Town Commissioners Minutes — 2023-11-15

QUEENSTOWN COMMISSIONERS

November 15,2023 PRESENT: President Al Hardee, Commissioners Tom Willis & Bryon Callahan, Town Manager Amy Moore, Town Clerk Aaron Horney, Town Attorney Lyndsey Ryan

REGULAR MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM

CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS

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Mr. Horney certified the results of the November 6 election, which was cancelled pursuant to Town Charter Sec. 19-12.2 due to being uncontested. Al Hardee was declared re-elected to a new 3-year term as Commissioner.

SWEARING IN OF TOWN COMMISSIONER ALTON HARDEE, JR.

o Mr. Horney administered the Oath of Office of Queenstown Commissioner to Al Hardee.

APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT

o Callahan motion to nominate Commissioner Hardee to serve os Commission President. Willis second.

VOTE: 3 atte-0 nay.

GUESTS

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Caden Quirion - 2023 Queenstown Volunteer of the Year Recognition Mr. Quirion was present to be recognized as 2023 Volunteer of the Year. Caden was recognized due to his many contributions to Queenstown, most recently with his Life Ring Safety Stations project at the town's docks and landing areas. A certificate of recognition was presented to Mr. Quirion following a statement of appreciation by Pres. Hardee.

r Robert Rauch - Updates: Road & Sidewatk Standards / Membrane Clean - valve automation Town Engineer Robert Rauch provided updates to the Commissioners as follows: l) Following reviews with all bidders on the membrane cleaning automation project, proposals are still higher than original estimated costs and likely won't decrease. Will look at other options for lowering costs including possible removal of electrical work from project and report final numbers at next meetng.2) Town road standard

text briefly references QAC Standards- does not address issues the Commissioners wish to address.

Reviewed standards of similarly sized towns- most comprehensive is Easton's standards. Will work on customizing Easton standards to create a draft of Queenstown standards. 3) Lead pipe standard inventory for Town needs to be completed by October 2024. Will ready a proposal to address requirements by next meeting for review.

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Barry Waterman - Waterman Family Limited Partnership DRRA Petition Mr. Watennan presented the formal Development Rights and Responsibilities Agreement Petition for the Commissioner's review. The Commissioners accepted the petition and will discuss details in a closed session.

PUBLIC WORKS

o Annual recovery membrane cleaning scheduled for today and tomorrow.

r New drum screen parts ordered as current rollers/bearings are going bad. Spare sets of each ordered as well.

PLANNING COMMISSION

r Pete Robertson applying for a variance to front yard setback requirements to build front porch/carport on his properfy. BOA hearing scheduled for December I l.

o Discussions on locations to permit recreational cannabis. Will review further next meeting and possibly forward recommendation to Commissioners at the December meeting.

r Member Paul Cain term up in September 2023 and has interest in continuing- reappoint to new term?

Hardee motion to appoint Mr. Cain to a new term. Willis second. VOTE: 3 qve - 0 na.v.

SAFETY & SPEEDING TASK FORCE

o Report submitted by Tereza Hagerstrom - solar speed signs, traffic mirror installed, benches ordered and to be installed. Recommended curve signage on Wall Street and portable signs to be used warning of pedestrians during town center events.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

o Extension of audit filing date to 12/15 requested at direction of auditors. Once a draft is ready, Finance Chair Pat Bowell will draft management and discussion introduction.

o Member terms expired in June 2023- Chair Pat Bowell willing to continue. Other members have no interest in continuing. Willis motion to appoint Ms. Bowell to a new term. Hardee second. VOTE: 3 qve - 0 nqy.

Will post vacancies in newsletter to see if any resident interest in serving in vacant positions.

CODE ENFORCEMENT/HARBORMASTER (no updates)

EVENTS COMMITTEE

o Halloween paradelactivities went well but had low participation- around 20 people. Will plan to do next year and see if worth continuing further if participation remains low.

r Working on tree lighting event- coordinating with QVFD Ladies cookie walk details.

TOWN CLERK

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TreasurerslFinanceRepon r General Fund $546,553.83 / Water-Sewer Fund $90,893.50 / ARPA Fund 5642,169.20 .

Will be requesting closure of several existing Town Certificates of Deposit to establish new COD's with better interest rates with funds. Will also transfer $300.000 from General Fund into new COD's.

2.

Minutes o October 25,2023 (Regular meeting) Willis motion to accept minutes as written. Callahan second. VOTE: 3 qve - 0 nqt.

3.

CorrespondencelRequests/Info - Sent and Received o Queenstown American Legion requesting donations for annual Wreaths Across America effort to place wreaths at gravesites of veterans in Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery.lYillis motion to donate $1.000 to effort. Callahan second. VOTE: 3 q])e - 0 nay.

o Annual boat slip leases- should fee remain same? Commissioners agree to keep lease fee at $510 per year at this time.

TOWN MANAGER UPDATES

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Prices for town park soccer goals from Net World Sports $329.99 for steel goall$;229.99 for PVC. BSN price was $420 for steel or fiberglass goals. Hardee motion to purchase two steel goals from Net l{orld Sports. Willis second. VOTE: 3 a.ve - 0 nay.

o Had meeting with MDE regarding the loan/grant for the water service line inventory project Town is required to do. Will need to put engineering services out to bid for project.

OLD BUSINESS

INFRASTRUCTURE

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I & I project (tabled until Spring 2024 - no updates) 2*-.''li;.T.",T:'fi lff :H:ffi 'T",tk,:f T.:?lffi f ;i:.;ff T;,#l?ff ill,i::iJilii;.

ER/PER so they can finalize review.

3.

Membrane clean - valve automation .

Discussed earlier by Rauch. Was noted that automation not a requirement by the membrane supplierwas suggested by plant operator to reduce labor required for cleaning process.

MARINE PROJECTS

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Boat ramp improvements .

Plans submitted for review. Commissioners ok with plans to submit with permit application for project.

2.

Town Dock projects a.

Constructionupdates o Paving completed. Waiting for bench installation and parking paint marking. New parking signage to be ordered as current is in poor condition.

3.

Federal Channel dredging .

Bayland waiting on lab to complete sediment sampling results. Anticipate having them by lll29. Once received, will need to review and include in report.

POLICY

l. Water/Sewer Connections Code - proposed clarifications & revisions (no updates) 2.

Road and Sidewalk Standards (no updates) 3.

Proposed amendment to Town Code- Chapter 2 "Firearms" .

Proposal by Matt Reno to amend to allow bow & anow/slingshot use in town limits. Following review, Commissioners agree to not amend the Town Code at this time.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

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Wheatland's Project a. DRRA & PWA .

Discussed earlier bv Waterman.

NEW BUSINESS

Pres. Hardee discussed need for ongoing scanninldigitizing of Town records for cloud storage. Ms. Moore informed that office assistant Andrea Ringgold is working on doing so in an ongoing effort.

ATTORNEY UPDATES (no updates)

PUBLIC COMMENT

o Lane Cole Agrees that separation of electrical work from the membrane automation project is a good idea to explore. Also suggested Commissioners take their time and closely look at the DRRA petition as is important to future of town. Commissioners stated their commitment to thoughtfully reviewing all documents related to Wheatlands project.

o Becky Booth Ms. Booth asked if dog pots could be emptied more often as are filled up quickly in certain areas- yes, can schedule to empty more frequently. Also asked if new solar speed signs could be adjusted to only flash strobe light if someone is going over the limit as they currently flash if driver is doing 25 mph- yes, signs will be adjusted.

Llillis motion to leave the meetingand enter a closed session at 7:47 pmfor the purpose of obtaining legal advice from the Town Attornelt. Callahan second. VOTE: 3 qve - 0 nay.

CLOSED SESSION

(Authorized by Section 3-305(b) of the General Provisions Article of the Maryland Annotated Code, and voted upon in Open Session) The Commissioners met in closed session to discuss the Wheatland's DRRA Petition with the Town Attorney.

Callahan motion to end the closed session and return to the regulor meeting at 8:13 pm. Willis second. VOTE: 3 aye

- 0 nqv.

DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION MATTERS IF APPLICABLE

Cqllahan motion to refer Wheatland's DRRA petition to the Planning Commissionfor review. Willis second. VOTE:

3alte-0nqt.

There being no further business, Callahan motion to adJourn the regular meeting at 8: 14 pm. Willis second. VOTE:

3qve-0nalt.