Town Meeting Minutes
February 1, 2010
Emmitsburg Town Office
Present: Mayor James Hoover; Commissioners
Clifford Sweeney, Glenn Blanchard, Tim O'Donnell and
Christopher Staiger, President.
Also present were Donna Despres, Town Clerk and Dave
Haller, Town Manager.
Absent: Commissioner Etris with prior notice
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I. Call to Order
Commissioner Christopher Staiger, President of the Board
of Commissioners, called the February 1, 2010 Town
Meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance was
recited.
Approval of Minutes
Commissioner O'Donnell requested that mention of the
discussion of building heights and bicycle amenities for
businesses be inserted. Upon motion by Commissioner
Blanchard to add this mention to the discussion on
Chapter 17 of the Code of Emmitsburg, the Minutes of the
January 20, 2010 Town Meeting were approved as amended.
Commissioner Comments
Commissioner Blanchard reported on his attendance at a
Cleveland teachers' conference, highlighting a
presentation on civic preservation whereby he reflected
on the need to preserve the historic core of a town in
any planned restoration. Commissioner O'Donnell issued
compliments to the staff for quick snow clearing,
mentioned his contact with business owners and that he
gave a presentation to the Boy Scouts re the
constitution commenting how he was impressed with their
understanding.
Mayor's Comments - None
Administrative Business
The Board and management reviewed the following issues:
- Ballfield access is handled through the office by
requesting a reservation form. By contract, leagues have
a standing reservation during the summer.
- A posted site plan for the Emmit Gardens water project
was requested. Mr. Haller updated that this project is
at 75% completion stage
- Grease trap ordinance update: All 26 concerned
businesses have been contacted and responded in
December. Six have completed the permitting process and
are fully compliant.
- Re a resident request to change traffic direction on
Chesapeake Avenue: Mr. Haller gave history of the
property and added that staff felt that the existing
alternating directions of the side streets should not be
altered. As there was not any finding of any accident
incidents in the last 10 years, a letter will be sent of
this information and the denial to alter the direction.
- Pool update: The Mayor met with the management company
to establish "pool rules" and the need to strive to
improve visibility of management. More concrete plans
will be available in March. Continued repair of the baby
pool cannot be guaranteed due to the condition of the
underlying piping without tearing out the pool and
rebuilding. Staff is looking into the possibility of
dividing a section of the existing pool into a baby pool
with a physical barrier as at Braddock Heights. When
queried by Commissioner O'Donnell about the rules, the
Mayor explained that they have been garnered from
examples of other pools, tailoring to the town pool in
size and use.
Reports
Treasurer's Report - Commissioner Glenn
Blanchard. See attached report, Exhibit A.
Committee reports - Commissioner O'Donnell
reported that the Planning Commission discussed
comprehensive rezoning revisions.
II. Agenda Items
Ordinance 10-10 (09-10), Purchases and Contracts
Commissioner Staiger expressed that this is effective to
define the purchasing process and that the
Board-discussed revisions made at the December 21, 2009
meeting were incorporated into this final product. A few
typo corrections were made. Also, the Ordinance was
renumbered to the originally considered 09-10.
Motion: To accept Ordinance 09-10 as revised,
adding Chapter 3.12 Purchases and Contracts to Title 3,
Revenue and Finance of the Code of Emmitsburg outlining
a purchasing policy for the Town.
Motion by Commissioner O'Donnell, second by Commissioner
Blanchard.
Vote: 4-0 in favor
Reference to ordinance 09-10 was incorrect. Original
ordinance presentation was numbered 09-12.
Admended Motion: To revise previous approval of
Ordinance 09-10 to approval of Ordinance 09-12 as
amended, adding Chapter 3.12 Purchases and Contracts to
Title 3, Revenue and Finance of the Code of Emmitsburg
outlining a purchasing policy for the Town.
Motion by Commissioner Staiger, second by Commissioner
Blanchard.
Vote: 4-0 in favor
Commissioner Sweeney acting as President pro tem for
this vote.
Ordinance 10-01, Establishment of The Citizen
Advisory Committee
This ordinance first presented at the January 4, 2010
meeting was returned with the Board-reviewed
recommendations. Three refined language corrections were
made with unanimous consent. This establishes a Citizen
Advisory Committee to address quality of life issues in
the Town.
Motion - To adopt Ordinance 10-01 as amended,
adding Chapter 2.80 to Title 2, General Provisions of
the Code of Emmitsburg establishing a Citizen Advisory
Committee.
Motion by Commissioner Blanchard, second by Commissioner
Sweeney
Vote: 4-0 in favor
Ordinance 10-04, Repealing of Sections 2.40, 2.60 And
2.70 From The Code of Emmitsburg
Commissioner O'Donnell expressed concern that the
deletion of these sections would lose the historical
reference to the prior existence of these committees.
The Board agreed that the repeal process is a more
efficient method of this committee reorganization.
Motion - To adopt Ordinance 10-04, as amended,
repealing Chapters 2.40, 2.60 and 2.70 of Title 2,
General Provisions of the Code of Emmitsburg deleting
the Streets and Transportation, Water and Charter Review
committees.
Motion by Commissioner Sweeney, second by Commissioner
Blanchard
Vote: 4-0 in favor
It was brought up that a committee liaison will need to
be appointed. It was decided to consider this when a
full Board is convened.
III. Public Comments - none
IV. Set Agenda Items for February 15, 2010 Meeting
1. text amendments to chapter 17-44 entitled amendments
V. Adjournment
With no further business, the February 1, 2010 Town
Meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Date Approved: February 15, 2010