MINUTES
MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 5, 2001

Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., W. Whaland Clark, Mabel Mumford-Pautz and J. Brian Kirby, Police Chief Walter Coryell, W. S. Ingersoll, Town Manager, Joan Merryman, Stenographer, and guests.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes of the meeting of February 20, 2001 and executive session of February 22, 2001. Mr. Bristoll moved that the minutes be approved as presented, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that an executive session was held on February 22, 2001 at 5:20 p.m. pursuant to Sec. 10-508 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Mayor and three Councilmembers were present and voted unanimously to go into executive session. The meeting was called to discuss a contractual matter. The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 p.m. and minutes were taken for the record.

Mayor Bailey called on Capt. Edler for the monthly police report. Capt. Edler gave the report for the month of February 2001. Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions. There being none, Chief Walter Coryell spoke.

Chief Coryell said he wished to discuss an item of equipment for the police officers. He stated that they have not lately carried a baton. He said it has often been thought of as an offensive weapon. He said the reality was also that it was used in a defensive manner to ward off punches, blows and kicks and other offensive attacks. He described the baton he would order which would be worn on the officer's belt. He said the baton was collapsible and when taken from the belt a flick of the wrist will expand the baton. He said after using them for four years in Baltimore County, they found that the need to use the baton has been greatly reduced by the metallic locking sound that the device makes when opened. He said the officers will be training in the use of the batons in the manner consistent to both their safety and individuals who may be taken into custody. He said the money to purchase the batons will be from forfeiture funds on hand. Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions of Chief Coryell. There were no questions.

Mayor Bailey stated that Susie Hayman, the Lead Coordinator for the Hot Spot Communities Initiative, was present to address the Council. Ms. Hayman said the Hot Spot Initiative had been awarded $116,364 by the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention. She said there has been significant difficulty with the community mobilization portion. She said the Hot Spot Initiative was intended to be community driven, the community assisted by the government in reducing crime, preventing crime and providing programs that improve the quality of life. She said as much work as can be done has been done during the years of the program, but it was evident that there must be a community liaison person who can develop and sustain the community mobilization effort and the overall administrative support for the Hot Spot Initiative. She said they would like to fill this position with a community resident who could develop trust in communication with the community. She said the State has provided enough to pay the salary ($17,000) of a full time person for this position and she was requesting that the Town of Chestertown be willing to support this effort by paying the benefits costs for such an employee. The person who be on the Town payroll and be subject to Town personnel regulations. She said the cost of the benefits would be about $4,371.

Mayor Bailey said every other portion of the Hot Spot program has been a success except for the citizen connection and we need someone who will be a coordinator between the community and the government and would get the community involved. She asked that the Council consider the funding for this person. She said we have benefitted greatly from the Hot Spot funding and have had to put out little or no money to date.

Ms. Hayman said they were moving the community resource center from the Calvert Street apartment to the building at the corner of High and College Avenue. It will also serve as a satellite office for the Chestertown Police Department. She said they felt that putting themselves in the middle of an area you want to take back was important and they were pleased with the location. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz discussed the location for the office and satellite police office. She said the buildings needs improvements and maintenance to make it suitable for use and there would be a parking issue. Ms. Hayman said that the landlord was Peter Allen and they have an agreement with him to improve the property as part of the rent. Ms. Hayman said parking would not be an issue as there might be one or two people there working at any time and most of the visitors would probably be walk-in traffic. Parking would be on the street.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz asked whether the Town still owned the small lot on College Avenue and whether it could be used as a parking area. Mr. Ingersoll said the Town still owns it.

Mr. Ingersoll asked who would make the final decision on the employee. Ms. Hayman said probably people from the Hot Spot Initiative, such as Arlene Lee and herself and it can be worked out who else would be involved. She said the grant was for the calendar year 2001 and if successful, it may be awarded again.

Mr. Clark asked where the funds would come from in the Town budget. Mr. Ingersoll said that if the position would start before July 1, we would have to find money for the remaining months from the current budget year and then it would have to be budgeted for the next fiscal year. He said the person would have to be considered a Town employee if the Town were paying the benefits. He asked whether the annual salary of $17,000 would be pro rated for the 9 months of this year or the remaining three months of funding carried over into the next year. Ms. Hayman said they hoped it would be carried over into the next year. Mr. Ingersoll said he will look for a category in the budget that may not be spent in the remainder of this year, which would be 1/4 of the estimated $4371, and then budget for the benefit costs for next year.

Mr. Bristoll asked who would make the decision on the person to be hired. Mayor Bailey said Arlene Lee, Susie Hayman and someone from the Town, possibly Bill Ingersoll or herself. Mr. Kirby said the entire Mayor and Council would still have to give their approval.

Mr. Bristoll moved that the Town approve the grant funding for the benefits for the Hot Spot Community Initiative employee as described by Ms. Hayman, pro rated for 9 months and budgeted for the fiscal year beginning July 1, contingent upon there being funds in the budget to fund the 3 months remaining this year. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried by a vote of 4 in favor, Mr. Kirby abstained.

Mayor Bailey called on the Town Manager for his report. Mr. Ingersoll said that he had a budget revision form to move $8100 from the Visitor's Center project (which will not be spent this year) to the Cannon Street pier project in order to overcome a short fall in the bid process. He said the low bid for the Cannon Street pier based on 50' pilings was $94,900. There were pledges from two agencies for $50,000 and a grant of $37,000 leaving the short fall of $8100. He said in executive session, the contingencies involved were discussed and the two agencies have pledged to go higher in the event that the pilings have to be longer than 50'. He asked that an executive session be held following the meeting to execute the documents from the two agencies and their pledges. Mr. Ingersoll said the budget revision form allows the Council to award the bid to Dissen & Juhn at $94,000 and he needed a motion do that.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the bid for the pier construction be awarded to Dissen & Juhn in accordance with their bid, was seconded by Mr. Bristoll, and carried by a vote of 4 in favor, Mr. Kirby opposed.

Mr. Ingersoll said in December he sent a letter to all residents of Rolling Road with a survey on what type of fencing they would like to have along their border with the new recreation park. He said he sent 14 letters and got 11 responses. Three wanted chain link fence and 7 wanted wood fencing, and one already had a fence. He said the fence will have to be built and he will write the specs and put the fencing out for bid. The Council agreed that Mr. Ingersoll should advertise for bids for wood fencing. He said he will discuss with Heron Point whether they want fencing and what type.

Mr. Ingersoll said the Council had been advised that Chester Bridge Foundation would not be doing Summer Fest this year. He presented a report on the Summer Fest activities last year and the attendance. He said the requests are brought in at this time from the recreation for the new budget year. He said it was time to appoint another member and a chairman for the recreation commission to replace George Kastendike whose term expired. He said that commission needs to meet to formulate a budget for the coming year. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz asked if the Town would continue the Garnett program. Mayor Bailey said we would and that was separately budgeted.

Mayor Bailey said we need to appoint two persons to the Recreation Commission and asked for interested people to contact her. Mr. Kirby asked if the Town was considering taking over the Summer Fest program. He said he had suggested that contact be made with Leonard Smith, the program coordinator, and then decide what the Town wants to do. He said he thought may of the people who benefitted from Summer Fest also benefited from the Garnett program and he felt that there should be more activities and more recreation money spent in other parts of Town besides the Hot Spots community. Mayor Bailey said she would ask Leonard Smith to attend the next meeting. Mr. Bristoll asked if there was anyone left of Chester Bridge who could give us information. Mayor Bailey said she will check as someone may be interested in helping. Mr. Ingersoll agreed with Mr. Kirby that there should be more activities for all children in Town. He said he has found out that we could arrange a bus trip to the skate board facility in Ocean City if there are volunteers/parents to go and supervise. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said we need the Department of Parks and Recreation to spend more money on recreation in the Town of Chestertown. She said we need to have cooperation from the School Board to use school facilities, not only in the summer but year round.

Mr. Ingersoll said that a draft of the new Animal Ordinance has been done which basically adopts a customized County ordinance. He said this draft addresses violations as county code violations using county citations. The funds would go to the County who in turn gives it back to the Humane Society for enforcement. He said the alternative would be to have the violations be municipal infractions. He said the problem would be that the Humane Society officer would not have our citation books available to write town citations. He said a third way would be abandon the Town ordinance entirely and have the County ordinance be the Town code. He said because there are some misleading things in the County ordinance about kennels, for instance (which are not legal in Town) we probably should not do that. He said that this Ordinance allows the Town to hire an animal control officer to work in Town. He said we are still looking into the issue of banning certain types of dogs.

Mr. Clark asked if the County had a problem with the Town writing their tickets. Mr. Ingersoll said he will take this to the County to inquire about using their tickets and will also take it to the Town Attorney to check on the legalities of enforcement by a Town animal control office and Town police officers. He asked the Council to review the ordinance.

Mayor Bailey asked for a motion for an executive session. Mr. Bristoll moved that an executive session be held following the meeting pursuant to Sec. 10-508 of the Annotated Code of Maryland for a personnel and contractual matters, was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey read a request from the Kent County Safety Coalition requesting financial help with the Kidstown program for children 5 to 8 this summer. Mr. Ingersoll said he was not sure whether the Town supported this in the past. Mr. Bristoll moved that the Town do the same thing that was done last year with the request, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey read an invitation from the Chestertown Arts League for The 53rd Annual Juried Show with a reception on Sunday, April 1 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Gibson Fine Arts Center, Washington College.

Mayor Bailey reminded the Council of the COG special meeting on Saturday, March 10 at 1 p.m. at Heron Point Wesley Room when Ed McMahan will speak on planning.

Mayor Bailey announced that the Kent County Arts Council will have a quilt show by the Old Kent Quilters Club with an opening reception on Friday, March 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Kent County Arts Council office.

Mayor Bailey read the Chestertown Fire Company's report of fire calls for January, 2001.

Mayor Bailey stated that the next COG meeting will be on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 at noon at the Dublin Dock in Betterton. The speaker will be Comptroller William Donald Schaeffer.

Mayor Bailey stated that the County Commissioners will hold a meeting on the town tax differential on March 20, 2001 at 1 p.m. Mr. Kirby asked what that amount was. Mr. Ingersoll said it was about $54,000 last year.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions or comments. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz related incidents on college students partying on the weekends resulting in damage to a residential fence being broken. She said there was a real danger to the students who walk in the streets. Mayor Bailey said that Ed Maxcy was going to discuss the parking by students with the residents of two of the houses on High Street. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said it was up to the College to handle these problems with the college students and the students must learn to be responsible.

Mayor Bailey said she wanted to remind the citizens that the first Monday of each month the Town hosts Highway Task Force meetings in the Town Hall. She said many issues are discussed, traffic on Maple Avenue and the truck traffic. She said the issue of limiting truck traffic on High Street will be discussed with the new Police Chief.

Mrs. Regester asked whether the College campus was dry. Mr. Clark said it was not; they have a student center where beer was sold and students who are over 21 are allowed to have alcohol in their rooms. He said the fraternity functions went dry. He said anyone under 21 was not allowed to drink on campus. Mrs. Regester asked why the spillover of so many students on the streets and at parties. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said the closing of two bars on High Street has had an effect.

Mayor Bailey asked the Council to review the bills. Mr. Clark moved that the bills be paid as presented, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

There being no further business, Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the meeting be adjourned at 8:45 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Joan Merryman
Stenographer