MINUTES
MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 21, 1999

Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 8:15 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 Public Hearing of June 7, 1999, Workshops of May 24 and June 3, 1999 and Executive Session of June 7, 1999. Mr. Bristoll moved that the minutes mentioned be approved as presented, seconded by Mr. Kirby and carried unanimously.

Mayor Bailey announced that the Mayor and Council has cash on hand and in banks on June 21, 1999 of $285,013.65.

Mayor Bailey stated that an executive session was held on June 7, 1999 at 6:30 p.m. pursuant to Sec. 10-508 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The meeting was called to discuss a personnel matter. The entire Mayor and Council was present and no action was taken. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. and minutes were taken and are part of the record.

Mayor Bailey called on the Town Manager for his report. Mr. Ingersoll reported that the sidewalks have been put in from Washington Square down to the corner at Chestertown Bank and Scheeler Road. He said we have gotten good comments and every property owner has been excited and cooperated. He said the reimbursement payment from the State should be here before the end of the fiscal year. He said he has talked to the handicapped advocates about the problems they discussed.

Mr. Ingersoll said street paving was going well in Foxley Manor and Washington Park except for the rain. He said both subdivisions have been leveled with a wedge and level course and that will be followed with a final coat. This work will be done by June 30, 1999 in accordance with the contract.

Mr. Ingersoll read a request from Rev. Brockman for permission to hold a gospel concert in the Fountain Park on Sunday, August 29, 1999 at 6-8 p.m. He said this group held a similar concert a couple of years ago. The Council had no problems with the issuance of the permit.

Mr. Ingersoll said subsequent to the earlier Public Hearing, he had a Resolution to submit a Community Development Block Grant application on behalf of Shared Opportunity Services. He said except for the fact that they changed the amount to $800,000 it was the resolution by the Mayor and Council to apply for the grant. Mr. Kirby moved that Resolution #1-99 be adopted, was seconded by Mr. Bristoll and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll said he had checked on the lights at the foot of High Street and he found that the 100 watt sodium bulbs are the lowest that can be used without changing ballasts. He said to change to 70 watts the ballasts would have to be changed at a cost of $200 per fixture. He said some of the six fixtures are probably behind trees. He said the bollard lights are the lowest they can be at 70 watts. He said a solution may be to change some of the ballasts not all. Mayor Bailey said that was a lot of money to change all of the lights. She suggested just changing the two on the promenade. Mr. Ingersoll said the light on the corner of High may bother the residents but he said the light at the beginning of the foot bridge was needed to light the way for people who walk.

Mayor Bailey suggested changing the ballast in the one light and see if that solves the problem. Mr. Bristoll said some suggestion of shading the lights was made. Mr. Ingersoll said we could try paint the globes or put duct tape on them to keep light from going in the direction of the residents. The Council agreed to have the ballast in the one light changed and then discuss it with the residents.

Mr. Ingersoll said he distributed correspondence from Falcon TV. He said Ron Chandler has gone back to Utah and Gene McGary was the new local office manager. He said Mr. Chandlers letter of June 10, 1999 to headquarters states that the performance bond and the upgrading engineering of the system are still hanging fire and not provided to us. He said they have submitted a Resolution and asked that we extend the existing franchise agreement until such time as we either formally grant or deny renewal. He said they are being bought out by a larger company and they have several Towns (50 out of 700) who do not have franchise agreements at this time. Mr. Ingersoll said the Town Attorney has looked at the Resolution and said it was innocuous and he said we could put a time limit on it if desired. After discussion Mr. Gross moved that the Mayor sign Resolution with a December 31, 1999 deadline and attached the letter from Mr. Chandler, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll said he distributed a memo on Waterway Improvement projects. He said by June 15, 1999 the Town had to have a list of potential projects for FY2001 in to Program Open Space. He said he put on the list Wilmer Park bulkhead repairs for $50,000; Cannon Street bulkhead repairs for $75,000; and waterfront dredging of $200,000 for in front of Cannon and High Street. He said if you don't submit a list now, you cannot add to it later or apply for anything not on the list. He asked the Council if there were any problems with that list of projects. He also asked that they consider that the funds for the High Street pier (which we turned down) would be available for the foot of Cannon Street or anywhere else.

Mr. Kirby asked about the statement about possibility of moving High Street pier funds to the foot of Cannon Street. He asked whether a vote had been taken to do a pier at Cannon Street. Mr. Ingersoll said the Council voted not to make a pier at High Street and the money was sitting with the State and has not been moved to another jurisdiction. He said he asked the State what the process was for reusing it elsewhere. He said he would like to use it for bulkhead repair.

Mr. Kirby said he did not think the Town had ever voted to put a pier at the foot of Cannon Street. Mr. Ingersoll said the Town definitely had not but he was exploring the possibility of moving funds. He said if they say no, then we would know we would have to apply for any funds in FY2002 and he was only getting our hat in the ring. Mayor Bailey said we should be able to make a decision on the pier by the next meeting.

Mr. Ingersoll said a few years ago the Town allowed the Historical Society to put a small sign in the island at Park Row and Court Street to direct people to the Geddes-Piper House. He said the trees have now grown so that the sign cannot be seen. He said they have requested that the sign be moved to the corner of High and Court Street, in front of Cooper Barroll. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz moved that the sign be moved, was seconded by Mr. Bristoll and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll said he had a letter from Bell Atlantic Mobile with an attached letter from the Maryland Department of General Services. He said the State has requirements before granting an easement. He said the payment of a $1,000 administrative fee will be paid by Bell Atlantic Mobile in the Town's behalf upon approval by the Town. Mr. Kirby moved that the Town approve the $1000 payment to the State by Bell Atlantic, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.

Mr. Ingersoll said at a previous meeting the Town discussed the Rescue Squad's request for a flashing light on Rt. 291. He said the Council intended to think about that and if in favor of such a light, make a request of the State Highway Administration. He said he would like to forward the Rescue Squad's letter to the State along with our request. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said she would like to have included the issue of a light at Rt. 20 and 291. She said we were told that about two months they would make some progress on that intersection. Mayor Bailey said she will get a letter off to the State Highway Administration. Mr. Gross said he would go a step further and get a controlled light, one that could be activated when needed.

The Council agreed that Mr. Ingersoll could forward the letter as written by the Rescue Squad with a recommendation from the Town that the action be taken.

Mr. Ingersoll said he had distributed some correspondence from the Maryland Department of the Environment and Dr. Randall's preliminary assessment of the Town's wastewater treatment facility for biological nutrient removal. He said it can be discussed next month. He said the report was interesting in that the Town's plant was already basically complying with the Chesapeake Bay goal for clean water. He said the other documents about signing a BNR agreement and a $500,000 grant towards a $1.5 million project may be moot. He said he and Med felt they should look into the cheaper solution of a third cell at the lagoon where we move the water, hold it and put it back after the lagoon turnover in the spring of each year.

Mr. Kirby asked Mr. Ingersoll if he had followed up with Mrs. Haske about the sidewalks. Mr. Ingersoll said he talked to her and told her that we have met our June 30 deadlines of putting in the retrofit sidewalks with the SHA funds. He said in July we will move into some of the other problems and she, Ned and the mason will walk with him to see what exactly needs to be done. He said we will do them as fast as our budget permits.

Mayor Bailey stated that the State Highway Engineer has agreed to be at the August 2, 1999 meeting to discuss the long range plans and the future of the Chester River Bridge.

Mayor Bailey reported that she was in the Fire Company parade in Ocean City last week and was pleased to read the list of awards that the Chestertown Company received including the Marvin A. Givens Award.

Mayor Bailey said she had a packet of various letters from people requesting the Town to support keeping the Kent County Senior Center in Chestertown. The seniors come to Chestertown for all their shopping and other services. The letters were from seniors, Upper Shore Aging and Kent County Commission on Aging. She said having a senior center in the Worton area would be a disservice to the senior citizens. She said she would like the Town to send a positive letter to the Kent County Commissioners urging them to keep the senior center in the downtown. Mrs. Mumford-Pautz urged the Mayor to write the letter to keep the senior center in the downtown Chestertown. The Council agreed.

Mayor Bailey stated that last week awards in the form of certificates were awarded to various businesses and residents for street side gardens and plantings. The awards were given by the Chestertown Beautification Committee and she read several special awards. She thanked Joan Ellenhorn for all of her work on this project.

Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said while she was in Ocean City she looked at a recreation facility which had a basketball court, three areas for skateboarding, public bathrooms and tennis courts. She said though this was probably very expensive, it had an admission of $10 a day, with time in the morning for beginners. She said it was well supervised and they were playing basketball and tennis while she was there. She said she would like this explored and between the County and Town or towns of the county to see if we could come anywhere neer that facility for the youth. She urged care in driving, stopping at stop signs as children are out of school and out playing.

Mr. Kirby said he had brought up at the last meeting and moved that the street crew be given an extra day off on a Friday or Monday for all their hard work at the Tea Party, was seconded by Mr. Gross and unanimously.

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

Mr. Kirby moved that the meeting be adjourned at 8:48 p.m., was seconded by Mr. Gross and carried unanimously.

Submitted by:
Joan Merryman
Stenographer

Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey
Mayor