CITY OF SALISBURY, MARYLAND
#17 MEETING SEPTEMBER 10, 2001
PRESENT
Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman Council President William F. Stacey
Council Vice President Joseph L. Scott Councilwoman Rachel S. Polk
Councilwoman Lavonzella Siggers Councilman C. T. Webster
IN ATTENDANCE
Assistant City Clerk Mary Church, Executive Officer John Pick, Newt Jackson, Finance Director John Cawley, Director of Procurement & Parking Carol Turner, CPM, C.P.P.B., and interested Citizens and Members of the Press.
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CONVENING - ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The Mayor and Council met in regular session at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. Council President Stacey called the meeting to order. The Lord's Prayer was repeated and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
On a motion by Mrs. Polk and seconded by Mr. Webster, the agenda was unanimously approved as presented.
APPROVAL OF AUGUST 27, 2001 MINUTES
On a motion by Mr. Webster and seconded by Mrs. Polk, the minutes of August 27, 2001 were unanimously approved.
ORDINANCE NO. 1822 - 1ST READING - AMENDING SECTION 5.22.270, FRANCHISE FEE, OF THE SALISBURY MUNICIPAL CODE TO INCREASE THE COMCAST CABLE FRANCHISE FEE FROM 4% TO 5%
Mrs. Polk moved and Ms. Siggers seconded to approved Ordinance No. 1822 for first reading. Executive Officer John Pick introduced Ordinance No. 1822, increasing from 4% to 5% the fee paid on gross revenues by cable television operators.
Ms. Siggers stated that she fought for the increase with the past and current Council to put the money back into the budget. Mr. Webster was not against Access 26, but felt the fee was actually a user tax and not a franchise fee. Mrs. Polk supported the increase, but not the process.
Mr. Stacey noted that the 4% franchise fee revenue went into the General Fund budget with none of the funds earmarked for Access 26. It went against his efforts to hold taxes down by adding another 1% to the franchise fee. In Mr. Stacey's opinion, the legislative body should originate a budget amendment rather than the Mayor's office.
After more discussion, Ordinance No. 1822 passed for first reading on a 3-2 vote. (Mr. Stacey and Mr. Webster voted nay).
ORDINANCE NO. 1823 - 1ST READING - FY02 BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FRANCHISE FEE REVENUE ($22,000) FOR PUBLIC ACCESS 26
Mrs. Polk moved and Ms. Siggers seconded to approve Ordinance No. 1823 for first reading, a FY02 budget amendment appropriating additional franchise fee revenue ($22,000) for Public Access 26. Mrs. Polk informed the Council that she was glad to see it back on the agenda and hoped it would be awarded.
Ordinance No. 1823 for first reading failed by a 3 to 2 vote, as it needed a 4/5 vote to pass (Mr. Stacey and Mr. Webster voted nay).
RESOLUTION NO. 790 - APPROVING JOHN PICK AS THE DESIGNATED RESIDENT AGENT TO ACCEPT SERVICE OF PROCESS (DELIVERY OF COURT NOTICE DOCUMENTS)
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve Resolution No. 790. Executive Officer John Pick briefed Council on Resolution No. 790 and reported that it was required by the State to have a designated agent to receive any legal documents presented to the City.
Resolution No. 790 was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION NO. 791 - ENTERPRISE ZONE ELIGIBILITY - PEPSI COLA WAREHOUSE
Mrs. Polk moved and Ms. Siggers seconded to approve Resolution No. 791. Resolution No. 791, as briefed by Executive Officer John Pick, declares that the Pepsi Cola Warehouse located at 2300 Goddard Parkway is eligible to receive Enterprise Zone benefits. The warehouse will have more than $900,000 in rehab costs.
Resolution No. 791 was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION NO. 792 - RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT GRANTING TAX DEFERRAL FOR THE INGERMAN GROUP HOUSING PROJECT ON DYKES ROAD
Ms. Siggers moved and Mrs. Polk seconded to approve Resolution No. 792. Executive Officer John Pick briefed Council on Resolution No. 792, endorsing the Ingerman Group's housing project on Dykes Road (Salisbury Commons) by providing a tax deferral for the project. Plans include developing 96 units of affordable housing.
Mayor Tilghman reported that the Ingerman Group was not asking for anything except for a letter of support to help them get assistance with State financing at an affordable rate.
Resolution No. 792 was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION NO. 793 - CERTIFYING THAT THE CITY'S ELECTION DISTRICTS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL GUIDELINES
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Scott seconded to approve Resolution No. 793. Mr. Newt Jackson addressed Resolution No. 793 confirming that the City's voting districts still comply with the redistricting guidelines in the 1987 consent decree.
Resolution No. 793 was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION NO. 794 - APPROVING AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, ANNUAL LEAVE
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve Resolution No. 794. Human Resources Director Ed Cox presented Resolution No. 794, amending the Annual Leave section of the Employee Handbook.
After discussion, Resolution No. 794 passed on a 4 to 1 vote with Mr. Webster voting nay.
MANUFACTURING EXEMPTION REQUEST - HARVARD CUSTOM MANUFACTURING
Mr. Scott moved and Ms. Siggers seconded to bring the Harvard Custom Manufacturing exemption on the floor for discussion. Finance Director John Cawley briefed Council on Harvard Custom Manufacturing's request for an exemption from Personal Property Tax for their equipment purchased in 1998.
Mr. Scott voiced concern on whether the company would remain in Salisbury or lay off employees.
Mrs. Polk mentioned that this was a homegrown industry that SWED had worked with to ensure they have financial resources to be able to stay in the area.
With no further discussion, the Manufacturing Exemption Request for Harvard Custom Manufacturing was passed with a 4 to 1 vote (Mr. Scott voted nay).
AWARD OF BIDS
Mr. Scott moved to approve the Award of Bids as a group. Mr. Webster seconded.
The following items were presented for approval by Director of Procurement & Parking Carol Turner:
1. Contract No. A-07-02
Citywide Curb, Gutter & Sidewalk
(001-3205-532.43-04; 104-3250-532.43-07)
Malone & Phillips..................................................................................................$268,037.50
2. Contract No. 09-02-BT
Citywide Blacktop
(001-3205-532.43-06)
I. A. Construction..................................................................................................$279,840.00
3. Contract No. 103-01, Change Order No. 1
Parking Garage Extension Project
(301-3220-539.30-26)
Southern Builders, Inc.............................................................................................$22,414.75
The above items were unanimously approved.
MAYOR'S COMMENTS
- Had a wonderful weekend in Salisbury with a Proclamation and the release of 24 doves at the reception of the Maryland Dove, a replica of the first of two ships that first came to Maryland in 1534;
- Rotary sponsored a block party on Friday for United Way;
- Community Band performed a concert on the waterfront Saturday;
- 2,000 school children went on the Maryland Dove Friday and Monday for a total of about 3,000 citizens;
- thanked everyone involved with the reception of the Maryland Dove and all who were involved during the weekend event;
- working with Wicomico County Parks & Recreation to put together an application for complete replacement of the Lake Street Playground;
- preliminary design for the Boundless Playground is being reviewed, with hopes to have it open by next spring;
- meeting with the Park Neighborhood on September 30 for a walk-thru;
- Mr. Jackson/Wilber's office is working on items that will be brought forward for Council's consideration within the next few weeks;
- Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable scheduled for September 18 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 302.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
The Council members thanked the public for attending. Ms. Siggers was pleased that the past weekend with the Maryland Dove had brought out so many people in the downtown area and was elated with the turnout for the Fireman's Muster in the City Park. She suggested that the City entertain the idea of a quarterly activity to bring people downtown and if restaurants were open on Saturday it might help when people are downtown.
Mr. Webster was enthused with the Fireman's Muster. He was concerned with the voting rights of District 1 compared to District 2 and would work to reduce or eliminate the Comcast franchise fee.
Mrs. Polk thought that the events of the weekend were really a great time for all. She was upset that Ordinance 1822 was passed, but Ordinance No. 1823 was not, so the excess funds would go into unbudgeted surplus instead of to Access 26. Mrs. Polk believed they needed to assess the rules for how people can run for office, get elected and then serve a term of office.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Mr. Bob Taylor stated his concern that the agenda did not get on the Internet before the meeting. The present web site was hard to navigate and there was not enough information on it.
Ms. Julia Hancock was present for the paddleboat races and thought it was interesting that a goose had chosen to race too. She thought this would be a great type of race to endorse, like the crab races in Crisfield.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT WRAP-UP
Council President Stacey thanked the public for their attendance. He felt the City should think about having some type of activity on a quarterly basis to draw people to the downtown area.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
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Assistant City Clerk Council President