MINUTES
MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
March 4, 2002
Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order
at 7:31 p.m. In attendance were Mabel Mumford-Pautz, J. Brian
Kirby, Whaland Clark, Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., William S.
Ingersoll, Town Manager, Jennifer Stead, Stenographer, and guests.
Mayor Bailey asked if there were any additions
or corrections to the minutes of the previous meeting of February
19, 2002, or the Executive Session of the same date. Mr. Bristoll
moved that the minutes be accepted as presented, was seconded
by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.
Mayor Bailey stated an Executive Session was held
at 8:04 p.m. after the Mayor and Council meeting of February
19, 2002 to discuss legal and real estate matters. The entire
Mayor and Council was present and voted unanimously to go into
executive session. Stuart Barroll, Esq., attorney for the Town
of Chestertown, was also present. A motion was made for the
attorney to write a letter and passed unanimously. A motion
was made to purchase property that passed three in favor, two
opposed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Minutes were
taken and are part of the record.
Chief Coryell stated that for the month of February
2002, the Chestertown Police Department made thirty (30) adult
arrests, with the placement of fifty-one (51) separate charges.
The most prominent among those were eleven (11) charges for
controlled dangerous substances. In addition, there were eleven
(11) juvenile arrests and five (5) were for assaults and one
(1) for CDS.
Chief Coryell distributed the 2001 Annual Report
to the Mayor and Council. Chief Coryell stated there was outstanding
service, by the Police, to the citizens of Chestertown in 2001.
Crime was down 4.3% in comparison to 2000.
Chief Coryell stated some of the highlights of
the report were as follows:
Calls for service 2001 were 7000, which was a 1% decrease from
2000:
· There were 409 adult arrests, with 626 charges placed
in 2001;
· CDS charges were the highest category, which was a
12% decrease from 2000, but was 27% higher above the 12 year
average;
· There were 113 juvenile arrests, the fourth consecutive
year juvenile arrests showed an increase;
· The majority of juvenile arrests stemmed from assaults
and CDS;
· Part one crimes increased slightly over the 2000 figures,
incidents contributing most were thefts and assaults;
· There were 14 instances where Chestertown Police Officers
were assaulted while on duty;
· Part two crimes showed a 17% reduction from 2000;
· Property recovery rate significantly increased from
32% in 2000 to 40% in 2001.
Mr. Ingersoll stated he had a permit request from
Ms. Brantley of the Chester Valley Minister's Association. They
were requesting permission to have a procession carrying a cross
on Friday, March 29th, between 12:00 and 3:00 p.m., on a route
that had been mapped through Chestertown. At each stop someone
would do a short prayer and scripture reading. The activity
would be outside at each stop. Mr. Ingersoll explained the route
which basically attempted to stop at every church in Town and
at several key locations in the center of Town. The Council
agreed to grant the permit.
Mr. Ingersoll stated that the contract for the
Visitor's Center was signed on February 28th and they were given
an order to proceed on that same date.
Mr. Ingersoll stated the Mayor's Scholarship to
Washington College would become available in June. There were
still five years available on the scholarship, enough for another
full four year scholarship. The scholarship would be awarded
to a worthy Chestertown resident who had been accepted to Washington
College, qualified for financial assistance, completed a scholarship
application form, submitted a transcript, and provided verification
of legal family residence within the Town limits of Chestertown.
Mr. Ingersoll stated application forms were available
through the Guidance Department at the High School, Town Hall,
and the Admissions Department of Washington College.
Mr. Ingersoll explained there was a vacancy on
the scholarship committee and suggested Mary Ellen Clark, the
career specialist at Kent County High School, be appointed to
fill it. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved to appoint Mary Ellen Clark
to the Scholarship Committee, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and
unanimously carried.
Mr. Ingersoll stated he received a letter from
the State of Maryland awarding a grant in the amount of $10,000.00
from the Urban and Community Forestry Funding Program. The money
would be used for a substantial portion of the landscaping at
the new Community Park behind Rolling Road. The money would
plant 83 trees around the perimeter of the park. Mr. Ingersoll
stated a group appointed by the Council and the Recreation Commission
would plan the park.
Mr. Ingersoll stated there would be a bid opening
on Friday, March 15th for the 1500 feet of wooden fence to go
along the backs of the Rolling Road properties.
Mayor Bailey stated she received a call from the
SHA with reference to the crossing situation at Washington and
Campus Avenues. Mr. Wence, SHA, stated there could be a pedestrian
crosswalk installed, but the caveat was that the crossing guard
had to be removed if the light was installed.
Mr. Ingersoll stated that the signals on Washington
Avenue would be hardwired together in April 2002, and the new
light would be wired with them if it were approved. Mr. Ingersoll
stated that he thought it was a traffic light and Mayor Bailey
stated she thought it was a pedestrian signal.
Mrs. Mumford-Pautz stated that a few years ago
there was opposition from residents on Campus Avenue, because
they did not want an overhead signal at that intersection. Mayor
Bailey stated that she wanted the residents to be happy, but
the Town had to do what was safest. Mr. Kirby stated the children
might be better off with a guard at the intersection because
children may not wait for the signal. The Council decided to
table the matter until it was clarified what type of light the
SHA wanted to install.
Rev. Fisher stated he wanted to sponsor a community
clean up at the end of March or the beginning of April on behalf
of the Ready for Life Youth Mentoring Program. He asked if the
Town could supply gloves and bags for the clean up. Mayor Bailey
told Rev. Fisher to let the Town know when they wanted to have
the clean up and the Town would supply the gloves and bags.
Rev. Fisher stated that he and his parishioners had to clean
up around the church every Sunday because there was so much
debris around the area. He stated he was appalled at the fact
that the residents allowed their property to be riddled with
trash. He was looking for residents who cared about the area
to volunteer their time to clean.
Mrs. Mumford-Pautz stated the Neighborhood Association
would hold their meetings on the last Thursday night of every
month at Garnett Elementary School at 6:30 p.m.
Mr. Clements stated that there was a Steering
Committee Meeting on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. at the Community
Center on High and College Avenues.
Ms. Hopkins from the Family Fun Center on High
Street was present and asked the Council to change the Town
Ordinance and allow their building to remain open until 2:00
a.m. She stated there were many adults that came in at 11:00
p.m., when the children left, because they did not want to go
to bars, and they were not ready to leave at midnight.
Mayor Bailey stated the ordinance was 12:00 a.m.
and seemed to work well for other establishments and businesses.
If the ordinance was changed, it changed for the entire Town,
not just the Family Fun Center, which would change the dynamics
of the community.
Mr. Clark and Mr. Bristoll stated they would have
to know more about the establishment before they would make
a decision. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz stated that she did not approve
of any establishment being open past midnight. She stated there
had been problems in convenience stores that tried to stay open
past eleven. She stated that midnight was ample time for socialization.
Mr. Kirby stated that he not only needed more information, something
of this nature needed to be on the agenda, and it would have
to be addressed with the Town attorney.
Mayor Bailey stated the issue was not something
that could be addressed the first night it was brought up, there
had to be more information supplied, and the ramifications of
a large ordinance change had to be discussed before any decision
would be made. The Council decided to discuss the issue further
on April 8th.
Mr. Kirby made a motion for payment of bills,
was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.
Mr. Bristoll moved that the meeting be adjourned
at 8:03 p.m. was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.
Submitted by:
Jennifer Stead
Stenographer
Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey
Mayor
