Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., Whaland Clark, Mabel Mumford-Pautz and J. Brian Kirby , W. S. Ingersoll, Town Manager, Jennifer Stead, Stenographer, and guests.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes of the meeting of November 4, 2002. Mr. Bristoll moved that the minutes be accepted as presented, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that cash on hand and in the banks was $433,629.67.

Mr. Bud Wallace from Wallace & Co., was present to go over the audit. He stated that the purpose of the audit was to issue and obtain all the financial statements of the Town of Chestertown and give an opinion for the current year ending June 2002. He said the Town again had received an unqualified opinion; meaning there were no findings or problems.

Mr. Wallace said that the total assets of the Town at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2002, were approximately 13,900,000.00, a net increase over the previous year of approximately $260,000.00. The total liabilities of the Town were approximately $1.9 million, which was $28,000.00 increase over the previous year. The total fund equity of the Town was close to $12 million dollars for the current year ending, a net increase of $233,000.00 over the previous year. During the current year the general fund had a deficit of approximately $160,000.00, most of which was identified as acquisitions of land and other fixed assets. The general fund still remained solid at the end of the year with equity of approximately $332,000.00.

Mr. Wallace stated that the Utilities Commission had improvements over the prior year of approximately $100,000.00 over the previous year. The total revenues of the general fund this year were approximately $2.3 million dollars, $200,000.00 over the previous year.

Mr. Wallace stated that overall the financial statements were very strong and the government of the Town continued to do a good job. Mayor Bailey stated that she wanted to thank Ms. Pat Diver and Mr. Ingersoll for their good job in keeping the accounts balanced.

Mayor Bailey stated that the DCA would be providing bags for parking meters, with a 2- hour limit, from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.

Mayor Bailey stated that the tree lighting ceremony would be held the day after Thanksgiving in the Fountain Park at 7:00 p.m. This would also be the opening night for the downtown businesses, which would remain open until 7:00 p.m. Mayor Bailey said it was important to support the local businesses.

Mr. Bristoll moved to approve 2 hour parking from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that the wooden fence was completed for the Betty Anne Connolly garden, which was on the corner of Mill Street and Cannon. He said there were a lot of volunteers, including the Beautification Committee and Chris May, who were going to landscape the project in honor of Betty Anne. The chain link fence would be removed from the front exterior sides leaving an open area.

Mr. Drew McMullen and John Swain, from Sultana, were present to go over a lease renewal request for the Cannon Street yard. He said 75,000-100,000 visitors had come into the shipyard while the Sultana was being built, with relatively little impact on the neighborhood. Since Sultana was launched the shipyard built one boat. So far, five thousand school children had been sailing on the Sultana. They felt it was good for the future of the facility if the Town was interested in continuing the lease. The Sultana currently had 50% of funding in place to build five individual boats at the shipyard next year, which would be done with the inclusion of local school students.

Mr. McMullen asked if the Town would allow the extension on lease for the shipyard for one year. He said the dingy dock had been constructed, but not installed as per the Town's request (as payment for last year's lease). He explained that the Sultana would be open to any reasonable agreement in return for leasing, including payment of monies.

Mr. Bristoll asked how fees worked for school children. Mr. McMullen stated that it depended how they came aboard. He said that the stated tuition fee was $700.00 or $20.00 per student for three-hour trips. He said the full price was normally only paid by private schools. In Kent County, Sultana raised 50% of the tuition money for the public schools. Mr. Bristoll stated that there should not be any child in Chestertown not allowed aboard the Sultana. Mr. McMullen said there was already an agreement with the Town to have a one-day program each year for any students that the Mayor and Council designated.

Mr. Kirby stated that the taxpayers of Chestertown had been more than fair to the Sultana Project because the lot was given to them for essentially no cost, with the exception of the labor of the dingy dock. He said the town children's parents had given the Sultana a "free ride" to a large degree as they had been there since June of 1998.

Mayor Bailey suggested a program in lieu of rent, where the children could participate in the summer and fall. Mr. Bristoll added that there should be no child in Chestertown kept off the boat because they did not have the money to get on it. Mr. McMullen explained that they only take children over a certain age. He said that basically, all town fourth graders had the opportunity to go on the boat. Mr. Ingersoll stated that he would work with Mr. McMullen to set up a program for the children but said that the Recreation Commission may have a list of children who were older than fourth grade and may have missed the fourth grade rotation.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz made a motion to renew the Sultana lease for one-year with the provision that Mr. Ingersoll work along with Mr. McMullen to set up a program for the children to sail, was seconded by Mr. Bristoll and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that anyone watching the meeting and had comments about groups in Chestertown that could have been missed could submit the list to the Town or the Recreation Commission.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that he would like the Council to adopt Ordinance 6-02 General Obligation Indebtedness for Water Treatment Plant Upgrade. He said this was for the water plant upgrade and had been introduced two weeks ago. The Ordinance would raise bond fund of up to $1.5 million dollars to be used to upgrade the water system, including but not limited to things like creating a new deep water well, covering the existing reservoir, building a new covered reservoir, and providing safe and potable water to the public. Mr. Ingersoll explained that financing was 1.8%, and after the Ordinance was passed he could start the bidding process.

Mr. Bristoll moved to adopt Ordinance 6-02 General Obligation of Indebtedness for Water Treatment Upgrade. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that the Visitor's Center was approaching completion. He said the ribbon cutting would take place in mid-December because the site work remained to be done. There were volunteer landscaping architects that had offered to help with the design around the building and nurserymen who offered plants.

Mr. Ingersoll recommended that Jen Stead be appointed the Director of the Visitor's Center. She would help decide what needed to be done at the Center Monday thru Friday and what the staffing demands were for weekend help.

Mr. Kirby moved to appoint Jen Stead as the Director of the Visitor's Center and was seconded by Mr. Clark. The motion unanimously carried.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that the Chamber of Commerce may move in to the Visitor's Center earlier than December 15th. He thought by the beginning of December the site work and pavement should be completed.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that on November 22, there was a career day at Garnett Elementary School and he would give a program as Town Manager.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that the Quaker Neck Annexation Resolution would be done at the next meeting. The developer wanted to have 100% of the signatures for the area to be annexed.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz stated that on Friday, November 29, 2002 the Festival of Trees would be held at the United Methodist Church and would be open until 6:00 p.m.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz congratulated Mr. Kirby on his election to the School Board.

Mr. Kirby asked if Mayor Bailey could go over the requirements for his replacement to the Mayor and Council. Mayor Bailey stated that a replacement would probably come about the first of the year, named by the Mayor and Council, and that the Council would rather not have an election, since next year was an election year.

Mr. Ingersoll read from the Charter:
In the case of a vacancy on the Council for any reason, the Mayor and Council, within 45, days shall elect from the same ward in which the vacancy occurred some qualified person to fill such vacancy for the unexpired term….Any vacancies on the Council or in the Office of Mayor shall be filled by the favorable votes of a majority of the remaining members of the Mayor and Council. The results of any such votes shall be recorded in the minutes of the Council. In the event no one is appointed within the specified 45 day period, the Board of Election Supervisors for the Town will arrange for a special election.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that the requirements for candidacy read as follows:

The Council members of the Town shall be legal voters of the said Town at the time of their election, not less than twenty-one years of age, citizens of the United States, and shall have been residents within the limits of said Town for not less than one year next previous to the date of their election. Each of said Council members shall dwell for not less than 30 days prior to the date of his election in the ward, which he is elected to represent. In case he moves during his term of office from the ward from which he is elected, his term shall at once terminate and there shall exist a vacancy in the office of the Council member of such ward.

Mr. Kirby stated that he wanted to discuss the luncheon that the Mayor and Council was invited to attend at the College. Mayor Bailey stated that there was an invitation to meet with Dr. Toll and some of the students next Tuesday. The Town attorney would be asked if the Council could attend it. Mr. Ingersoll stated that the Council could attend the meal, but when the Council began to talk collectively, it would have to be a Special Meeting.

Mr. Tom Truitt was present and discussed Chester Valley Community Mediation activities and described their Center located at 317 Cannon Street at the parking lot behind Dunkin Donuts.

There being no further business, Mr. Bristoll made a motion to pay bills. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.

Mr. Clark moved that the meeting be adjourned at 8:10 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Bristoll and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Jennifer Stead
Stenographer

Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey
Mayor