CITY OF SALISBURY, MARYLAND
#4 MEETING FEBRUARY 24, 2003
PRESENT
Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman Council President Lavonzella Siggers
Council Vice President Joseph L. Scott Councilman Michael Day
Councilwoman Rachel Polk Councilman C. T. Webster
IN ATTENDANCE
City Clerk Brenda Colegrove, CMC, Executive Officer John Pick, City Solicitor Paul Wilber, Police Chief Allan Webster, Director of Procurement & Parking Carol Turner, CPPB, C.P.M., Public Works Director John Jacobs, 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 Siggers called the meeting to order. The Lord's Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance were recited.
Mr. Scott moved to amend the agenda by placing the Public Comments section before the Mayor’s Comments. Mr. Webster seconded and the motion passed unanimously. On a motion and a second by Mrs. Polk and Mr. Webster, respectively, the agenda as amended was unanimously approved.
AWARD OF BIDS
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve the Award of Bids. The following items were presented for approval by Director of Procurement and Parking Carol Turner:
1. Engineering Services for NECR Phase II, 346 R/W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20,600.00
Plats, Change Order No. 1
(301-3220-539.30-20, 302-3705-537.30-20, 302-4190-537.30-20)
McCrone, Inc.
2. Final Design for Phase I Expansion & Advanced BNR Upgrade for . . . . . . .$3,073,000.00
Salisbury WWTP (accounts to be set up)
O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc.
The above items were unanimously approved.
APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 10, 2003 MINUTES
Mr. Scott moved and Mrs. Polk seconded to approve the minutes of February 10, 2003. All voted in favor with the exception of Mrs. Polk who abstained.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
A moment of silence was held in memory of Crisfield Police Chief Ernest Leatherbury who passed away on Friday.
ORDINANCE NO. 1871 - 1ST READING - REVISION OF “FAMILY” DEFINITION AND DENSITY PROVISIONS OF THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve Ordinance No. 1871 for first reading. Ordinance No. 1871, as introduced by City Solicitor Paul Wilber, incorporates the same definition from the Zoning Code into the Property Maintenance Code for family and functional family. It modifies the definition of a single-family dwelling by deleting the language “with not more than four unrelated individuals or one family,” The Ordinance also deletes the overcrowding language in the Code and inserts the reference for the definition of family or functional family in the Zoning Code.
After discussion, including Mr. Robert Taylor’s suggestion of striking the word “overcrowding” on page two, Item D, Ordinance No. 1871 for first reading passed on a 3-2 vote with Messrs. Day and Scott casting the nay votes.
ORDINANCE NO. 1873 - 1ST READING - APPROVING CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SALISBURY AND THE WICOMICO COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND THE WICOMICO COUNTY COUNCIL
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Scott seconded to approve Ordinance No. 1873 for first reading. City Solicitor Paul Wilber and Wicomico County Elections Director Judy Ritter addressed Ordinance No. 1873 approving a contract between the City and the Wicomico County Board of Elections and the Wicomico County Council for various election and petition functions performed for the City.
Mr. Webster voiced his opposition to paying for primary and general elections. In his opinion, the City should only pay for special elections. Mr. Scott also indicated that he was not in favor of the contract. After further discussion, Mr. Scott moved and Mr. Webster seconded to postpone Ordinance No. 1873 in order for the City Council to discuss the contract with the Wicomico County Council. The motion to postpone passed on a 3-2 vote with Mrs. Polk and Mr. Day voting nay.
ORDINANCE NO. 1874 - 1ST READING - APPROVING RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Scott seconded to approve Ordinance No. 1874 for first reading. Public Works Director John Jacobs provided a briefing on Ordinance No. 1874 implementing a recycling program for those residents who reside in multi-family dwellings. The Ordinance would become effective on October 1, 2003. Mr. Jacobs requested that the last sentence on page one, Item B (It does not include single-family dwelling units containing fewer than two apartments), be deleted.
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Scott seconded to delete the last sentence on page one, Item B, of Ordinance No. 1874 as recommended by Mr. Jacobs. The amendment passed unanimously. Ordinance No. 1874, as amended, was unanimously approved on first reading.
RESOLUTION NO. 933 - ESTABLISHING DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSED ANNEXATION - HONEYSUCKLE DRIVE-RECTOR PROPERTY
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve Resolution No. 933. Public Works Director John Jacobs introduced Resolution No. 933 annexing .3 acres of land located on the northerly side of Honeysuckle Drive. The property would be zoned R-10A upon annexation into the City. Following a public hearing on April 14, 2003, the annexation would become effective on May 29, 2003, subject to referendum.
Resolution No. 933 passed unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 934 - APPROVING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Mr. Webster moved and Mrs. Polk seconded to approve Resolution No. 934. Executive Officer John Pick presented Resolution No 934 and highlighted the major items contained in the Capital Improvement Plan (i.e., completion of Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade, new fire station for the west side, completion of Northeast Collector Road, water and sewer to Wor-Wic, etc.)\
Resolution No. 934 was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION NO. 935 - ACCEPTING PROGRAM OPEN SPACE FUNDS FOR LAKE STREET PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AND CITY PARK - TENNIS COURTS PROJECTS
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve Resolution No. 935. Ms. Deborah Stam introduced Resolution No. 935 accepting Program Open Space grant funds for Lake Street playground improvements ($75,000) and City Park-Tennis Courts ($73,850) projects.
Resolution No. 935 passed unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 936 - ACCEPTING DONATION OF SECURITY EQUIPMENT BY AN ANONYMOUS DONOR TO THE SALISBURY POLICE DEPARTMENT
Mr. Webster moved and Mrs. Polk seconded to approve Resolution No. 936. Police Chief Allan Webster presented Resolution No. 936 accepting the donation of security equipment for the Salisbury Police Department (total value of $4,300).
Resolution No. 936 passed unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 937 - ACCEPTING STATE GRANT FUNDS AWARDED THROUGH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Mr. Webster moved and Mrs. Polk seconded to approve Resolution No. 937. Resolution No. 937, as introduced by Police Chief Allan Webster, accepts $15,000 awarded through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention to enhance community policing efforts in the designated HotSpots II area (police officer overtime, training and continuation of the
Earn-A-Bike Program and the Neighborhood Night Out event)
After a brief discussion concerning the excessive amount of overtime hours expended in one month for one officer, Resolution No. 937 was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION NO. 938 - APPROVING TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM CITY CONTINGENCY TO PAY LEGAL BILLS
Mr. Webster moved and Mr. Scott seconded to approve Resolution No. 938. Mayor Tilghman presented Resolution No. 938 transferring $1,015.00 from the City’s Contingency Fund to the Other Legal account to pay the December 2002 legal expenses of Whiteford, Taylor and Preston.
Resolution No. 938 passed unanimously.
RESOLUTION NO. 939 - APPROVING TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM CITY CONTINGENCY TO FULFILL CITY AGREEMENT WITH POLICE CHIEF
Mrs. Polk moved and Mr. Webster seconded to approve Resolution No. 939. Mayor Tilghman explained that Resolution No. 939 approves the transfer of $12,002.00 from the City’s Contingency into the Other Legal account to pay the Miles & Stockbridge legal bill for services rendered to Police Chief Allan Webster.
Resolution No. 939 passed on a 3-2 vote with Mrs. Polk and Ms. Siggers casting the nay votes.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Several career and volunteer firefighters, and members of the ladies auxiliary, came forward to voice their opinions on the issues surrounding the Salisbury Fire Department.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Highlights of Mayor Tilghman’s comments included:
• HotSpot meeting (Church Street) on Tuesday;
• Police and Community Relations meeting on Tuesday;
• Randall Rombland retiring from the Zoo Commission;
• budget preparation process;
• March meeting in Newtown;
• interns working on power point presentation – to market living in the city to the larger employers;
• congratulated Council on passing the Capital Improvement Plan.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Mrs. Polk, Mr. Scott and Mr. Scott commented on the Fire Department turmoil and hoped that the issues causing the controversy were resolved. Mr. Day commented on the growing pains that Salisbury was experiencing (i.e., development projects, Fire Department issue). Even though he voted against Ordinance No. 1871, he would support it to make it work if it passed on second reading. Mr. Day reported that a public hearing on the Boulevard Theater was scheduled for Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Chipman Center.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT WRAP-UP
Ms. Siggers expressed her desire to bring resolution to the Fire Department issue and acknowledged that the Council would be holding a public meeting with the career and volunteer firefighters. She reported that neighborhoods (i.e., Camden, Newtown, Westside) were meeting on a regular basis to address traffic concerns.
With no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
City Clerk
Council President