he will explain the expenses involving in changing the system.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz asked if each person would receive their own voice mail. Mr. Ingersoll said the Police Department would have four voice mail lines and each individual officer would not receive their own voice mail. He said there has been a suggestion that at night when the officers are out on the street, that a switchover be made to Kent Central. He said he will talk to Bob Rust about that. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz asked if there was an alternative to going through Kent Central. Mr. Ingersoll said the alternative was what was happening now and you would get a message that says leave a message or in an emergency call 911.

Mr. Ingersoll asked if the County had the rollover to Kent Central. Mr. Kirby said the County has had that system and he did not know why the Town had not done that because Kent Central was the agency that would be dispatching the call. Mr. Kirby asked if the line item on last year's expenses for phones for the police which was about 20% over budget, was this due to the antiquation of the system. Mr. Ingersoll said it was either overspending or the system we have of reimbursing for the cell phones.

Mayor Bailey asked if the Council felt comfortable proceeding with a vote to purchase the telephone system. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that Mr. Ingersoll proceed with ordering the new telephone system for the Police Department and was seconded by Mr. Clark. Mr. Bristoll asked that Mr. Ingersoll give the Council the figures on the difference in the costs for the year over the current system. He said he will get the figures on the increased costs for additional lines and the voice mail. Mr. Kirby said he did not mind proceeding but he would like to know the actual costs. The vote on the motion was unanimous.

Mr. Ingersoll said he had a discussion with Joy Levy of Cannon Street concerning an incident in which her dog was attacked on Cannon Street. He introduced Joy Levy. Ms. Levy related the incident in which her dog was marauded by a pit bull on the 500 block of Cannon Street. She was also injured by the dog as she tried to pull it away. She said she found out that the same dog had previously killed another dog and now that the pit bull has been put down. She discussed another recent incident in Washington Park where a young girl was attacked by two Rottweillers. She said she was speaking to the Council because she did not want anyone else to have to go through such an incident and asked what could be done in Town to improve the dog problems.

Mr. Ingersoll said there was provision in our animal ordinance which describes "dangerous ... or vicious" animals and this would include dogs. He said we could make the ordinance stronger by stating that after an animal bites another animal once, that it be euthanized the second time. He said we have to develop standards that are enforceable. He said we should hire our own dog control person for awhile to clean up areas where animals are running at large. He said he knows that people are training animals to fight other dogs and we must try to stop this. He said we had the Humane Society here but there are some things the Town has to do such as strengthen the Ordinance, use a bounty system for untagged dogs, apply fines for dogs running at large and hire an animal warden to work on the problems.

Mr. Kirby asked whether the Police had informed Ms. Levy that there had been complaints about the dog prior to her being attacked. Ms. Levy said she knew that the owner had been contacted several times by the Chestertown Police Department.

Jeremy Dolan said he lives across the street and the Police had been to the pit bull owner's residence at least half a dozen times for problems with dogs. He said he knew that two other dogs had been attacked prior to Ms. Levy. He said they still have one pit bull.

Mr. Kirby said the Town would have to establish rules and procedures for dog enforcement while working with the Humane Society. Mr. Ingersoll said our Ordinance states that enforcement will be done by the Humane Society so any extra person would have to be trained and deputized by the Humane Society but paid to work only in Town. Mr. Kirby asked if it would be possible to ban pit bulls such as had been done in Wilmington in the past few months. Mr. Bristoll suggested that three things be done: 1) strengthen the Ordinance; 2) hire a dog control person to work in Town; and 3) alert the Police that they should make reasonable attempts to enforce the dog ordinance.

Mr. Ingersoll said he discussed the legal issues with the State's Attorney. The State's Attorney said the matter of intent was an issue with charges for these type of dog attacks. Mr. Kirby said the matter of intent had to do with State law and criminal charges. He said beefing up our Ordinance and enforcing it should produce some action. He said he would like to see the person we hire work on the days when the Humane Society was not working - on weekends.

Mayor Bailey asked the Council if they would agree to move the December 4 meeting to Monday, December 11 as Mr. Bristoll will be away. The Council agreed to change the meeting and it will be advertised.

Mayor Bailey read and signed a Proclamation declaring the month of November as Epilepsy Month in Chestertown.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions or comments. Mr. Kirby said he had not been able to attend the wetlands hearing and asked about the permit stage on the pier project. Mr. Ingersoll said there would be a two week comment period and after that the hearing officer will make a decision. Mr. Kirby asked about the starting date for construction. Mr. Ingersoll said if we get a decision next week, we will bid the project, open bids the first of January for the work to be completed by March 30. Mr. Kirby asked if there was a question about the ownership of the land. Mr. Ingersoll said there was not; it was definitely the Town's land. Mr. Kirby asked about the part of the road that had been discussed in that area and whether that had anything to do with the pier or the land where the pier would be. Mr. Ingersoll said that property had nothing to do with the pier ownership.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz mentioned that the residents in her block were notified at night on October 31 that the trees would be sprayed the next day and that their cars should be off the street. She asked that people be notified at least 24 hours in advance. Mr. Clark said anyone who was allergic to the sprays should put their name on a list with the Department of Agriculture and then they will be notified when spraying will occur. Mr. Ingersoll said the contract was let in the Spring for the season and the Town had not been notified when the spraying would be done.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz asked if there was some way the Town could assist in getting people to paint buildings that were painted part of the way up in the front with the rest remaining unpainted. She said houses with that appearance were a detriment to the neighborhood. Mr. Ingersoll asked that she tell him the properties and he will look into this. Ms. Gail Regester, 103 Cannon Street, said there may be a matter of costs involved as it cost her $25,000 to paint her house and that included about $8,000 just for the paint.

There being no further business, Mayor Bailey asked the Council to review the bills. Mr. Bristoll moved that the bills be paid as presented, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mr. Bristoll moved that the meeting be adjourned at 8:20 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Joan Merryman
Stenographer