Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 31 Mar 2022

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From YouTube: Board of Carroll County Commissioners Open Session March 31, 2022

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https://www.carrollcountymd.gov

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Okay, good morning, back to old school are we. It is thursday march 31st.

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And we have open session this morning uh and during open session this afternoon we will be.

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I think on our third budget hearings, uh third or fourth, so, um let's get started, we have a full day.

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Stand for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of.

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And silence the republic for which it stands. One nation, under god.

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Indivisible with liberty and justice.

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But you turn in silence. Well, this is supposed to be all the way front. I never got the memo so.

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Okay, let's start with uh priority carol and we'll move on commissioner boucher. Thank you very much.

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Good morning, everyone I'd like to start out by welcoming all new employees to the county. First, I.

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Want to welcome precious braxton smith, emergency communications, specialist in public safety.

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Rebecca nonies emergency communications, specialist, public safety, brenda ray emergency communications.

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Specialist public safety, michelina smith, emergency communications specialist, so it looks like they're.

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Getting the help they need carrie bonanno office, technician, management and budget bethany henderson.

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Legal assistant, county attorney, thank goodness mr burke, has helped finally.

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Let's say you need all the help. You can get good, wonderful glad to hear that. Well, she.

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Hasn't worked with you long enough, julian mcgraw case management, coordinator, citizen services,.

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Dustin pickett apprentice operator, waste, water management utilities, brian rickles, public.

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Safety systems, specialist, margaret sopper fiscal technician, farm museum and karen walter volunteer.

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Coordinator farm museum, I want to recognize someone who we lost from our staff and that's.

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Robert burke, a comptroller wishing the best he went over to the school administration he's.

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Working for the other team now, but I'm looking forward to him being successful working with this.

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Also want to give some recognition to her delegation for something they've just pulled off.

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To help out the two smallest municipalities in our county, thanks to senator reedy they'll, get crabs.

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Shoemaker rose and their leadership, they secured 5 million in sewer plant upgrades for union bridge.

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And 4 million for new windsor to replace their 115 year old water main.

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I know that when I first got elected these two small municipalities were just begging for help.

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And I'm not responsible for this, but I've been a strong advocate and I'm so grateful.

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For what our delegation has done, big kudos and I shout out to them. Thank you very much.

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Commissioner weaver uh well, first of all, we had a first uh park walk uh the other night at cape horn,.

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uh I think the hit of the night, where the uh chris hines uh huge dog,.

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Norwegian, finland or something mr swaim, you have the photos that dog you bring up for the public.

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Nicest dog in the world, but huge uh he made uh commissioner beshea look little anyway. It.

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Was a nice walk? I I think uh I look forward to these around the county. The kind of a neat event.

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And just want to bring one other thing up here: um uh katie, zafries or katie is coming into town here.

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She lives in north carolina now, but she's been a graduate 07 graduate of north carol high school.

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And she's a silver and bronze uh gold medal medalist in the olympics, and I know.

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Tomorrow, night, at greenmount station they're doing a special uh uh recognition for her and.

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A lot of people are classmates, teachers will be there, it's a neat event, but she is.

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Just the nicest person in the world and has uh really worked hard to get to where she is.

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Today and uh it'd be nice to uh participate in that event so, and I think tonight she's been.

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Also recognized by the uh for the hobie wolf uh awards or by uh northern news in manchester, so.

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Here's a picture of the dog yeah, I walk in the park with uh chris and uh I can't remember the.

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Dog's name but chewie likes chewbacca from star wars. Cherry okay, director heise, is a tall man as.

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Is and that doll is half his height yeah, it's great. It was great to have the those out there.

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And you had your dog with you too yeah. It was a nice event, so there was a picture of the gang that.

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Showed up took the mile walk in less than three minutes. So what's the temperature, it was chilly.

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A lot of people back down the weather, but as the weather warms up, we'll see a greater craft yeah.

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I'm thinking it was kind of cold that night it was nobody picked up on that mile, walk in.

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Less than three minutes you guys are not paying attention. Okay, I don't have my boots on either.

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Okay, commissioner, wentz okay, uh good morning last day of march, I don't know what happened.

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To that month, but it's gone uh tomorrow begins national uh county government month.

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So uh it's where the I always say it's where the rubber hits the road here.

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uh And you know, there's a lot of things that get accomplished here on uh on the local level and.

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I truly believe that, uh in conjunction with our municipalities and cooperation with them,.

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That uh we, we have a tremendous positive outlook here in carroll, so uh there are some things that.

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Go on as a result of that throughout the month of april, but uh with my experience at the maryland.

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Association of counties, we always try to recognize that the importance of of local government and.

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What it brings to uh to the table, so we often get overshadowed by the absurdity of annapolis and the.

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Double absurdity at the national level, which mr fowler will talk about annapolis, a little.

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A little bit but uh but here at locally uh I'm I'm proud to say that we we do a really good job. Don't.

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Always agree on everything, but um but uh I'm proud, proud to say that uh I've been a part of that for.

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The last almost eight years now so thank you to all those that make county government work had an.

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Interesting planning commission meeting last night, one that I don't know that we've ever had before.

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Where a group came in, that has not purchased the property yet, but wanted to hear uh the opinion of.

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The public and staff on their proposed plan and it had to do with the beatty property that all of.

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Us are familiar with, but certainly my colleague, commissioner rosteen is certainly familiar with.

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I thought it was a. It was an interesting meeting. We heard some very interesting.

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Opinions from some folks that we always do, uh but I bring that up because I.

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I and you talk about it as well. uh The the importance of our boards and commissions.

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uh Here in this county- and this goes in in hand in hand with what I've been saying about.

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Local government month is priceless and the folks that participate on our commissions.

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All of them are to be commended. We always have trouble finding some folks. I know, commissioner,.

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Weaver you and I are going to be interviewing a couple more folks next week to put on hopefully.

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To put on planning, but it's tough, to find folks that want to commit to to doing that.

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We need to do all that we can to to promote what our folks do behind the scenes on these boards of.

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Commissions- and you know all the silliness that I've heard from one of my colleagues about our.

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Boards and commissions, I can't even go there, but the respect that we need to to to give to.

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These folks and the fact that we're involved uh is, is incredibly important. So last night.

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Was interesting, we've never seen that before, where uh a group that hasn't purchased the property yet.

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uh Wanted to get the opinions of our staff and and citizens, so that was a good move. I would think.

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Kudos to that very good yeah, so um really good um saturday night I have the uh the the good fortune.

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Of uh of honoring a gentleman that I've known for a long time, uh mr ray shipley uh ray, has.

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Shipley transport here in carroll and ray's, been a a friend of mine for many years and I actually got.

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To know ray as a part of the westminster municipal band for those that are familiar with our band, you.

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Would be familiar with ray because for years he was the guy that carried the national colors in.

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Our color guard ray's had some some medical issues and he's really not participating any longer, but.

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Ray's being honored saturday night as the maryland motor truck association person of the year.

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That doesn't typically come to carroll uh that honor. So it's coming to carroll and the maryland.

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Motor truck association will be in carroll county saturday night and we'll be honoring him.

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At antrim, so congratulations to ray to the entire shipley family and I look forward to honoring him.

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On saturday evening and then finally keep an eye on the skies, my public safety announcement.

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For the day is um we've seen the storms that have been going up through the south.

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uh It's just incredible damage that occurs down there. I can't even imagine living in that area.

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Down there I mean it almost looks like a war zone and I'm not going to go there with that I'll. Let.

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You handle that this morning, but just keep your eye on the skies, because there's the potentials.

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There for some nasty stuff uh today, as uh as we, we get into a little bit different weather pattern,.

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And actually, throughout the summer, our public safety folks are always on. With this. We have.

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One of the best emergency management groups in the state so uh just pay attention as we all.

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Try to get back outside with some good weather and uh don't forget to thank our.

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First responders, in whatever uniform they're in as we get into the spring and summer season,.

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Okay, commissioner fisher, thank you, um I took a. I was invited to take a a tour of the boys and girls.

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Club in westminster, I've been here plenty times before, but it's been a while, since I've been there.

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Since they opened a new building and so forth and just to see the changes that have occurred.

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And it was pointed out they never closed during the pandemic. They always had kids coming in. They.

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Always try to work with the virtually and so forth, and I have to say the afternoon I was there. It was.

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Packed there were kids in that gym their kids everywhere doing all what they're supposed to.

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Be doing which is which was great- it's nice to see the facility being fully used. It is fully.

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Utilized and a great shout out to them great job that they're doing it, boys and girls club.

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Also shout out to our public works department myself, commissioner weaver we're at sullivan.

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Road at the new circle or roundabout, whatever you want to call that and.

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The the extensive testing that they do to make sure they had. I think it was three different or.

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One plow with two different size: trucks that were going around here. They had drones in the air to.

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Videotape it and all the stuff to see if they could make the you know make the turns. Do this.

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All that stuff that goes in to make sure it's right before it gets open to the public.

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Make sure maybe this has to be moved and I'm not an expert. But to me it looks like something might.

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Have to be moved to make that work a little bit better. I'm not the final expert on that, though,.

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But it's really nice! Oh look! There's pictures of it who's that short guy. I was weaving.

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So we were there, they did a no were you standing in a hole.

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It was a groundhog hole. I was standing in a stool, he was up on he's up on a cinder.

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Block, that's how come he looks that tall. All of a sudden, it looks like father, son jeez, all right.

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Some great pictures there I didn't know we had them. Okay, and I had to give a big shout out to.

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Celine stickel and danielle yates. I had to put a call in yesterday someone I I was somewhat.

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Associated with needed to get into detox, they needed to do it that at that time, and there was.

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Extenuating circumstances going around it that made it difficult to do that. Those two ladies.

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That work here in the county precision services worked on it until it happened, so that person.

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Was able to get into detox and I won't go into too much cuz. I wanted to identify anybody, but.

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I really do appreciate what was done it was, it was done, was quick. It was relentless until I got until.

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I got fixed and that's fantastic. Thank you, ladies very much. No thank you and um like shared our role,.

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Is not tuesdays and thursdays 24 7, and it goes with our staff as well, because the responsiveness.

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That celine and her team and others have provided I mean I've called them so many times at different.

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Different hours different days- and they are just always responsive, so uh it's that one team, one.

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Fight and if we think that it's tuesdays and thursdays only only a third is going to ever.

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Get done in this community so we're fortunate and blessed to have their dedication as well as ours.

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Dedication from our delegation uh in getting the capital projects that were announced above.

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And beyond uh the projects that they've put in uh strong appreciation for the.

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New windsor union bridge and also uh sexville down in uh springfield raincliff area for a.

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A treatment facility, I think they got a million dollars in addition, so really appreciate.

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Their efforts, um you know in getting those capital projects, another capital project, uh senator hester,.

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Down in the south put in for a hundred thousand dollars for the american legion and she was able.

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To work it up to 250 000 for the american legion, so they are uh sitting in a much better situation.

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For uh their facilities um so really appreciate her work as, along with the others, and getting.

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These these type of projects completed, um is you know the the legion needs, its support.

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Good work with uh also our public works and getting the signage down there on 32 for the.

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The park and the legion all that kind of stuff uh you know off of 32 down rain, cliff.

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You know, I've said you can't boil the ocean, so we shouldn't try and we should.

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Try and focus on our community and I think that's what saint john's did last night.

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You know they focus on what does the community want to share.

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And say before they take a step forward, so I think it was very productive. You know they were.

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Guided mentored to do that and they participated in a couple of my town halls where they got.

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Feedback as well from uh the community last night, it was different feedback, which was great.

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You know you have see so they're able to package all of the uh the interest uh and concerns.

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From the community before they go formal in in projects uh so yeah, I think.

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That that may be a good you know, uh process for them to uh you know kind of.

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A template for others to move forward and say: listen, don't try to do things on your own, get.

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The community's input and validity before you take the next steps it. It goes a long ways.

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So that, along with disabled property, which is another large property that we dealt with.

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But that we're dealing with um so I expect them to come next and they were also very.

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Communicative in the town halls, as well with uh the community uh in insight.

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um Although we can't boil the ocean just keep our thoughts and prayers for those.

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Seven eight nine percent of displaced ukrainians that have fled their country and you know uh it's.

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Hitting everybody you know that's kind of where we're at when we see things like that,.

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And whether we see a child on the news or somebody else, just I don't want to get deeper into it, but.

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It's really difficult, you know just just to see that, but don't want to end the priority carol.

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On the downer- but I think that's part of what carroll county is- is our community of caring.

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And that's something that I just want to bring to you know my our attention: total okay, um mr fowler,.

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Let's go ahead: what's that I've never heard the expression before you can't boil the ocean people.

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Try I've never heard that I've never heard of it. People try to boil the ocean, and it's like.

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Not knock it off, let's focus on the community, they must like seafood. So you learn something.

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New every day, okay, okay, I'm not going to ever use that in my lifetime, but now go ahead. Never.

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Say never that's true, I know so. Are you going to start off with what you told me in the hall mike.

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Come on, I, dare you might be a version of that he said he was all boil the ocean things are flying.

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Things are flying, okay got it insert the appropriate terms here.

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As you will we'll keep it pg.

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So eleven more days until saudi die midnight on the 11th monday, the 11th, so a lot's happening.

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Has happened this week since I was here last. I think probably the most impactful has been the.

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Judge battaglia's throwing out the legislature's congressional district maps and then.

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The legislature quickly redrawing the map over the weekend and getting it passed. So it's it's.

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Been passed by both houses, it has to go to judge battaglia by tomorrow, I believe was in her order.

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And um and I've also, I also understand the ag just announced he's going to appeal her. This.

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Original decision simultaneously, I think I just saw that the legislature is also going to appeal.

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So the results are stay tuned, so they're, appealing before a decision they're like.

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Expecting a decision to be made not in their favor, so they're already saying: they're gonna, because.

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They like their original map. Okay, so they're gonna feel her original decision, while simultaneously.

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Putting forward a new map, it's kind of a mess, um have you ever heard of the the primary election.

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Like the week before the general we might wind up in september, the appeal will go directly to the.

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Court of appeals correct now: okay, yeah um yeah and, of course, it changes the district. The way.

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Carol is is uh represented because I think in the original map you were under the county was under.

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One congressman and now you're splitting again the county, no, the county's under two congressmen, but.

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The new the map that the legislature passed put you in uh one to one: yes, okay, that got.

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Thrown out the new map that they redrew splits you again yeah, because I wind up in the third.

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Yeah, I forget the district third and fifth. Maybe, but don't quote me on that, but anyway, third and.

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The seventh but there's no use you know banking on anything because right still to come. Good luck.

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It's going to come, I truly don't think we need more attorneys in our world. Don't you think tim.

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He's holding his tongue.

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Shakespeare had something to say about that: yeah yeah, that's right! He did.

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So highway user revenue is another one. That's in flat in flux,.

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You remember, the house version was significantly scaled down based on leadership, amendments and.

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The senate has committed doing something so delegate anderson was in budget and tax this week.

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His bill was heard and they actually had on their schedule to vote on the issue on that bill.

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Yesterday, but they they didn't, do it. They talked about it, but they've pushed it aside. um What I.

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Heard the the chair say was that they'll probably amend senator mccray's bill, which is the one that.

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Came in with the higher amounts, I heard the number 20 thrown out, but you know take all anything.

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That's said in those sessions with assault, so it sounds like it it'll be an improvement. Yeah.

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If that is the case, that's more than anticipated. Yes, so yes, so hopefully that's that's the way.

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It will go and- and that's been all around you know- we heard we heard that committee talk about.

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The counties feeling entitled so maybe that was just uh idle talk: um the threats to public.

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Officials, so that that really was just simply done to redefine public officials, because now.

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Public officials are protected, elected officials are protected that just amends. That definition.

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Of public official to include the chief health officer, because there are several versions of.

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Bills that were trying to deal with that issue and it got very convoluted- and I think this might be.

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The simplest way to address that so we'll see how it goes scheduled to be heard in the house.

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Next week and, of course, the I think we mentioned, the cost sharing bill for.

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The voting systems has passed, so that's a good thing. uh The emergency service transporters.

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Reimbursement bill still in flux. Again, the hgo heard it the other day, the senate version, because.

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That's the one that passed uh and that's been jointly assigned to appropriations as well, so.

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It's still got a little bit of a little a little bit in its path to get through.

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uh One of the big issues this week has been the family and medical leave insurance program.

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So the senate's version actually established the program.

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The house version simply created a commission to study it again, based on all the changes in the.

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Economy since the last time they had a task force on it, which I think was 2019 something.

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Like that, so a lot's changed, so it looks like the winner is going to be the senate version uh that.

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Has to be one that's one of the ones. I think that's got to be sent to the governor.

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By saturday, because he will likely veto it and they want to be able to override it. So.

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I think you'll see that one get put put to rest by tomorrow. It's back in the senate now.

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So that really the question is: does the senate accept what the house has amended.

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Or does it go to a conference, but I think either way I think it's gonna. It's gonna pass.

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You heard our mako policy analysts talk about this omnibus procurement reform act which pulled.

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Local procurement into it, but it was so large and convoluted and sort of collapsed on its own weight.

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But there isn't, there is an interest in doing something around procurement. So we'll probably.

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See something next session uh also another uh interesting uh development has been the.

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Senior tax credit, so they amended a bill that was a subtraction modification bill for public safety.

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And added in this senior credit, so anyone over 65 with a federal agi of less than a hundred thousand.

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For an individual gets a one thousand dollar credit and if you file jointly with an agi of.

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150 or less with 1500, so that is that's going to pass as well that that was introduced in the house.

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Passed the house it's over in the senate, they're they're committed to passing that. So you think the.

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Chances are good. That's going to go. Yes. Yes, it's an election year. Remember yeah! I know, but you know.

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The dems are usually not really excited about that kind of a thing, but well they they were excited.

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Okay, yesterday, okay, well, that's the point was made in election year: changes their dynamics, yeah.

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Now now they did put something in there um and I don't have the details on it. I'll try to frame it.

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That, if the, uh if the expected state revenue, is reduced by seven and a half percent, that goes away.

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Yeah it gets reduced, it doesn't go away, it gets like cut in half, I think yeah. So there is.

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A little little thing in there to adjust it if, if conditions weren't but a check valve, proverbially.

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Yeah, okay, but yes, it's going to pass. um We were concerned about a bill that was originally a.

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Harford county bill that would give a collective would actually set out the collective bargaining.

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Process for harford county libraries as a surprise, the delegate introduced it as a statewide bill.

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But it did not make it out of committee, so that was on the sidelines. Was there any talk.

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Of a summer study on that one, no good yeah, why? Why did they go to statewide? Why not I mean.

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Apparently, because they probably would have kind of apparently each county or each library system.

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Will have to come to the general assembly when they want to do it set up the process it has to.

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Be established, there's apparently not one template that everyone uses for that. Just would have been.

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I think better odds if they would have focused on their own county and then then use it as.

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A template, well, my guess, is probably couldn't get harford county as a majority of republicans.

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Oh probably couldn't get got it. That's why that there's there's your answer right. There.

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Okay, he wouldn't want to get anything yeah. He came in by himself, but then yeah dropped that.

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Another big bill, the climate bill- that's going to pass as well uh that the the senate has concurred.

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With the house amendments, so it was special order to today. uh I think senator hershey.

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Special order today, but it'll it'll pass today because I suspect that's another one. They'll.

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Want to get in front of the governor quickly so that they can override his veto. Yes, yes,.

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So I think the house made some amendments to modify things. I know one thing is out is.

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This net zero schools, I think is- is out so yeah. I think I saw that and they were gonna.

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Try to work that if you still wanted to do it, you get credits for that or something to that.

C

Effect, but forcing you to do it is off the table. I think right how about the methane portion of.

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That is that stone in the way it was were the landfills. Yes, I believe so. Yes, that's, yes, tough.

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Yeah well now I think it's for the landfills. It's you get you're going to get some money for to.

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Cover the cost of the aerial measurements, but mde is going to write the standard, so the application.

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Of the california standards and then there was some talk of well, if not california, how about.

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Oregon, which are still tough um but those are gone, so how many is going to write the regulations that.

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That's, I think, a step in the right direction. Yeah, it's certainly better than trying to do california.

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And there's a bill that would.

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Limit the ability of mde to administratively extend discharge permits.

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That one's still kind of hanging out there got through the senate, but it's it's still hanging.

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In the house hasn't been scheduled for a hearing, so that will either die or it will move quickly.

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Then good news there's a bill to fund the libraries and what are called regional resource.

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Centers, which are generally in the in the rural areas of the state, but it uh it increases funding.

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Each year up until fiscal year, 28 and then levels off, so there is some difference in the house.

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And the senate versions they each pass their respective chamber, so they'll have to go back.

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And come to some kind of agreement on what that is, but more funding for the libraries good thing.

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And and what are the chances on that mike of getting something? I would think good, because.

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Both bills have passed so I think the you might find somewhere in the middle or maybe.

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Agreeing on the lower number okay, but both of these are increases above where they are now.

C

Okay, that that's good, because that was not in the mix when we heard from them. When the.

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Library used to us yeah so that may help with their request that they came in for so.

C

Okay yeah so so again, both bills have passed in their respective chambers and.

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They'll just need to be reconciled in some way now. Hopefully, they'll have to cross over right.

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uh There's been a lot of talk, a couple of bills that deal with the ability to request body cam.

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Footage and this bill creates a task force to study the costs and the procedures of doing that.

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We'll see if this passes the house, which may create.

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Some conflict with the other bill that seeks to limit the conditions under which.

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These requests can be made. I know the aclu is very opposed to that and there's a lot of.

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Conflict right now between the legislature and the aclu, particularly the senate, chair.

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Senator smith- and it seems the legislature's kind of lining up behind the chair there so.

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I suspect you may see some effort to try to create conditions that limit how much people.

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Can can request so the thought was the fishing expedition. I'd give me all of your camera footage.

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For all of your officers for the last 90 days, well, that's pretty expensive right! So uh the gas piping.

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System bill that you raised, commissioner, wants is made it through the house. It's supposed to.

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Be heard in the senate today, I suspect that will pass as well. They changed some of the language.

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But the intent remains the same. I think it's just probably a little clearer now the way it's.

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The way it's read, but it does what what you were asked to do since we've got a pretty good audience.

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You guys know what that one is right. That's the that's! The flynn, yeah yeah yeah, okay,.

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Didn't know they came here to be quizzed: yeah.

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And this was the uh uh senate bill. 548 was the other local health officer removal bill, so they've.

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Obviously got to be reconciled in some way. This senate version is both of the versions have passed.

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So still more to be done on that and then one we didn't talk about was the the paint stewardship so.

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Your landfill folks are in favor of that, because that will likely reduce pain coming.

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Into the landfill, because what it does is create a program where it's recycled at the retail level.

F

So there's a fee, that's added to each container of paint, that's sold and the producers then.

F

Either either producers themselves or through some third party and that's already been established.

F

Will then administer that program, so you'd be able to go back to that store and recycle the paint.

F

So at least it's gotten through the house, but it doesn't seem to be any movement in the senate. Yet.

F

So we'll have to see what happens there and then the cyber security bills. I think you mentioned.

F

Commissioner, ross seen that we're interested in those, so these are the three bills that uh that.

F

Are that moved in the house? They didn't move in the senate, but they they moved in the house.

F

And I think you, you heard that mark ripper had attended a press conference with the.

F

With the house leadership on this, so uh house bill 1205 that creates, and actually all these.

F

At least two of these, um all of them actually really bring in the local governments in the mix.

F

So it becomes much more of a collaborative effort than a top down from the state.

F

So they create a a support fund which will actually provide.

F

Financial assistance to the locals to update their systems to purchase new hardware and software.

F

And hire and train staff house bill 1346 that creates an office in the department of I.t and.

F

Establishes a chief information security officer, and then you get you get directors for both state.

F

And local cyber security and that will coordinate resources and efforts to implement best practices.

F

Across the state becomes a hub for coordination between the state and local governments also.

F

Schools and health departments and then they'll provide technical assistance, advice, guidance and.

F

Then house bill 1202 is the local cyber security support act. So that's a wide, ranging aspects of.

F

Support developing vulnerability assessments creates a database of training resources for.

F

Local use that doesn't dictate what training you have to use just makes available. What's out there.

F

Creates a statewide helpline for real-time emergency assistance, assists locals in developing.

F

Their plans and their policies establishes regional cooperation. Groups, establishes procedures.

F

For reporting incidents and then also provides the ability to share information about attack. So if.

F

One jurisdiction sees an attack. The information is communicated to all the other local governments, so.

F

Again, these are all bills that are that have moved through the house, they're in the senate and very.

F

Likely to get through the senate as well, I have a question for you, mike the paint stewardship bill.

E

Would it help at this point for us to put a letter in supporting that, or do you think it it's I mean.

E

I would like to see it pass. This is not the first year it's been brought up, it hasn't passed yet.

E

Usually something slows it down, but I just think that the manufacturers should start.

E

Taking responsibility for recycling what they put out there. This is the first step in that, and I.

E

Hope it actually goes to other manufacturers of other materials, but this would help a lot.

E

I I don't I mean, I don't know if you all have the I mean give us the. If you give us the bill.

E

See if you all agree with that, and maybe we could put letter support in and you certainly can the.

F

Hearing in the senate hasn't been right scheduled, yet so you can. You can still certainly submit now.

F

The hearing itself will likely be sponsor only, but you can still submit a written letter to the.

F

Committees right, I think some support for this would be, would be a good idea in my opinion, but.

I

Let's you know, let look at it see what you guys think: okay, we have to do it quick.

E

Yeah, I know yeah the um cyber security bills, were they all put in last year and didn't go through.

F

Bills there were cyber security bills that kind of just fell on the floor yeah. I think some of those.

F

Were like the top down where the state would assume yeah the authority over cyber security.

A

Right- and I think there was so much pushback from locals that they agreed that maybe a more.

F

Collaborative approach is better, is going to get more support yeah, I think. Actually it's going to.

F

Be more effective, oh yeah, resourcing local is definitely the way to go so. um Okay, good any.

A

Questions discussion on this um we're gonna move into fire ems staffing presentation thanks.

A

Mike keep your head up. Yeah, we put a capital improvement bill in, I guess it didn't get anywhere.

C

To give you two chairs for your office, I guess I don't know, can you check on that.

C

It died in something some committee, I don't know you went over voucher, okay, so mike when.

A

You come up. um Can you check with uh chris to see if we have any public comments on the.

A

Phones- okay, guys we don't right before you get started mike. Let's start with uh public comments.

A

On the two um good morning, we have uh one comment card from mike karolinko: okay,.

J

But I get a thanks mike after everything we'll see what happens.

J

So all right long wonder today bear with me but good morning my name is michael carolinko and I'm.

J

President of the carroll county, professional firefighters and paramedics association.

J

For those not familiar, I'm also a proud, born and raised carroll county resident. A 17-year member of.

J

Fire and ems here in this community and a career emt firefighter here in carroll. Most importantly,.

J

I stand with my brothers and sisters that serve this county every day and fight on while we pray.

J

For relief five years ago, the volunteers came to you asking for help to give them the opportunity.

J

To do their jobs and serve their communities now the careers contingency stands here, asking.

J

The same thing, pleading for help, you told you said, tell me what you need. Commissioners, we need.

J

People we need county department, career staffing immediately and in a substantial way. We need.

J

To shore up operations and provide an ability to address operational needs across the county on an.

J

Acute basis, we should never face the helplessness we faced. We felt during the winter's cove search.

J

Because of the antiquated and flexibility of a system we know is broken and unsustainable, we need.

J

To face the necessity that staffing requirements now without the necessity of staffing requirements.

J

Now, without continuing to push significant release further down the road, we need to serve.

J

The whole county carroll faces geographical challenges in regards to rural response times.

J

While also having a high call volume area that requires adequate resources in its own right.

J

This means substantial investment on your part to cover the county and give everyone a chance.

J

The chance to survive sudden cardiac arrest the chance to survive a house fire even just a chance.

J

To save some of their family photos or wedding album, as we continue this transition, we cannot.

J

Lose sight where we cannot lose our ability to serve each community by isolating them with.

J

Long response times, we cannot accept on accept unstaffed stations or delayed or failed responses.

J

That happen all too often we need enough resources in high call volume areas to stop immediately.

J

Stripping out surrounding resources resulting in a large service vacuum without immediate help and.

J

We need excuse me, we need to meet requirements, the esac has stepped forward and with a strong stance.

J

To what requirements need to be addressed immediately, these requirements do not change.

J

They cannot be wished away and or made any less significant. We need to be able to see our kids.

J

Grow up we need to be. We need to be able to afford time off or not work so many hours just to pay.

J

The bills we need our jobs, we need a driving wage competitive with our contemporaries and to provide.

J

That provides for our families, our futures and positive quality of life. We need to know that.

J

If we are called to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the county and her citizens, our families.

J

Our children and our spouses are all taken care of. We need to make. Excuse me. We need you to make one.

J

Of the most significant investments in the history of public safety in carroll county by taking a.

J

Massive step forward come this coming fiscal year. Each commissioner has spoken about the creation of.

J

The department of fire and ems being one of, if not the most significant legacy in your tenure.

J

Leading this county, we urge you to not fall short of what really needs to be done and place.

J

The proud capstone on the legacy that you leave uh behind you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you mike.

K

Okay: next, we have rick baker from our esac.

A

I'll check okay good morning, commissioners.

L

I'm baker, I'm the emergency service advisory council chair and I just wanted to look forward.

L

To seeing these different plans today that director robbins is going to be put up today,.

L

I'm looking forward to being able to share those with the emergency services advisory.

L

Council we're having a special meeting on the 6th of april, because our regular schedule meeting is.

L

Not until the 20th of april, which is, after you all finished, your budget deliberations,.

L

So, looking forward to seeing those today and being able to share those with the esac committee.

L

I'm also would like to emphasize that one of the things that he director robinson will show.

L

You tonight and mike alluded to it a little while ago that at the last emergency services associate.

L

Advisory council meeting that we did vote to support a particular recommendation. I will call it.

L

This recommendation was made late that night at about 10 o'clock after we've already been meeting.

L

For about three hours and that recommendation basically uses a couple terms that I tried to.

L

Emphasize to the committee is that we that this, whatever is proposed, does no harm.

L

Does no harm to the level of service that we provide to the citizens of the county.

L

Does no harm to the folks that are working for us right now. The individual corporations.

L

And that we're able to sit down here and satisfy the requirement that we.

L

Are able to provide emergency services to the citizens of carroll county? So with that said,.

L

I look forward to seeing this today. I know that the the advisory council was looking forward to.

L

Talking about this and discussing this on the 6th of april and we'll um and.

L

We'll see what happens after that, but thank you, commissioners. Yes, sir. Thank you real quick thanks.

K

Thank you. The lashes bruce fleming.

M

Good morning, thank you for your time. My name is bruce fleming. I'm the president of the carroll.

M

County volunteer emergency services association, and we also like to endorse one of these plans.

M

But we really can't we haven't seen them, we don't know what they are. We understand that.

M

There's problems or a process that has to go through in order to get to that final. But as.

M

President or the chair of the esac said, we really haven't had the opportunity at zsac to advise on.

M

These, so that is a concern that we have the plans some of the plans, because we did get a glimpse of.

M

Them recently um not to really digest them, but to go through them and look at them. Some of the plans.

M

Could mean a reduction of service at this time? We cannot endorse any reduction of service and.

M

I don't think any of the people that have a part in this want to talk to their representatives.

M

The people that they are putting them in those positions to say who wants to not have a unit a.

M

Transport unit, in your in your first due in your community in your neighborhood, let alone to just.

M

Flat out say, you won't have a career staff unit or a paid unit in your neighborhood, so it would.

M

Be very difficult for any of us to make those decisions, and you have a tremendous task at hand.

M

To find the money to to do one of these programs at any level, because it's such a new service that.

M

We're asking you to provide, because the volunteers have said we cannot continue. We do not have the.

M

The ability to provide the services that we have over the last several decades and have.

M

Asked five six years ago to for help with that and that's what essentially has brought us here today.

M

We also would not want any of the plans that be that are presented to be used to say this is what.

M

We're going to do and that there will not be a revision or looking at future expansion or any.

M

Of that that we don't have good data, the good and faithful attempt to create the statistics.

M

That you have before you are off of a flawed system. We do not have a good statistical system.

M

Esac has brought it up on several occasions. We are moving forward with something to be put in place.

M

Including, maybe even a individual to solely have the purpose of providing statistics to.

M

The department to make those decisions, but we haven't, had that opportunity yet to to have that.

M

Come to fruition, we need good information and any plan that limits the ability to grow. This.

M

System in the future would be anything short of a disservice to the community that we represent.

M

Thank you for your time. Yes, sir, thank you. Thank you. Okay, we do not have any clothes on.

A

The phone do we have any more? No, that is the uh that that's the last of our comment cards.

K

Thank you so we're going to go right into the fire ems staffing presentation.

A

And then after that is the pre-employment physicals for the department of fire emergency.

A

Medical services, so we see you for two okay good morning, uh commissioners and it's an honor to be.

N

Here to continue our discussion of uh staffing, just a quick update is uh on my way here. I had.

N

Occasion to respond to a working apartment fire in keysville- I didn't know they had apartments.

N

In keysville, but there's actually a building there with six apartments and we had a working fire.

N

Early this morning we had one volunteer. Member of tony town actually fell through the floor and he.

N

Was transported to carroll hospital center, where he's in stable condition, minor injuries and in all.

N

Likelihood he'll be discharged in several hours and I'll note that he is a member of our current.

N

uh Est program that we operate for high school uh students over at the training center and.

N

He is fully qualified to be there and it was a a close call, but things went well and.

N

This incident also illustrates to us how vulnerable that we are in certain areas of.

N

The county keysville is a long uh ways away from everything, as I realized this morning,.

N

And actually the frederick county career battalion chief arrived first and was the incident commander.

N

We had a number of frederick companies, a number of carroll companies. They all work well together.

N

And when I arrived, I got a briefing from the frederick chief and uh I'm only there.

N

To make sure that resources are covered, and especially when we have an injured member.

N

That we can take care of things, so I wanted to make sure that you all had an update of that.

N

Second thing: before I get into our presentation: is we had 27 candidates apply for our two positions.

N

Ems officer and training, health and safety officer uh we'll be doing interviews beginning.

N

On tuesday and they'll go on for two weeks and hopefully we're going to identify two outstanding.

N

Candidates who will provide offers of employment to and that's going to be a tremendous thing from.

N

A management perspective to move forward on a lot of the initiatives that we have and a lot.

N

Of the quality assurance areas that we need to address mike um first off, keep us aware of how.

A

This firefighter is doing yes. uh Second off is I, like: you, live in a world of acronyms.

A

Okay and we're used to it, but if you can, when you use them spell it out est.

A

You know the training um and then also how many are currently enrolled in est right now,.

N

Yeah 24 right now we're doing an emt program and what we've done.

N

Is we opened that emt program up to people who were available during the daytime so beyond our.

N

Own students we've provided an opportunity to other volunteers to take emt because emt now.

N

Is a pretty significant undertaking it's over 200 hours so and est stands for what that's our.

N

Emergency services technology technology program- and we do that- we did do that in concert with the.

N

School system, but now we're independent of that, because they're able to get actually more credits.

N

Including college credits, by not being a school completer program? Okay, so we fund that as part.

N

Of visa and university of maryland provides us with some support for our curriculum. So that's.

N

Very successful program runs every day and we've had people in the past that have gone on.

N

As long-term active volunteers as well as career members throughout the region, university of.

A

Maryland supports fiscally university of maryland. Has the um responsibility by legislative mandate.

N

To provide fire and ems training throughout the state, they've been doing it for about 90 years.

N

Through the maryland fire rescue institute, so basically carroll county with the cc visa training.

N

Committee and with a public safety training center staff sets up on a semesterized basis.

N

Classes that we would like to offer, we have to meet a certain threshold, but the entire curriculum.

N

uh The testing the instructors are all provided at no cost. We provide a facility for that and.

N

Essentially, as an entity of the university system, all the classes are also available for.

N

College credit at those schools that will accept those credits so, for example, these high school.

N

Students after their year in the program, will leave with about 20 college credits before they.

N

Graduate high school and so it's a very successful program, and then we also run programs for the.

N

General career and volunteer population on nights and weekends, our public safety training center.

N

Is basically in operation about all seven days a week, sometimes 16 hours a day, so it's a continuous.

N

Process and carroll county is right where we need to be in terms of training. We offer programs that.

N

Are geared towards the requirements that we make both for career and volunteer people, so it's been.

N

Very successful, okay, the students do this through concurrent enrollment. Yes,.

N

Yeah and uh cc visa is funding the bulk of the program currently for the high school program.

N

The other programs come through the university of maryland university of america maryland also.

N

Provides a lot of logistical support, our burn materials and things like that and.

N

We've also been impacted with that with the recent legislation uh with materials that.

N

We can and will no longer be able to burn and we'll make adjustments around that so.

N

It should be minimal impact. Okay, I apologize. I don't want to go off too many tangents. Let's.

A

Get into your your briefing, can I do this? Can I do a shameless plug real, quick, okay, so bob fogle.

A

Who was a dear friend of mine was instrumental in starting the est program here in carroll.

C

He was killed in the line of duty in baltimore county, and uh you know you all. You guys have.

C

Often heard about the golf tournament that I put together every year, it's for him.

C

And the money that we uh realize for that golf tournament goes to carroll community college.

C

For those students that want scholarships to pursue a career in public safety.

C

Including registered nurses now and we've given over 13 scholarships so far, so the est program has.

C

I only say that, uh because it has huge ramifications when it comes to.

C

The the extent of of what it does for us here in in the county, it's always been since the beginning.

C

uh Very instrumental in helping us put young people into not only our volunteer stations but.

C

In many instances put them on a career path now, do we um are we using all of the money, that's being.

A

Collected or is there still money on the table in scholarships because a lot of times in these.

A

Community colleges there's money out there for scholarships and students are not taking advantage.

A

Of scholarship dollars, this particular scholarship has been there there's two available each year and.

C

It's been taken advantage of each year, awesome so they're they're doing well. That's awesome! So.

D

They're eventually forthcoming, I believe, do you have the date or you want announcements.

A

Last friday, in august, okay, be there and you'll have a great speech from our director and myself.

N

And I actually signed off on bob fogle to become an instructor because carol didn't have the.

N

Ability to do it, so we sponsored him in baltimore originally, and it was a true true tragedy, but a.

N

Top-Notch person and that program kind of lives as his legacy yeah he was, he ate, slept and drank that.

C

Program that man was out there hours and hours so anywhere anyway, no wonder no longer either, but all.

C

Good, I thought it, you know yep, so we're going to talk about the staffing plan and this is more or.

N

Less an update, we've had a previous discussion, so uh I will try to be as brief as possible. However,.

N

This to me is the the reason I'm here is to try to do.

N

What was started about five years ago, so I'm also going to acknowledge.

N

Taylor hawkinsmith from the management and budget our project coordinator for this and we've worked.

N

Very closely together to try to to look at a number of things again, there's our vision.

N

And my objective this morning and what I hope to accomplish is a short 24 7 fire and ems coverage.

N

To carroll county um ems is obviously 80 to about 20 percent. However, carol does get a significant.

N

Amount of fires and we're probably averaging right now, two working incidents a week.

N

And we continue to do well with staffing, but we still have challenges this morning's fire for.

N

Example went out about 7 30 and that's probably the most challenging time for a volunteer system.

N

Because we have people going to work, we actually had the chief from.

N

New windsor there just gotten a home from his shift in baltimore county. After being all.

N

Up all night, so tremendous amount of commitment that goes into our system and we want to assure.

N

That um we want to develop a standard of cover consistent to standards and what that means is be.

N

As close to national standards that I've discussed previously for both fire and ems response.

N

We want to remain consistent to our mission, our vision and our core values, and we want to maintain.

N

Cost effectiveness within the parameter of county finances. We realize we're one of many agencies.

N

There's obviously lots of priorities, but in my assessment there's nothing.

N

More critical than the protection of life and secondary to that property in the environment.

N

We look at an incremental but goal-driven development and growth. So that's what we.

N

Hope to accomplish some planning assumptions as we get into what we intend to accomplish.

N

Is the current system is challenged and just since our last meeting uh last month, I've been around.

N

The several companies where I've been invited- and they have expressed to me the criticality.

N

Of what we will be discussing here today, what you all may or may not realize, but even though.

N

We are staffing through the volunteers funding currently for positions both in ems and for.

N

Emergency vehicle drivers for every dollar that we give them for salaries. They have to meet that.

N

Funding with payroll taxes, workers, comp, 401ks and health benefits, which are all provided through the.

N

Volunteer companies, so in many cases essentially, the majority of their fundraising is going in to.

N

Sustain the employees, so our challenges is changing pathways and taking over the.

N

Responsibility for full-time career staffing, to whatever degree, is feasible. Currently the.

N

Staffing is inconsistent under our current model, it's essentially a hit or miss every day and a.

N

Lot of this has been compounded by two factors: number one being the recent pandemic, which has.

N

Really changed the dynamics of the workforce, the availability of people and, in fact, the desire of.

N

People to be involved, particularly in health care, in a close situation as we see in ems.

N

Our other challenge is is to provide a staffing model that will in fact make an impact for the.

N

Emergencies that we regularly respond to so we have to look at that going forward.

N

And a lot of societal changes, we simply can't get uh people. We had a station over the weekend that.

N

Was unable to get any staffing? They responded to a cardiac arrest in their first new area and.

N

In fact, an additional station had to respond to that, so our immediate goals are on some days.

N

Not being able to be met, no fault of the volunteers, it's simply the dynamics.

N

That goes with having career people available for deployment. We have a lot of inequities in the.

N

Current pay scale, obviously, whatever plans we come up with we'll correct that, but just as an example.

N

We have one station just hired the other day for paramedics 1765 an hour, and we have other stations.

N

Pay upwards of 29.46 an hour so with roughly a disparity. Obviously you can see what goes.

N

On we have people every day competing and going to the highest bidder. At the same time,.

N

Quite a few of these employees are also full-time career employees for other jurisdictions and when.

N

You have to make a choice of sixty to eighty dollars an hour overtime or seventeen dollars.

N

An hour, uh it's pretty simple choice to make so lots of challenges that we have.

N

We have a lot of long-term, very loyal and dedicated employees that are employees of the.

N

Volunteer companies working for a salary they've become very frustrated about an uncertain future.

N

When this is going to happen, how we're going to do it, and so there's a lot of turnover, a number.

N

Of them, just in the last month, we've probably lost six full-time paramedics, county-wide.

N

And paramedics are the most difficult uh area to replace uh lack of a living wage. uh We have.

N

People with families want to buy houses, sending kids to uh private schools and other things and.

N

So they're struggling not working just a 42-hour workweek as we're proposing but to make ends meet.

N

Some of them are working 60 to 80 hours a week in other part-time employment or in additional.

N

Shifts at other stations limited opportunities for advancement. Currently, we have basically.

N

Paramedics firefighter emts and drivers, and one station westminster currently has lieutenants so.

N

Long term we see the growth of the system and more advancement opportunities.

N

Volunteer companies, as I've already mentioned, are physically challenged.

N

To support costs of a new fire engine, roughly 800 000 about 1.3 million dollars for a ladder truck.

N

Or a rescue squad and the volunteers have done a great job uh with the capital improvements and.

N

We're not in a position in the short term or even in the intermediate term, to begin assumption.

N

Of capital assets, just providing staffing is enough challenge and ultimately, we're going to.

N

Be providing replacement ambulances and medic units and there's an ongoing competition for.

N

A limited staffing pool a recent meeting with the metro chiefs that I'm involved in by june. If.

N

You include the dc suburbs, we're looking at 1 000 fire ems positions in the region. Now that includes.

N

Fairfax and loudoun, and I based that off of places where people in carroll county work, I was able to.

N

Do some research and we have one thousand career people living in carroll county that work in other.

N

Jurisdictions, which is a significant number, so the challenge is everyone around us- is hiring.

N

And we need to be competitive because if we don't we're going to be spending a lot of money to.

N

Recruit people, but our challenge will be retention. Obviously the segal study and our yet to be seen.

N

uh Pay scales will be the driver of this, but our goal is is to find people and retain people.

N

That may want to come to work at carroll county for other reasons, beyond salary.

N

But in any case, we're going to have to be competitive. So what we're asking you to.

N

Look at today is something pretty significant in terms of overall investment, but secondary to that.

N

Long-Term sustainment and growth, so with that I'll cut to the chase.

N

Our goal, ideally is- and I know you've seen this map before so I won't spend too much time on it.

N

Is we look at current resources, and this is the five minute response impact from every one of our.

N

14 stations, 13 of which will propose uh to staff you'll notice, those blue areas are areas out of.

N

That immediate response area and that's not unreasonable, given the rural nature of carroll.

N

County, so we've identified those areas in that five-minute response. What this doesn't look.

N

At is the dispatch mobilization and deployment times, and what that means is that's five minutes.

N

Following someone leaving that station, with the assumption that there would be staffing there, if.

N

There is no staffing the current standard is, they have up to five minutes for volunteer personnel.

N

To mobilize and then get out the doors, that's five minutes beyond that time. So with.

N

Today's modern construction methods and the interior, furnishings and fixtures.

N

We're looking at a fire flash over going to a flashover state, which means that everything.

N

Within a confined area, that's on fire reaches, what's called ignition temperature and then erupts.

N

Throughout the whole structure uncontrollably at that point in time there is no rescue to be made.

N

People will have perished and we're significantly challenged once we get there and basically.

N

The structure is gone now, the good news is, is carroll county, along with the state of maryland.

N

Took a very proactive approach with residential sprinklers over 10 years ago and as a result.

N

Every new thing or every new structure, that's being built every subdivision.

N

Every renovation over a certain percentage will have residential sprinklers and they in.

N

Fact are saving lives, so that's something that's beneficial uh here in carroll county, the other.

N

Critical element is cardiac arrest, survivability uh after six minutes, what's uh known as biological.

N

Death, irreversible brain death uh takes place and no matter what we do with staffing we're still.

N

Gonna be challenged to resuscitate uh patients with out of uh hospital cardiac arrest. However,.

N

There are other initiatives that once we get staffing on board, we're going to become.

N

More proactive with cpr training and there are other notification systems we can make available.

N

To citizens that would alert them of a cardiac arrest in their neighborhood or in a grocery store.

N

Or wherever and without that citizen component of a first response, we're not going to save as many.

N

Lies so we need to improve uh the system overall and there's essentially what we're looking at.

N

Our responses and again I'll preface this with we question the accuracy of the data.

N

We're already hard at work, um looking at a couple of different elements that are out there, that we.

N

Can change uh we're going to be trying out some software, but the best that we can see.

N

Twenty eight thousand six hundred twenty two total responses, fire and ems with twenty one thousand.

N

Four hundred and seventy nine of those being ems, uh that's a busy system. It's a consistent system.

N

In terms of time of day, when we see calls or typically before, 10 o'clock at night, however, we.

N

See higher acuity calls uh in the middle of the night and we tend to be running calls 24, 7. and.

N

We look at those numbers going up in the future. We've taken heat maps through our gis section.

N

And we have plotted on the charts the data. Obviously the reddened areas are where the high.

N

Volume of calls are occurring with westminster, sykesville and mount airy being the three busiest.

N

Companies, in fact, running uh close to six thousand. If you look at their data, we're over six thousand.

N

uh In ems calls mount area coming close to two thousand um sykesville up close to four thousand.

N

So we have some busy areas so we're looking at five core areas: uh the tawny town, uh westminster.

N

And I'm gonna take manchester uh line borough and hampstead and call that one area, because.

N

You'll see as they come together into a contiguous area, then we have sykesville down in the southern.

N

Corner and finally, we have mount airy, which also has first through responsibilities into frederick.

N

County for the remainder of the town of mount airy, so these five areas constitute 75 percent.

N

Of all of our responses, so those are the high impact areas where any staffing model we need to.

N

Get those areas covered at the same time we have 25 in all of these other areas. However, we cannot.

N

Negate our responsibility to provide fire and ems into those areas, while the volume may be limited.

N

We're still talking life-and-death situations, both fire and ems, that we have to provide.

N

uh Immediate coverage to try to get below or equal to that five minute threshold, so we have.

N

A series of plans and uh I'm going to show you the plan and taylor, is going to talk about the.

N

Physical impact of each of those, so this is our plan a in our first year year, one which is.

N

Fiscal 23, four supervisors that we've previously approved. We have two additional administrative.

N

Positions proposed for this year, one of those will be infrastructure, support for our two managers.

N

That are coming on board. The other person will be a medical billing specialist, as we take over the.

N

Billing we're going to need to have a full-time person to interface with the billing company to.

N

Assure hipaa compliance to make sure our reports are compliant and we also will be taking over.

N

All of the uh subpoenas and inquiries from attorneys and that's pretty high volume when you.

N

Look at the aggregate of the 13 stations right now. Each volunteer company has an ems officer.

N

That's spending in the neighborhood, sometimes of five or six hours a week on their own time.

N

Just tracking down ems reports, because they've got a legal subpoena and should they not be compliant.

N

With that, I guess they'll be in contempt, so we're going to have a position that will do that.

N

Combined with the billing and will assure that level of quality and the other thing that will do.

N

Is it will enhance our revenues overall because we're going to be able to maintain that.

N

Consistency and that connectivity with that vendor, so two administrative positions, we're looking at.

N

Westminster with 32, they currently have six on a shift as I've spoken about previously, we.

N

Want to take certain stations and add floaters, which means additional people that will offset.

N

Among all the stations, the people that call in sick, the people that take.

N

Scheduled leave time unforeseen emergencies to try to eliminate overtime, we're not going to.

N

Completely eliminate it, there will still be cases where we pay overtime, but those two people will.

N

Have an impact on those days where we have no staffing shortages, those two additional people.

N

Will allow us allow us to put a third unit up at westminster and or go throughout the county.

N

Where they're, having a staffing issue that day, that gives us the flexibility to put people even.

N

At volunteer stations that have yet to come under our staffing model, so if, for example, line borough.

N

Is short of paramedic and it means all they have? Is an ambulance driver today, who's an emt.

N

We can send one of those paramedics over there to assure that they have staffing that day.

D

If I may direct robinson, can you explain to the public the predicament these departments.

D

Have with the workers, comp insurance and how this will alleviate that problem? Yes, we will assume all.

N

Benefits and associated costs, which means payroll taxes, will take care of workers. Comp coverage.

N

Should anybody get injured will come under the county? They will also be eligible uh to join the.

N

County public safety pension system, which you all passed several months ago, which is actually.

N

Very good incentive and part of their career path and health insurance, which is a huge item. And I.

N

Can tell you that carroll county has probably one of the best, if not the best health care.

N

Benefits of any of the agencies surrounding us, so all those things right now at significant expense.

N

Probably each individual right now being paid for by a local volunteer company.

N

They may be paying upwards of twenty five thousand dollars a year in health care.

N

And multiply that in westminster's case times 24., so the sustainment of that long term.

N

And westminster is a larger company bringing in more revenues but take that to the other.

N

12 companies that are in the ems business and it's just a very significant financial burden.

N

And on top of that, they have to meet the shortfalls in the operating budget. That.

N

We don't supply and all capital improvements and all capital projects and unfortunately doing a.

N

Dinner for three or four hours just does not bring the profits, as it has historically and.

N

We're looking at two years right now of losing significant funding as a result of the pandemic, so.

N

All of these things will be of great help, so our proposal in plan a looks at 62 people.

N

Initially get things started to develop the system, then, in year two we would bring on.

N

Sykesville and since last night, I'm going to have to stand corrected, sykesville will.

N

Actually has decided, they don't want the floaters there, so we can easily put them somewhere else.

N

To offset that, so we're still looking at the same number of people in year, two and additional 56.

N

With an additional 56 in year, three and then finalizing it, bringing us to a total of 222 people.

B

Why wouldn't he want floaters there? uh Well, they believe that they're, an active enough company.

N

That having the additional people there may deter volunteers wanting to come around because.

N

There might be times when they're, absolutely extra people, they're riding their engine and.

N

I can tell you from my own volunteer experience when you have start to get career people, and this.

N

Is going to be a dynamic that we're going to have to deal with is a lot of volunteers?.

N

Rather than get up at two o'clock in the morning for alarm bells sounding in a nursing home for.

N

The third time today, knowing they got to go to work in three hours, may have a tendency to say.

N

Hey, there's no need for us to go there. The paid people will take care of it, so their concern is.

N

They're very strong right now. This just happened as recent as last night and that's not an issue.

N

We will simply place them in another strategic area and chances are they're not going to be extra.

N

Staffing once we get the numbers increasing, if you look at year, two that's going to take us up to 118.

N

People and ultimately to 222 six people isn't going to make as big of a dent we're going to.

N

Be paying more overtime or add more floaters, so I can assure you that we'll be balancing it out and.

N

We'll have a shift commander on each shift, he'll be using the county's new staffing software vti.

N

And we'll assure that those people are being used to the best interests of the the county.

N

So that is, uh plan n and let taylor take over from here. Okay, um so I think I just want to preface.

O

This was saying that everything you see here is based on an assumption. There are some pieces that.

O

We definitely know, for example, the physicals are going to come to you right after this presentation.

O

So we know what that cost is, but there are some costs still being developed. So while this is our.

O

Our best assumptions as of right now there's definitely some things that could change.

O

But I think what I'll do is I'll go over. What each of the rows are for you and then the the basis.

O

Follows through so, as you see each plan, those lines will be identical in terms of what they.

O

Encompass just the numbers change, so the salary and benefits line in that first year is exactly as.

O

As as it says, it's the salary benefits associated with the employees, there's ongoing operating.

O

And that includes things like microsoft office, subscriptions cell phones for certain employees.

O

Physicals that they need to get each year that we are going to require, and things of that.

O

Nature uniforms also included there one-time items, that's mainly driven by scba equipment.

O

So we need to outfit them in the first year and then there'll be a replacement cycle. That.

O

Kind of picks up at the outside of what you see in front of you, so it starts to pick up again.

O

In 29, based on that that standard of replacement, then there's revenues, that's a three prong line. It.

O

Includes what would be reduced from visa's allocation for ems 24 7.? It also includes.

O

Based on reporting that they gave us of what we would get in billing again, an assumption made.

O

And it was pre-coveted, so we did not base that on covet numbers because we know those are probably.

O

Skewed and then also what we give them for evods currently, because under this particular plan,.

O

The evods would not be funded through them. We would be taking on that responsibility.

O

So the the bolded line there is the total general fund needed and, as you can see, that grows over.

O

Time um but I want to bring special attention to the part that says prior planned general fund.

O

uh If you recall from last year, we did have a plan in place, we have since said, you know we're.

O

Going to go in a different direction, but you did have general fund dollars in your operating plan.

O

For the implementation of fire and ems, so that offsets what you need, you know, in addition to.

O

So the final line there, that's in all capitals, shows what you would need to put in an addition to.

O

So, as you can see, um I don't know how this worked out, but the first year is zero.

O

And then obviously it grows and the last year because you hadn't put anything in because.

O

We only do a six year plan, there is no new general fund, it would just be an ongoing.

O

Commitment of 16.3 million dollars and growing and most of that growth is in the salary line.

O

The salary growths go along with what regular county employees get, which is five point. Five five.

O

Percent waning to five percent in the out years, and that was based on prior plans that we made.

N

Okay, so I will take a look at the pros and cons of each of these, and the other thing is.

N

At the end of those five years or six years, um there is no assumption that there's any.

N

Growth to the system, so what we assume is at the end of that term, that there's no need to.

N

Add additional positions because the staffing would stay consistent and we really are unable to.

N

Sufficiently predict that due to societal issues or population increases aging of the population.

N

And all those dynamics that tend to change your demand versus your supply for service, so pros.

N

Of plan, a three of the five high volume areas that we identified from our heat map would be addressed.

N

That being tonytown westminster and manchester, we provide consistent revenue source, which.

N

We would hope would increase because it's going to become centrally managed.

N

And there's some incentives for our billing agency, the private agency to.

N

Bring in greater revenues at less cost to us, it provides shift supervision and enhancement.

N

With a supervisor, our goal is on any critical call that we can get two paramedics to the scene. This.

N

Would provide us with one county-wide car to cover that they'd also be the supervisor, so we.

N

Can immediately address current gaps that we've identified with our medical quality assurance.

N

One of the challenges is when a single provider is in a time compressed.

N

Challenging situation um high stress level, there is a greater tendency to make more errors.

N

And these can be patient care errors, so our recommendation is with the shift supervisor.

N

We can get a second person to cardiac arrest, unconscious, opioid overdose, there's lesser of a.

N

Margin of error, because now we have two advanced life: support providers; working on that patient.

N

So that would be an enhancement and a staffing enhancement with two in our floater pool.

N

um Cons in year, one we're only staffing three of the 13 stations and we believe there's a.

N

Greater need for that staffing currently limited coverage county-wide by the als chase vehicle.

N

Because he's got a lot of geography 430, whatever square miles that they have to cover.

N

Does not address the current staffing issues of the other stations which are in a very challenging.

N

Position currently for consistency and because of the slow growth of the system under this plan,.

N

There may be a lot of people currently employed by the volunteers that have.

N

Opportunities given the demand in the area for up to a thousand uh positions over the next year.

N

So, plan b is essentially the same as plan a. However, our proposal is, in addition to the.

N

Single car, with our shift commander supervisor, we would propose two additional chase cars. These.

N

Would be suv type vehicles? These would be regular paramedics, not a promoter or supervisory rank.

N

But we would strategically deploy them. We've divided the county into three geographic.

N

Areas that we've deemed battalions battalion one two and three we would strategically deploy those.

N

Throughout each battalion, we would determine uh a place for them to have a base where they would.

N

Sleep but essentially during the working hours up till nine or ten o'clock at night.

N

They would be responsible to monitor the radio and, as calls would be dispatched, they would be.

N

Automatically, due through our computer-aided dispatch system on high acuity calls, but at.

N

The same time when, for example, tawny town gets a call and they're transporting up to gettysburg.

N

That unit would move over to tawny, town and, along with their driver. We now have two people.

N

They could either a take the second medic unit out of tawny town or, if they're on the street, when a.

N

Call comes, and union bridge is coming over, they can immediately get there. So the concept of that.

N

Is rapid response, quick deployment and uh the secondary uh benefit is, is to assure to advance.

N

Life support providers or paramedics on every high acuity, critical care call and right now, when you.

N

See some of the challenges that our paramedics have they're all about uh wanting something.

N

Better because we are, we are really running them uh to their extremes and, like I said, the net.

N

Result is the more of those decision-making scenarios we have under compressed time.

N

Where they have to make recognition prime decision making choices, the higher the affinity for making.

N

Errors, so we believe that that will help that so other than that that staffing plan remains.

N

The same the numbers go up to 58 in year, one and up to a high of 230 people. When the plan is fully.

N

Marched out into fy 26. I'll, let taylor yeah so the next! um So this one and the next two.

O

That michael was going to talk about they all end up at the same place. It's just about timing.

O

So it is um ultimately a 230 staff level and if you look at the final year.

O

In the total general fund needed line, you'll see that there's a 17.3 million dollar.

O

Price tag at the end of the plan you're going to see that, with all the three.

O

Next, it's just whether it's front loaded or not so that's kind of the only caveat I have for these.

N

Okay, so plan b pros.

N

Addressing two of the five high volume regions allows for flexible deployment and coverage.

N

Provides that als chase car county-wide now that may not end up being a long-term.

N

Thing once this plan is fully vetted, but in an interim basis, while we're going with incremental.

N

Staffing because, obviously there's going to be physical constraints with this, it allows us to.

N

Make a reasonable effort to assure that gaps in coverage are filled and at the same time we assure.

N

uh That additional als capability throughout the county, so the impact of those two paramedics that.

N

Will equal three roving chase cars essentially is going to make a big impact, particularly on.

N

Our critical care calls and that'll meet our recommendations nationally for those high acuity.

N

uh Responses, some cons only provide staffing for two of 13 stations in year. One.

N

Staffing turnover again, the challenge of the other stations is, is that.

N

Other stations will see turnover of their people, so I use sykesville as my example.

N

Who, right now on their uh four shifts, they have two paramedics on each shift, so that's potentially.

N

Eight paramedics that are available because we're going to have 12 positions, nailing these cars or.

N

They may get hired by westminster if they're the only stations, so the fear of the other stations.

N

And I just use sykesville as an example is they're going to lose their current employees and now they.

N

Have to go out to a limited, if not non-existent, staffing pool to try to replace people, and so.

N

There's a cascading effect to whatever we do so we're going to have to look at contingencies in.

N

The short term as to what we can do to avoid that and again ongoing issues by the unstaffed stations.

N

To support that just one question: I know this: what not understanding a whole lot about this.

B

Okay, we hire uh paramedics here at these stations and they still want.

B

To work overtime, can they go to a a station, that's not manned and be hired part-time or.

N

Under the under the current model, they can, uh as you are aware, we had a labor attorney that.

N

We've been consulting with, and I'd defer that to uh mr burke about to put him on the spot. You did.

K

I'm sorry, could you repeat the question.

B

Okay, we have a a paramedic hired by the county. Yes can he still work part-time for some of the.

B

uh uh Stations that aren't under the county at the present time and.

K

Yes, he can't he or she can. uh There is a pro we kind of have to thread the needle a little bit.

K

uh With that, but uh I think after reviewing the advice that we got, that we can, we can make that.

K

Work, I mean if they want to, but wouldn't that's kind of balance, some of this as we get moving.

B

Ahead, this is going to take several years to move. Yes, it absolutely could and that's the case now.

N

Where we have people working for one station who are working for multiple stations, ultimately, when.

N

Everyone becomes staffed or whoever is going to be staffed by the county. Now it's no longer.

N

Their choice to work there they'd have to be selected and in our staffing system that we have.

N

Through the county, um we're going to have that program that will have an automatic callback list.

N

That will generate a name if it's your turn, based on a number of dynamics, that'll be entered in.

N

It'll be an equitable system to distribute overtime for those slots, but once everybody is.

N

Staffed, then, the liability from a pay perspective will no longer be straight time at that company's.

N

Rate it'll be time and a half overtime. Assuming that in a cycle that we're going to have and.

N

It gets pretty complicated in a 28-day cycle if they are not over the threshold.

N

Of x number of hours in a work week, 42 on average, then it might be straight time, but.

N

In most cases, it would be overtime we do have built in to our might want to speak about it.

N

Automatic overtime for each employee annually, which would average out so it'll, be something.

N

That's already budgeted for and we would think we'd be able to adequately manage it. But there's.

N

Always going to be contingencies, should we see another rendition of the pandemic? You know we.

N

Might be in a crisis mode at that point in time, but certainly we'll be preparing and.

N

We're always forecasting, you know ahead of things with our staffing plan from our side.

N

We'll be staffing at least one shift out um annual leave we'll have programmed in a year in advance.

N

So we're going to be doing a pretty significant job by our on-duty shift commander with oversight.

N

Of how we do that to try to reduce the cost, but because we're going to be a 24-7 operation.

N

Other than 9-1-1 and the sheriff's, nobody else is doing that in county government.

N

So there's going to be a lot of dynamics that come with that, so that's it for plan b, plan c.

N

Looks at staffing, essentially what we've looked at already and beyond the two stations initially.

N

We're looking at adding manchester again manchester, because if you look at that whole.

N

Route 30 carter, hampstead, lineborough and manchester manchester is centrally located.

N

So I could deploy a unit if the others didn't have their regular cc. Visa staffing.

N

And they are centrally located, it would also be a viable location to place one of our chase cars.

N

Because, in a lot of days, hampstead might have only an emt ambulance or lime burrow in the.

N

Same boat, they can quickly deploy within five minutes to either of those territories.

N

To augment that staffing and turn them into a paramedic unit, so.

N

We feel that under plan c, that would make sense that would take us up to 70 people in year. One.

N

And again, the end run of that is 230 people total. So taylor can explain the physical uh not much to.

O

Add here other than like, I said, you're going to see that 17.3 at the end and it's all about.

O

Just adding the extra station earlier makes it more heavy in the cost in the front end.

N

So pros to plan c three of the high volume regions are being addressed.

N

Flexible deployment, we get the als chase uh car coverage, uh the cons we're now only staffing.

N

Three of the 13 in year, one uh we have the same issues as with the other plans with the staffing.

N

Turnovers so I'll go into uh plan d, unless anybody had any other questions on c.

N

um Plan d again brings to bear the other plans, we've added sykesville on to that.

N

For several reasons, number one sykesville is number two in terms of call volume, but we also.

N

Look at the level of development, another unique thing about sykesville is they have a lot of.

N

Special care facilities, which includes nursing homes. Obviously we have springfield hospital.

N

That's there they're getting ready to build a new veterans home, so we have a lot of extended health.

N

Care assisted living and other facilities that are continuously taxing those units.

N

Again, the number for sykesville will say will be 24 will immediately take those eight people put.

N

Them to tawny town, uh which would mean tawnytown, could operate two units that would give us.

N

Three stations operating two units every day, 24 7, potentially, unless they're being used to offset.

N

Over time gives us the same thing with the chase cars that number uh comes up to 90 in year. One.

N

Which is a a pretty high number, however, the impact is pretty significant when we look at the areas.

N

We're going to hit the two highest volume areas and we're also going to be hitting tawny. Town.

N

Which is probably the greatest challenged area right now in terms of our deficient staffing and.

N

Consistency of not being adequately staffed and then we pick up the other uh in two subsequent.

N

Or three subsequent years up to the number of 230 and incrementally increasing uh the floaters there.

N

So the biggest change between the other plans is we look at sykesville.

N

And what that avoids is is that challenge of the staffing that does not become county employees and.

N

Either look to go elsewhere or they fill in our blanks with the three chase cars.

N

And sykesville nail has a consistent problem with staffing and a high volume station.

O

There's your 17.3 again she's, making it too easy. Okay,.

N

So I now go into um with that plan again the pros three of the high volume regions.

N

Which only leaves two that aren't covered uh allows for flexible deployment.

N

The chase car, the two als providers, the other big thing is- is our initial revenues in year. One.

N

Are going to be significantly enhanced because we're looking at the volume created by.

N

Sykesville the volume created by westminster- and that gives us four floaters so.

N

Almost assured that on any given shift, we're going to have at least one additional unit available.

N

So that's going to increase our revenues additionally on a daily basis, so that's.

N

The high impact of that is now we've got a lot more revenue being produced in year. One.

N

Cons of that we're still only staffing three of the 13 stations.

N

And we still look at the challenges for all of that staffing.

N

So now we have plan e or echo, which you've seen before, and we looked at tweaking this and.

N

uh Discussed in fundamentals, uh what would happen? We didn't reveal the plans to anybody, but we did.

N

Discuss with esac what would be the impact so looking at this, this takes all five of those.

N

Areas from the map and high impact, we're hitting them all with staffing uh in year, one including.

N

uh Placing uh 20 people at tawny, town out of the gate, which means they'll, have two medic.

N

Units all the time, or at least one ambulance and one paramedic unit, the same thing with manchester.

N

And actually sykesville. If they don't want those two floaters, we can easily redeploy them to.

N

Westminster they've already consented. They would take the extra people, which means we would have.

N

The ability to have almost all the time three units at westminster and the big impact of that, if.

N

We look at any of our gaps every day. The problem is, everything is drawn down into westminster,.

N

Which means pleasant, valley's drawn down new windsor comes across manchester comes across.

N

Reece goes up, so we basically have four to six surrounding units are drained consistently.

N

Because of what's occurring in westminster, so this would assure probably 90 percent of the time we'd.

N

Have that third unit at westminster will also be looking at dynamic staffing. So if numbers go down.

N

After midnight, we can look at the stations that may not have volunteer crews and we can augment.

N

Fire staffing or specialty pieces: we want to be very careful that we're not doing anything.

N

To overall deter volunteering, but we want to look at staffing gaps and fire suppression, for example,.

N

um Westminster has to respond to a fire with a medic unit with an engine with four people with.

N

A ladder tower with four people, so they've got staffing of 10 to get out on those calls.

N

Other stations have similar things if they have an engine company in either a ladder truck or a.

N

Rescue squad, so those people will not go to waste when we have everybody working, but eventually, when.

N

We're doing scheduled leave and everything that may not happen, so this is a finite plan. This would.

N

Staff out the fire department at 150 people total, it would staff those five core areas and that.

N

Would be essentially in year, one uh the plan would be fully vetted other than future growth. Somebody.

N

Would uh reopen the discussion and say we need to do something else. So taylor can talk to the.

N

Finances of this yeah, so this one might look a little bit strange as far as the bottom, but I.

O

Want to be very clear of any confusion, um this plan not only assumes that those five are the.

O

Only ones that we'd ever do, but it also assumes that we are no longer funding in any capacity.

O

Any ems or evods at any stations other than these five, so there's additional eight that we were on.

O

The other list are not included whatsoever and if they were to choose to keep ambulances in service.

O

It would be completely on their fundraising or other revenue stream time, so I just want to make.

O

Sure that's really clear for this one, which is why you see um the total new general fund required.

O

Actually, less than what we had previously put in our prior plan had about 195 employees, so there's.

O

Less on that part, but we're also not giving any money to visa we'd still be giving them.

O

Visa money for the fire piece, but the ems 24 7. We wouldn't give them anything. So that's why.

O

This looks a little bit different. Would this destroy the volunteer system that last one.

B

um I mean they would, I'm sure, there's a volunteer coming in I'm just thinking through.

B

This you just staffed with all paid personnel. Why should I volunteer well would have have.

N

Some impact in those stations, but primarily these people are still going to be staffing ems units, so.

N

What our data tells us is that there's very limited pockets of volunteer participation.

N

In ems, what I've offered to the volunteers numerous times is even once we get started. If you.

N

Have a second ambulance in your station that we're not staffing, you staff that we'll give you 100.

N

Of that revenue, because it's an all volunteer staff, I wouldn't think we'd be entitled to that.

N

So I throw that out there as an incentive, and I I just don't think that there are.

N

Dynamics out there and enough volunteer interest other than brand new emts that want to get some.

N

Experience but the desire to run ems for a multitude of reasons, primarily the time I mean.

N

Back in the day, commissioner, lance could leave home at dinner time when he was the ems captain.

N

uh Take a call in the valley run down to carroll hospital and be back in an hour an hour and a half.

N

Today, that same call takes you without a pandemic about three hours, so the desire isn't there, which.

N

Is why we're in this situation and the complexity of it has simply gone beyond a lot of volunteers?.

N

Wanting to step up to do that, it's not that they can't do that. It's that, not that they won't.

N

But they're not going to consistently do that so primarily, even with this much staffing there is.

N

No dedicated staff other than a driver to any fire apparatus, so volunteer stations are still.

N

Required to bring up three people for every fire call minimum and if they have multiple specialty.

N

Pieces, a rescue squad or a tower they've got to bring in eight to ten people than their tankers, so.

N

This as costly as it may look is still essentially funding. Ems.

N

But it's not funding any other elements of that and there will no longer be any.

N

Subsidized or career staffed in any of those peripheral companies, which totals eight stations.

B

Okay, let me ask you something: do we have enough personnel to do something at this magnitude.

N

And well right now, if we look at the numbers that are currently employed, uh it remains to be seen.

N

Our process that we're working on with hr has about eight different steps and no matter how.

N

You slice it: it's really a reasonable process because it will validate anyone in terms of.

N

Criminal backgrounds, aptitude, physical ability and lessons are liability. Ultimately, the question will.

N

Be is our hiring pool and, like I said previously, with a thousand positions on the table. Typically.

N

If I'm a 21 year old person and I've got all my credentials and merit badges that qualify me.

N

The question will be is, who else am I applying for? Well, if I live in westminster and I'm an.

N

Actor volunteer westminster, I'm going to probably apply for howard, frederick, montgomery anne arundel.

N

Baltimore county and they're going to do their own weighing in of all the things now, the good news is.

N

We're not requiring an academy because we're validating everyone's credentials against a.

N

Set of national standards that we believe are credible looking at their experience, so they're.

N

Not going to spend six months in an academy they're going to spend about a week or two being.

N

Oriented they're going to hit the ground running they're, also working seven to eight days a month.

N

With our shift configuration so when you compare that hour for hour, whatever our salary range is.

N

We are hopefully going to be competitive with what the other people are paying.

N

The challenge will be is, in this model, we're at a finite system of 150.. If we look at the other.

N

Models for potential growth- and I don't mean next week, but five and ten years down the road.

N

When the dynamics change, there's reason for somebody who's in their early 20s, starting.

N

Out in this career to want to come here on the ground level, particularly if they bring a lot.

N

Of additional credentials or degrees to the table, they may want to say hey. I think, there's promise.

N

In this carroll county system and 10 15 years from now, there's going to be all sorts of opportunities.

N

I want to be a part of this and, if you look at the future of other jurisdictions with.

N

Greater urbanization, demographic shifts and all the socio-economic issues that come with that.

N

One can predict where places are going. I see carroll county still retaining its rural.

N

Fiber, but also being a middle to upper middle class, suburban community and an adequate tax.

N

Base to focus on things going forward, so it's really going to be up to and to answer your.

N

Question for that 150 we're going to have to do quite a recruitment process for those numbers.

N

But I think, with the current people we have that I'm not going to call them incumbents, but people.

N

Who are currently working um and mr carolinka might be able to help me out. I think we've.

N

Probably got at least 125 to 150 in the system right now and then there are those part-time.

N

Employees that may say hey this looks like a good deal. I'm going to apply for carroll county.

N

And we'll bring those people on board, so I think the people will be there. The question will be.

N

Will we be able to retain these people and I think that's an unknown right now, because we may get.

N

People that are totally committed and then they get a telephone call and the phone says rockville.

N

And you know they're starting out ten thousand dollars higher.

N

You know, what's their decision going to be, and I can't really predict that um you know.

N

From an abstract perspective, there may be other reasons for them to come here. So all we can do.

D

Because the fuel effects are and the cost of fuel I mean that you're you're, absolutely right and.

N

There's so many dynamics and there's something to be said to be working in your hometown or to.

N

Be working where you grew up, so I think there's a lot of not really tangible elements that will draw.

N

People to here and again we're going to have a screening process that will cost a little bit of.

N

Money, but we want to assure that we're getting quality people and through the process we're.

N

Going to be talking to people to make sure they're making that commitment and that they're certain.

N

That this is the direction they want to go on. Of course, people who want a job are going to tell.

N

You a lot of things and we we get it. It's like the rest of the work world and you know I would be you.

N

Know not of sound mind if I didn't expect things to happen. So that's where we are with plan ed.

O

Yeah, we talked through that so real, quick pros and cons pros five of the five high volume regions.

N

Places 150 people into the system um immediately in this budget year and how long it takes them.

N

To get on board, it's obviously not going to happen in a month or two months. It's going to be.

N

Progressive and I wouldn't suggest that we would actually bring them all on the same day. It would.

N

Have to be staggered and consistent to some of the hr areas that have to be addressed. One other issue.

N

We have right now is in meeting with vendors, to begin our procurement process for uniforms. Turnout.

N

Gear right now with supply chain issues, there's an eight-month lag to get turnout gear, personal.

N

Protective equipment, so the current employees that I would think we would hire the majority. Obviously.

N

When they get through all the backgrounds and all the other steps in the process, they will be.

N

Allowed by their respective volunteer companies to bring that protective equipment with them, so they.

N

Could hit the ground running? They also have scba face pieces and if they have a current cc visa.

N

Physical, we're not going to give them another physical, but we've enhanced that with certain.

N

Things like a nicotine test because we're going to be smoke free, um we'll talk about that with the.

N

Physicals but basically we would have some people that are station ready if you will once they got.

N

Through the hiring process, which would one reduce our costs and two allow them to be very quickly,.

N

Oriented to carroll county hr to our own rules and policies that are under development, and we could.

N

Go from there, so I would say that if this plan went in, we would be able to get those 150 people.

N

So the pros are we're going to have additional revenues will be enhanced, we'll have six floaters.

N

The system will be built out in year one now. The cons only provide staffing for five of 13 stations.

N

I personally think we will have a lot of challenges with eight stations that are.

N

Totally unstaffed, particularly for the critical life and death ems type things plus, we don't know.

N

From day to day, where our system will be in terms of call volume, we make it saturated, and now we.

N

Have something going on in that northeast carter, the manchester area and there's nothing available.

N

So the system is built out no future plan growth, obviously ongoing issues any of the other staff.

N

That cc visa might have had now they got to pay for in total themselves, and that's probably going.

N

To be simply cost prohibitive, uh you'll see, volunteer, companies will just give up their.

N

Ems units which isn't healthy for the system because it gives us no ready reserves. If you will.

N

We're a lot like the military model when there's a catastrophic thing going on a conflict in our case.

N

A disaster or whatever the volunteers will always have that capability and statistically they always.

N

Produce if we suddenly need five ambulances, because we had a charter bus accident on 140.

N

Those stations would mobilize in this model, they may say: hey we're out of the ems business.

N

They're not doing anything to help us with resources we're getting rid of our ambulance.

N

So it would make us have an increased level of vulnerability now. Does it make dollars.

N

And sense to use plan e and does it on a regular day without any contingencies,.

N

Yep, it's pretty good plan, but it leaves us without any kind of reserve in terms of resources.

N

Or other contingencies, so eight stations would remain unstaffed and unfunded which, as I stated.

N

Lots of deployment issues with that. Well, three of those eight stations are in my district and.

D

I know that tours are in commissioner wayne's district, so this is a tough sell.

N

Yep, so here is what it is under that plan.

N

uh What we've done is we've taken a map and you'll see highlighted in green those five stations.

N

That would be impacted, that would be their coverage area and everything you see in white.

N

The blue represents what would then be a totally volunteer station and there is the gap in coverage.

N

So 75 of the call volume will be addressed. However, what is the impact of that other 25.

N

And just looking at it pragmatically, I would say those other 25 percent of citizens are.

N

Just as important as the other 75 percent and um that that's the challenge with the.

N

Decision making for this and again our big impact on critical events.

N

So let me move to plan esac and plan. Esac is per their charge under the code is esac met. They.

N

Discussed based on what commissioner lance and I were able to reveal for them, and we didn't want to.

N

Violate the confidentiality of what you all knew, so I talked in generalities.

N

So this is what they came up with. Is they looked at a plan essentially like plan echo.

N

N

The difference was, they lost a couple of people somewhere and they added the third.

N

Unit to westminster all the time, oh, I know where the difference was tawnytown didn't have.

N

The extra staffing and manchester didn't for two units, but what would happen here is westminster.

N

Would operate three units 24 7. sykesville would operate. Two units. uh Tawny town would take those.

N

Eight people that sykesville decides they don't want us the floaters and they would potentially.

N

Have two units going on mount airy would have two units plus floaters, so 142 people would staff.

N

All five of those critical impact areas out of the gate and their proposal would be beyond year. One.

N

We wouldn't plan right now strategically to add anybody, but for at least the next.

N

Year to two years and I'll give commit chairman baker a second. If he wants to comment on that.

N

Basically, they would see where that went. We would include the funding, as is now for the 24, 7 ems and.

N

The evods in all the remaining eight stations, so the eight stations would use a different source of.

N

Funding they'd have the cc visa funding. We would build out our initial high impact stations with.

N

142 personnel now, obviously this is going to be more costly, as taylor will uh show you, because.

N

Now we're paying on the carroll county fire and ems side and we're still paying on the cc visa.

N

Side, but what that would be an opportunity for us to do in the interim year or two years.

N

It would give us an opportunity to see how the system balances out where the demands are to.

N

Correct or to collect uh some real-time data from some improved software that we intend to procure.

N

And we can really take a look at where the big impact is and then revisit it so year. One there'd.

N

Be a big impact: we'd continue what we're doing now for the additional eight stations and then.

N

After year, two or three esac would determine that and they're gonna be meeting again on the six to.

N

Try to fine tune this plan and then we would move from there. So let me turn it over to taylor. Excuse.

D

Me, what is the additional software you allude to and is it in budget or is it something forthcoming.

N

um We're looking at a new statistical package we're using a system that everyone involved.

N

The volunteer stations ourselves, the challenge is: we've got to do a handshake between a statistical.

N

Package and the software keystone that powers our whole 911 computer-aided dispatch system.

N

Our ability to take that out and a lot of it is tied to policies. So we've made a sub-committee.

N

It's uh being led by chief rock from sykesville and they're, going to look at what we're currently.

N

Doing and what we need so, for example, right now, if westminster gets a call in downtown westminster.

N

They respond, say four or five pieces of apparatus out of westminster, same incident number generated.

N

By 9-1-1, but that's accounting for four or five different calls and then something changes.

N

Engine three one out of westminster decided not to go that the officer said we're gonna, take three.

N

Two and now takes that first engine and shows them responding, not at all so it shows that westminster.

N

Failed in a fire in their first new area when, in reality all they did was change engines.

N

And unfortunately, from a statistical perspective, it's complex, but that handshake is not occurring.

N

The way it should so esac has weighed in on it. We've had a number of meetings, so I.

N

Had the volunteer fire ops group, the other night they've appointed a task force and they're going.

N

To be meeting to address some areas, we've got some uh demo products that chief rocket sykesville.

N

And uh to his credit, he's spending about 10 hours a month manually, doing statistics just to validate.

N

Or invalidate, what's there so um they've they've taken the lead in it, so we're going to let them.

N

Come up with a solution and then we'll take a look at that solution, and this would put us on par with.

D

Neighboring jurisdictions, yes, in fact, two of the software products we've looked at so far.

N

Are what's being used in other jurisdictions in the region? Good? So to answer your budget question.

O

Commissioner, no, it is not included in these figures because we don't have any like order.

O

Of magnitude right now and what that would be okay, so that's a potential additional expenditure. Thank.

D

You for clarifying that there's going to be a lot of areas of conflict. I think, between moving into.

B

This are you: have your plans already in place to handle all these? How it's going to go? Yes! Well,.

N

What we've been doing stations? Yes, what we've been doing is we have a task force about eight people.

N

Including volunteer presidents uh cc visas, president, the chairman of esac.

N

And we have two career representatives, one representing the union organization and one.

N

Representing career people at large, and they have done a tremendous job in developing an mou.

N

There's still a few areas that we have to further discuss, but the concept is here: are the rules of.

N

Engagement: here's what we have access to with our employees and basically we're looking at.

N

Health and sanitation entertainment features, they realize they're guests. They will follow the work.

N

uh Schedules that the volunteer station set, the other thing I did the other night is I've created.

N

A task force among the volunteer chiefs to address a chain of commands. Sooner than later, that will be.

N

An integrated chain of command that positions, the volunteer officers alongside of career supervisors.

N

So everyone knows what their role is in the near and distant future. The volunteer chief.

N

Officers, meaning the chief of that department, will always retain command of the incident. Seen.

N

And with that will come a set of standards that they will be held to much like the career people.

N

And I have a lot of direct experience from other jurisdictions crafting these agreements and it.

N

Will be a legal agreement signed by each company? It'll obviously have to be approved for legal.

N

Sufficiency by the county attorney and then it would certainly be brought before this group so.

N

We believe that that will be the foundation of letting us get away along well, but on top.

N

Of that we're going to have some training for our employees the before they hit the ground.

N

That will be interpersonal dynamics, based hr type training and uh behind closed doors. They will be.

N

Handed this is the rules and we're going to have zero tolerance for them, uh creating any kind of.

N

Offensive environment or anything that's going to create a conflict and part of our interview.

N

Process will be, how do you perceive working in a mixed career, volunteer, environment and.

N

It does work successfully throughout the country. There has to be mutual respect and we're going to.

N

Have zero tolerance on both sides and part of our shift? Supervisor's job will be as soon as.

N

There's a conflict that can't be resolved at the station. That person will be there to mediate. That.

N

They'll be there to administer the discipline and, as we get bigger, the system will grow with that.

N

But um your dynamics that you speak of in any work environment, particularly where we've got.

N

We own it while we work here, and you know I've been dealing with that for for 46 years and we.

N

Have fortunately, people in our system that are volunteer officers that work as officers.

N

In other systems, so they have a tremendous amount of experience how to deal with that.

N

We are in the process of I just got word from the international association of fire chiefs.

N

Is we're going to be awarded a scholarship to attend a three-day program in nashville tennessee.

N

Put on by the international association of fire chiefs and that program is to take key leaders of.

N

A system, so it's going to be a representative from the union, a representative from esac.

N

And hopefully the ccv is a president and we're going to travel to this seminar.

N

All costs are paid for by the international association of fire chiefs. I got a federal grant.

N

And this focuses on situational dynamics. Group role plays things like that with the intent to.

N

Bring it back and then hopefully we're going to be able to get more people into this class. So.

N

I think it's going to be a game-changing direction that we're going to get and a whole toolbox.

N

With different things to bring back with us and policies, so that's going to get us on the right.

N

Track, if you will to try to avoid these things, are we still going to have some.

N

Conflicts sure, but my goal will be, is at my level I'm going to find out about them right away.

N

And we're still small enough where we're going to immediately address these kinds of things.

N

But it's going to be a two-way street and our people going to recognize their guests.

N

But we hope that they're going to be welcome guests. So the mou that we've been working on.

N

We've been making a lot of progress and we hope that's going to guide us forward and it's got.

N

A reopener every year, if they're, not happy, then we can go back and talk about it. Okay,.

N

Okay, so the esac plan, uh the pros, are everything we talked about.

N

Plus we're going to maintain staffing, as opposed to plan echo, so that staffing will remain there.

N

And, even though we're doing an initial staffing plan and leaving it alone for up to two years,.

N

We'll be able to gauge a lot more effectively as to what's really needed beyond that.

N

The cons of that systems built out initially to be determined future growth.

N

Ongoing issues with stations unstaffed uh by the career people we're going to have the full-time.

N

People that are working for vc cc visa funding and then we're going to have our people that.

N

Are complete with benefits that means that eight volunteer stations still have to assume payroll.

N

Tax workers, comp pensions, health insurance, which is becoming an increasing burden, as we've already.

N

Talked about so that would be of concern yeah, that's why I alluded to that earlier. I know how.

D

Big of a challenge it is for our departments. Yes, so increase staffing challenges just to get people.

N

Theoretically, if they're still separate corporate entities, our career people on their.

N

Off-Duty time could still work as part-timers, but again as our numbers increase the overtime.

N

Opportunities are going to increase, so do you go and work for dollars an hour at station x or.

N

Do you work for thirty two dollars an hour staying at westminster for another day or half day.

N

So those are all the challenges, so uh lots of things thrown at you this morning. To summarize.

N

There are multiple options. The good news is, I'm not the decision maker.

N

But you all have a formidable challenge, because the issue is here: the issue is not going away. It's.

N

Simply going to grow, we have, these are all of our systemic needs, not new and they're growing service.

N

Demands are going to continue to increase and we need to have the staffed resources to go with them.

N

We understand that this is going to be most likely an incremental progression.

N

With an ongoing transition because it does have a significant price tag, but at the end of the cycle.

N

We're coming out with the same uh costing for what we need to do. Probably yesterday.

N

And I'll liken this to an analogy with the military. All of us, as citizens are willing.

N

To pay trillions of dollars every year for a robust military which we see where that comes into.

N

Play currently and we use that term operational readiness, if not one shot, is fired domestically.

N

The military and the department of defense has done their job because they've kept us safe. Just.

N

The virtue of the fact that we know that there are things deployed at military installations across.

N

The world and in the skies and under the seas the same thing here, the citizens want to know that we.

N

Are operationally ready, performing a critical governmental function that being fire and ems.

N

So there is a cost to that: it's not all about how many calls and what's the call volume it's about.

N

People going by those stations knowing that, if they're not out on a call.

N

They're in those stations- and there is some level of an initial deployment and our goal is.

N

Is to maintain and sustain uh just that, so I want to thank you all for your time and attention.

N

I know I've gone over my 15 minutes that I was given, but I there's nothing more important to me.

N

Right now than um the decisions that have to be made, actually it was an hour and 15 minutes now.

A

Very uh appreciate all of the um you know uh points you brought up and.

A

You know those that participate as well prior. I appreciate your comments and yeah three gentlemen.

A

um You know, I think we all took notes uh for all of it, so we have a lot to digest.

A

Any uh comments yeah and that this is finally out and everyone can see it.

E

I'd like to hear back from on email from people that are in the trenches and are dealing with this.

E

What do they think yes and I'll be putting this out, and they don't have to come back with? I, like.

E

Plant, a or c, but maybe like parts of this plant parts another plant just because these are out.

E

Here- and it doesn't mean knees are one of these- is the one that's going to get picked. It might be.

E

Part of this and part of that that we that we like, but I'd like to hear from the people that are.

E

Out there and doing and doing a job see what they what they uh you know, what what their thoughts are.

E

And- and this is now available for the public somewhere- isn't it yes and you can be a sure.

N

We'll be putting this up on our site in a matter of minutes, uh because I know my admin assistant is.

N

Watching this and hanging on to every word so um cali, you can go ahead and put the prop the.

N

Presentation out and we'll put it out on the respective organizations on their sites and.

N

I'd like to say that this isn't my plan or me, this is our plan and the systems plan, and I want to.

N

Thank um particularly the three organizations that are here today, the the cc visa, the esac.

N

And the carroll county, professional, firefighters and paramedics organization, all three of us.

N

Actually do have a lot of discussions. We all have the same goals in mind. Maybe a little bit.

N

Different diversions along the way, but at the end of the day we want to put the citizens first and.

N

We want to assure this continuity of service 24 7., so very well. Thank you all for your time. Thank.

N

You, commissioner, yeah the only thing that esac's going to be meeting on the sixth correct and a.

C

Reminder that you know esac is uh made up of of uh folks from from all walks, including uh the public.

C

There's three there's three individuals uh at large on there, so they'll be uh vetting. This too.

C

If we could just go back real quick to just one of the plans hit see, I don't I know, there's a.

C

Lot of people watching- and uh I don't want this to be glossed over- one of them scenery.

C

Either one I I no go back there to that: okay to the finance part of it, the fiscal part of it. The.

C

Chart that taylor had yeah. I want folks to realize what you're looking at here and not get glossed.

C

Over what is indeed necessary- uh which one is this- this is e. Okay, go back to like to like c mike.

C

There you go, you want the money or you want. I want the money. Show me the money, that's right.

A

There you go there, you go. I want folks to look at this because, as we see each agency come in.

C

Here over the last week and we're going to see it again today, asking for more and more and more.

C

Public safety is the number one priority I believe, as an elected official. I've always said that, but.

C

I want folks to pay attention to that bottom line. The total new general funds that would be.

C

Required now that's an average, but this is over and above what is needed for any of these plants.

C

This is a very important line and I don't want folks to forget about that.

C

We're seeing agencies come in here that are getting really good increases from us, but yet.

C

They want more, and I want folks to realize that this is the bottom line here.

C

New general funds are going to be required of whatever one of these plans.

C

We choose and that's very important, so you be the judge of that and uh honestly.

C

We can't tax our way out of any of this, so we've got some hard decisions ahead.

A

Okay, any other discussion before you go into the next topic of pre-employment physicals for.

A

The department of fire emergency medical services. Thank you very much taylor. Thank you good morning.

P

Commissioners- mr president, you did have one comment card on this. Okay, please, mr mike carolinko,.

K

Yeah thoughts came into my mind earlier uh kind of contemplating this coming up, but I.

J

I don't know if I have the latitude real, quick to say something just not in context.

J

With anything specific that was just discussed, but something that kind of weighs on me overall.

J

And I'll keep it brief, but I worked in another jurisdiction uh before I came to cairo, where we.

J

Were ems only we didn't have fire suppression, capabilities for the career staff, um no scba.

J

uh The breathing apparatus no uh turnout here uh I was dispatched to a house fire as an ambulance.

J

We arrived on scene, uh we had one burn patient uh that jumped out of the front of the house.

J

And uh the second potential patient was in the back of the house and uh went around.

J

Because of the conditions that we were in um couldn't get to her initially talking to her.

J

It's a difficult situation, and you know I remember when she stopped calling after help I'll, never.

J

Forget that, and I experienced a little bit- I guess in that moment the helplessness of waiting for.

J

That help to come and and not having the career, staffing or not having those people in the station.

J

Be able to get that unit out waiting for response check, knowing that they weren't getting out and.

J

Then, knowing that it was a long time- and actually it was a significant distance, but harney was one.

J

Of the first arriving, all of those guys forever because of that- and uh you know that we talk about.

J

The dollars and cents we're going to talk about all of the implications of all these things. Long.

J

Term, but I can tell you that for anybody that experiences that stuff steve, I know, you've got.

J

Spots in your your career that are in your head, you know this takes up room in my head constantly.

J

And we want to be there for all those people that are going to have those moments. So, while.

J

We're contemplating all those dollars and cents all that that's going to mean to the county in.

J

The long term those are lives, then uh I can tell you that the outcome of that was hard to look at.

J

So okay well said so with the far less significant piece of that. I just wanted to say that.

J

uh Director alluded to it a little bit ago. Was um these physicals coming not assuming.

J

Any decisions the commissioners will will not make um you know going and staying away from.

J

Acronyms, the national fire protection association was for the tons of standards. 1582 is the standard.

J

For um I can't remember the exact term of it, but it's the medical physicals essentially and.

J

The everything that goes along with that um we already you have about 100. Actually, I think it's.

J

Slightly more than that got career folks in the county right now already a resource to.

J

You with that tournament gear, we talked about with the institutional knowledge of already.

J

Serving this this, this this county and the investment there, but we also ca all carry.

J

That current certification, with a 1582 physical, that will ultimately save you money and time.

J

In the hiring process, as you come over, so that is a direct resource to you guys if you so choose to.

J

Go with that route and the uh the current physical plan that we have today so just wanted to bring.

J

That, from our perspective, something we already offer, so I appreciate that. Thank you. Okay, thanks.

A

Okay, director go ahead, I'm sorry, I've been talking too much. No comment. No seriously. I didn't see.

A

You take a breath. I was impressed, go ahead. We are here this morning to request your approval.

P

Toward a contract to frederick health employer solutions to provide pre-employment, physicals.

P

Frederick healthcare employer solutions was awarded a competitively bid contract from.

P

Howard county government, the types of physicals available will be the post offer at 731.91.

P

Post hire vaccines at 446.45.

P

And the annual exams at 921.

P

It is estimated that the department of fire ems could hire anywhere between 50 to 150 new.

P

Employees within the year, the estimated cost for these physicals with would be.

P

Or estimated to be a hundred and seventy six thousand seven hundred and fifty four dollars.

P

This cost um associated with the services within the allocated budget and no additional funds.

P

Should be needed and now all that likes thanks, yes and the the physicals. Actually, this is the.

N

Same provider, that's currently doing the cc visa physicals under the new fiscal year. Our.

N

Training, health and safety officer will take over the day-to-day management of that.

N

And we'll all be in one fund, there is a little bit of difference between the career and the.

N

Volunteer physical is we're going to have all the career people we hire will be signing.

N

A tobacco cessation document because heart lung in the state of maryland is presumptive, so we need to.

N

Manage our liability and we don't want people that are smoking or using nicotine products so.

N

There's a couple of other tests that are added on to this regularly that we'll be testing for that.

N

Post-Tire vaccinations coming off the heels of a pandemic. We want to assure um that people are.

N

Protected against hepatitis b uh varicella all these different things, because our people are.

N

Vulnerable on a daily basis, so rather than offer that before because not necessarily will they.

N

Pass the other parts after that which will include the psychological evaluation, we're going to do.

N

That once we give them a final offer to save some money, so you'll see different numbers in there, but.

N

You can be assured that we'll be managing it appropriately. Will this have a positive.

D

Impact upon both our health and workers, compensation, insurance premiums um is that.

D

Does that factor in anything? um Yes, it does um and actually cece, and I just had a meeting with.

N

One of the potential underwriters and everything that we do and the reason they were here.

N

Is they want to look at what we do in terms of health and safety.

N

Training records management, all those things enter into a very complex formula, so so in a way.

N

Some of this expenditure will get returned back and reduce premiums, and I want to say that carol.

N

Is the only volunteer system in the state that does a mandated annual physical and we'll be.

N

Doing that same level of physical for all of our career people- and this is obviously a high stress.

N

An occupation that has a lot of hazards to it, and actually this also includes.

N

Their ability to act as an employee health clinic for us for minor injuries.

N

And it also ties into behavioral resources, believe it or not, more fire and ems people.

N

Lost their lives in past years from suicide and behavioral related things than they have from.

N

Actual line of duty firefighting, type things second to that- uh is cardiovascular, which the.

N

Physical will address and then firefighter cancer is at an all-time high for a number of reasons.

N

So this is a comprehensive physical, it's the you know highest level we can get and it's consistent.

N

With the recommendations of the national fire protection association, standard 1582, which defines.

N

What firefighters should be doing regularly? Thank you. It's about operational readiness, absolutely.

C

So yeah I'm impressed ricky you and I are probably the only two in the room that remember in the.

C

Old carroll fire association, when we were debating about giving physicals to our volunteers.

C

And it has paid dividends and we all that are involved in the service know of someone.

C

That has actually had their life saved as a result.

C

Of these physicals, so I applaud all the past leaders, including you, rick uh of of our our.

C

Volunteer association uh for making sure that that uh came to fruition, uh god rest his soul, dr dean.

C

Griffin was a big uh proponent of seeing that uh become a reality, so yeah that's great. So it's.

C

It's often overlooked, but I appreciate you bringing that up mike because it's uh we're.

C

Very proud of that here in cairo we've gone a long way from turning cough to actually a comprehensive.

A

Physical and it's all about operational readiness, so that's awesome and I think.

C

One of the first physicals I took, I actually had a military doc out there. That gave me the physical.

C

Okay, anyway, enough said, move that we award a contract for pre-employment physicals to.

C

Frederick health employer solutions for the estimated amount of 176 thousand seven hundred.

C

And fifty four dollars second got motion. Second, any further discussion seen here, none great job.

A

Everyone involved all in favor, aye, aye. Okay, thank you. We appreciate your time, we'll see you this.

A

Afternoon appreciate your work going back again: yes, okay, 2022, walk apparel events to county parks,.

E

Glad you guys cleared the room, they're walking, buddies, hey jeff before uh I should have got.

Q

My walk in jeff before we get started the dugouts freedom park. If you can respond to the individual.

A

And cc me on the latest status. I would appreciate that when you say the individual, I can't remember.

A

His name afterwards I'll get it. It's just been going back and forth, and I want to.

A

Be very clear on what is happening not, and I apologize here on the dice not third hand, but.

A

Firsthand to first hand so got it we'll follow up all right. Thank you. We'll take care of that.

A

Okay, again, uh 2022 walk carol; events in county parks.

Q

And good morning, commissioners uh actually come here wearing two hats this morning. I'm your.

Q

Director of recreation and parks, but I also sit on the board for a partnership for healthier.

Q

Carroll county and with me this morning I have ms tasha kramer from the partnership.

Q

And she's going to talk a little bit about the walk carol series and in particular.

Q

The walk in the park series and then I'll close with some information just about our trails.

Q

As a follow-up, but at this point I'll turn it over to tasha. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioners.

R

For hearing us this morning, um so we we have walt carroll, which is a free walking program.

R

uh So part of the partnership, our initiatives is to do a community health needs assessment.

R

And find the needs of the community and with the needs of the community, we then prioritize those.

R

And then we create programs in our last community, healthy assessment that we completed some of the.

R

Top things were mental health number mental health was number one that came through, but heart health.

R

Obesity, diabetes and those things, so we create programs to address those and to encourage.

R

People to get out into to do things so with that comes walt carroll, it is free. um There's the flyer.

R

You can see on the board, we are we've jeff and I work together to make sure that these walks.

R

For this year are in all of your jurisdictions so that, if you're able to join us for yours for.

R

Other ones we encourage you to join us, we did have our first walk tuesday night. It was chilly.

H

But it was nice, it was lovely to do it at cape horn park um and thank you christian weaver and.

R

Appreciate for joining us those walks, um but it really is. The cdc recommends that every person get.

R

At least 150 active minutes per week, a minimum of that um and it's not just to address obesity but.

R

To address all those other things: heart, health and diabetes and things so we're encouraging people.

R

To get out and to walk so we have these the a walk in the park at all different parks. We partner with.

R

Rexy park to these across the county, um a couple of them are actually gonna have story strolls. So.

R

We're gonna put up stories so that families can come and they would read a book along the way.

R

Pets are welcome. We had a couple of beautiful pet store dogs join us this past week. We also.

R

Partner and do a trails passport, and that is it's on our website. Nerexa parks website.

R

That people can go on and they can look at all, go to all the different parks in the county. We ask a.

R

Little trivia question: they mail it back to us and they are awarded a prize. This year. We gave away a.

R

Fitbit and a a pass to piney run park for the year for, and it was actually a 14 year old girl who won.

R

But we encourage ages all across the board to join us on those walks, and then we also have.

R

Walks every we just partnered with the mall, with town mall, to encourage people to come out and to.

R

um To walk at the mall and to so we have a walk there every friday morning, uh from nine to ten, so.

R

With that hope, you all can join us and we did do them at different times of the day. um Some are 10.

R

Or 2 or 6 p.m, so that we could try and get as many people to come out and we encourage you to join us.

D

Director kramer, I'm very grateful this I discovered what you're all doing by going on.

D

To the county's website and seeing the walking passport and that sparked my interest, I, like.

D

The fact that the library has teamed up with the storytelling to get the children out there, I think.

D

It's so vitally important to get children involved in such physical activities at a younger age and.

D

It become habitual, a habit for them, and I like the fact that bringing the dogs I came with the dog.

D

Director heinz showed up with his massive dog and it's a chance for the dogs to even.

D

Socialize, and also a nice element of this, too, is any citizen out there. That shows.

D

Up on these walks, you get to casually walk with anyone or multitude of us commissioners.

D

And share your concerns with this, it's so nice to have that casual conversation and I'm very much.

D

Looking forward to having additional walks, I'm going to try to do every single one of these walks.

D

Even if it means me taking off from my other job, I want to be there for this to set an example for.

D

People and I encourage as many county employees as possible to show up that's why I was very honored.

D

To see director hines there and also the former uh health director ed singer, was there who's done an.

D

Amazing transformation in his health style. I know he went through a lot of stress in his position.

D

And he's setting a tremendous example for all of us to uh get out there and be healthy and active.

D

So, thank you very much. I'm honored to be involved in this with you. I appreciate it, commissioners, as.

Q

You've heard from me before trails are by far the most popular amenity that we have in our parks.

Q

We have over 50 miles of trails and county parks, they're extremely popular. We have paved trails, we.

Q

Have natural surface trails and maybe best of all they're free? So anybody can go out at any time of.

Q

Day use those trails part of the attraction of having this partnership in this series.

Q

Was to get people to go to some different parks and try different trails. Our hope is that they're.

Q

Going to go back and they'll go back, often plus, if you were there, the other night at cape horn park.

Q

You got to see a three-minute mile by commissioner weaver that was impressive anyway, but jeff. You.

B

Were already on that walk, looking at expanding the park where you can go to the next step, and I was.

B

No, yes, you did you two, no, no, okay, whatever show up at uh sandy mountain, I think on the 25th first.

D

We'll fix you anyway, um now you're already looking where you can expand what you want.

B

To do next, which uh that switch never turns off. I noticed that so thank and commissioner rostine and.

Q

Commissioner weaver, you all had a great idea at our advisory board meeting the other week about.

Q

Offering some sort of incentive from recreational parks to try to get some uh involvement and repeat.

Q

Involvement in this program, so we are going to be offering a fitbit we'll have a drawing and at the.

Q

End of this year-long series, we will do a drawing of all the names everybody who has participated.

Q

And if you participate in every walk, you will get an entry for each of those walks.

Q

So the more you walk, the better your chances. Now it was a. It was an honor to be a part of that.

A

Discussion, you know again it ain't about here on tuesdays and thursdays is about every day of the.

A

Week and getting involved getting engaged with the leaders in the community and coming up with.

A

Good ideas um and yeah that I mean that's, how that's how it happens so really appreciate the.

A

Work, you all are doing um anything else. No, I'm still hung up on that three-minute mile.

C

It's up here rotating and I don't know you had to be there to fully.

A

I'm okay up there james had like a hamster and a wheel: yeah well, yeah, okay, three minute wheel, going.

C

Around and there's a sign up sheet at each one of these, so you guys will keep track of it. Yes, also, I.

D

Appreciate you mentioning that this has to do with mental health, not just physical health. I know that.

D

If I have a very stressful day, not only here but my business, the one thing I love to do is come.

D

Home and go wrap the street to pringle park and go for a walk. It is absolutely amazing how fast your.

D

Your mental stress can be released as you go for a walk out in in the countryside in the parks.

D

Wonderful- and we give way we have, we had a table, we give away t-shirts, we have water bottles and.

R

We're going to try and get some stuff for the dogs, like you know, little bandanas, that's a good idea.

D

So well, thank you very much any other comments. Thank you appreciate it and let's follow up.

A

On that dugout we'll do discussions thanks. Thank you. Thank you have a lovely day. Okay,.

A

Request to revise format of public notice signs.

A

Good morning oh okay, yeah where's chewie didn't bring chewie. Okay, keep going very good.

S

Good morning, commissioners, good morning, so the department of land and resource management is.

S

Responsible for posting various signs on private properties related to different types of meetings.

S

We have board of zoning appeals, we have zoning administrator hearings, both of those are required.

S

By code that we have to post to properties and let people know citizens know that something's.

S

Going on there, we also have planning and zoning commission meetings, and we also have technical.

S

Review committee meetings, which there's no code requirement to post them, but we post them anyways.

S

Just to convey that information to citizens, so the current signs that we use- and I brought an example.

S

Here this is what they look like. This one is for a planning commission meeting. There's a lot of text.

S

That we, we add on manually onto these signs, all of that information is available on our website.

S

And it's also available for citizens to call in and ask about so the issue that I've got.

S

With these signs is that we use them once then we throw them away. So it's not a huge expense.

S

These signs cost between six and seven dollars a piece, but when we put out approximately 170 or so.

S

Signs a year it starts to add up, and just the idea of not being able to reuse. These signs is to me an.

S

Issue, so what I'd like to propose is that we have a different version: that staff has been working on.

S

That essentially makes them a little bit more general and directs people to our website.

S

As well as the phone number appropriate phone number, so this is the planning zoning commission.

S

Version and so very simple, um these are all color coded, which is very effective for when.

S

People call in a lot of people they drive by, they see a sign, they know something's going on.

S

And they just call into the county office building and often they get routed to zoning.

S

And then zoning? The very very first question they ask is what color was the sign, because.

S

That helps identify what was the purpose of the sign and who then needs to answer the questions.

S

So, by making these more general and and having the a web location where all the information is about.

S

Those meetings and the phone numbers that direct them to the appropriate office.

S

I think will convey the information quicker to citizens and we will be able to get away with.

S

Not ordering hundreds and hundreds of signs that just getting thrown in the landfill so essentially.

S

We're looking for an approval from you all that we changed the format of the signs to.

S

This more generic uh format and obviously we'll use up what inventory we have of these.

S

But then we'll switch over uh probably in july thereabouts when we need to order more signs.

S

To be used in the future, so I believe chris has some images digitally okay. I like the idea, but.

E

I would also once these signs get used, maybe come back to us in three to six months and say.

E

How's the response from the public are, these: you know acceptable, anybody's, happy with them or not.

E

Because if it's not, then I don't want to keep using these. But everybody's saying these are.

S

Fine you're good information getting out there and I'm fine with it. Yes, the other thing change that.

S

We're looking to make is that the the existing signs that we're using are only single-sided.

S

So it makes it difficult to post them for properties, so we have to place them parallel.

S

To the road and then it's difficult for people to see we're going to make these double-sided so.

S

They're then perpendicular to the road and easier for people to read both directions.

A

I'm not used to saying, but commissioner fraser has a good idea. So, okay.

D

Would the signs include a a website reference or a qr code, so we uh we have the website.

S

Here, carroll, county government: thank you mobile hearings. Yes, uh we thought about a qr code, but.

S

um It didn't fit well with the formatted signs and there are some security.

S

Concerns related to qr codes and so on. So um we went strictly with the web address.

S

Here, thanks for saying that I was informed or about mr swim about the issue. So I'm glad.

D

You brought that up because I think in the future people would ask about that.

D

Qr code, because it's rampant, I've even included some stuff, but there is security risk to that.

C

Less is more yeah, because it's a safety issue. Yes, people were slowing down or pulling over to read.

C

These things, yep less, is more just put a phone number on there that you can see the website's.

C

Fine but everybody's going to call anyway right exactly so. That's I've. I actually heard.

C

An incident in another jurisdiction where they slowed to look at that and created a huge accident.

C

Completely so less is more and I think it's a great idea make the make the font big enough.

H

Make the phone number big enough and off you go so the feedback is gonna, be important. I mean, can.

A

If the signs can be bigger, you know um you know, I mean we don't need four by eight signs out there.

A

But maybe larger signs and I absolutely agree just get the important information I mean yeah.

S

I appreciate that yeah, so the board of zoning appeals and the zoning administrator signs. It's.

S

In code for the size that they're supposed to be yeah, so that's that's, why I mean? Is it.

S

I I remember what I mean: it will be this size or is it like encoding? It will be a minimum of.

T

This size, that's a good question. I don't know off the top. I appreciate that so if it's a.

T

Minimum of this size, you may want to consider larger. um Actually it was a great question.

A

Okay, so you want an approval on the.

S

If you would like us to investigate larger signs, we can certainly do that. I think there's value in.

A

Doing that, because I think the cost is not going to be that much greater! That's okay!.

S

So that's fine! We can certainly do that. Well, I'll make the motion that we approve all those signs.

A

Okay, I got a motion. I got a second for all that was discussed very good. Any further discussion.

A

All in favor, okay, thank you very much. Thank you.

D

Thanks, I look forward to seeing chewie at the next walk. Absolutely he was a big hit.

A

Okay, briefing on the recommended, fy, 23, water and sewer rates- oh this'll, be fun.

D

You, gentlemen, need to talk really fast.

G

Good morning, gentlemen, over the past weeks and months, public works, the comptroller's.

G

Office management and budget have been reviewing the utilities enterprise fund.

G

And the various issues that have impacted its financial well-being.

G

And the bureau's ability to maintain an effective and proactive approach to day-to-day operations.

G

And aging infrastructure to accomplish this, increases will be recommended to the fund's.

G

Water and sewer usage rates and maintenance fees. Secondly, it will also be be recommended.

G

That a general fund loan be issued to the fund to maintaining the utilities, the utility.

G

Infrastructure in a proactive manner and their associated costs have been identified.

G

And included within the capital project of the capital budget, anything less than full adoption.

G

Of the recommended rate and fee increases and the approval of the general loan will result.

G

In essential projects not being accomplished in fiscal year, 23. any deferral of projects will lead.

G

To the need for even larger rate increases in future fiscal years and budget cycles.

G

We find ourselves here today in part due to a mass history of not adopting.

G

The the necessary rate increases and the fund has suffered the consequences.

G

Fortunately, in prior years, we were able to bridge to future budgets with fund cash reserves. These.

G

Cash reserves have been have been depleted and are no longer available to support essential projects.

G

The enterprise fund, the enterprise fund, provides the basis for public water and sewage services.

G

In certain areas of the county, these include water and sewer services to the freedom district service.

G

Area, sewage service to the amsterdam service area, water and sewer services to the pleasant.

G

Valley, service area and water service to the park hill service area, the revenue source for the fund.

G

Includes water usage rates, sewer usage rates, water maintenance fees, sewage maintenance fees and area.

G

Connection charges, water and sewer use is built on a quarterly basis and independent on water usage.

G

The maintenance fees are annual charges that are based on property, frontage.

G

And area connection charges are collected as new development occurs within the service areas.

G

The major annual expenses for the fund include personnel costs for 32 staff members operating.

G

Expenses for the day-to-day needs of five separate work units covering water treatment.

G

Storage and delivery and waste water collection and treatment, as well as the capital program.

G

Supports infrastructure, repair, rehabilitation and replacement rates, as stated earlier, the fund has.

G

Financial challenges associated with the capital program, a proactive approach in place to maintain.

G

The bureau's high level of operational services in jeopardy. The fund has been challenged by.

G

Three major items: the first of these include the rising costs of contractor and consultant services.

G

As well as the cost of materials needed to maintain the service area, infrastructure.

G

And components this is: this has been especially pronounced since the onset of kobe 19 pandemic.

G

The current annual rate of inflation is approximately 7.9. The cost of fuel has skyrocketed.

G

And the cost of iron and steel pipe has more than doubled since january of 2020.. Secondly, 3r.

G

Or repair rehabilitation and replacement funding has not fully supported, adopted capital budgets.

G

And projects and the required amounts of reserve funding for future projects and emergency needs.

G

Finally, with respect to the history of not adopting needed rate increases in recent fiscal.

G

Years there were no water rate increases in fy, 18 or fy 19. in fy 19, an 8.2 percent increase in.

G

The water rate was recommended and it was not adopted, there were no sewer rate increases in.

G

Fy 16 17, 18 or 19. in fy 19, a 3.6 increase to the sewer wave was recommended and it was not.

G

Adopted the lack of rate increases has compounded the overall problem from one year to the next.

G

The combined impact of these these three concerns has resulted in the depletion of gas reserves.

G

Within the utility fund to provide relief to the fund and so and to allow the essential.

G

Projects to move forward, the following items are recommended for inclusion within the fy 23 budget.

G

A water usage rate increase of 13, a sewage usage rate increase of 12 percent.

G

A water maintenance fee increase of 10 cents per foot, a sewer maintenance fee increase.

G

Of 10 cents per foot and a general loan fund in the amount of 2 million.

G

As per the briefing paper with these recommended increases to the usage rates and maintenance fees.

G

The average user, who is defined as consuming 12, 000 gallons of water on a three-month quarterly.

G

Billing cycle and having an average 130 foot property frontage would see a combined annual.

G

Increase of 150 and 80 cents. This equates to a monthly household budget increase of 12.56.

G

Or daily increase of 41 cents. In summary, it is recommended that the board include each of the.

G

Four rate and fee increases in their entirety within the fy 23 budget. These recommended.

G

Increases cannot be reduced without further impacting the fund and acknowledging that.

G

The bureau will be unable to accomplish all the project that's identified as essential.

G

Fy23, well, I appreciate all that information and a couple of factors up front: the inflation, the cost.

A

We have no control over. That's that's reality. Having not the foresight.

A

Or vision in increasing 16 17 18 19 rates has kind of put us into this place where we are.

A

Is there a way we can do this incrementally? I feel I feel, like you know it's one of those things you.

A

You push somebody because you want to push from one direction to another. That's one thing, but if.

A

You shove them all of a sudden they're going to fall back and, and we had the ability to.

A

Kind of push them and I don't think we took the right advantage of that. I apologize ted.

H

U

These conversations often quickly go to no, we don't want to do that. We don't want to.

U

Do that too much, or can we phase this in over time? You just suggested the incremental change.

U

Just the starting point for what we are talking about here is: we have a system that's paid for.

U

By the people that use the system now, we could in theory, change that and make it a general.

U

Tax obligation, but that is a a huge change and I I hope that we don't talk about that.

U

So then we look at the system and we can determine.

U

Not with 100 accuracy, but we can determine what does it cost to run the system.

U

These rates are determined in order to provide the revenue, that's needed to pay those costs. If we do.

U

Something less in terms of the rate or something less by phasing it in over time. Right all. We are.

U

Doing is saying we're acknowledging that there's not going to be enough money to pay the costs.

U

That we've identified- and that means something that needs to get done- is not going to get done.

U

And and that's where we've been and it's catching up to us and while more than catching up it's past.

U

Us now, uh if, if we, if we do this more we're going to be lapped in the near near future,.

U

So the board can choose to do whatever you want on this issue, but I don't I don't want anybody.

U

Thinking that doing less than what they're talking about is viable for this, for this, for.

U

The system it will mean something is not going to get done, or it means that taxes will be used.

A

To cover the rates, that's a choice you can make, but again that's a leap.

U

That's everybody no, which yeah, which I I don't agree with. I mean we're looking at rates, but if.

A

We don't cover it with rates, it's got to be paid somehow, so that means taxes would have to be used.

A

Revenue which taxes would have to be used to offset the rates which is not no.

A

A good thing I mean we're in this position because we didn't take the necessary actions in the past.

E

I won't tell you where I voted, but I voted for necessary actions, but.

E

We need to do what's necessary, it's the enterprise system and if it's fine, sorry, you have.

E

You have to pay what it costs to get the order and to pay for the sort you have to pay for it.

E

And the other taxpayers in carroll county should not subsidize this at all people using it. That's.

E

Pay for it and yeah, you know it's a big bump right now it is, I you know, 13, it's it's big.

E

But it's big because in the past we didn't do what we needed to do. This could be. I don't know what it.

E

Could be, let's say, two percent of four something like that could be much slower if, in the past.

E

We had taken steps that were needed, so I agree with you ted and I I have to say you said almost.

E

Basically, the same thing at our last couple budget sessions when we talked about these, these rates.

E

And okay I'll stop there. I don't everybody needs to say anything else, any thoughts I mean no. I I.

C

Remember the discussions. Well, I remember the discussions in 1516-17 where it got into very.

C

Interesting debate and nothing was done then, and we could have done something then, which would have.

C

Made this incremental right, instead of all at once, right what I don't like about any of this.

C

Is that issuing a loan from the general fund right, I'm having a little bit of an issue with that.

C

Because, folks, that are on wells or what have you now, I would assume that the the devil's in the.

C

Details here it says a loan from the general fund is that why you jumped right back up again ted.

U

Just getting my exercise, okay, get your steps in okay, um as as andy was.

U

Telling you we've gotten into a situation with the fund where there's not enough cash.

U

Now that can be dealt with in a couple of ways, one we just live with it for a while and and.

U

For accounting purposes, this would show on the financials.

U

As uh money due from the air from the utility water sewer enterprise fund to the general fund,.

U

And we could still do that. uh This got a good bit of discussion, though.

U

And because of the reluctance of raising rates, it would be easy for that two million dollars.

U

I think that's the amount we're talking about uh to kind of get pushed off to the side ignored in.

U

Setting the rates and become a long-term problem: if we, if we make this a specific loan, then we we.

U

Know it will get built into to the rates. So that's that's why we're going there, so this will not be.

U

This would not be a general fund subsidy. uh This is a a bridging measure. No money in the end will.

U

Get spent from general fund tax dollars, uh the the enterprise fund will be paying for it. For this.

U

Money: okay, yeah. That makes it a little easier to accept because.

C

I it's like putting lipstick on a pig here. You know difficult to do that and.

C

I don't want to if it's going to come out of the general fund. I want it to go back.

C

Into the general fund in some manner whatever that is so uh absolutely no there's no thought.

U

Of doing anything other right than the enterprise fund fully paying for this right. Okay, the the.

C

That fun, that you might as well stay up there ted that fun that that that we took money out of.

C

uh To to to make the community center a reality was what was that? That was something to do with.

C

Water, wasn't it yes, but not the water system that was that was for water development, okay,.

C

That was for development, okay, yes, okay, the this, the populations I mean in eldersburg, I mean that's.

A

There can be largely hit right, I mean that's one of the three areas: yeah, it's the it's.

A

It's not just elder scrolls. No, I know it's not just elders yeah. I know that, but it's eldersburg.

A

One more time: aldersberg, hampstead hampstead for sewer and and then pleasant valley and bark hill.

A

Yeah, it's just I mean it's tough. I understand um I.

A

Don't understand why I understand, unfortunately, that things weren't done in 1617. You know, um but.

A

It's hard to bite off, please keep in mind, as you hear me come before you week after week after week,.

G

With all these various projects, these systems are aging. I mean there's no way around that we have.

G

I'm unless we're just going to uh um return to a reactive mode which costs an incredible amount of.

G

Money and resources it's much better to stay. On top of these things than a product of measure and.

G

Try and plan for them and and and and control the time frame and the parameters of the repair work.

G

um We we have many of our roadways that are well over 40 to 50 years old in the freedom district.

G

I expect things to they, they are very aged and and upgrades and rehab efforts are much needed. No, I.

A

Understand that I I will say the other night last night, when some people are talking about rhodes,.

A

Down in eldersburg, and they almost they start complaining voicing their opinions of the despair.

A

Of the roads, I'm like well wait a second. There was 50 some odd unpaved roads up in the north. I.

A

Mean there's so there are certain arguments that fly with me and other arguments. I don't care where.

A

I live it's. You know. I was wondering if you were paying attention. Oh, I pay attention to all that.

A

And I I didn't like that, because you know when people say it's always greener. On the other side.

A

And eldersburg has a lot of value and things going for in the whole freedom district in sykesville.

A

It does and I'm very proud that I'm down there and it is part of carroll county. This is a large cost.

A

Because people don't look at rates and taxes, they look at what money is coming out of their pockets.

A

And they don't care if it's a rate or tax. This is a rate and we don't want to make it intense, but.

A

The community it's regardless today- and this is a large amount of money- that's going to be coming.

A

Out of the pockets of mostly the folks down in the freedom district, I mean that's just no two ways.

B

About it's the same argument that we heard in 16, 17, 18 19., and that's why we did it and why didn't.

A

You stop him and make the decision. Okay, we may not have done what we should have done then, but we can.

B

Correct it now wait a minute now you were making the argument in 18.. Yes, I know so be careful here.

C

15 or 16 and 17 yeah I get it but 18.. Sorry, I was new. I didn't know.

E

Yeah yeah, oh okay, so I thought you knew some running installation, though.

E

Wow, uh listen, I I don't know what else to do here. I know uh there's! No. I really don't this.

C

The percentage is, what is what really is in your face? I think.

C

That that's a that's a that's a big number. It is and when folks compare it to the inflation.

C

Rates or whatever you know, what are we? What do we hear ted? uh I don't know six. Seven percent.

C

Inflation rate, but yet we're asking for I I don't know it just it's a big number. If I will state.

D

It is actually a small number, if you put it in relativity to the accumulation of the.

D

Annual inflationary index over that course of time, and I want to go back to a very good point- that.

D

Commissioner williams made earlier about ems that our number one responsibility is public safety.

D

Water and sewer is public health and if you don't have proper water and sewer, you don't.

D

Have civilization so this runs right up there in tandem with the public safety. This deals with.

D

Public health and, in reality, that percentage is not that large in the context of the time we've as.

D

That has transpired since the last rate increase, you know on inflation and I'm sure you will hear.

U

From people about well, inflation is only x. Why is this going up and I think the answer to it is.

U

The inflation number that people here is irrelevant to this conversation right.

U

Yeah, you know the price of a pipe is what it is. It doesn't have anything to do with a broad measure.

U

Of inflation yeah, I only bring that up because that's what we're going to hear! Oh yeah, I agree.

C

As you say, yeah and you you can camouflage it all you want. I mean I get it, but that's what.

C

We're going to hear, oh, I I know I'm trying to help out. I know I know, but it's it's it's a huge number.

C

um And you know hindsight's 20 20. can can one time cost be used in any of this.

U

Well, then, you would be taking taxpayer dollars yeah.

B

Compare this to the price of a septic system and well.

B

And this is very small, now yeah, it's going up that way, there's that much uh to put that in.

B

So I mean for the I guess: 150 000 residents in the county they're paying that compared to the.

B

I guess 15 16 000 on sewing water. How many do we have uh 12, 12, 000 or so for freedom? Twelve.

B

Thousand premium for the county people, so so that goes to what the average was.

C

If you're going to take that, I apologize say this one more time well, you're saying.

C

That compared to those that are on well and septic yeah, I mean they're paying. What's it.

C

Cost these days to get a septic pumped out. That's why it's all alluded to also this is cheaper than.

D

All three of us here- I don't know- I mean I'm, I'm going to know next week.

C

Yeah, so it can be paid off for a quarter hours, because they're they're coming next.

C

Week they aren't doing well, I know, but that that's rapidly increased over the last three four years.

B

Hourly rate, wait for people, everything's gone up and we're stuck in it and we don't have a choice.

B

Other than to move ahead on this so go back again. Andy we've got in front of us. I guess.

C

The annual the annual rates that folks are paying.

C

From what it was to what it is going to be, if this goes into effect, maybe I'd rather see it that way,.

C

For for the average user and and our records show that that's 12.

G

000 gallons of water usage per three month quarterly billing cycle right and who has.

G

A the average 130 foot prop uh feet of property furnace on it on a public roadway.

G

That that family, that household, will see a combined increase of 150 and 80 cents.

G

So it it if you break that down to a monthly household budget of 12 months.

G

It's 12.56 cents right. Okay, with that being said, I'm going to move to the board of commissioners.

C

I'm sorry apologize yeah, I'm sorry! No! I just wanted to see it.

C

That way, a little bit I mean, maybe that's a little bit better to to digest. I I don't know so.

T

I still like to look at this thing. Of course, just approve the inclusion of the following.

B

Items within the fy 23 budget, water, sewer, water usage rate, increase of 13 uh sewer usage rate.

B

Of 12 and a water maintenance fee increase of 10 cents per foot, a sewer maintenance fee.

B

Increase of 10 10 cents per foot and a general uh fund loan in the amount of 2 million. Second.

A

Okay, I got a motion a couple seconds jenny I just wanted, commissioner lance it might help you in.

V

Your packet, there was a residential meter, excuse my voice. Sorry, oh you're sounding almost like mine.

C

These days so yeah, it's the weather, yeah there's a residential meter and it shows you what the.

V

Bill would be quarterly and the change in that bill, so that might be very helpful. Okay to see.

V

It dollar wise instead of percentage-wise yeah. Thank you. Okay, one more time, um either chris or.

A

Ted, if we did this incrementally and didn't take this entire chunk. I I'm not capturing that yet.

A

Okay, the point of these rates isn't to eventually have enough money. It's to have enough money coming.

U

In on july 1st, if you do it incrementally, then you will not have the money coming in that you need.

D

Would we be able to supply consumers any advice about water conservation because, ultimately,.

D

It's their bill is going to be dictated by how much they consume. That's not a flat rate.

D

So it'd be nice if we could advise people how to bring it down like during.

D

Drought season, whatever advice we can give people to potentially bring their rates down or.

D

Cross down I'd like for us to do that and offer to people. We have information posted on our webpage.

G

And also when the drought occurred, uh 2008 or so my understanding is that water usage by the.

G

Freedom district, especially uh scaled back in in a dramatic fashion, the the average output from our.

G

Freedom, water treatment plant has been very steady, steady at about 2.1 million gallons a day for the.

G

Past three to five years, so I think my opinion as people are conserving as much as they possibly.

G

Can right now we we will certainly make the effort to continue to broadcast that information.

G

But I don't think, there's a lot of room to scale back right and some of that conversation you know.

U

Conservation happens. Naturally, you know, as people buy newer homes or replace things in their home.

U

Water, water saving is kind of built into that can rates be moved from one to another.

A

Within the funds, I'm not sure what you're saying so we have different rates.

A

In the you know, for different activities that we do, can we can we move money around from another.

U

Enterprise fund, you mean correct. No, I mean the the whole point of having enterprise fund is to.

U

Contain those revenues and and uh expenses now saying that we do have a couple situations with.

U

Solid waste, we know we are subsidizing in a very significant way out of out of the general fund.

U

But we would never advocate moving money from the water and sewer fund to the solid waste fund.

U

And there is a there is one difference between other funds and and this one we know specifically.

U

Who the users are of this fund? Solid waste fund might not be used by everybody, but is available.

U

To everybody you know: if you live in tawny town, uh this water system is not available to you.

C

Yeah, it's it it's it's a huge debate. I mean we've. Water bills have always been a big deal.

C

I'm not going to get into one of those jurisdictions that you have.

C

Let's let that alone trying to think outside the box here a little bit.

C

What, if you increased the maintenance fee more, could you do less on the on.

C

The water and seal rate would that would, with the with the maintenance fee, help.

C

To to offset some of the the the water and sewer rates do we do enough maintenance.

C

Because looking at it from somebody who's not on a system- and I just mentioned it about the septic.

C

Tank thing: we all know that we're paying more for that and no one argues because you really have to.

C

Do it so what if you put the what, if you put the maintenance fee up to 20 a year with a maximum of.

C

80 or something, but you have to get to the same amount. Well I understand that but then maybe you.

C

Could make the increase less? I I don't know it's possible, you could do something there, but it'd.

U

Be limited because the maintenance fee is more restricted in how it can be used. Water and sewer.

U

Rates cover everything maintenance. The maintenance fee can only be used for certain activities.

D

And there's a disconnect between cause and effect. You know if your consumption of.

D

Water goes up. You definitely want to have that cost attached. To that I mean it comes down to.

E

For me, as it has always since I've been here, you have to pay for what you get. This is an enterprise.

E

Fund you're, paying for the water and that's going into your house you're paying for the sewers come.

E

Out of your house that that's as simple as that- and I know this is a large increase, but.

E

You're only paying for what you're not subsidizing anything else, you're paying for what you get.

E

I get it I'm just getting tired of. I know I'm getting tired of fixing things.

A

Where there were judgment calls years ago, and that's the way this works, I I know I I just I.

A

Don't like it, I don't think anybody likes it. Yeah! You ain't, gonna change that I mean I get.

C

That I know I mean I'm at the vote. I have to vote before we beat this up anymore. The the the loan.

C

From the general fund.

C

Instead of just saying it's alone, could we see some structure on how that loan is going to be.

C

Paid back or is it could, could we that would that would put my mind at ease a little bit on.

C

This because I'm having trouble with that part of I'm having trouble with the whole thing. But this.

C

One specifically is: do you have a structure in place, uh jenny that that addresses that.

V

My my suggestion would be to do the learn, and this there's a couple reasons why, when we talked.

V

About this one you, instead of doing a loan, this is basically replacing debt being issued. Debt would.

V

Be a higher interest rate we could coming from accounting, we could charge the enterprise fund, the.

V

Interest rate that we're earning on the current bank account so that would become a loan. The.

V

General fund would not lose that interest because the enterprise fund would, or the utilities fund.

V

What um would be paying that interest back to the general fund and it would be.

V

In sync, so that you wouldn't lose anything in the general fund, but it would save the enterprise fund.

V

From having to pay what the debt interest rates would be, which would probably be significantly.

V

Higher than what we're earning on interest in the bank would be my suggestion: okay, so that the.

V

County taxpayers in general aren't losing that, but also the user that are on the system are getting.

V

Advantage of a lower rate as well, so it's kind of a balancing act there. My suggestion now that's.

C

What I want to hear that makes it a little better okay to ask.

U

Answer the question you asked, though: yes, this would be structured, there would be. There would be.

U

A term okay and uh everybody would understand this is how it's gonna be paid back. Okay, you know again.

A

Nobody cares about rates and taxes they care about. What's coming out of their pockets,.

A

And perception's reality- and I just this- is a very large number um that we're dealing with.

A

That's going to hit home in a very large communities, so I.

A

Yeah, okay and the two of those communities are good well.

C

To the the smaller communities, are it's an impact.

C

I don't want to say I don't want to apples and orange this thing I know, but but you know they're.

C

Smaller systems- and you know it's going to be a little bit of a shock right just just to let you.

G

Know, commissioner, these smaller systems, their their rate of consumption of water, is, is very.

G

Well, in control they, they do very well household by household with usage, so they they are doing.

G

As best they can, as far as the consumption of water goes yeah good. Well, I'm glad to hear that.

A

Okay, any further excuse me any further discussion, all in favor, aye, aye.

A

Okay against. I me: okay, 4-1, yes, not to prolong this commissioners, but what you've done is.

K

Make a recommendation for this item to be put into the fiscal year 23 budget.

K

The public will have an opportunity to comment at the budget hearings uh before this becomes final.

K

So it'll be, I appreciate that, thank you and that will be an opportunity for the public to wait. Okay,.

C

So this isn't the last time we see this last time. We see this well, that's correct. It will.

K

Have part of your life ted correct me if I'm wrong, don't say you're wrong, you're, not wrong!.

U

That's a first okay, you um at the at the public hearing. uh This will show up. Alongside of the.

U

The budget as something the public hearing is is on and then, when you adopt the budget.

U

You will actually adopt the budget you'll, adopt the tax rate and you'll adopt the.

U

Water and sewer rates right right, yeah, okay, on each of those okay yeah. My point was just the.

K

Public will have an opportunity to weigh in before you take final action on this.

K

And they have to according to the law, so this this was a place setter to put on the budget.

A

Valid point appreciate that, mr burke, gentlemen, really appreciate the discussion. I know it may.

A

Have been a little long but worthwhile and we had a four to one vote so it passes. Okay,.

A

A

To construction inspection services for sykesville, maryland 851, which is main.

A

Street down sykesville, springfield avenue water and sewer main improvements, project.

P

Good afternoon, commissioners, we are here to request your approval to award a contract.

P

For construction inspection services for the sykesville maryland 851 springfield.

P

Avenue water and sewer main improvements for contract for construction inspection services.

P

Wait a minute: I skipped a line, improvements to improvement projects to whitman required.

P

And associates llp in the amount of ninety three thousand two hundred and forty dollars.

P

This award will be made via the competitively bid term contract.

P

And the bid amount is within the adopted budget, and no additional funds should be necessary.

G

Are two of the essential projects that I spoke about in in the previous item?.

G

As maureen said, this item is for construction inspection services for springfield avenue.

G

One of our two active and major sykesville water and sewer main improvement uh projects.

G

That are currently uh underway, the other is main street and just to briefly, uh to give a brief.

G

Background on the history, if you're not aware of these, both springfield avenue and main street.

G

Were originally planned to be coordinated with the state highway administration's sponsored.

G

Sykesville streetscapes project as one overall county improvement project when the streetscapes.

G

Project was put on hold by the state. The county was also advised that there was no funding in.

G

Place for the much needed state, storm drainage, improvement project on springfield avenue if.

G

You've, driven through there, there are still plates all over the place. It's a much needed project.

G

As the storm drainage improvement, work needed to be closely coordinated with the county's water.

G

And sewer main improvements, we broke our overall project into two separate projects.

G

One being springfield and the other being main street after the construction plans for.

G

The main street project were well underway by our consultant. The state highway came back and.

G

Established funding for the springfield avenue in its storm drain improvement project. We then.

G

With maureen's office's help and with the overall goal of the project.

G

For coordination with the state highways plans, we extended a contract for the for the design of.

G

The springfield water and sewer main improvement project to rk and k the state highways consulting.

G

Firm- and this has proven to be a cost, effective and savings approach for the county, so in summary,.

G

Both construction plans for the county projects were completed earlier this month.

G

And both are currently advertised on public purchase with a bid date of june. The 8th.

G

Th this construction scope of work for springfield avenue includes the installation of approximately.

G

2300 feet of 8 inch, diameter, water, main valves and fire hydrants, the installation of a pressure.

G

Reducing valve involved the installation of 800 feet of one and a half inch diameter.

G

Water service piping for 31, households and and commercial establishments, the installation of 1.

G

300 feet of 8-inch diameter, sanitary sewer, main and associated precast, concrete manholes.

G

The installation of 470 feet of six-inch diameter, sewer piping and the and cured-in-place pipelining.

G

Of approximately 260 feet of 8-inch diameter sanitary sewer meat, if the construction.

G

Contract awards and schedules work for both of these springfield and mainstream projects.

G

We may realize construction and special services cost savings.

G

By only needing one inspector on site for the combined, both projects.

G

We are requesting that the inspection and services be approved at this time, so that inspection staff.

G

Can be on board and take part in the may pre-bid meeting for the springfield avenue project.

G

uh We have had previous in special services work experience with whitman, with very good results.

A

That's awesome. I appreciate the work you're doing with uh the town and with state highway.

A

And everybody involved it's a long time coming. You know and I think because of the continued dialogue.

A

That you've had and the team our team has had over the last few years. We've gotten to this point.

A

So I'll move the board of commissioners award contract for construction inspection services.

A

For the sykesville maryland 851 springfield avenue water and sewer main improvements project to wra.

A

In the amount of ninety three thousand two hundred and forty dollars second, does this come out of the.

B

Great increase, I'm sorry, I got a motion. I got a second, I don't listen to somebody over there. I.

C

Go ahead this this is challenging for me as well, because we're paying a hundred thousand.

C

Dollars twice here to put an inspector on site when this is a. This is also in conjunction with.

C

The state highway administration so can't we somehow partner. I know what you said.

C

I'll explain a moment it just it just irks me a little bit yeah the the state highway in in their.

G

Minds is allowing the county to have a water and sewer both water and sewer mains in their right.

G

Of way they are not going to inspect forests or they ignore they going to cooperate with us.

G

That's completely different avenues, storm drain, water and sewer and pavement and sidewalk.

G

um All right yeah, all right- I mean I it just unless it seems to me that we could reach.

C

A little bit better agreement with the state highway administration on things like this.

C

Hundred thousand dollars- and you alluded to it dick yeah- this is what comes out of it.

C

This is why have we ever tried? Oh yeah, I think we have haven't we. I know we haven't. We certainly.

A

Have now on a positive, I apologize. I've been talking to administrator terry susan before and.

A

We've been working through this over the last three years. What I did try to do was.

A

Get honestly money out of howard county and got nothing from them uh because that's part of 851.

C

Also well then, I appreciate your efforts, but yeah it's just so yeah. You know we're getting. I know.

H

We're getting nickel and dimed at the same time, people are walking in here asking for more.

C

Yep, you all know where we're getting to here right. You guys understand that. That's not what.

G

I didn't mention what I should mention here is the state is working with us very well on the.

G

Paving on the resurfacing of both main street and springfield, where we're we're seeing a tremendous.

G

Cost savings with eric with their assistance, so they they are helping us in some way shape or form.

C

That's nice. I mean it is it's yeah I mean I I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, but it.

A

Would be nicer, I just came off, I mean I just I I've said this before about these projects.

C

You know I get it that you know we're they're, allowing us.

C

To put water in there right away well, what if they didn't allow us to do that.

G

While you're on there they're big issues, you get to buy your own room, I know okay, all right.

C

I'm done I'll get off my pulpit. Sorry, it's all good! I appreciate your efforts, though ed.

A

Oh absolutely, I mean it's been three years of a lot of tabletop discussions and pulling it all.

A

Out and yes having calvin ball to lunch, saying hey look at this bridge, let's figure out how to.

A

Deal with the water that crosses the boundary between howard, county and.

A

Carroll county right there, so, okay, I got a motion. I think I got a second as well.

A

Any further discussion seeing hearing none all in favor all right all right.

A

Do we need a discussion on the next or should I just make the motion.

A

You tell me, I think, we'll present it: okay, um requesting your approval to award a.

P

Contract for the construction and inspection services for the sykesville maryland 851.

P

Main street water and sewer main improvement projects to whitman record and associates llp.

P

In the amount of 99 870 report will be made either competitively a midterm contract and the amount.

P

Is within the adopted budget and no additional funds will be necessary. Hey gentlemen, once again,.

G

The point that I would like to make with this is if the construction schedules work out for.

G

Both projects and they have the same bid date, one one one of the projects has a 220 working day. Time.

G

Parameter one has a 180 day working time parameter. However, if the bids work out properly, there may be.

G

Cost savings realized with construction and special services. These two amounts for the.

G

Amount for the previous item, the amount for this item, whether or not to exceed a news and we're not.

A

Going to know until it's all done as we bid and award contracts and coordinate things in the best.

G

Case the same contractor will win both projects right and that'll work out very nicely for us.

C

But we've got to pay for the inspector twice or it had been one big project. It would have.

G

Been a much larger you have to you, have to pay wra twice right moves the board of commissioners award.

A

Contract for construction inspection services for the sykesville maryland 851 main street water and.

A

Sewer main improvements project to wra in an amount of ninety nine thousand eight hundred.

A

And seventy dollars a second kind of motion got a second any other discussion. Seen here.

A

Absolutely thank you maureen. Thank you.

A

Okay: let's talk about construction, let's see seeking an approval of additional funds.

A

For the safe routes to schools, in other words, srts project for johnsville road located in eldersburg.

A

Gentlemen, good morning, commissioners, actually it's good afternoon now, isn't it.

W

I suppose, unfortunately, again good afternoon, thank you for your time. uh Joining me this afternoon is.

W

Kirk engel our project manager for safe routes to school project, johnsville road.

W

And deputy director jason green.

W

We're here before you this morning to request board's approval to transfer funds from public.

W

Works unallocated funds account to the johnsville road, safe routes to school projects, account.

W

In accordance with capital budget resolution c dash 22.12 in the amount of 55 000, these funds.

W

Will be used to pay for any potential contractor change orders and for daily on-site testing.

W

And inspection services, as required by maryland, state highway administration for this project, the.

W

Inspection and testing testing services are are not eligible for the 80 20.

W

Cost sharing, additionally, these funds will be held in reserve but available.

W

As contingency funds for the construction project for any potential change, orders.

W

All approved change orders shall be reimbursed by maryland state highway administration at the 80 20.

W

Cost sharing provision under the terms of this agreement and we're here to answer any questions.

W

Which you may have about this transfer? Oh, mr, mr bowers, the uh 48 000 amount. How is that.

D

Calculated, how do you come up with that precise amount? Is it related to the overall percentage or.

W

It was based on an overall percentage plus a percentage of weight of what we estimate the.

W

Testing and inspection time and cost to be, um there will be testing of different construction.

W

Materials, concrete stone, landscaping, materials blacktop that those tests are made in the field.

W

Then their tests or that material sent to a lab and then the lab actually performs in-house.

W

Testing as well so there's a series of tests, field, time, etc. Okay, thank you. I know, commissioner,.

A

Frazier- and I talk, I think, a lot about these programs srts. um What what's the next project.

A

In the queue the next project in the queue is the washington road sidewalk project in front.

W

Of westminster, high school yep, okay, yeah just staying on top of it, um I think just it's very.

A

Important um to get these sidewalks in place in front of these schools, um so I appreciate.

E

That yeah we've been chipping away at these since I've been in office, and I do appreciate.

E

It keeps moving forward every year very slowly, but it's moving forward and that's the important part.

H

Yes, so there's a water issues in that area. I think it's closer to eldersburg. This will not.

A

Be impacted on those water issues, okay, move the board of commissioners approved the transfer.

A

Of fifty five thousand dollars from public works on the allocated 9902 to safe routes.

A

Johnsville road sidewalk project 8587, in accordance with capital budget resolution, see.

A

Tech 22.12 to cover the testing and inspection costs and contingencies. Second, wow.

C

So what you're saying is on these sidewalk projects? He can't do a three minute mile.

C

On them, can he yeah? Okay, just checking? Thank you. Okay, by the way, 80 20 is good.

A

I got a motion, I got a second, I was rudely interrupted, but that's okay, any other discussions.

A

All in favor aye aye I like that: okay.

A

Thank you, commissioners, for your time and your support. Thank you. Thank you. I think.

A

We are finally getting to item 10 with dr ball. Maybe coming up, but let's get mr zaleski first.

A

Is this the only action in the ipod, not one for you.

A

Is this the only action for this section? Okay, there's a mystery got it oh update, gentlemen.

A

Apologize, if uh you were thinking it was going to be earlier than this but hi. Thank you. So much.

A

It was you and uh you had the opportunity to see a little bit of deliberation on.

A

Some interesting issues lucky for sure I I was sitting here thinking I don't know what.

I

Great luck. We had to have to follow uh this morning's conversation that you all have had.

I

But um I do appreciate the opportunity to be with you and want to be as respectful of your time as.

I

A kid I I will say that uh you know, commissioner, wants. I heard what you were saying earlier about.

I

You know people are coming to ask for more and uh you know, and it's from everybody.

I

uh And- and we are indeed here to ask for more- uh I will say that our board of trustees.

I

Charges me with the with the uh effective running of the college and to advocate in every way.

I

Possible for for the college, so I am here to do that and I will say that we also offer you kind of.

I

An opportunity on the other side of all that expense, because what we do is to prepare.

I

Tomorrow's workforce, which we all know we're needing badly and and so we provide that that.

I

Opportunity to add to the quality of life and the the opportunities that would help the county grow.

I

And help help enable people to you know earn the kind of money that they can. They.

I

Can pay in to the tax base to help keep the quality of life going in carroll county so.

I

Just to kind of put our heads back into the to the mission of the college: that's what we're about.

I

We're about empowering learners, changing lives and about building the community, helping to build the.

I

Community that we that we serve so we come to you to talk about our uh issues quite simply quickly.

I

We're asking, as you well know, for uh an additional four hundred and seventy four thousand dollars six.

I

Hundred and uh ninety uh dollars in change to support a two percent addition to a a budget.

I

Increase I mean to a salary increase that we would like to make for our employees at five percent.

I

And uh we need a little help from you to get there and, and let me explain why.

I

So alan, if you'll ship to the following slides, you've seen this before from us. These are our.

I

Our average salary in comparison to the average salaries of the community colleges in the state.

I

And we sit again at a number almost at the end of the the pile there.

I

At uh sixty thousand five hundred sixty dollars is our average salary for our faculty members.

I

Now last year we made a little progress against the state average, uh which in 21 was about 30.

I

Percent and and we're at about 23 percent uh of that number behind that number right now.

I

For the average, so we made a little progress there, but when we look at our peers, the small.

I

College peers, in their seven small colleges here and you can guess who they are: allegheny warwick.

I

uh Garrett, cecil, chesapeake and um missing one in us. I suppose uh that we're we're now 10.

I

Behind them in in our average salaries uh and lost ground last year we were five percent.

I

Behind them, in our average salary, so and as you all are struggling with salaries, as as you.

I

Know the um the ability to keep up our salaries and be competitive is is quite an issue for us.

I

uh So if you run to that next slide, um you'll see that th. These are the.

I

Salary ranges for the assistant professor rank is which is kind of how we hire in our our.

I

Entry-Level people for our neighboring colleges and uh you see, there's quite a bit of competition.

I

There for us so attracting good people to teach at the college which we all want to do every time.

I

Every opportunity we can uh is is getting really difficult to compete with, because.

I

They're applying to these other colleges at the same time, we we lose out. Often it also affects.

I

Our diversity agenda, because when we we have good people of color in our pool and so on. These other.

I

Colleges are offering far more money and we lose them too. So it's it's a constant issue for us.

I

So this is part of the reason why we are you know asking for this help and if you look at.

I

The following slide in terms of our salary increase history, you'll see that.

I

You know our increases have been fairly last year in 22, the 4.

I

Increase did not come from the county, it came from our state increase and we were able to.

I

Translate that directly into our a four percent raise that we had given.

I

We were not unable to give anything prior to um the year. Prior in year, 2020 we were able.

I

To give a 0.5 percent increase because of some state funds now the county did support us at 200.

I

And 225 000 for a stipend that we were able to give to our employees in in 2020.

I

But prior to that um you know we we set about parallel with county government.

I

So what we're, what we're showing there's the percent change uh at the end of the year uh in.

I

Comparison to the other groups, so in part, this is why we're we're uh bringing this forward.

I

We, like you, um have done, and it's been what seven years since we did our last.

I

Salary equity study, and at that time we knew we were behind. We we did what we could at that time.

I

So we went into that seven year period. Knowing we were behind, we just got the results of that study.

I

Back and uh what we're, what we're seeing from that group is that we need about a million dollars.

I

To adjust our salaries forward to for equity purposes, that's not including a raise, or that five.

I

Percent that we're talking about that's just the million dollars for equity purposes. At this point.

I

uh And that's comparison to this is the evergreen group. They they are a reputable company and uh who.

I

We used last time so their methodology was similar, and uh so we sit uh at that at that juncture,.

I

um And so, and now we note that we're we're gonna get a sizable increase from the state this year.

I

At about 29 percent, and but we have other needs that we that we need to put in place.

I

That 29, with your help, would get us the ability to level the playing field in terms of our employees.

I

On this equity study and and be able to provide that five percent uh raise at the same time,.

I

We we couldn't do that completely without the help of that four hundred and.

I

Seventy four thousand dollars about four hundred: seventy five thousand dollars.

I

So it would be a supplemental request, basically that we're asking for you.

I

To to help with that, in addition, we know that next year the funding formula has.

I

Brought the community colleges up this year to the 29 tie to the university system and.

I

Allocation, which is the first time in history- that's ever happened since community college.

I

Has been funded by funded by cade, uh it's amazing. The reason that was done was in anticipation of.

I

Possible labor unions coming forward for us that possibility would happen in uh the fall of.

I

2023, that's that's when that that law would enable the possibility for unions for us.

I

We we know we'll have to put some resources away to be able to prepare, for that. uh Should it come.

I

So, in a nutshell, that's uh why we're we're asking for that support from you, and we appreciate your.

I

Consideration of that, we know that you've got a lot on your plate. uh We certainly see that.

I

Now I also wanted to talk. We had met in the fall and talked a little bit about the capital plans.

I

For potential athletics facilities and and uh so on so uh with with that in mind,.

I

We we come forward with uh a couple of scenarios that we're that we're going to talk about one of.

I

Them that we had talked about when we met was the the idea of building a gym track. Building.

I

Improvements to the soccer fields and creating a field house and just generally creating athletic.

I

Facilities for the college that that we currently don't have dr ball, is that number a typo or is.

D

That correct that's correct for what we had in place from our uh study. Our site study done by.

I

A uh by an architect in general, uh for if you wanted to create this type of facility,.

I

This is what it would be: okay, um now uh moving to that next slide, and some of that is also if.

I

Reforestation and practice fields and the rest of them, but what we had said was we would come back.

I

With some thoughts about what we really need based on what we think we could we could, you know.

I

Create a scenario for for the county that would be much more favorable to the community.

X

And not that it makes it any easier, but this is split between the county and the state. So the.

X

64 million represents the 100 percent of the cost. 50 of that would be borne by the state.

I

But in that original plan the state would not support that alone. uh For us.

I

So what we're coming back with is a plan that says we need some classroom space as well to go along.

I

With that, if there's classroom space along with that facility and the facility is scaled back, a.

I

Little bit the total cost estimate for that would be at about 43 million. Now, that's including the.

I

State's share so for the county, we're talking about roughly 21 million in that in that.

I

Element and that would support a gym, the soccer fields and so on. An applied technology facility.

I

Which uh would would run about 16 million in there plus the architectural fees and so on.

I

That would enable us to do things that we can't do now in our facilities, and we do use for some.

I

Of this, the career and technology center, but we can't get get in there until night and so.

I

On, for example, we could be serving the welding population a whole lot better than we are now.

I

Working with with some space that would help for that help help us provide that kind of.

I

Training opportunity and combining what we've done recently in terms of ar uh artificial intelligence.

I

And and uh augmented reality training, uh so in general, that's that would be included in this.

I

Project, so the county's total would be roughly 21 million there. In fact, there's numbers that.

D

Still is not easy to swallow, but I appreciate you mentioning the career technology center is.

D

That feeding your facility with students. How is that, where do you monitor that? How many people.

D

Are going to career in technology and then coming over to you? I don't know exactly how.

I

Many are coming from career and tech. Some some are. I can. I can get you that information, but.

I

You know from those programs uh I'd have to go back and and dig that I appreciate it.

D

Because I'm a very strong advocate of that taking place to help sustain and support.

D

Your institution right and we we appreciate it- we we just can't get in there until night,.

A

The um use of money to apply to these capital projects also helps us reach out to the state yeah.

A

I mean that's the state's looking to support projects like this, but they also want.

A

The community to have skin in the game- yes- and you know whether it's the ag center or it's anything.

A

So we have to kind of balance that, uh because if we expect the state to do it all on their.

A

Own they're not going to they're not going out, and uh so so we can't, we can't even go to them unless.

I

We've got your comments right, so we give you a rejection, and this this would project out until.

I

27 or so uh initially in our in our plan, uh so it gives some time to.

I

To just get in the queue we need to be thinking about this and getting into into the queue now.

B

uh Just just the question on that, um as we get into 26 and large construction costs.

B

uh Is there a possibility of a matching fund type thing that you raise so certain amounts? Well, we.

I

You know we would be, this would be the 33 million wouldn't be to the county. That would be from the.

I

State and the county so right so half of that would be basically the county look to match that.

I

Here would we be looking to raise funds for this yeah? We would be, um but you know, in terms of being.

I

Able to put a number on it, we can't we can't go to the state with money. We say we're raising right.

I

Yeah, I I know that so it's a lot of cookie sales yeah now you know we do well with our fundraising.

I

We know we've cooperated you well in that arena. You've helped us out. We've we've helped you out.

I

We're you know we we do a lot of fundraising as you know, and that's a constant on our on our.

I

In our strategy very well, and uh so we you know, we take that seriously and we deliver.

I

On what we're doing we, you know, just, I think, we're a good investment in that sense, I'm just.

B

Looking at the chunk of change at one time and how we could right, yeah just possibilities: yeah.

X

So before we leave this slide, this proposal was created to show the earliest. We could get state.

X

Matching funds, so obviously the years can move depending on availability of county resources.

A

What makes you confident in that comment.

X

Confident, yeah that that's when you can get state funds, that's the earliest. We would be eligible.

X

Given the process, we have to go through to submit the paperwork and get into the state funding.

X

Okay, I thought I'm never confident when referring to state funds.

A

Well, that's what I thought I heard was this: is you know when you'd be able to I'm like wait? Yeah yeah.

I

That's good clarification, okay. So the last item is uh it's a little bit of good, along with a request.

X

The state has created a new grant that was effective back in fy 20 called the maryland.

X

Facilities, renewal grant this funds is used specifically for the maintenance of the campus.

X

So back in uh 21 we got our first share of roughly 400 thousand dollars. That was split.

X

Between a couple of the college's priorities and a couple of the county maintenance priorities,.

X

um In fy 23, we are scheduled to get one point: almost 1.4 million dollars from the state.

X

That is eligible to be used by the county to support carroll community college campus. We have.

X

Created a list working with the facilities, justin mengele and eric burdine and jason green. The whole.

X

Group as to what would be eligible so that 1.3 million, while the college receives it, would be.

X

Managed and literally spent and managed by the county on behalf of the facilities, and that was.

X

Not something that was anticipated uh in previous years, and this will continue every other year at.

X

A maximum of five hundred thousand dollars, so it's a it's good news for moving forward, um assuming we.

X

Have eligible projects now right now the state definition has some of what we consider to be.

X

Maintenance that they do not, and the request for funds is to use one-time funds for two projects.

X

One is to fix bathroom fixtures that are in the a and em building which were built over 30 years ago.

X

And have not been replaced and are not eligible to use these state funds at this point in time,.

X

As well as the theater seats, which are a need of upgrade they're over 20 years old,.

X

So we're hoping that, as you consider the use of the state money for more major projects.

X

Possibly one-time funds could be made available to support these two projects.

C

You should have started with that. Just for that one.

I

It's always good to end on a good note. I want to leave them smiling. I believe.

X

I've heard of that here you go um okay, so that's our story and we're sticking to it.

I

We appreciate your time is the theater being open for uh plays and musicals and stuff. It is now yeah.

A

Any uh further discussion on this gentleman appreciate your time appreciate your uh patience.

A

In uh the back row before getting up here, so we we appreciate it. We appreciate all that you do.

I

For us and for the hulk county, that's it's a okay and, as you notice, kelly frago, our board chair was.

X

Here earlier she had another obligation, so she had to leave absolutely understood. Thank you and.

C

I appreciate your comments, uh dr paul. I you know, I did. I do say some things every now and then that.

C

Perk up the ears, but uh you know that's what we do and it's just uh we're in the middle of it.

C

And you know the presentation this morning, sort of really so yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So.

A

Gentlemen, we're going to uh go through agendas after we have uh our agency sessions. This.

A

Afternoon so they'll end that for open admin is there anything and also we will reconvene.

A

At 1 30, as opposed to one o'clock, um any thing for admin, the only thing I want you to think about is.

A

We have public hearings for budget, whether we want to do it virtual or in person. The.

A

In-Person location only available to us is the community arts center.

A

They've checked the high schools and surrounding high schools and all the high schools.

A

Community arts center is still have their restrictions within mast with masks. I think.

A

Just like the college, I don't know when it's going to be changing, so we either have to.

A

Talk virtual or not.

A

I thought the sheriff is she coming in he's out there? Yes, sir, that figures tried to get.

C

A message to him: yeah we're reconvening at 1 30. until 1 30 people yeah well hold on, or we.

A

Can bring them in now, yeah, okay, okay, yeah! We! What time we should be back 1 30.! I apologize.

A

I thought they've been consuming, um so we have to come to a decision on.

A

Virtual or in person would you say that before the budget budget budget, okay, yeah.

E

I would like to go in person. If possible, we could do a hybrid, I mean we could do it in.

E

Person I'm sure our crack people could also put it on the air, and people could could uh call in.

V

As well, I just go to north carolina. We haven't gone down. That's right.

A

I didn't yeah, we've heard you actually. I said I've suggested that all the other places to.

E

Commissioner rusty and they looked everywhere because I I just like to have people come.

E

That's just my feeling: it's just better when people were there and, as you said, there's massive.

E

Mass restrictions here right now right now, my hope is there won't be at that time, but you.

E

Know that's a minute. We don't have any. How long do we have before we have to make this decision.

D

Because it might coincide with a policy change if we hold off a little bit, we have to find a.

D

Place right, they need to know we got to put it on. No, I apologize if it has to go uh into the news.

D

So we're on our own so next week I believe yeah. I don't know if there's a specific deadline but.

U

They're not going to just hold hold the date for us, but but it's it's more than just that. It's.

T

Actually getting it out to the community saying this is one timeline? That's why uh roberta and I.

T

Have talked about it, so I I think it's important to try to do it in person if we can, but I'd like.

C

To provide the hybrid method, if we could too, as as commissioner frazier says, if we can.

C

uh And I will say that the arts center is possible. The arts center doesn't bode well for what we do.

C

For this hearing, because we listen they're, you know so hybrid would be fine, but.

C

How did how do you, what do you do? Bring everybody up front that wants to talk or in.

A

The back we have two mics in the centers of the aisles yeah and there's no center in the center.

C

Both sides- oh both sides, yeah, it's a little set up, yeah, it's it's a little. It's a little wonky.

C

There uh I mean we could sit in the back and just listen. uh Typically, these budget hearings, we sit.

C

In the front, and but I don't know how I guess, people would come up and could look straight at.

C

Us but then you got that crazy lighting system over there um sit in the back of the listener.

B

But it's just it's a little interesting there. What about shipley arena? Could we do that.

D

It's very large and airy, or even a high school audio would be really tough and the acoustics.

C

In there are terrible yeah I mean they were good for the high school, but that's because they put.

T

The acoustics in for the high school yeah, I said it wasn't that great for the high school year.

K

It'd be tough, this place was great. We could make it work at the at the arts center. I mean.

C

We're at the community college outdoors.

B

A

I want to bring it up. uh Decision does not have to be made.

A

Right this second, but it has to be made thanks for putting on the radar screen.

D

Okay, all right, I need a motion for 1 30 recess recess to 1 30.

A

That motion got second all in favor and we have pizza back there.

K

W

Check check check this is speaking in a normal voice.