Town Commissioners Minutes — 2024-05-22

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QUEENSTOWI\ COMMISSIONERS

May 22,2024 PR-ESf,NT: President Al Hardee, Commissioners Tom Willis & Bryon Callahan, Town Manager Amy Moore, Town Attomey's Lyndsey Ryan and Carly Landolfi.

REGULAR MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM

PUBLIC HEARING - CALLf,D TO ORDER AT 6:01 P.M.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE 24-03

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSTOWN TO AMEND SECTION 3.5 OF THE

QUEENSTOWN CODE TO PROHIBIT THE PARKING OF COMMERCIAL TRUCKS AND

TRAILERS FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS ON THE STREETS OF THE TOWN

COMMENTS:

Peter Robertson: concerned trades people may not be able to access property if only 2 hr. parking. Still working on his home and has a new porch project in the works. Contractors would need access to their vehicles for materials, tools, etc. Most construction hours are E a.m. - 3:30 p.m. or so. How can residents be accommodated?

William White: concemed with construction equipment parked on Second Ave and Steamboat Ave as it makes it very difficult for the school bus to access the street, as well as other vehicles. His wife has difficulty getting around them with her vehicle.

Town Attorney Lyndsey Ryan advised that Section 3.5 A states "..this does not prevent trucks or trailers from making legitimate deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise in the Town as long as the truck or trailer does not impede the regular flow of traffic". As the Town Office and/or Code Enforcement Officer would be the ones enforcing the regulations, they would be aware when there is a construction project

ongoing and it would not be affected. She feels ordinance cbuld stay as written or additional text can be added if Commissioners so choose.

6:ll There be no further comments. Hardee notioned to close the Public Hearing at o-m.: Callahan second- VOTE: 3-ave - 0 nuv

PUBLIC WORKS

o Having Leland Cypress tree at Comegys open space removed Thursday, along with topping offof adjacent cherry tree.

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Steve Roberson had Mister Rooter in town to rerun the camera and TV the lines done last week as they neglected to save the video. This being done at no charge to the Town. We will get a copy when completed.

PLANNING COMMISSION (no updates) SAFETY & SPf,f,DING TASK FORCE (no updates)

FINANCE COMMITTEE

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Member terms are up in June. Commissioners would like notice of vacancies run in newsletter.

Depending on results, may discuss other options.

CODE ENFORCEMENT/HARBOWIASTER ( no updates ) EVENTS COMMITTEE (no updates) TOWN CLf,RI( l.

Treasurers/F inance Report .

General Fund $58,347.83 - WS Fund $20,014.26 - ARP A Fund $642,436.22 2.

Minutes o May 8,20204 (Closed Session) llillis motion to accept as wriuen. Callahan second. VOTE: 3 ave - 0 nay.

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May 8, 2024 (Regular Session) Willis motion to accept as written. Callahan second. VOTE: 3 qve - 0 nql .

May 20,2024 (Work Session) Willis motion to accept as written. Callahan second. VOTE: 3 qve - 0 nqv.

Correspondence/Requests/lnfo - Sent and Received (nothing to report)

TOWN MANAGER UPDATES

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Received notification from Community Parks and Playground Program that our three grant requests for a pavilion at the park, new park equipment and resurfacing, and the pedestrian boardwalk at Skipjack Cove Lane were denied due to the number of applications received from local governments exceeding available funding. Will reapply in August.

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Letter sent to property owner on Steamboat Avenue whose tenants are pouring cooking grease and/or oil into the sewer system. Continuing these actions could result in the property owner being held responsible for the costs of correcting the problems that arise in the system.

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Water line easement received from Friel's. Per Ms. Ryan, need additional information before can be signed as one of the property owners is deceased. She will follow up with Mr. Jay Friel.

o Town Clerk Aaron Horney and Ms. Moore will be attending a benefits coordination training session in Baltimore on Wednesday, June 5th from l0-3.

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Paris Wells, resident of Second Ave., is working on a petition to bring before the Commissioners to amend the code to permit chickens under certain conditions. She asked if the petition could be posted in the Town Office for residents to review and sign. Commissioners discussed this request, and while it is not prohibited, they do not want to set a precedent by allowing petitions to be posted in the Town Office and therefore denied her request.

r Ms. Moore requested a closed session at the end of the meeting to discuss a personnel matter with the Commissioners.

OLD BUSINESS

INFRASTRUCTURE

l. I & I Project (bids closed 5/17 - waiting on engineers'formal recommendation)

2. New Water Tower & Infrastructure Project (ongoing)

3. Membrane Clean - Valve Automation (ongoing)

4.

Lead Service Line Inventory Project Project and docs submitted to MDE and to State Clearinghouse for review have been approved and the agreement with engineer is ready to sign. President Hardee executed agreement on behalf of the Town.

MARINE PROJECTS

l. Federal Channel Dredging (no update)

POLICY

l. Water/Sewer Connections Code - Proposed Clarifications & Revisions (no updates) 2.

Road And Sidewalk Standards (discuss at June meeting)

3. PROPOSED ORDINANCE 24.03 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF

QUEENSTOWN TO AMEND SECTTON 3.5 OF THE QUEENSTOWN CODE TO

PROHIBIT THE PARKTNG OF COMMERCIAL TRUCKS AND TRAILERS FOR MORE

THAN TWO HOURS ON THE STREETS OF THE TOWN Callahan motioned to adopt Ordinance 24-03 as innoduced: Willis second. VOTE: 3-qve - 0-nqv

4. FY25 Proposed Budget - ORDINANCE NO. 24-04

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSTOWN ADOPTTNG A GENERAL

BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1,2024 AND ENDING JUNE 30,

2025 AND ESTABLISHING A REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE OF $ .2312 PER $IOO OF

ASSESSED REAL PROPERTY VALUE, A TAX RATE OF $ .58 PER $IOO OF ALL

ASSESSED COMMERCIAL OR BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY, AND A TAX

RATE OF $2.00 PER $100 OF ASSESSED PUBLIC UTILITIES; AND ALSO ADOPTING

AN ENTERPRISE BUDGET FOR THE TOWN'S WATER AND SEWER OPERATIONS,

WHICH INCLUDES AN INCREASE TO MONTHLY WATER AND SEWER

CONSUMPTION RATES By EIGHT PERCENT (8%). AS ADOPTED JI-INE 22,2022.

Willis motioned to introduce Ordinunce 21-01 and hold a public heering on June 12. 2021:

Cullcrhun second. VOTE: 3-uye - }-nu-,-

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

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Wheatland's Project a. DRRA & PWA

ORDINANCE NO. 24.0I _ AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF

QUEENSTOWN APPROVING AND ADOPTING A DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS

AND RESPONSIBILITIES AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE TOWN

COMMISSIONERS OF QUEENSTOWN AND WATERMAN FAMILY LIMITED

PARTNERSHIP, PURSUANT TO THE QUEENSTOWN TOWN CODE. (pending revisions) Presiclent Hardee requesled rneeting with crttorne); in closed session at the end of the meetingfor legul crdvice on this rnatter.

NEW BUSINESS tuone) ATTORNEY UPDATES (no upclate.s)

PUBLIC COMMENT

Donald Holland - .

Comegys Lane is a racetrack and is requesting a speed bump be installed. His neighbor, George Buckler, concurred and suggested the Commissioners come take a look at the street and the best location for a bump.

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Mr. Holland advised that the road needs some work as there are quite a few potholes and the area around the hydrant that was replaced has begun to sink.

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Thanked the town for having the tree removed on the corner of Main and Comegys as it increased the visibility at that corner. Now'the weeds are taking over and asked if they could be removed.

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Sump pump at the neighbor's house on Main Street runs quite a bit and the water should be run down their property to the road, however. it is running across his property. Town will contact homeowner and ask them to relocate hose.

Pete Robertson - .

Asked for clarification on Comcast - whether residents were to contact them directly'to sign up or go through the town. Mr. Robertson was informed that he must contact Comcast and enter into an agreement with them for any services.

Hurdee motioned to close the regular meeting ut 6:33 p.m. and enter into a closed session.for the purpose of discussing personnel matters and obtain legal advice -from the Town Attorne];: C'allahan seconel.

VOTE: 3-qve, ]-nuy.

Willis motioned Io adjourn the closed session ond resume regular meeting at 6:56 p.m.: Calluhan second.

VOTE: 3-o.ve, }-ne:r.

Callahan motionecl to hire Travis Speller us a Jull-time Utilil,t, Worker in Public ll'orks Department:

Hurdee second. VOTE: 3-ale. }-nqv Commissioner Willis expressed concern about the condition of the sewer lines in light of some recent damages and suggested that we TV the lines before Talkie installs their conduit. Per Town Engineer Robert Rauch, he suggested that we wait until Talkie is completed and then TV the lines. lf there is any damage, it can be determined who caused them. Mr. Rauch suggested that the Town proceed with the

smoke test first, scheduled for the end of June. As the water table is starting to lower, damages to some lines may not be apparent by camera, whereby smoke testing will hit all cracks and breaks.

Commissioners agreed to proceed with the smoke testing first but did want Mr. Rauch to verifo that all 4 sections of town were TV' d when it was done several years ago. They also would like to know how he would be able to determine whether Comcast or Talkie were responsible for any damages should they occur. Ms. Moore will contact Mr. Rauch and report to Commissioners the next day.

There being no furtlrer business, Callalwt motion to a4jown tlp regalar me,etiry 41;gS p,m.; lfiiUis second. YOTE: 3 sye - 0 nqv.

Town Manager