Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 2 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: Board of Carroll County Commissioners Open Session February 2, 2023 Afternoon

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https://www.carrollcountymd.gov

A

Okay, commissioner, ed rothin, it is 2 p.m or 202, and we have a handful of updates from our.

A

Directors um and uh they will do their best to staying within the time limits provided and.

A

If not they're going to hear the buzzer, which chris you have the liberty of sharing.

A

um But the first up is mr degas to talk about the department of recreation and parks.

B

I thought you were going to say to talk about anything other than rezoning, so.

A

Why is the recreation parks and not parks and recreation depends on the county? Okay, go ahead.

B

Thank you very much. I think recreation and parks is appropriate in that order. We have.

B

Neighbors on either side, we do it differently yourself and, and it wasn't always was it.

B

It has been here- yes, oh it hasn't been here, always: okay, yeah. I know I'm cutting into my.

B

15., okay, so now you have 14 minutes 15 seconds I was told it was a hard 15.. So thank you. I'm.

B

Going to throw a lot of information at you pretty quickly, uh certainly there's opportunities for.

B

Questions and maybe the better opportunities or to drill down after the fact, if there's things.

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You'd like to follow up on but uh appreciate your time this afternoon, I wanted to give you.

B

An overview of our department and how we operate the organizational structure in general terms, we.

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Have administration which oversees the capital budget? We also have a marketing position and I.

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Have an administrative assistant plus myself, so there are four staff in administration. We have 15.

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Staff in the bureau of parks- these are the major park facilities like piney run hashua and the.

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Half acre firearms facility bureau of recreation, which is the programming side of the department.

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They work with the recreation councils. We also have community recreation programs with some paid.

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Contractors there are seven staff within that area. Also you notice on the side. We have a recreation.

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Of parks, advisory board: this is a citizen board. They are appointed by the board of commissioners.

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And provide some very valuable input to us regarding priorities for the capital budget also.

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When we're looking at potential policy changes, this is a great board to use as a sounding board.

B

Who we are? We have 26 full-time positions within our department. We have just under 4, 800 acres.

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And we have a wide variety of different amenities that are offered, obviously not.

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As much as some of the larger counties but at the same time we have some very unique.

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Facilities in carroll, such as a planetarium, an observatory and also a public shooting range.

B

There's a graphic showing all of our parks they're listed by name. We have 30 county parks, the graphic.

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Shows the illustration of them and as you look at that, you notice that the northwestern section.

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Of the county is lighter than the other areas and there's a couple reasons for that. One is.

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Population, the population's a little lower there and the other is. We have a tremendous amount of.

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Ag preservation land out in that district, which makes it very difficult to purchase land for parks.

B

There are two slightly shaded trees located there. Those are park sites.

B

That have not yet been developed, so those will be coming soon.

B

Mentioned earlier are major park facilities, hap acre firearms facility, piney run carroll county.

B

Sports complex in hashwa, which also has bear branch nature center. What's different about these.

B

Facilities they have their own operating budget within the recreation of parks, operating budget.

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They also have staff, whereas the community parks do not have staff specifically assigned to them.

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And there's also a higher service level, because of that and generally there are some sort of fees involved as well.

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Volunteer recreation councils: we have 12 recreation councils, there's over 8.

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000 volunteer jobs that are filled on a regular basis. Sometimes we have people who just move on.

B

From one sport to the next as the seasons change, but the decision making for those organizations, we.

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Delegate that down to the recreation councils, they have locally elected leadership. The way.

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We like to describe it is that there's certain rules and guidelines that they.

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Need to follow, we will give them the blueprint for the house, but when it comes time to paint.

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The house or decorate the house, those are local decisions. We do not get involved to that degree.

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So it's definitely a mixture of county staff. We advise them, but also local decision making.

B

uh These programs raise and spend a tremendous amount of money between four and five million.

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Dollars every year- and I think it's important to point that out for the people looking watching at.

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Home if they offer, for instance, the soccer program, they may charge eighty dollars for.

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The soccer program it may cost the council 120 dollars to actually provide it, so they.

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Are making up that difference through local business sponsorships or fundraisers? We've.

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Probably all had the kids selling candy bars come to our doors. It's to help make up that.

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Difference but when they bring in that amount of money, they are also spending.

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It in order to provide those programs and those funds never come through the county.

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We never touched them and then lastly, the programs, they use every county school every public school.

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All 40 of them county parks, municipal parks, private land. We joked if it's flat and green.

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Somebody's probably using it because it's hard to find flat in carroll, county you're right.

B

A quick comparison to some neighboring counties because we get a lot of people who have come to.

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Carroll county from howard or baltimore county- and there are some similarities but there's some.

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Big differences I mentioned earlier, we have 26 full-time staff, howard county has 220.

B

So obviously they are able to operate some things differently than we do baltimore county typically.

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Has multiple full-time recreational park staff who work with each rec council within that county.

B

I worked at baltimore county years ago. I was one of four full-time staff, just for the community of.

B

Reisterstown so big difference in staffing levels because of that we have volunteers.

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Performing a lot of tasks here in carroll that are performed by staff in other locations. Oh.

C

Jeff, yes, baltimore county. Also, I assume it's still the same. They pay their volunteer. Coaches.

C

Well, they aren't volunteer coaches, they pay them. I remember uh the dundalk community.

C

Those guys wanted to be volunteers, they took all their pay the first year and bought a.

C

New wrestling money, so they were getting paid, also, which shocked me and a lot of the field.

B

Maintenance that is done in baltimore, county you've got high school age. Kids, who are lining.

B

Fields babysitting the games while they occur, that is all done by volunteers here in carroll.

B

Community recreation programs is also within the bureau of recreation, and this was an initiative.

B

It was started in 1995 and what we've noticed over the years for the most part, the recreation.

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Councils are very, very strong in youth sports and some of them tended to be less strong when.

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You look at adult programming and non-sports programming, so this was an opportunity to try.

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To fill in the gaps and supplement what the rec councils offer, it is largely selfless.

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Self-Sustaining always have trouble saying that, and the registrations are collected through our.

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Office and then contractors are typically hired to provide these programs as paid instructors.

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And you see an example of one of the program guides. We have four program guides that come.

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Out each year and it's between two and three hundred programs a year that are offered.

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Quick overview on the budget, this shows the total approved operating budget for fy, 22 and.

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Then, in the column on the right, it shows some offsetting revenues that are collected for the.

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Different facilities and I'm gonna talk to that a little bit more in a second. But you can see the.

B

Overall operating budget is just over 3 million. That includes the community recreation programs.

B

Which does not actually show up in the official budget? Also, the south carroll dog park in the.

B

Bennett surf dog park. Those expense figures are included in the administration budget, but I wanted.

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To put them here just so, you all could see them next to the revenue and I'm going to point out a.

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Number that looks a little ugly and that's the one for oshawa, with an operating budget of 833, 000 and.

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313 000 in offsetting revenue, there's one very simple word for that: why that number is low and.

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That's covered we're still pulling out of that. We had a lot of groups that have not been coming to.

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A residential camp they are starting to come back now, so that number will come back to normal. It's.

B

Just taking a little longer, there, pawnee run, on the other hand, at the height of covet, had a record.

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Year, because people couldn't wait to get outside and go someplace where they could do it safely,.

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uh Offsetting revenue piney run park joshua and the carroll county sports.

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Complex, as I mentioned earlier, they all have their own operating budget within.

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The department these parks offer higher service levels to the public when they.

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Were opened and when they were designed, they were never intended to be 100, self-sustaining.

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Fees that we charge there have to be competitive with fees at similar facilities nearby.

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If our boating rates are very high at piney run, people will go to codorus bless. You bless you.

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Pavilion fee same thing: if we charge too much or entrance fees, they're going to go to neighboring.

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Counties or other facilities also, we have a lot of fees that are waived. We waive fees for board of.

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Education, employees for county employees and for seniors at piney run park up at the sports complex.

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We waive fees for the charles carroll, rec council that has been done since the facility opened in.

B

1989 also for senior softball, also uh military, and we have military discounts as well. Correct.

B

Half baker firearms facility- this is a little different. There are fees charge there, but that.

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Is set up in an enterprise fund, so all of the fees that are collected all the revenue collected.

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There goes into a pot, basically that is used to pay, not only the operating costs, but also any.

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Capital improvements there, so there will be times when we bank money from several years to take on.

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A capital improvement such as a restroom facility that was added or extensive repairs to the range.

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So looking at one year for that doesn't always tell the story. [music] Bennett surf in south.

B

Carroll dog parks, the commissioners made decisions to take county-owned land, make it available for.

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These parks and basically the deal, was if the community can raise the money to build the.

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Park the department would then operate it charge fees, membership fees that pay for the operating.

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Expenses for that, so it's not an enterprise fund. It's handled out of our administration budget.

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But these are all parks with fees that have a little bit different backgrounds.

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And the department's fee schedule for these facilities. It is reviewed and approved by the.

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Board of commissioners every three years, so we will take a look at it. Look at neighboring.

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Facilities come to you with recommendations. We typically do this in the fall and then we.

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Will look for approval from the board? So if there are things that you all would like to.

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See change there's an opportunity for you to do that. The next review of fees is scheduled.

B

For the fall of this year, 2023. the dog park, how many I mean it's? It has grown correctly. It.

B

Has grown incredibly the one in south carroll, 230 240, I would say, have you renewed your membership.

B

It's in the mail it's in there. The check is in the mail. Okay, all right. Moving on to the.

B

Capital budget, we have a self-help program. This is where we have a combination of recreation council.

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Funds and county funds to make improvements to park facilities. The projects are small capital.

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Projects very small they're limited to twenty five thousand dollars or less we receive about.

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Eighty five thousand dollars a year in our capital budget and we take requests in september. And if.

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There's funding remaining. We will take requests once again in february to request a review by.

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The advisory board and recommendations are made for funding. Also, we have six-year capital plan.

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We get input from the towns from staff from the rec councils from the general public and.

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We review those requests, they'll be presented to our recreation of parks, advisory board and they.

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Will make recommendations to the department of management and budget with regards to funding.

B

Very quickly program open space: it is the single largest funding source for our capital budget.

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These funds come from the state of maryland. They are then distributed to every county in the state.

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We administer the funding for carroll county both for county projects and for municipal projects and.

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There's a couple of stipulations that come along with this. With these funds, like every other funds,.

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uh 25 percent of the pot of money that carroll county gets is reserved for municipal projects and.

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That is a town county agreement that has specified that 25 percent of the funds can only be used for.

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Land acquisition, that's a requirement of the state of maryland. So if we get a million dollars from.

B

Pos, only five hundred thousand of that can be used for park development projects in carroll, county.

B

Impact fees are generated locally. Those are funds that can be used to help support capital projects.

B

But the projects have to be related to growth. We cannot do maintenance of infrastructure using.

B

Impact fees, if it was already there, it need a different funding source and then general.

B

Fund dollars, these are used for park, restoration efforts, self-help projects and potentially a match.

B

For program open space for different grants and currently the impact fees are set at zero.

B

Zero for schools, I believe, but I think they're still being collected for parks.

B

I thought it was zero for both we are okay. Do you know how much I apologize.

D

For a single family, home, okay, the impact fees, yeah yeah for parks, okay, yeah, no, okay. I I absolutely.

A

Apologize exactly is not a zero okay. That's that's good to know. That's good to share as well.

B

uh Just talking a little bit about leveraging assets, I think this is one of the things that.

B

We do really well as a department uh utilizing the volunteers that we have that allows us to.

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Function with a smaller operating budget and less staff than some of our neighboring counties.

B

And looking at the contributions that we get from the community, I mentioned that the rec council's.

B

Contribute four to five million dollars: they're spending that in operation of their programs, when.

B

You add that to the value of their volunteer labor, that's a community contribution of over.

B

15 million dollars every year, that's about four and a half dollars for every dollar. In.

B

The recreational parks operating budget- we have a variety of different programs that we can utilize.

B

Volunteer services there's some photos on the screen here for our helping hands program that.

B

Is similar to adopt a road where community groups come in and adopt a local park and hold regular.

B

Cleanup days we started a photo ambassador program last year, where we have volunteer.

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Photographers going out taking pictures of our parks and in our programs we can then use those.

B

Photos for some of our marketing efforts- and I mentioned howard county earlier howard, county.

B

Has a six to eight person, marketing team, we have a marketing guy, we have one so by having other.

B

People be able to go out there and supplement that with photos that that works really well.

B

There's a variety of other county goals that recreational parks can support through their.

B

Normal activities, I'm not going to read them all to you, but education, low crime.

B

Rate healthy living and economic development, we contribute in some matter to each of those areas.

B

We have many many opportunities to interact with the public. We work with all ages. We have preschool.

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School age, adults, seniors and visitors from out of county, our rec council and advisory board meetings.

B

Are open to the public? We interact regularly with users at our different programs or in our parks.

B

We put out periodic needs assessment surveys gauging what the interests are of the public.

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And how we can meet those needs, we also offer a speaker's bureau, so community groups, lions club.

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And organizations like that, if they're looking for guest speakers at their meetings, we can help.

B

Spread the word about what we do and how they could potentially get involved a few years back.

A

That, because that picture I saw me, we did on these like town halls at different parks and.

A

It was a walk with the commissioner type of yes thing and I'll tell you I probably got around. I.

A

Don't know 50 75 folks that came out and took the first hour, whatever answering questions and then.

A

We did a you know, one or two mile walk whatever it was, but that's something we're considering to do.

B

Again, once the weather gets a little warmer, it's a great way for the public to come out, interact.

B

With you, in a more casual environment, give you some feedback, ask you questions and then.

B

Get some exercise take a nice walk in the park. I think you had the largest crowd, but just barely.

B

I think you'd be commissioner wyance, as it should be, so it was close. I have no idea now do some of.

C

Those happen like in conjunction with the library there were like games there and reading. Is that.

B

Similar concept, yes, the partnership for healthier carroll county, put a series on where they had one.

B

Of those walks each week and they did that throughout the year we partnered with them.

B

And most of those walks have not all occurred in county parks, the one that commissioner rothstein.

B

Mentioned that was a specific commissioner: walk walk with him in one of the parks in your district.

A

So it was, it was fun, but again it was different issues than the typical town hall because they.

A

Have their kids, their dogs they're talking about facilities they're talking about you.

A

Know just it was just different, so it's good. It's good feedback in a relaxed environment.

B

Last thing I have and I'm hoping I'm not pushing up against the 15 we're on the other side of the.

B

15., but some challenges and opportunities that we have as a department, a big one, is taking care of.

B

What we have our existing park infrastructure? It is aging and everything has a shelf life, so.

B

With playgrounds with pavilions as they get older, potentially they become unsafe and at.

B

Some point they have to be removed. Ideally we have the funding in place on a regular schedule.

B

To replace those items and we've been doing a pretty good job with that, but it's something.

B

That we have to keep up with and it's an ongoing funding challenge to do that. Meeting new demands.

B

Demographics for the county continue to change. We are aging as a county, so we have many more.

B

Requests for trails than we did 20 years ago. uh It's funny. We still have almost the same amount.

B

Of requests for ball fields, but I think that's because of the competitive nature of many of.

B

Our coaches, we have a few less kids, but you know if there was an eighth day of the week. We'd have.

B

Requests for gym time and field time now I used to coach. I know I'd want it. If I could have gotten it.

B

Maintaining our existing volunteer base there's some similarities with what we're experiencing.

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With what the fire companies have gone through, and we want to hold on to the volunteers that we have.

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So we need to support them, and while we do that, we also need to maintain an acceptable liability.

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Position for the county, because these volunteers are working on our behalf, so they're working under.

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Our umbrella, if you will for insurance, we need to make sure they are doing things the right way.

B

Couple of opportunities again continuing to find ways to leverage the volunteer resources, whether.

B

It's labor or funding uh one of the things we've been working on with public works and.

B

Bureau facilities is evaluate how park maintenance is done. Are there ways we can do this a little bit.

B

More proactively, rather than complaint, driven and we've had some great discussions back and.

B

Forth and it's a challenge because all of this costs money in trying to find the best way to do.

B

Things, but also that comes back to maintaining a good liability position for the county.

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And then, lastly, just promote a continuous improvement philosophy within the department.

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We don't want to do things because we always did it that way. If there's a better way, we want to.

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Find it we want to try to grow and become more efficient and, as we get new staff coming through.

B

We're getting new ideas and same is true with volunteers, so we try to take advantage of that.

B

And hopefully, I'm under 15 there you're okay, open space money. um Yes, please take slide down.

C

There there's, I don't know what the other counties think of it, but it just seems like.

C

The 25 that's buying more property makes you have to maintain poor property. Is that worth.

C

Talking to them about reducing that percentage, or is that something we shouldn't kick? We should.

C

Just take the money it's a bit of a double-edged sword, because there are people in annapolis who.

B

View program open space as a land acquisition, first and foremost program, and they get itchy.

B

When a lot of money is spent for development, they get really itchy. If you get spent on something.

B

Like a turf field, that is not natural, so there was a time when you didn't have that required.

B

Commitment for land acquisition, but that has come back the ability to bank it and then use.

B

It wisely for acquisitions when they come up as long as they're, not pressuring us to do that. Hey.

B

You need to spend this every year and the reality is depending on where you are and the amount of.

B

Money that you're talking about parcel that's worthwhile. You may not be able to afford with.

B

One or two years allocations you may need multiple with your banking money as long as the date they.

B

Have been yes, and hopefully that does not change, because we have some projects in mind that are.

B

Going to take larger amounts of money, so we do try to bank for them and be ready. It seems like.

C

um That money for fields, lights, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, it gets tighter and tighter.

C

um I remember when uh self-help was changed from 15 to 25 to help people do more projects.

C

But that was like 50 years ago I mean and, and uh it seemed like there was more money in the.

C

Bank for self-help back, then, I'm not sure if it was or that that's been somewhat cyclical, we'll.

B

Have years where we have 85 000 available, 150 gets requested and then the next year.

B

You know in september, you might only have 40 000 requested okay, so I think some of it is councils.

B

Have multiple projects that they're working on so then they don't come back the next year.

B

And one other item, if I could add, with program open space that has always been one of the most.

B

Vulnerable funding sources in years past it has been the low hanging fruit at annapolis,.

B

So if there's been tough budget years, there's been many cuts that have been made in the past. In fact,.

B

We're just getting payback money this year, it'll be the final amount of payback funds this year.

B

But we had a 10-year stretch where we averaged a million dollars a year in pos funding the high.

B

Point was 3.6 million and the low point was 166 000 and that was for a capital budget for the.

B

Entire county wow: that's why ted staff are earn their money, because, when they're trying to guess.

B

How much is coming, the only sure thing is it's going to be different than what it was last year.

A

Yeah any questions comments.

A

Will be made, uh commissioner vigliotti. I don't see you, but if you have any questions comments.

A

Now I see you, thank you very much. Okay,.

A

Thank you, sir. Thank you good stuff for skipping ted, so next would be.

A

Comptroller, yes, not as exciting as rex park, yo you're very exciting, commissioner, commissioner.

A

Kyler and I had lunch with um the state comptroller yesterday um rick book, somebody.

A

um What's her name uh volunteer, he was at lunch with us at the table. I just can't remember. I said.

A

We have the best comptroller in the state. Okay, so just let you know. I appreciate that after.

D

This, you might not think so, because I'm very, I may not, and I may call her back so we'll see.

D

Well, um jenny hobbs I've met you um prior and a few other settings.

D

um But I'm here today to talk about the department of the comptroller.

D

um As exciting as it is and I'll try to make it somewhat exciting, for you guys um we you should.

D

Have a organization chart in front of you of our department and it shows the breakdown of.

D

Our staff we currently have, I believe, it's 34 staff that are in our department, which has.

D

Not changed in the 20 some years that I've been here. Actually, I think we used to have a few more.

D

um And that comprises of the comptroller admin, which is myself our financial assistant,.

D

Administrator and our admin assistant, we are there taking care of bond issuance. We help with the aaa.

D

Triple triple aaa bond rating, getting all that prepared, organizing the credit rating as well as.

D

Working with auditors and making sure we get that clean audit, and then I like to call them branches.

D

We have the bureau of accounting, the office of procurement and collections office and I.

D

Did bring the leads of those areas with me they're sitting in the back. They are afraid to come up to.

D

The table no just kidding um bobby dewfout is our bureau chief and she oversees quite a bit of the.

D

Accounting accounts payable the payroll department. What we like to call our grants and accounting.

D

Which is our investment officer and our grants accountant, and then we also like to call our.

D

Other branch under her is the financial analyst and general fund. They take care of the day-to-day.

D

General accounting, we break our staff up into funds more than departments, because we report.

D

Our financials in funds, and then she also has the enterprise funds, which we have six enterprise.

D

Funds and that's the utilities fund water and sewer septage, solid waste, firearms airport.

D

Did I miss one yeah broadband? Yes, thank you fiber! Yes, um so they all report under the enterprise.

D

Funds, so, as you can see, I just we listed the staff that report into that and support those.

D

Areas we also have pro the office of procurement, which marine dunn is our procurement officer. She.

D

Has two buyers and a procurement assistant in there another very busy office procuring.

D

And taking care of all the bids and everything that is detailed in that respect, and then we.

D

Have the collections office, which is a very important role, they're all very important? I.

D

Don't mean indeed disrespect to that, but um they probably take in the most money of the county.

D

They bill over 68 000 tax bills and collect every dollar of that tax money, so very important jobs.

D

All around for the entire department, but without the revenue we wouldn't be able.

D

To get anything accomplished is what I'd like to say that actually consists of our.

D

Collection, analysts and head cashier. We have the collection, clerks and collection specialists who.

D

Take care of processing every deed transfer that comes into the county as well as recording them.

D

And then they also take care of every dollar that comes into this county and whatever fashion it.

D

Comes into electronic check cash, it has to go into the collections office just like every dollar that.

D

Goes out of the county goes through our department through some form of payroll or accounts payable.

D

So what I like to say on our mission is that we're the protector of the county.

D

Assets, I would love to get little badges and put on everybody and say we have the.

D

Protector of the financial assets, our mission is pretty simple: that we want to maintain a.

D

Strong financial control environment and make sure that we safeguard the.

D

County's assets, we keep the checkbook and I am known for very tight, reins on that. Checkbook.

D

um We are one of the few agencies, I believe that are central and actually do business with all.

D

Citizen taxpayers, all employees, all vendors, all the agencies and departments that come.

D

Through the county, so we are very versatile and we we move a lot of people through so customer.

D

Service is another thing that I've always been big on my customer service. You can ask staff.

D

I'm all about customer service, so that's one of the things we strive on in our department.

D

um Accuracy of course, um and then we also want to make sure we're promoting a competitive.

D

Bib process, after all, the taxpayers um deserve the best value for their dollar.

D

And we need to make sure that we're giving them the best. And we record.

D

All the revenues, and then we also provided debt management that supports your budget.

D

um As far as some laws, our whole entire department is nothing but following laws, so we have federal.

D

State local laws that guide us and I could read off the entire list- the time frame. That's not.

D

Even I don't think you want me to do that, because I'll be away over about 15 minutes.

D

um But this is just the tip of the iceberg of the laws that we have to follow and we follow.

D

Those laws? Why? Because we want to make sure the county stays in compliance with everything.

D

um And it's kind of funny, because when I started listing some of these, I was.

D

Like wow, I didn't realize like until you put them down on paper like just how many we are.

D

Really, every area in our department has some kind of oversight or law that we are required.

D

To follow so when other departments are like, those guys are very mean to us they're putting.

D

The hammer down or the gavel down and it's not because we like being mean it's because we're.

D

Doing the best interest of the county and the taxpayers um for that reason, so.

D

um Some of the significant changes that we've had over the last five years are, I would say,.

D

The whole county has seen a lot of significant changes. The pandemic was huge for all of us.

D

But the largest things we're seeing is grants grant money coming in so while we've had all that.

D

Grant money come in somebody's had to account for all that grant money, and that was our staff doing.

D

A lot of that, when I say we have to account for it, federal dollars have to go through. What's called.

D

A single audit or a sifa, which is the schedule of expenditures of federal awards, and that is.

D

In this lovely document that you guys should have, if you want some good nighttime reading,.

D

To help you fall asleep, I'm sure this is this, is it this is our act for our annual, comprehensive.

D

Financial report, which is put together by our own staff and audited, so we don't have external.

D

um The external auditors are not putting together our financials, we're actually.

D

Putting them together in-house and then they're auditing, those.

D

The single audit, as I said, is our federal awards that we've spent and we had a very.

D

Stringent rules and regulations that we have to work with the other departments that manage.

D

Those grants, as well as the grant office, to make sure we're following everything to a t.

D

um Some of the other things we've had is gasby's statements, which is our generally accepted.

D

um Or I'm sorry, our government accounting standards board that we have to follow large.

D

Ones, one was leases, which was a huge one that just came in, and I won't worry with.

D

The details because there's a lot of details to that statement. But if you want to know more.

D

I'll be glad to sit down and tell you more about that, and there is a new one coming.

D

um Own subscriptions so stay tuned, we'll be talking more about that.

D

um And then the addition of fire and ems- that's been a strain. Our department.

D

um You know it's putting pressure on us by adding employees in payroll. We still have.

D

The three payroll employees that we've had, I think we pay just over a thousand.

D

Employees, because we and we take care of state's attorney and sheriffs and then our own county.

D

um Employees we also have new funding that will be tracking, um as well as procurement will be.

D

Procuring additional resources um for that there's also another reporting standard.

D

That's coming through federal, it's called xbrl, extensible business reporting language sounds.

D

Exciting, doesn't it um no. That is something that's going to be a hot topic here in the next few years,.

D

Where the federal government is trying to get a consistent, so you can compare governments across.

D

The nation financially we're all reporting the same and so that'll be coming into play as well as.

D

um We are still looking to figure out new ways and how we can keep up with the.

D

Times of accepting payments, um all these new generations are wanting electronic payments.

D

You know, and how can we help that? How can we do that? There's always requests for payments.

D

Over the internet or and things so we're looking into that to see how.

D

We can best serve customers that way, and with that is technology, and our challenge.

D

Right now is, we will have to look at upgrading our technology, um so just.

D

um Like I said, we generate the rattling revenue we generate, the only revenue is a tax build and then.

D

We also do water and sewer utility billing and collection, so all of the water and sewer customers.

D

That are on our systems. We bill quarterly and collect quarterly, and then our department, our.

D

Financial analyst actually calculates the water and sewer rates for the department of public works.

D

Nice, nice, I think any questions. There was a lot of information, I know, and it is.

E

Are you getting a lot of phone calls from people whose assessments have gone up and.

E

People are trying to figure out why you did that to them, but you didn't.

D

Do it to them, so we don't do that to them. I mean I just I'm curious. They do.

D

um Collections and belinda's back here, but we do get a lot of clothes on. Why is my tax.

D

Bill going up- and we refer that to the state assessment office here in carroll county, but.

D

They do get those calls of. Why is it going up, and you know the only thing we can say is every.

D

Three years, you get reassessed and, depending on what the state has assessed, your property and.

C

Excluding coveted time which we don't like to do, um how much how much resources people.

C

Time has spent on grants in general. You think a lot a lot of time um grants are.

D

We love grants right bobby joe grants are fun, it is a lot of money that comes in and we have.

D

One full-time that currently does nothing but working with grant administrators another one.

D

That is actually calculating because we have to actually calculate all the fringe benefits.

D

And move them around for the grant administrators. To give you an actual time, it hits a lot and then.

D

When the auditors come all of the same ones that are doing the work is then additional.

D

um Now, doesn't financial people don't you love auditors get along? We can agree with.

D

That but the other thing I like to say is it's not just we're it's our audit. We, we coordinate.

D

Everything but it's our audit as a county right audit, because we are reaching out to.

D

Other departments saying hey: the auditors want to know x, y and z and why you did this and so again.

D

When we're asking them 100 questions and they're getting frustrated with us of, why are you keep.

D

Asking me these questions, it's not because we're trying to be nosy it's because we're trying to.

D

Give the answer and be transparent to everyone um involved thanks, but yes, we do love our jobs, good.

D

Any other questions you had a magic wand. What would you want.

D

And honestly, no be dishonest, no yeah. Of course honesty. I'm always honest um new system.

A

You have some budget money. Is there a new system that you're aware of that could meet.

A

The requirements that you're talking about, I already done my research. I've talked to.

D

Roberta there's actually one that, um and I don't know how far I can go with this murray.

D

I'm not gonna name names, but I do know there's one that 15 other counties in.

D

The state use okay, so you would meet our expectations so you're.

A

Confident in that was it a system that can also cross over to other departments.

A

Okay, it's a full erp system. It's a fully rpc and erp stands for enterprise. Help me out.

A

No there's no r in between or between there,.

A

Besides resource planning system that goes across multiple departments that is used in 15 or 16,.

A

Jurisdictions already in the state, and that would.

A

Be the one thing that you believe would make your life much easier.

F

I build itself because I always like the input of staff, I'm not going to make a decision and I'm.

D

I've always liked that I don't make a decision for me. I make a decision for them and I always.

D

Want them to I've already told belinda, her staff is going to be the first to like see a demo and.

D

Decide whether that works? No, I understand it's just, um but yes, that's at the top of my.

D

Wish list well and then maybe another person or two in the department which I know that's.

D

Asking for a little extra one is for maureen because- and I know we're not supposed to be.

D

Going into budget no, no that but but um it's not necessarily going to budget. But it's understanding.

A

um Where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow and the requirements that may be.

A

Necessary for you to go from today to tomorrow sure- and that's just I appreciate it- that's.

D

Good so yeah I mean definitely an additional buyer would be helpful, especially adding a new.

D

Department, that's a rather large department. We used to have three buyers right and now we're down.

D

To not I shouldn't say down, but we're we are down to two. An additional buyer would be very helpful.

D

um With procuring, because I'm sure fire ems is going to be they've already seen the influx and.

D

Then, of course, anything you adopt in the capital. The cip budget is additional stuff that they right.

D

All has to go through. If I ask mr pokey, when he comes up here, the one thing he'd want will.

A

He also save the erp system. Yes, okay, he will because jenny told him to okay, okay, just again.

A

Want to understand the great thing is the erp system doesn't have to be purchased all at one.

D

Time you can purchase specific, but right now we have a system, that's 1980s, and that needs to be.

A

So when commissioner kyler was in college basically- and you know, yeah we're in college.

A

In the 80s in the 80s you were out of college. You were out of college to put in perspective. I went.

D

Down this past summer, as you know, and I worked, I started in collections 21 well almost 22 years.

D

Ago and I was able to jump right on the window and pitch in with them right along and it no change on.

C

The system- okay, our our computer- was the size of a refrigerator and you did key punch cards. Okay,.

A

Yeah, I remember the chicken tape so, okay, a quick question for you sure.

G

um So, on the grant side of thing you said you have one person working on.

G

Grants full-time you have a full -time grants accountant. We have.

D

Onions across the ford bobby joe um now, each different area has should have a.

D

Grant administrator with, but as far as the accounting side we have one. I was just grant.

G

I was just curious, given you know all the grants and earmarks that are floating around out there.

G

um All of us that were mako heard about a number of them that were out there and just want to make.

G

Sure we're being as proactive and competitive as possible. So if that's an area we need to.

G

Address you know, please, let us know the one great thing is: an er a have module now. Okay, that helps.

D

With that managing and could go across everything, gotcha good, to know good to know, I'm like pleading.

D

For this, so you know I don't know there has been money for the collection system. I feel like. I feel.

A

Like I threw the softball up in the air and you just whacked it okay, thank you so much. Thank you.

E

um Well, jeff davis is on his way back up here right now, he's asking for more yeah.

H

He didn't get a chance to do that um and then we're skipping mark as well.

H

Yes, mr bulky nobody's gonna, hang around, you cleared, the room was.

H

That something you said: how do you feel about that.

I

Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you.

I

I've had that it all works.

I

Good afternoon promise I won't talk budgets because I don't. I couldn't even start because.

I

I think facilities has 62 different budgets and engineering has another, does it and so uh yeah.

I

We're gonna we're gonna, steer clear of budgets, but I'm here to give you a overview of public.

I

Works as most of you know, I've been here just about six months now um and- and I can tell you.

I

You know the staff is amazing. uh You know I'm a firm believer that the the the staff.

I

His organization's most valuable asset, um you know we have 313 positions, obviously not all of them.

I

Were filled at the moment, we have 35 vacancies, which is approximately 11 percent um vacancy rate.

I

And that's spread over nine viewers plus a transit program plus the administrative staff that that.

I

Sits in the second floor with me, um I also think it's important to note that a large majority of.

I

Our staff is considered essential, um so I I hope that doesn't go unnoticed. You know where the first.

I

Ones out there play on snow and clearing trees and assisting with accidents and sinkholes and.

I

All that other fun stuff, so just to expand a little bit more on on the staff we have.

I

Three deputy directors- I think you've- probably met most of them by now, but it's mr doug brown.

I

He is in charge of the bureau of fleet and warehouse, roadway operations and engineering.

I

Next is eric burdine he's in charge of the airport, building, construction and solid waste, and finally,.

I

Jason green he's in charge of facilities permits and utilities and as jeff and jenny mentioned,.

I

um The a couple of those viewers are enterprise funds, the the septage airport, solid waste and.

I

Utilities are the are the four five five that we have um similar to other groups.

I

You know vacancies are a concern, but I don't you know it's not different than any other.

I

uh Organization across the country right now, but specifically to public works. I have a couple.

I

Concerns- and I just want to bring to the table in terms of vacancies, so our roadway operations group.

I

um Has a staff about 60, 70 people and right now we have 20 vacancies and most of them are cdl.

I

Drivers, so you know mostly because competitive rates with other trucking companies in the area.

I

Hagerstown's, a big hub for amazon and fedex, so a lot of folks are going out there and getting.

I

You know double triple some of the rates we're paying. So um that's a struggle, but we're gonna.

I

um You know we're working on some ideas to address it. I think hr's been fantastic and.

I

And getting out there, I've talked with heather to al yesterday at workforce development about some.

I

um Some some youth apprenticeship programs that we can do with career tech and and some.

I

Of the other schools, so we're we're going to get there, um but I again wanted to bring that to the.

I

Forefront and then also our bureau of engineering, it's a smaller smaller beer about 22 people and.

I

Currently, we have six vacancies, so that's staying on the cdl drivers. What what are the numbers? I.

A

Mean you said the vacancy numbers, but what are um the typical wages that cdl drivers are receiving.

A

Now uh 15 16 an hour, I think, for a truck driver, one us yeah and then from amazon or hagerstown. I.

I

Used to look at uh you know, probably I mean, is it the forty dollars an hour type of yeah and.

I

A lot of them do plus miles, and things like that, so you know we need to you know. So it really is a.

A

Very difficult mountain to climb when comparing to especially the supply and demand issues right now,.

I

You know we were talking about some cars at the port yesterday, with um with with the transit folks.

I

And they can't get enough drivers down at the portable. We have vehicles sitting down at the port.

I

Of baltimore and they can't get enough drivers, nobody wouldn't get cdl's right, yeah, yeah and then.

A

um The vehicles that were driving um that you need to get or all of them, you must have cdl or.

A

Is some of them are encouraged to have cdl? It's a must and I think it's the cdl class, two okay.

I

um Is what we require for some of the dump trucks in the five ton ten times.

I

Vehicles a lot of the a lot of the singer axles require cdls and then in maryland,.

C

There's single axles that you don't need a cdl, but you still need your med card. So it's it's anything.

I

With air brakes too, I I believe is maryland's a little tougher than some of the other states. Yeah.

A

Wow, okay, all right yeah! So jumping back to the bureau of engineering, um our vacancy rate's.

I

About 25 in that group, um we have two positions that we outsource um our bridge engineer and our.

I

Traffic engineer we have contracts with private consultants that that staff, part-time employees.

I

In our office and frankly, we couldn't do it without them just doing the studies on the bridges.

I

And culverts traffic impact studies that come in from developers that they handle all those things.

I

So next up, I will dive into uh the nine viewers plus transit yeah I'll, just we'll call it ten.

I

But I will start at the airport led by mr mark myers who's, the airport manager. He has two other.

I

Full-Time staff working with him out there they're in charge of day-to-day operations at the airport.

I

Maintenance of the grounds fuel tanks, um we we lease all the hangar, so we managed those contracts.

I

And any upkeep that they need new roofs, new doors. Things like that whole manage those projects.

I

um And you know obviously the airport we have the safety enhancement project, which involves.

I

Relocating and extending the existing runway- and you you've been briefed on on some of that project.

I

Next is building construction led by mr john john bowers and three other full-time employees.

I

This group is primarily composed of project managers and they serve on the county's behalf.

I

As the owner developer for new and renovated county buildings, some of these projects include.

I

The state's attorney building the new sheriff headquarters, charles carroll community center and.

I

The public safety and training center all kind of the the hot ones right now, bureau of engineering.

I

Led by mr crystal notchin, we kind of talked about some of their staffing already, but they.

I

um I like to think of them as our our transportation branch. They do everything from the.

I

Initial survey out there to design construction inspection, we talked about traffic studies bridge.

I

Covert storm drain designs, really anything to do with the road goes through. The engineering group.

I

Nexus facilities led by mr justin magano, their beer is sort of broken up into two major groups.

I

I look at as like a buildings and grounds group, so they have some leadership on on both sides.

I

Of that, and then they also have a handful of project managers in addition to all the county.

I

Buildings, I think we're up to 60 65 buildings that they that they manage they're in charge of.

I

The community college as well, so they have two or three dedicated staff members that that work.

I

Out there and this beer handles everything from hvac to electrical and plumbing and stormwater.

I

Ponds landscaping, turf management on on the ground, side, nexus fleet and warehouse management. Mr reed.

I

Oliver has been up here a few times already asking for vehicles, but you know they're in charge of.

I

The purchase management and service of all county vehicles, partner agencies and non-profit groups, so.

I

It's more than just the kind of vehicles you see out on our lots and out of the maintenance center.

I

Warehouse operation, the inventory and manage about 1500 items out there, so you know.

I

During covet all the all the masks and gloves and hand sanitizer came there all the custodial.

I

Needs at the maintenance center. We have a napa representative out there, so they help us with.

I

All the the auto parts that we need um next is permits inspection led by mr mike zepp. They you.

I

Know as it sounds, establish and enforce code to ensure the public safety of residents and they.

I

Also issue licenses to electricians, plumbers, guest fitters and other utility contractors.

I

Road operations led by mr jim cook- he was up here this morning, talking about guard rails, their.

I

Primary goal is to take care of the roads out there. We have about a thousand miles of road, most.

I

Of which are paved, I think, 970 some 100 miles and the rest being gravel road still and, in addition,.

I

To that 154, bridges and structures that that they maintain and keep clean and rehab and replace.

I

um And obviously, this time of year, they're they're in charge of sorting, brining and plowing the roads.

I

When that those events happen in particular, next is solid waste uh led by mr cliff engel currently.

I

We have one active landfill, known, formerly known as the carroll county resource recovery,.

I

Park but most people refer to it as the northern landfill. So if you ever hear those two can be used.

I

Interchangeably there's also four closed landfill sites, hoods mill, john owings bark hill, hodges.

I

And you know most notably with uh solid waste. We are kicking off the master planning process.

I

That those documents got signed and we're having kickoff meetings with.

I

uh The engineer to see what we can do with that site with the 326 acres we just bought.

I

Utilities led by mr andrew watcher, who's responsible for all water.

I

Sewer systems, primarily in the freedom districts, you know the the 26 corridor.

I

And the sewer system in hampstead and two minor systems.

I

Bark hill and pleasant valley are the two two small ones that we have out there. They also manage.

I

All the capital improvement projects related to those uh systems handle the o m and also the the.

I

Treatment plants for both water and wastewater and finally uh the transit is our one-person show led.

I

By miss stacy, graham formerly stacy nash, we have 45 county-owned vehicles and all the drivers and.

I

Management services is provided by ride with us, a non-profit organization that that helps helps.

I

Us out there, as she detailed I think, last week she was here. The three service are the demand response.

I

Trailblazers and veteran services so just to wrap up. I think I have a couple minutes left just some.

I

Of the challenges that I wanted to kind of touch on staffing, you know if, if I had a magic wand, we.

I

Would have a butt in every single one of those chairs? I don't think that's ever going to happen.

I

So you know we're going to eventually get to the point of you know talking about level services.

I

That we are providing, and maybe some things that we can't provide given the level of staffing.

I

But I think we're not quite there yet land acquisitions, you know the the airport property.

I

Has has required some pretty big purchases that we've already kind of went over and the and.

I

The greenwood campus we're gonna, have some land acquisition issues coming up here in the future.

I

um Next I had jeff mentioned it. You know just um coordination between facilities.

I

And wrecking parks because we do maintain grounds and and most of the park facilities.

I

We do park checks and and cut grass, so we've been kind of work sharing and we're just.

I

Trying to figure out the best way to do that moving forward beer facilities is rolling out.

I

um The card access systems in in conjunction with department technology services, so they've, been.

I

Slowly, getting around to all the county buildings to make sure we all have the same security set.

I

Up the same swipe in the the same level of security, as we see here at the county building.

I

um And finally, the the water and sewer rates, I think you know we're going to have to have.

I

Some tough conversations here in the future about what that looks like and and where we're going and.

I

um The the needs of that that group can we just at justin. Yes, there was a three percent.

I

That was built in the last three years. I think it was that there was. I think that I'm trying.

H

To remit yeah, I don't remember dumb right, but I mean I know it was significant and.

A

You know and before that it was quite some time so yeah, let's put, which is put pressure on the system.

H

Okay, we'll have those discussions at a later date, just trying to throw it all on the surface here.

I

But uh again, your packet goes into a little more details on on each viewer. um You know.

I

The the mission and goals of our department- something I should have mentioned earlier- the.

I

The maintenance center out on old meadow branch, road on the houses, facilities, fleet, warehouse and.

I

Roads, department and there's also our fuel fuel centers out there and maybe half a mile up the.

I

Road before you get there is our transit building. So that's where we're spread out across the county.

C

How many um other groups agencies whatever use that fuel everyone everyone and it? I.

C

Assume it's a card system, it's documented and it's split up to who used what and yep.

I

That fuel man pin, I think you all- should have got a card um when you first started.

A

A

You already used your magic wand once so you're not going to be asked again, uh but.

A

F

Brian, can you remind me, I'm sorry, go ahead, just real quick, the transportation.

A

um Transit specifically.

A

Is all of carroll, county transit, discretionary.

A

Or is a part discretionary in other parts? Non-Discretionary, it's all non-discretionary.

I

Meaning you don't have to qualify. Is that what you were asking that can't be true? What do you.

A

Mean I don't know as far as funding do we need funding? Do you have to provide yes.

A

Do we must do we have to provide transit in carroll county? If so, what is it? And if not, you.

A

Know or if so, is it all of it? If not what parts I believe, the answer to that is just no. I I've.

I

Had this conversation with stacy and we can dig a little bit deeper um into that, but I I 95 sure.

I

It's no and be very clear to anyone listening. I am not saying I'm recommending doing away with.

A

Transit, I'm trying to understand discretionary non-discretionary funds that we are using in the.

A

Different departments- thank you, yes and and I'll clarify, and what what I was referring to anybody.

I

In the county could could take the system, um you don't have to be a certain age, a certain veteran.

I

Status right right, anybody who wants a ride could could use the on-demand or hop on a trailblazer.

I

Okay- and I think um not that you implied anything but transit like a lot of things- would be tough.

C

To evaluate right now, because they're still recovering from covid and and that makes it.

C

Tough to really look at it and although the simple answer is probably no as a general rule, something.

H

We wouldn't have to provide, but I would believe there are lots of strings attached with all of the.

H

um Monies that you know um federal and and state monies that we've received, and so I'm sure it's.

H

A much more complex answer to the question right, very high level yeah. I I'm just through.

A

It out there I apologize commissioner karen yeah. Actually, I am I'll follow up with you, but thank.

E

You again for the I had a fantastic visit with you and your staff great landfill. I encourage.

E

Everybody to do it if you haven't done it yet. I found it fascinating and I wanted to follow.

E

Up with you on a couple things that brought up there, but I can do that later and share them.

E

With my fellow commissioners yeah thank you for bringing everyone is welcome to to join us to.

I

Come out and give me a holler and we'll take you around. Let us know how much time you have because.

I

We'll we'll certainly fill up that block with uh with our stories and backgrounds. It was worth it.

A

The um property adjacent to the landfill that we purchased. um We have a vision for that.

A

Is there and that's a long-term vision? Is there a short-term or, uh inter intermediate term vision.

A

For that, I think in the next 12 to 18 months, we'll be able to identify where the next cell.

I

Or two is going to be in that landfill, so for now you know we're going to start the environmental.

I

Studies right away, okay and identify the pieces of property that are most valuable to the landfill.

I

And that's where we can fill the land. So that's that's the short-term goal and obviously you.

I

Know the long-term goal is, you know new new entrants, new customer drop off new recycling.

I

Areas things like that right: okay, cool, any uh anything else. Commissioner vigliotti, you good.

A

Okay, fantastic. Thank you. Thank you. Brian.

A

H

Like when I let him know that um two two of his colleagues had to bug out of today, he said oh.

H

Good that gives me an extra half an hour so in the next in the next 11 minutes you have laughs.

J

Briefing folder and in there you also have a copy of our mou, a copy of our esac bylaws.

J

And some additional response: data from fy 22.. That would look pretty darn good for something.

J

Let me just pull up my.

J

So uh good afternoon, commissioners, and in my brief amount of time, I'm going to give you an overview.

J

Of the department of fire and emergency medical services and we're going to focus on how we got.

J

Here, where we are now and where we're going along with some of our future challenges, so I'm happy to.

J

Report that we are moving quickly with our hiring process. Yesterday, our hr department reached out.

J

To 16 candidates that we've identified and offered them a conditional offer of employment, so that'll.

J

Be contingent on their occupational, physical and their psychological evaluation. What were.

A

The positions lieutenants- so yes, these are the lieutenants 12 of them will be stationed.

J

Lieutenants and four will be the county-wide shift commanders. So that's based on about the.

J

Last two months of processing them, which included an assessment center uh physical ability test, the.

J

The written exam interviews, background checks and we're confident that we've gotten the the.

J

Best of all the applicants. That's free news. Congratulations! Yes! So everything uh moving.

J

Forward with them, they would start on the 2nd of march they'll be assigned to the training.

J

Center and then we'll start processing, and we also have an integrated program where.

J

We're going to do basically an officer candidate program for them to get oriented to the county.

J

So what are we going to talk about? um Who or what is the department of fire and ems? Look real.

J

Quickly, because you got copies of it, mission, vision and core values which I believe are.

J

Adherent to the success of any organization we're going to look at our current organizational chart.

J

And where it will be going in the near future, talk a little bit about our data and some data.

J

Analytics our staffing plan current and future a little overview of our hiring process, so everybody.

J

Understands our next phase and then following our challenges and any questions and answers.

J

That you all may have so. The department of fire and ems was actually created by county ordinance.

J

Promulgated by this body in october of 2020, and why that's significant is it takes what had been.

J

Done for the previous nearly 200 years and made it an official governmental function of county.

J

Government, so with that it becomes a basically a fiduciary responsibility and it also incurs all.

J

The liabilities for all the actions associated with that, which is a pretty significant change.

J

To the county and puts us in the forefront to assure that things are done based on current.

J

Standards and done efficiently uh chapter 37 of the carroll county code of regulations followed.

J

That which codified, uh who we were what we were all about that was amended, this past fall in order.

J

To be consistent with the human resource elements of having employees and them operating under our.

J

Parameters which are a little bit different than the normal uh eight hour per day, county employees.

J

The other thing that the code identifies is it identifies each of the 14 volunteer fire companies.

J

As operational components of the department, so it recognizes that they in fact are the delivery arm.

J

Along with our own personnel and currently the volunteer fire companies uh are the proprietors.

J

Of the fire stations and all of the assets that we would use for fire protection, special operations.

J

And ems are solely owned by the volunteer company. So inherently we have to have a partnership. We're.

J

The administrators of it all were working in concert with them and we're moving forward.

J

With that this morning I had about an hour-long meeting with chief rock from sykesville who heads.

J

Up the chiefs organization and about how we're going to implement some of these things, we're.

J

Going to start some working groups as early as monday to start putting things together.

J

uh We have a combination system and what a combination system is for the new commissioners.

J

Who may not be familiar with? That combination means just that is we have career staffing who.

J

Are county employees along with volunteers who are vetted by each of the companies, but has to.

J

Meet minimal county standards operating in the same stations so, along with that, there is some.

J

Polarization, that's always going to be there organizationally, but I liken it to the military.

J

Model, if I'm fighting a conflict on the other end of the world, and I activate the national.

J

Guard or a reserve component, even though, on a daily basis, they may operate under a different.

J

Umbrella, they now become part of the regular military and our concept of a.

J

Combination department is similar, we all have to be operationally ready and when an incident comes.

J

Out they're all acting as part of department of fire and ems. So with that come times some.

J

Of the traditions of the volunteers, some of the culture that will develop of the career people and.

J

My obligation is to make sure that works. Will there be differences of opinion? Will there be.

J

Some conflicts and we want to get away from that us and them and make it ours and uh most of the.

J

Other jurisdictions have come before us who have done the same thing. They have not been successful.

J

In that, but we're committed and in speaking of the volunteer leadership, that's going to be our.

J

Direction we're going to make it work, we're going to have some growing pains, everything's, not going.

J

To be perfect, but at the end of the day we're going to make it work, and that's just you know.

J

The economic feasibility of this is contingent on us having a strong volunteer component and along.

J

With that, we also need to have the career people, because we're no longer in a perfect environment.

J

To volunteer and that's a statewide problem, the old guys still invite you to breakfast say you.

C

Must be, I just haven't had time, I'm going to be there I'll make sure it's a day when you're there.

J

So uh yes, and those people that have given 40 50 years are just as important and.

J

Their opinions matter just as much and that's what I we can't lose sight over.

J

um We have an integrated chain of command, which we did several months ago, and what that means is.

J

When a call comes out, who is going to be in charge um with our career officers uh being.

J

Hired when they're uh in the front seat of the unit and they're the ones on the call they'll be.

J

In charge, if we have a multi-station response, the volunteers have a system in place and for.

J

The time being, they're still going to be at the top of that food chain and really the only ones.

J

That could trump that would be myself or my two assistants, but beyond that, it's appropriate that.

J

The volunteers would operationally be in charge of their areas and we don't see the necessity to come.

J

In unless we had some kind of catastrophic event which really got complicated and uh that that's.

J

Probably a once in a decade type of event, so we're going to stay with our integrated chain of command.

A

um And that goes to what you said just a minute ago that that army analogy that military analogy.

A

One of the challenges is to have a very clear transfer of authority. Yes, so when they come.

A

Underneath something they know, who's in charge and who's doing what to whom.

A

um And I would imagine that's where others have maybe failed or not have succeeded as well as.

A

They could, because of the clumsiness of it all so having that transfer of authority uh embedded in.

A

This process, I would imagine- and I would expect you're working hard on that so everybody's bought.

A

In and I would think the esac is a large, you know yeah c-sac's part of it and we had the fire.

J

Operations uh committee, which we're probably going to transition that under a different.

J

Umbrella right now it's under cc visa, but with our operating platform that we have now.

J

That'll probably become an operational committee under the department and they'll report directly.

J

To me we're trying to streamline things in the interim we've been working now for over a year.

J

On standard operating procedures, that will be the guidelines by which we operate, so there shouldn't.

J

Be a lot of questions on an incident scene. It'll be already there it'll be an established policy.

J

And the other thing to understand is our memorandum of understanding and.

J

Roberta will validate this which took months to go on. uh We, we brought everything to the table, lots.

J

Of discussions, and now we have a signed document which essentially uh delineates. This is what the.

J

Volunteer corporations will do. This is what the county will provide. This is how we will.

J

Operate and it's going to be evolving as well and subject to interpretation. But we think we have a.

J

Good document uh to move forward and, as you all know, and you have a copy of it- we've developed.

J

And implemented a strategic plan and that comes under the esac umbrella and we're moving into.

J

The next phase of that we just uh came up with a parallel document that identified where we were.

J

In the process, and we've probably accomplished uh greater than 50 percent of what we set out.

J

To do a year ago, so we have a mission statement. I'm certainly not going to read that to you, but.

J

You have that for your purview and I'm just going to recognize I'm going to read the last sentence.

J

We recognize our human resources as being integral to our mission and will always support our members.

J

Both career and volunteer- and we feel that that's important for the mission statement not only to.

J

Say who we are, but what we're all about and that really preserves our concept. There's our vision.

J

And then we have what we're calling core values and these core values are similar to what other.

J

Organizations would do, and the last thing says tradition we will preserve and honor our.

J

Past to find the present and create the future, we acknowledge the years of service of the volunteer.

J

System is made but by their own direction, it's time to move forward because things are not in.

J

Carroll county, where they were even five years ago and as as our data will tell you, uh there's our.

J

Organizational chart as it exists currently you'll notice, a broken line to esac, who is in an advisory.

J

Capacity we have our medical director, dr stephanie kemp, who is critical because about 70 to 80.

J

Percent of what we do as ems- and she is the legal authority that guides us under the state comar.

J

Regulation, title 30, which is ems for the state of maryland and so she's very important and we're.

J

Going to be doing a budget initiative with that to increase our hours, but she is with us way beyond.

J

What she's contracted for and is really making a difference in us identifying some of our gaps in.

J

Our quality improvement and quality assurance, my administrative assistant, she's, probably really the.

J

Director cali she's, whatever I know, cali, knows and very trusted employee, very thorough what she does.

J

um Currently, we have our ems officer, michael stoner, and um underneath that we have our billing.

J

Technician that we've hired and she's preparing us for new rfp and to take over billing, hopefully for.

J

All the companies as of june the first so we'll have them administratively under us, they'll still.

J

Make their money until they transition over, but by streamlining that that's going to make.

J

The what's known as the cms, which is medicare and medicare their windfall monies available.

J

To us, which we estimate could be as much as five million dollars, so that could certainly enhance.

J

Our revenues uh with that she could potentially be incredibly busy almost yes and that that's.

J

One of the things that we have to look at in our challenges is she's, going to be almost overwhelmed.

J

The day she walked in the door- and the other part of that is, is all of our inquiries. That.

J

We get from attorneys and things like that. We're working with a comptroller because they're getting.

J

A new system to address that, but there's just a lot of moving parts to billing. And if we don't.

J

Dot every eye across every t: it's not a matter of losing revenue, it's more of a matter of we're not.

J

In compliance with federal regulations, so we have to watch that area and that's an area. That's going.

J

To have to expand at some point also under mike stoner, our four shift commanders one for each of.

J

Our four shifts 24 hours on 72 hours off initially mike stoner, is going to be over top of them in the.

J

Future as we hire more people, we see the need for an operations section and function which.

J

Would be another chief level officer to oversee overall day-to-day fire and ems operations. But we.

J

Don't see a need for that at yet. Currently the volunteers operate as 14 companies and we've.

J

Divided the county into three battalions, which I'll show you a map of in a little bit. But those.

J

Battalions on any given day, the volunteers among the 14 companies have a duty chief for each of.

J

Those battalions so on any multiple company response house fires entrapments those kind.

J

Of things, the expectation is that one of those duty chiefs responds to provide redundancy with.

J

That, when our shift commander comes online about june, the first for responding, we will have a shift.

J

Commander assigned to all of those calls so that shift commander if no volunteers are available.

J

To respond will assure that command continuity and we'll have a command level officer on every.

J

Scene, if he's not used in that function, that will assure we have a safety officer or they.

J

Will partner with the volunteer chief officers to expand our capabilities for command and control.

J

So that's a future occurrence and then we have kevin fox. Who is our training health.

J

And safety officer he does a lot of functions mainly all of our compliance issues, which we.

J

Have many of the quartermaster position that we hope to get which will take care of all the.

J

Volunteer personal protective equipment, our annual occupational physicals and all those other areas.

J

um So with our hiring of personnel in our response times, couple of things that we try.

J

To meet there's a national standard called nfpa 1710 and for our ems it looks at putting an als.

J

Provider on any scene county wide uh within 10 minutes. If you look at the areas here, you'll see.

J

Some overlap, some of them are in white. The yellow are the companies that overlap into other areas.

J

And then I'll break that down into five minute areas where we have some gaps in coverage and.

J

It's just the nature of our geography. um The goal is under 1710, one paramedic on the scene within 10.

J

Minutes two paramedics within 15 minutes for high acuity patients. Those would be patients.

J

With severe trouble breathing cardiac events, including cardiac arrest, shooting stabbings.

J

Electrocutions unconscious overdoses and the goal is within 15 minutes. What that does that reduces.

J

Significantly, the potential to have a margin of error, giving wrong medications wrong doses, not.

J

Being able to do certain procedures available, availability of first responders within 10.

J

Minutes to any scene, our driver program, where we're initially putting a driver at every fire.

J

Station by the end of next year, and the intent of that is when our ems units are on another.

J

Call we can get at least one person there that can start cpr manage an airway control bleeding.

J

um So our goal is continuity and consistency of coverage uh for a cardiac arrest. Under this.

J

National standard, we need about four to six people, uh which means we're going to change our response.

J

Profile and it might take as many as two stations to manage one one cardiac arrest having our chase.

J

Cars will guarantee we'll have at least three people there and then, with the driver at each.

J

Station that'll get us our four for a house fire we're required to have 15 people to respond. That.

J

Means on the scene, um 15 people within between 10 and 12 minutes and for a commercial building which.

J

Includes all of your institutional occupancies, your retail, mercantile multi-occupancy dwellings,.

J

Such as apartments institutional areas, such as our proposed veterans, home, assisted living all.

J

Of that 28 people and to get 28 people there to meet that threshold can be quite a challenge on.

J

Some days, so what we're finding is most of our working incidents. Currently it takes the entire.

J

Carroll county department to provide enough staffing on those incidents. The good news is.

J

This past year, we only had 42 what we will term as working incidents where everybody was needed.

J

On an incident scene so 42 times compared to over nineteen thousand for ems, we're in good shape, you.

J

Can look at this on your own? This is our data from 2021 and it breaks down on and I'll just uh real.

J

Quickly say that westminster last year and this year continues to be our busiest station, followed.

J

By sykesville, followed by mount airy, followed by tony town, followed by manchester, so we're going.

J

To be staffing, the top three by june, the first and then in july, we're going to be bringing on mount.

J

Airy manchester and then reese so true to our plan. Our objective has been to staff the people.

J

With the highest call volume and then ultimately in the fy25, everyone will have some staffing so.

J

In 2022, and even though the map here says 2021, we got a new map and it looked exactly the same and.

J

This one had better graphics, so we put this one up, but as you can see, we are concentrated into five.

J

Major areas, which is the westminster area, tawny, town? What I'll call the northeastern corner of.

J

Carroll, which includes lineborough, manchester and sykesville, with manchester and sykesville quickly,.

J

Coming together into one, then we had mount airy and then we have the sykesville freedom district.

J

And so the darker, the colors, the more frequency of responses so calendar year, 2022 close to 24.

J

000 responses out of those about 18 000 were ems uh included in the whole number, which is.

J

Something we're watching is nearly 3 000 mutual aid responses. That means three thousand times.

J

That we cross the border into other counties and through our metro chiefs group, we all talk about.

J

These things on a quarterly basis and we're a little bit concerned in frederick county but part.

J

Of that, given is the fact that mount airy sits partially in frederick counties. That's a given.

J

But the other concern is baltimore county, with their increased call, volume and hospital waiting.

J

Times we're going into randallstown reisterstown, owings mills and even pikesville on some days so.

J

That that's concern, but um the retort to that from baltimore county was here's. Our 2200 calls. We ran.

J

Into carroll county, so it a lot of this is driven by population shift. If we look at the demographic.

J

Shift- and we just look at the breakdown of people in terms of elderly population covet, is.

J

Certainly a dynamic with this, so our priority is staffing to meet ems needs. Again, I'm sorry.

J

44 working fires, future trends, based on our increases over the last several years, we're.

J

Looking at a two percent increase annually, which equates to 33 175 additional calls and again it's.

J

Part of what the planning department does with adequate facilities, we are engaged with them and.

J

We're looking at projects that go in and part of that is, is looking at what we have available.

J

um There's our five-minute response areas and our plan will be 15 transport units.

J

Hopefully, all at the paramedic level to get two providers to the scene within about 10 minutes.

J

The als chase vehicles their job will be to supplement the als we have two coming in plus.

J

The shift commander and then we have a budget request for a third car that would stabilize.

J

Things so the shift commander will be able to get all of their other duties done without being tied.

J

Up too much on ems calls our suppression, staffing, meaning our fire protection and technical rescue.

J

Is going to be reliant on volunteer staffing for years to come under our current staffing.

J

Models, except for our three stations that will have lieutenants and a driver still is a minimal.

J

Sized crew, so our goal is, and our standard right now is before fire apparatus goes out. It's to have.

J

Four people on board, so we continue to work on that, so we can meet the threshold. So our staffing.

J

Plan for this year, sykesville, 2010 and westminster plus two chase cars and the shift commander. We.

J

Have floaters on each shift and what a floater is it's a person that will be at least a firefighter.

J

Emt they're extra staffing and it will allow us to have up to six people each shift that will be off.

J

Either due to scheduled vacation time and leave or people that call in sick so before we get into.

J

An overtime situation we will have six people on each shift to help offset that when they're not.

J

Offsetting positions they'll be extra either in stations that aren't staffed. Yet so we can provide.

J

Extra ems staffing, or to supplement our busier stations so they'll, be assigned out of mount airy.

J

And westminster second year, which begins on july, the first we add mount airy, manchester and reese.

J

And hopefully another chase car, two more floaters and we're looking at a community paramount attic.

J

We're meeting with the health department they've established a task force with different components.

J

Of the medical community to look at that and then in our final year we bring on the other.

J

Seven companies uh that will be each with their medic units staffed and one driver and beyond that.

J

We're going to have to look at the data we'll have to look at where we are in terms of what are the.

J

County's other needs, and certainly we'll be at the recommendation of what the commissioners decide.

J

Based on input that we provide you so there's our total staffing plan and again you've got a.

J

Copy of all of this, so 88 finishing at fy 23 for the last month, then we'll be adding hopefully 60.

J

And then, in the final year, 84, which will give us 232 operational people and then we're looking with.

J

Some other enhancements of 10 additional staff would put our total staffing at 242 personnel.

J

um So ultimately, we're going to have the ems chase cars which the county is divided.

J

Into the three battalions so take the number 10 and put it in front of each of them. This is the.

J

First battalion, which goes from lineborough um down to the gamber area. We have our third.

J

Battalion, which is our southern battalion, which is the mount airy sykesville winfield.

J

um Area and gamber, and then we have our western battalion or the second battalion, which is tawny.

J

Town, pleasant valley, union bridge, new windsor and harney and again lots of these areas have.

J

Some large areas that typically don't have a lot of call volume. So we believe that our strategic.

J

Deployment should work to cover the county. Well, as you know, we're involved in hiring we've been.

J

Doing a lot of marketing uh we closed for our four fire and ems positions, exclusive of lieutenant.

J

This past monday, we have 347 applications and we believe we would get more. One of our challenges is.

J

Is the way that we are hiring is we're avoiding a six-month recruit school which would have meant we.

J

Would have had x, number of employees have to find instructors and all the logistics that go with.

J

That, but we would be providing no service during that time. So, as a result, we've decided, at least in.

J

The initial years of this system is to hire people that are pre-qualified and what that means is they.

J

Have national credentials for both fire and ems, or we are going to hire some paramedics only because.

J

Of the challenge in getting that, and you can look at this uh chart or matrix later on, to see the.

J

Requirements which basically are the requirements that any of the surrounding jurisdictions do in a.

J

Six-Month academy we're doing it because it also allows us to bring in experienced people. It also.

J

Takes into consideration the people working for 13 of the volunteer companies who may have some.

J

Longevity there it gives them an opportunity to compete based on the standards. Unfortunately, a lot.

J

Of people haven't been able to read and follow directions, so some people who have been given.

J

At least a year to know about these requirements have been dropped from the process initially, but.

J

We still have a pretty strong number so next week, we'll be doing written testing.

J

For the firefighter emt firefighter paramedic, paramedic and driver operator positions and then.

J

The next three months will be the processing until we can get down to our needed numbers.

J

uh There's just a little matrix that shows you the hiring process, it looks complicated, but it.

J

It flows in such a way that we're able to validate everybody both physically psychologically and in.

J

Terms of their uh aptitude and existing knowledge for the job, so that will lead to the final offer.

J

Hopefully, sometime in late may and then we'll have a couple weeks to get them oriented and.

J

Get them out to their assignments, so to finish off what are our challenges, our challenges, our.

J

Recruitment and retention both for volunteer and career employees, and I believe, one of the.

J

Mako initiatives this year is looking at the fire service and recruitment, and retention and money is.

J

Not always the motivator for this, and especially for volunteers, and I would suggest that, with the.

J

Legislature, decides of the summer study group will hopefully get us some answers to where we are our.

J

Other challenges we're competing in the region when I say the region, carroll, county residents,.

J

Definitely in commuting distance to places like fairfax and loudoun and even prince william.

J

Counties and they're very competitive, we're beyond competitive with what we can offer, sometimes as.

J

Are the local baltimore jurisdictions of baltimore county howard, anne arundel.

J

And then we'll add, frederick into the metropolitan washington, along with prince george's and.

J

Montgomery, so we have a lot of competition, but carol offers some unique things, particularly.

J

Our eight day, a month schedule with the 2472 the public safety system. We all recognize that.

J

That's a beginning point and given some time the system will change and there will be other.

J

Incentives and it gives people an opportunity to come and get on the ground floor of a system.

J

It also gives an opportunity for those who may have retired from another system and quite a few.

J

Of our lieutenant hiring are going to be people that have already had careers, which brings that.

J

Experience and the best practices of other jurisdictions into carroll to help to create.

J

What the the carroll way is going to be, and we're not here to recreate any other department, we're.

J

Here to create our own way, our own culture, that will consist of both career and volunteer years.

J

We have to maintain and support the volunteer system and we're probably, I would say the top.

J

Of all governmental support for any of the volunteer systems that exist throughout the.

J

State and so carroll county does a very good job of assuring that the volunteers have the.

J

Resources that they need- and hopefully we will continue to do that- maybe make some enhancements.

J

We're going to be defining our service delivery model, fire departments are doing more and more.

J

With less and less and we have to define what are our priorities, some of the things going forward.

J

That we may want to look at with ems alternative destinations for transports, taking people to the.

J

um Add patient facilities versus emergency rooms looking at our large nursing home population that.

J

We have here and a patient at 11 o'clock at night that just got lab values that were done at eight.

J

In the morning may not be an emergency, and if we have other calls pending, we may want to look.

J

How we can put these people into a queuing system and they'll still get help, but they may not be a.

J

High acuity patient, so we've got to look at some other alternatives and certainly our community.

J

Paramedicine will do that relevant standards, laws and regulations are going to keep our feet.

J

To the fire, if you will, because we have to keep up with technology, we have to keep up with annual.

J

Compliance mandates and our learning management system that we were enabled to buy we're bringing.

J

That online now, which will take care of a lot of that training and development, will be ongoing.

J

We've got a great facility and hopefully we'll be getting our phase two done, but we're going to need.

J

To start staffing, our training and development section, we have one officer in charge of that with.

J

The volunteers and the number of career people we're looking at about 1100 people and right now.

J

We get a lot of that done through the university of maryland, which will continue, but we're going.

J

To have to have more of a training presence just so we can manage particularly the compliance and.

J

Infrastructure growth and development. We have some things that we're looking at, particularly with ems.

J

Billing, the other big area is data. Analytics we've got a link what's being done individually still.

J

Into a single silo, we've got to join into the statewide reporting system because, as we pursue.

J

Future grants through homeland security funding the assistance to firefighter grants safer what.

J

Have you one of the requirements is our data reporting has to be centralized and synchronized.

J

With the state which is handled by the state police fire marshal and currently we're not not.

J

Doing that, so we have a lot of challenges and it's going to take some infrastructure and we will get.

J

There so questions 14 minutes and 30 seconds um yeah and I'm going to make it over 15.. But um no.

C

One of the things I didn't even realize happened and people talk to me about it. This winter.

C

They do non-transport calls where they're called to a house and there's no intention of taking.

C

Anybody to the hospital they perform a service. How many of those happen and or is that something.

C

You're going to be able to keep doing uh yes, we'll be able to keep doing that and part part of that.

J

Is do we need to send an ambulance or is a piece of fire apparatus uh better where I came from, we.

J

Changed that dynamic, because our ems units are constantly on the street and the question will.

J

Be is what is that call require? The other thing, is you bring up a good point, we're looking moving.

J

Forward and the funding people at the federal level are looking that currently refusals where we.

J

Go and we evaluate somebody and they decide now we don't want to go to the hospital. We can actually.

J

Bill for those, so when we take over the billing we'll be able to send a bill and most insurance.

J

And medicare and medicare we can recover a certain amount of funded money from that. So we're going to.

J

Be looking at that and the the service calls, you know the the analogy for the fire and ems services.

J

When nobody else will come, you dial, 9-1-1 and we're going to come and we will try to make.

J

The best of the situation and handle whatever it is that we can handle- and uh you know we're.

J

That's part of our tradition of service and we'll continue to do that. Some of these responses that.

J

We go to and, as you mentioned, we help someone back in bed. We go to those, we remain in service. So if a.

J

Higher level call were to come out in that process. Obviously we're not going to put the person back.

J

On the ground, but you know we work around that and we can free ourselves up pretty quickly. So I think.

J

There's still a need for us to do that, because the people literally have no one to to take care.

J

Of them and anybody that has a parent that you've dealt with into old age, you can understand that.

J

And to me, that's part of the community service, that's part of identifying who we are and on.

J

Both sides, the career and the volunteer. We have no qualms about continuing doing those types of.

J

Things and then the the I call it hybrid you, you called it something else, but the whole.

C

Hybrid system you've got so many challenges as it moves forward and I haven't looked at the mous, but.

C

You're going to have county-owned vehicles and county employees in a corporations building, yes,.

C

Sword at night, which has to be some insurance issues and some yes, and what we, what we did.

J

In preparation for that, and along with risk management, along with the law office and the.

J

Budget office is we brought in and we studied the issue and there are probably about four or.

J

Five, national insurance companies, one that we have is part of aig. So it's an international.

J

Corporation and they developed an insurance policy specific to what we do and they've done.

J

Other county jurisdictions so there's a lot of questions, but everyone is now covered under the.

J

Liability policies, workers comps, taken care of on both sides and have we not been able to work.

J

Those issues out would be difficult to operate, but we're pretty confident in fact, the insurer that.

J

We have just began we're going to be doing joint, inspect questions annually of all the facilities.

J

Along with a representative from the corporation, our safety person and them- and we did two of our.

J

Stations last week it was very successful, so we in the county sure the county pays for and.

F

Ensures all the vehicles, all the buildings and the workman's comp version of all the people.

A

Any other questions thanks so much. I appreciate it chief.

A

um Commissioner vigliotti, I don't see you, but can you drop this energy commissioner austin.

A

I'm not sure what he said. I didn't hear it. He said he was good. I would imagine.

A

Oh yeah, and we can see him okay, fantastic. I think that is it for uh this afternoon.

H

um Two really quick things. I want to say one before you leave there's some zoning.

H

Annexation maps, we have three maps to sign in blue ink and then secondly, the transportation.

H

Letter was on the agenda for next week of the week after it's actually not the letter, it's.

H

um It's the talking about what the board wants. Oh okay, good! So it's about some other information.

A

About the letter in general, that's great- I just want to make sure that we collectively knew what.

A

This was before a letter came to us because it's it's about what you want in the letter got it.

H

Okay, I'm done um is there anything else for the good of the group, I need a motion to adjourn.

A

I so move. Second, I got a motion. Second, all in favor aye there you go joe. We hurt yours.