MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS MEETING

January 24, 2006

The Board of County Commissioners for Cecil County met for the purpose of a Public Hearing at the Charlestown Elementary School, 550 Baltimore Street, Charlestown, MD on January 24, 2006. The following members of the Board were present:

Nelson K. Bolender, President
Harry A. Hepbron, Vice President
Phyllis Kilby, Commissioner
William C. Manlove, Commissioner
Mark H. Guns, Commissioner

Constituting a full Board.

The meeting was called to order by President Bolender at 7:00 p.m.

- PUBLIC HEARING - CARPENTERS POINT SANITARY SEWER, BENEFIT ASSESSMENT –

The purpose of this meeting is for the Board of County Commissioners to accept public comment relative to the establishment of a Benefit Assessment for the Carpenters Point Sanitary Sewer Subdistrict.

Mr. Mattheu Carter, Capital Projects Administrator presented a Resolution for the establishment of a Benefit Assessment for the Carpenters Point Sanitary Subdistrict. Subsequent to this public hearing, two previous public hearings were held, on September 15, 1999 and April 26, 2000, establishing the Carpenters Point Sanitary Subdistrict for the purpose of extending sanitary sewer services to the Carpenters Point area and the boundaries of the said subdistrict were established by Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners on May 16, 2000.

The Resolution if adopted as written, establishes the benefit assessment at Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($8,800.00) per equivalent unit as defined in the resolution, over a period of twenty (20) years at the rate of Four Hundred Forty Dollars ($440.00) per annum. Said assessment shall be billed together with the annual property tax bill for each affected property and shall be payable in the same fashion as said property taxes and shall operate as a lien against each property in the same fashion as a property tax lien which may be collected and satisfied in the same fashion as a property tax bill or property lien.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Charles Bowman, 25 Laurel Road – commented about the cost over run of the project as a result of the errors made by contractor. Additionally, he commented that the benefit assessment has gone up from the original stated costs of $4200 to current assessment of $8800.

Judy Monger, 21 Barnes Ln. – commented about the mismanagement of the project and the lack of county inspectors overseeing the contractors work. She also spoke in opposition of the amount of the benefit assessment.

Larry Nixdorf, 59 Clark Road – asked the Board to reconsider the amount of the assessment.

Cindy Witkowski, 121 Woodall Road – commented relative to the connection fees.

John Goff, 42 Carpenters Point Road – commented about the new construction in the area

Shirley Frailey, 1475 Carpenters Point Road – commented about Phase II of the project, and the anticipated start date. She also spoke in opposition to the amount of the assessment.

Glen Davis, 28 Laurel Road – commented relative to Phase II, and in opposition of the amount of the assessment.

Tom Young, 18 Carpenters Point Loop – commented in opposition to the project in general.

Beverly Sanders, 54 Cherry Lane – commented in opposition to the amount of the benefit assessment.

Jim Monger, 21 Barnes Lane – commented relative to the mismanagement of the project and in opposition of the benefit assessment.

Joe Hayes, 65 Dewberry Lane – commented in opposition of the benefit assessment and the conduct of the project.

Stella Hayes, 65 Dewberry Lane – commented in opposition of the benefit assessment and the connection fees.

George Fitzgerald, 108 Woodall – commented relative to the mismanagement of the project by the construction company.

Melissa McKenzie, 95 Woodall – commented relative to the County researching an additional funding mechanism and the possibility of an extension of time for the benefit assessment.

Allen Montebluem, 41 Greenbank – commented about property damage as a result of the construction.

Mary Ann Eckert, 64 Oak Road – commented about the disruption of the project and the increased benefit assessment.

Paul Martin, 121 Kirk Road – commented about the increase in taxes in addition to the benefit assessment.

Barry Green, 1485 Carpenters Point Road – asked for consideration in the amount of the benefit assessment.

Joe Carabetta, 1611 Carpenters Point Road – spoke regarding the increased amount of the original assessment, costs overruns and road repair issues.

Francis Yelowski – spoke in opposition to the amount of the benefit assessment and the increased tax assessment to his property. He asked for reconsideration in the amount of the assessment.

Upon the conclusion of public comment, Vice President Hepbron made a motion to postpone any decision relative to the adoption of the benefit assessment. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Guns and unanimously carried.

President Bolender announced that the Resolution will be placed on the February 21, 2006 Board of County Commissioner’s Agenda as an action item.

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Alfred C. Wein, Jr.
County Administrator

Approved:

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Nelson K. Bolender, President