MINUTES
MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
MAY 17, 1999

Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:58 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., Thomas A. Gross, Sr., Mabel Mumford-Pautz and J. Brian Kirby, 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 and executive session of May 3, 1999. Mr. Bristoll moved that the minutes of the previous meetings be approved, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey stated that an executive session was held on May 3, 1999 at 9:15 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. Mr. Gross was absent. The meeting was held to discuss a personnel matter and a contractual. The actions taken by the Mayor and Council were by unanimous vote. Minutes were taken and are part of the record.
Mayor Bailey called on the Town Manager for his report. Mr. Ingersoll said he wanted to remind everyone of the fireworks on the 4th of July. He said there is a private donor of the 24" shell this year. He said donations for the fireworks are accepted from individuals and organizations.

Mr. Ingersoll said he received a fax from the Shared Opportunity Service stating they are applying for a Block Grant from the State. He said a public hearing will be needed on this application. They would like the Mayor and Council to hold the hearing on Monday, June 21, 1999 at 7:15 p.m. prior to the regular meeting. The ad for the hearing would state that the grant request would be for $750,000 for the family support center. The grant funds would be used for acquisition of the property, some demolition and some of the construction of the new building and parking lot. The Council approved hold the hearing at that time.

Mr. Ingersoll reminded everyone that the public hearing on the budget will be Monday, June 7, 1999 at 7:30 p.m. prior to the regular meeting.

Mayor Bailey said that the Mayor and Council has cash on hand and in banks of $241,378.85.

Mayor Bailey read a notice from Washington College that on Saturday, May 22, 1999 between 12 and 4 p.m. there will be a revolutionary army encampment and battle reenactment on the Campus Avenue lawn. There will be musket fire and fife and drums sounds coming from this event.

Mayor Bailey said the Tea Party Committee has invited the Mayor and Councilmembers to judge the Tea Party Parade on Saturday, May 29, 1999. They ask that the judges be on the reviewing stand at 10 a.m.
Mr. Ingersoll said he had received the permit request from the Tea Party Committee including the run, the parade and the same activities and street closings as in the past. He said he assumed the Council would approve the events as before so he had signed the permit.

Mayor Bailey said the Mayor and Council have been invited to visit the Sultana project on Friday, May 21, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. She said a class from Chestertown Middle School will be at the site for an educational tour and the Mayor and Council will also get to see how the students view the site and what they learn.

Mayor Bailey said she met with a landscape architect from the Department of Natural Resources to discuss landscaping for riverfront parks. She said Cynthia Saunders was working with the Beautification Committee on the George Washington Garden will work with the landscape architect on plans for this garden and additional trees at Wilmer Park. She asked the Council if they approve of applying for the grant. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said it was great.

Mayor Bailey said the request from the Kent County Commissioners and First Methodist Church to make the 100 block of North Mill Street one-way was brought up at the last meeting. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said she counted 22 parking spaces on the Calvert Street block that are available during the day. She said she did not feel there was a need for more. She said something like this affects more than one block, it affects all three blocks around. She said she felt a study of the downtown area should be made before any further street changes are made.

Mr. Kirby said he would not be in favor of the one-way use of that block towards High Street, but be more inclined to have it one-way the other way. He said people coming out of the People's Bank who want to go back around, across Mill Street and downtown. Mr. Gross agreed that a study of the traffic should be done. Mr. Bristoll said that 400 High Street building has only been in use for a couple of months and he felt we should wait and see how it works. Mayor Bailey said they are anticipating more need for parking when the assessment office moves to the third floor. Mr. Ingersoll said there was a traffic study done in the 70's and he will get it out. Mayor Bailey said Ken Noble on the Planning Commission was a traffic engineer and she will ask him to look at the situation.

Mr. Ingersoll said, with the Council's approval, he would meet with the County Commissioners on Tuesday morning concerning the Town Hall Building. He said some of the statements in the letter from the Commissioners regarding the Senior Center's use of this building were not accurate. He said a grant was received in 1993 from the Office on Aging to finish off the second and third floors for the Senior Center occupancy. He said the Center has had that space for 16 years, rent and utility free. He said that senior grant was nowhere near sufficient to renovate the building and the Town still has a mortgage to prove that. He said he would like to clarify that with the County Commissioners.

Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions or comments. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz asked about the information for the MML municipal book. Mayor Bailey said Bob Garson will write the narrative for us and we are gathering information for him. She said we will submit 6-10 photographs of the Town and they will print some of them.

Mayor Bailey asked the Council to review the bills. Mr. Bristoll moved that the bills be paid as presented, was seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll asked the Council to set a time to meet to conclude the budget workshop. The Council agreed to meet at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 24, 1999.

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

Submitted by:
Joan Merryman (Stenographer)

Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey (Mayor)