Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m. In attendance were Council members Mabel Mumford-Pautz, W. Whaland Clark, James R. Johnson and Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., 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 March 1, 2004. Mr. Clark moved to approve the minutes as submitted, was seconded by Mr. Bristoll and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that cash on hand and in the banks was $576,854.86.

Chief Coryell stated that for the month of January 2004, there were thirty-five (35) adult arrests involving the placement of fifty-three (53) separate charges. CDS charges were the highest with thirteen (13) charges placed. There was one (1) juvenile arrest for theft, two (2) civil citations, thirty-nine (39) motor vehicle citations and one hundred thirty-seven (137) vehicle warnings. Four hundred seventy (470) calls for service were handled.

Chief Coryell stated that for the month of February 2004, there were thirty-two (32) adult arrests involving the placement of eighty-seven (87) separate charges. Thirty-two (32) charges were for CDS and thirteen (13) were for theft. There were six (6) juvenile charges placed, including one (1) weapons violation. There were two hundred twenty-eight (228) traffic warnings issued, sixty-six (66) traffic citations, and four hundred fifty-seven (457) calls for service.

Chief Coryell stated that there were advertisements placed in the paper for the two (2) vacant officer positions.

Mayor Bailey read a letter from the Town of Church Hill expressing thanks for the assistance offered and given by Officer Yiannikis during an incident in the Town of Church Hill on January 30, 2004.

Chief Coryell stated that the pedestrian crosswalk sign in front of the Post Office would be back in the place in the near future. Mayor Bailey asked that drivers watch areas that they park in, reminding them that it was illegal to park in the yellow line.

Chief Coryell stated that cars without tags are being “tagged” and towed. He said that the private tow company used by the Town had run out of storage. Chief Coryell stated that other companies could be contacted to tow for the Town.

Ms. Brenda Strange from the Chestertown Garden Club was present and stated that a grant had been submitted to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to restore the wetlands next to the Wilmer Park with native plants. Mr. Miles Bernard, landscape architect, explained the plan in detail, thanking Amber Jenson-Fetteroff and Joe Miller of Halcyon for their work. He said that work should begin in the Spring of 2005 and many volunteers would be needed. Grant monies would cover the cost of the plant material and two signs for the area. Mayor Bailey thanked the Garden Club for their effort to beautify the Wilmer Park.

Ms. Bernadette Van Pelt, Director of the Kent County Office of Tourism Development, was present to discuss the 2% addition to the Kent County Room Tax. She said the idea of raising the tax from 3% to 5% was addressed in a Memo of Understanding to the incorporated towns. In their proposal, the additional 2% would be waived to the County in order to cover the costs of advertising, marketing, and promotion. She said that the current budget of $8,000.00 in no way compared to other counties on the eastern shore. Ms. Van Pelt stated that 35% of the time during the year Kent County brochures couldn’t be found in larger centers around the State because the money was not available to produce them.

Ms. Van Pelt asked the Mayor and Council to readdress the Memorandum of Understanding and allow the 2% increase for tourism development. Mayor Bailey stated that if the 2% was allowed to go to the County this year, the issue could be readdressed in future years as to whether the 2% should continue to be waived to the County.

Mayor Bailey asked if the other incorporated towns agreed to the 2%. Ms. Van Pelt stated that Betterton had signed the MOU, Galena waived their all of the hotel tax revenue to the County, Millington had no hotels, and Rock Hall had not voted, but was in the process of discussing the issue.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that the Town should review the MOU because it listed economic development as well as tourism. He said the process was flawed because the Town was told that all the innkeepers were in favor of the 2% increase, and some, in fact, did not even know about it. Mr. Ingersoll stated that the 2% in Chestertown, with the number of businesses and inns in Town, was much different from the other towns mentioned, with the exception of Rock Hall. He said that Chestertown had it’s own budgetary reasons for wanting the increased tax monies to stay in Town.

Ms. Van Pelt stated that the MOU was an agreement between the Town and the County and could be changed, but the wording of the MOU was taken from State law verbatim. Ms. Van Pelt stated that the Commissioner’s chose to go to 5% rather than 6% in order to avoid going before the legislature.

Mr. Clark stated that he would like to hear from the innkeepers before another vote was taken. Mayor Bailey asked that Mr. Ingersoll reword the MOU and contact Rock Hall to see if they were going to waive the increased tax to the County.

Ms. Van Pelt stated that the State Office of Tourism Development was coming to Kent County for a seminar and would be in Town from March 22-24. She said that between 70-80 were expected and would be touring all the towns in the County.

Mr. Gibson Anthony, Chairman of the Tea Party Committee, stated that the Tea Party planning was well underway. He wanted to request that the Council prohibit pets from attending street festivals in Town. He said there were concerns that a dog might bite someone. Mayor Bailey stated that she agreed with the idea of prohibiting pets and the Town would look into an ordinance. Mr. Bristoll stated that there should be publicity about the dogs not being allowed, since they had been in the past. The Council decided that this year, there would be publicity about dogs prohibited at the Tea Party Festival, and the Council would work on an Ordinance for future years. Chief Coryell stated that this year it would be too difficult to police dogs at the festival and in the future should be enforced by citations.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that he would check with the Town Attorney to see how enforceable a Town Ordinance would be. He said he thought it was a good idea for the Town to protect itself with vicious dog legislation, especially for use at festivals where there were so many people.

Mr. Gibson stated that there was language in the Tea Party Festival brochures asking people to leave their animals at home. Mr. Ingersoll stated that by next year something could be in place, and for this year, the police should use discretion with animals, but if a dog seemed to be aggressive something should be done to have it removed. He questioned aloud how many local people were bringing their dogs.

Dr. Ed Birkmire was present and stated that a survey of whether the pets were from Chestertown could be done easily by checking a dog’s rabies tag.

Mr. Anthony stated that the festival would be held in the Town on Saturday, May 29 th and would move to the Wilmer Park on Sunday, May 30 th. He said anyone could go on the internet to www.chestertownteaparty.com to find out information about the event.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that Mr. George Klein had donated a scale model train station to the Visitors Center. Mr. Ingersoll said that Mr. Klein spent much time building the model and people should come to see it.

Mr. Clark moved to approve the Planning Commission’s Annual Report for 2003, was seconded by Mr. Bristoll and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll requested an executive session for contractual and personnel matters. Mr. Bristoll moved to hold an executive session directly following the Mayor and Council meeting under Section 10.508 of the Annotated Code of the State of Maryland. The motion was seconded by Mr. Clark and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that Atlantic Broadband had bought out Charter Communications. She said that there would be new numbers in May to call for service.

Mayor Bailey stated that she was in receipt of a letter from Kent County High School discussing the post prom party, which would be held at the Chestertown Armory on May 16 th from 12 am to 5 am. She said that in the past the Council had donated $100.00 to the event. Mr. Clark moved to donate $100.00 to the Kent County High School post-prom party. The motion was seconded by Mr. Johnson and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that she was in receipt of a letter from Davy McCall, Chairman of the Historic District Commission. He declined nomination for Chairmanship for the year 2004 and was resigning from the Commission in May. Mayor Bailey stated that Mr. McCall was a great asset to the Historic District Commission and thanked him for his ten (10) years of service.

Mayor Bailey stated that Mr. McCall raised the question of appointing Commission members from outside of Town limits, if they had contractual experience with historic preservation. Mr. Ingersoll stated that he would have to speak with the Town Attorney, but thought that if the enabling legislation allowed it, then Chestertown could allow it.

There being no further business, Mr. Bristoll made a motion to pay bills, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Jennifer Stead
Stenographer

Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey
Mayor