MINUTES
MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
APRIL 19, 1999

Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:55 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Thomas A. Gross, Sr. and Mabel Mumford-Pautz, 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 previous meeting and executive session of April 5, 1999. Mr. Gross moved that the minutes be accepted as presented, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that the Town has cash on hand and in banks on April 19, 1999 of $292,684.01.

Mayor Bailey stated that an executive session was held on April 5, 1999 at 9 p.m. pursuant to Sec. 10-508 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The entire Mayor and Council was present and voted unanimously to go into executive session. The meeting was called to discuss park acquisition, the sale of surplus property and a personnel matter. The actions taken by the Mayor and Council were by unanimous vote. The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 p.m. and minutes were taken and are part of the record.

Mayor Bailey called on the Town Manager for his report. Mr. Ingersoll said that he had a utilities matter that was not brought up in the Utilities Meeting. He said that Mr. Capel and he met with representatives from the Maryland Department of the Environment about the biological nutrients discharge levels from the lagoon. He said we are currently at an average level of 9 and all other communities spending money to eliminate nitrogen are aiming at a level of 8. He said our levels would be half of that except that two months a year our levels are higher, in the spring around April and May. He said that occurs when the temperature changes and "turnover" occurs. The sludge comes from the bottom up, is turned over by temperature differences and then goes back to the bottom. Within a month we experience higher nitrogen levels from the "turnover" but they soon go down. He said our nitrogen levels are very low, however, we are one of 3 out of 65 towns in the State that have water treatment plants with a certain level that have not signed an agreement with MDE. He said he asked MDE to submit an agreement to the Town to review. He said having the agreement with MDE would make the Town eligible for grant funds.

Mr. Ingersoll said a solution to the higher levels during that period would be to create a third cell to the lagoon. During the time after "turnover" the effluent would be put into the third cell and held until the levels drop and then the water would be put back into the lagoon. He said that would drop that level down to an average of 3 or 4. This would be cheaper than some of the expensive mechanical or chemical solutions and the State felt it was a good idea. He said in the meantime the Town should sign one of the Biological Nutrient Removal agreements with the State. He said it could be amended if the Town desires. He said the Town would be eligible for 50/50 grant funds up to $500,000. The first action we would take would be to do the engineering study to determine what we should do to improve the nitrogen and phosphorous removal. He asked the Council to review the document and vote on it at the next meeting when the full Council would be present.

Mr. Ingersoll read the minutes from the bid opening for the street paving. He said two bids had been received and he recommended awarding the bid for the paving of Foxley Manor and Washington Park and the patching, wedging and leveling needed on those streets to Redland, Genstar (LaFarge) as the low bidder for that work. He said he would recommend holding the work on Water Street until into the next fiscal year and awarding the milling and paving on that block of N. Water Street to Bramble as their bid was lower for that work. He said he has not talked to Bramble about their accepting this small part of the street work, but they were low bidders on that portion.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the contract for the street paving for Foxley Manor and Washington Park including the patching, wedging and leveling be awarded to Redland, Genstar d/b/a LaFarge, was seconded by Mr. Gross and carried unanimously. Mr. Gross moved that the contract for the milling and paving of the 100 Bl. N. Water Street be awarded to David A. Bramble, Inc., was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously. Mr. Ingersoll said if Bramble rejects the work on Water Street, it would go to the other bidder who was the overall low bidder. He said an important part of the bid was that the work in Foxley Manor and Washington Park and be done before June 30, 1999.

Mr. Ingersoll stated that he has discussed the rates per foot for the retrofit sidewalk work with Meercon Co. who did the work at the foot of High Street. Meercon was the low bidder on State retrofit sidewalks at $3.50 a square foot. Mr. Ingersoll said he would like the Council's permission to contract with Meercon for some of the sidewalk work on a case by case basis. He said we will also have Donald Urie and the Town crew working on the sidewalks so that we can use the funds before June 30, 1999. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that Mr. Ingersoll contract with Meercon Co. for retrofit sidewalk work at the same low bid price they have given for State sidewalks, was seconded by Mr. Gross and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll said he will meet with a representative of the State Highway Administration on Wednesday, April 21 in the morning to discuss marking the street on Philosophers Terrace at its intersection with Maple Avenue. He said drivers are now making two lanes where there is only one and only the State knows how the traffic lanes should be laid out. He said there are magnetic devices at the intersection which activate the traffic light also and the Town needs help in the design for this traffic.

Mr. Gross asked if we had heard any more from the State about the round-about at Rt. 20 and 291. Mayor Bailey said that the State was to get back to us. Bob Kiel has stated that it has gotten more complicated and expensive and they are still working on the budget, design, etc. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said there had been discussion about tractor trailers not being able to maneuver a round-about. Mayor Bailey said the State will not create a round-about if tractor trailers could not get through. She said the concerns about the grain mill were sent to the State immediately. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said in the meantime the juggling act goes on at that intersection.

Mr. Ingersoll said that the Arbor Day ceremony will be at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, 1999 beginning at the Court House lawn. He asked Earl French if he would tape the ceremony there when awards are made to the school children for posters and the Town is awarded the Tree City USA award. He said a ceremonial tree will be planted in the Fountain Park following the ceremony at the Court House, and there would be an exhibition on tree pruning given by Anthony Tree Experts.

Mr. Ingersoll said he was part of a panel discussion on Sat. April 17, 1999 at the Old Chestertown Neighborhood meeting at the Public Library. He said the discussion was on where the downtown was heading. People from the Tourism Office, the Sultana and the Craft and Art School were on the panel and the discussion was well received.

Mr. Ingersoll said he had the MVA bus schedule for the balance of the year and the next date they will be here will be May 10. The June date will be Tuesday, June 8, 1999 rather than Monday. These dates will be on our home page and he has encouraged the State to put them on their home page.

Mr. Gross said in regard to channel 3, he had some complaints about the programming on that channel. Mr. Ingersoll said he had complaints about the pool tournament. Some individuals felt it was fostering a commercial effort. He said he looked at the film and thought it was well done but had some commercial implications. He said he called the owner and said we would not be filming another tournament. He said normally we have events from non-profits, i.e. the Red Cross and the Humane Society, and we encourage the public to let us know what interests them. He said the main mission is to provide with information about what is happening in the community. He said he had forgotten to ask the Council for permission to have Earl film the Arbor Day activities because we pay for that. Mayor Bailey asked if the Council would approve that filming and all agreed.

Earl French read a statement about the taping for channel 3 for the past 3 years. He said he has submitted ideas for use of the channel, including an event listing calendar for events and meetings, a video guide to Chestertown, etc. He said more people are watching the channel and there needs to be a variety of programming to keep the interest of the public. He said the local access channel was an independent station serviced by Falcon and the Town has the right to put on what ever they like. He said Chestertown has been a pioneer in local access information. He said he has not gotten much feed back for local programming so he has done things to keep programming alive. He said the Mayor and Mr. Ingersoll have given him events to cover. He read from the Ordinance which stated how the channel may be used.

Mr. French said after running the pool tournament he was approached by another cafe with a pool tournament who would like to have it on the channel. He asked why the pool could not be on the channel just like a show he did sponsored by the Arts Council of local people performing at Play It Again Sams. Mr. French said he got positive comments on the pool tournament. He said with the Town owning its own station, there was an avenue to pursue and he felt the Town should progress with it, let people join in, and widen the scope of programming. He said people turn it off when they see the same Town meeting run over and over again.

Mr. Ingersoll said he agreed but there may be some activities that are in a gray area for this channel. He said by experimenting we will find out what has public appeal. Mayor Bailey said groups need to contact Earl and make arrangements for him to tape events. Mr. Ingersoll said we also need an expanded Cable TV committee to review the programming and decide what should be shown. Mr. French said he would be happy to work with a committee. Mayor Bailey asked if there was a Councilmember or anyone else who would be willing to meet with Earl and himself to review programming and promote Chestertown. Mr. Gross said he would be willing to work with such a committee.

Mayor Bailey read and sign a Proclamation declaring April Fair Housing Month in Chestertown. She also read a Proclamation declare Life Insurance Week in Chestertown as May 9-15, 1999.

Mayor Bailey said she had distributed information from the Recreation Commission and a proposal for the Garnett Summer program to the Council to be discussed for the budget for the coming year. She asked Orgirina Graves to go over the activities and funding request for the Town's Garnett program. Ms. Graves said this will be the third year for the program which should serve an average of 70 kids at each event. She discussed the equipment needed and the outside trips planned for the summer, the cost of which totalled $4387.50. Mr. Ingersoll asked how the 70 kids would be chosen for the trips. Ms. Graves said they will be the kids who regularly attend, behavior would be a factor, and those deserving would be the ones to participate. Kent County Parks Recreation has agreed to provide a bus for the outside activities, however, we will need to pay the driver. Tammy Motter said the Recreation Commission feels that Chestertown's own summer program should be funded first and then the other groups who have submitted requests should be considered.

Mayor Bailey said this proposal will be put into the budget process. She said the Recreation Commission had submitted requests they had received from Chester Bridge Foundation ($3500), the Library ($1500) and Horizons will come to the May meeting. A request from the Kent County Safety Coalition will be discussed at the next meeting. She said this request was not funded last year. The Council will consider these in the budget process. She said she will ask the bookkeeper to separate the recreation budget so that things like fireworks are not lumped in with these activities that are supported by the Town. She said the Recreation Commission needs to know how much funding they are allowed to work with when recommending assistance to various activities.

Tammy Motter asked that the Town ask the school for permission for post "Character Counts" sign at the playground. She said that was a State program that has been emphasized in the schools and she felt this should be reinforced at the playground. Mayor Bailey said she will discuss this with Mrs. Fenner.

Mayor Bailey stated that the next COG meeting will be at noon on Wednesday, April 21, 1999 at the Kitty Knight House.

Mayor Bailey said the basketball game between the Sheriff's Department and the Chestertown Police Department will be shown on channel 3. She said that $278 was raised to provide athletic shoes or equipment for kids who cannot afford them. She said it was a fun evening. Mayor Bailey said also on channel 3 will be Rev. Fisher's group of 8 boys who did a neighborhood cleanup on Saturday. The boys were Daryl Wilson, Corey Wilson, Josh Jeffers, Greg Jeffers, Jr., Greg Jeffers, Sr., John Cotton, Ricardo Sampson and Daryl Jeffers. She extended a great thank you to all for their participation.

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

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the meeting be adjourned at 8:55 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Gross and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Joan Merryman (Stenographer)

Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey (Mayor)