May 7,2003

7:30 p.m.

Trappe Town Hall

The regular Town meeting was opened by President Don English and called to order at 7:30 p.m., Vice President Cheryl Lewis and Commissioners Edgar Harrison, Bob Niemeyer and Danny Adams were present. Everyone stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The April minutes were presented and accepted as presented. The April Financial Statement was read and accepted.

OLD BUSINESS:

EXECUTIVE SESSION APRIL 14, 2003

There was a closed executive session on April 14, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. for legal advice. Members present were as follows:

Don English, Cheryl Lewis, Edgar Harrison, Robert Niemeyer and Danny Adams Legal advice was give on the annexation referendum election.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: MAY 6, 2003

There was a closed executive session on May 6, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. for legal advice. Council members present were as follows:

Don English, Cheryl Lewis, Edgar Harrison, Bob Niemeyer and Danny Adams. Legal advice was given concerning single property matter affecting term employee, personnel matter affecting 1 individual.

ANNEXATION RESOLUTION 7-2002 REFERENDUM

Pres. English read:

Proclamation setting forth the effective date of Resolution 7-2002.

STORMWATER ORDINANCE 2-2003

President English read:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF TRAPPE ADOPTING A STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE, PURSUANT TO THE ANNOTED CODE OF MARYLAND, ENVIRONMENTAL ARTICLE, TITLE FOUR, SUBTITLE TWO:

He then stated that it is being presented tonight, and that we needed to set a public hearing. Attorney Booth suggested that the Commissioners take time to really look this over and think it thru carefully since the ordinance had been amended by our attorneys and that this ordinance would apply to a lot of single family residents and could be very costly. Attorney Booth felt we might want to have a public hearing and then adopt.

EXCISE TAX:

President English reported that the excise tax was passed at the last quarterly meeting of Towns and County Council. There is a $2,000.00 tax cap on any new home built this year.

I & I BIDS:

Pres. English stated that Mr. Croswell had given us a memo. His recommendation is Tri State Grouting, but he suggested that we wait until next fall due to the fact this is not the time of year with all the rain. Prices may change but would be better to wait.

Com. Adams made a motion to table the I & I until fall. Com. Niemeyer seconded.

Vote: Lewis - Y English - Y Harrison - Y Niemeyer - Y Adams - Y

BUDGET:

ORDINANCE 1-2003 was introduced by Vice President Lewis:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF TRAPPE ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY^-1, 2003 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2004 AND ESTABLISHING A TAX RATE OF $.30 PER $100 OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE.

We will advertise for 2 weeks and then have a public hearing on June 4, 2003 at 7:00 p.m.

DAVIS, BOWEN & FRIEDEL- Planned Growth Area:

President English announced that Davis, Bowen & Friedel were doing an engineering study for capital improvements of the wastewater treatment plant of the new growth area, since the annexation has passed. This will take approximately 3 to 4 months.

CINDY MILES:

Ms. Miles - A thank you to the 5 Commissioners. She presented a drawing to the Commissioners of the Commissioners at work on the annexation and thanked them for all their hard work on the project.

CONCRETE PAD FOR SOUTH MAIN ST. PUMPING STATION:

President English brought before the Council the concrete pad that Mr. Croswell would like to have put in at the pumping station on South Main Street for a compressor to be placed on. The cost could go over $1,000.00 and Mr. Croswell would like for Council to approve. Com. Adams requested that Mr. Diefenderfer give us a bid.

Motion was made by Com. Adams to cap at $1,000.00 if it should go over Mr. Diefenderfer will have to come back to the Council for approval. Com. Niemeyer seconded the motion.

Vote:

Adams - Y Lewis - Y English - Y Harrison - Y Niemeyer - Y

SUBSTANDARD HOUSING STUDY:

President English read a copy of the letter he had given to the Commissioners to look over from Talbot County on the substandard housing study. The study is incomplete until they have done the study in Trappe and all the other municipalities. The County is waiting to see if we have any interest to be involved. Vice President Lewis stated that she felt we had no substandard housing issues that we have zoning issues, most people have a roof on their house. We cannot afford to pay someone to inspect for broken windows, check on roofs and whether or not people are residing in houses. We already have an ordinance in the town, why should we pay them for this? Com. Harrison agrees and Com. Niemeyer agreed also. Mr. Drake Ferguson asked didn't the Council go thru this about three years ago and address the same issues when we got the livability code? Would this not be duplicating something that we already have? President English said that the Middle Dept. already does our livability code enforcement if we need to they will go in and do our inspections.

Motion was made by Com. Niemeyer to pass at this time. Motion was seconded by Vice President Lewis.

Vote: Lewis - Y English - Y Harrison - Y Niemeyer - Y Adams - Y Com. Harrison stated that on the 29^th of May the bus trip to the Western Shore sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce was on affordable housing sites related to this matter.

BUILDING INSPECTION:

President English told the Council that Dan Cowee gave a presentation to the County that they would be setting up a Department for building inspections, etc. They will be replacing MDIA with County inspections and would like to know if the incorporated towns would use the County inspector instead of MDIA. Com. Harrison stated that we have been very satisfied with MDIA so why explore.

Vice Pres. Lewis said that they were just setting this up we do not want to be their first customer. We are fine right now. All the Commissioners agreed to pass at this time.

COUNTY TAXES:

The County has once again offered to do our taxes, are we interested asked Pres. English? Vice President Lewis feels that we can do them ourselves. She is now looking at software. Everyone agreed to do our own taxes.

BOBBY CROSWELL:

Mr. Croswell stated that in 1993 he was elected to the Council and the pay was the same as now. He would like to introduce a resolution to amend the charter to raise the Commissioners pay. He thinks that it is a disgrace to pay what we are now paying. Mr. Croswell felt that if we paid a little bit more it might attract a different group of people to run for office. He would like for the Commissioners to consider that they entertain resolution to amend charter to increase the Commissioners salary to $2,000.00 a year payable quarterly. Mr. Drake Ferguson agreed that Mr. Croswell is on right point. There was a discussion on different ways to increase their salary. Com. Harrison thanked them for their confidence but explained that the budget was just too tight right now to do this. Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Croswell both agreed that we should start the process now it would be two years before this would take place. It was suggested to start up a community panel to review process. Vice President Lewis felt that it would have to be a decision made by the town and not the Commissioners. Suggested to have a workshop and allow the town to start the process with Mr. Drake Ferguson heading up the raise for Council members.

JOEDY CECIL:

We have some pottery setting before you that has been suggested that we could sell for the Town to make some money for Christmas decorations. There will be mugs, plates, vases, crocks and many other pieces of pottery. We would like to have Trappe on the pottery and each year come out with a piece that has the year on it. There has been a lot of interest in the pottery. Vice President Lewis thought we should look into it. The Council agreed.

PARKS AND RECREATION:

President English stated that Skip Marvel's term has expired and that with the Council's permission he would like to appoint Janis Lester to head up the committee with Skip as her alternate. Everyone agreed.

JANIS LESTER:

Janis Lester spoke for the Friends of Homerun Baker Park stating that they have been waiting for approval from Donald Schaeffer for the walking track. We have been granted $6,000.00 approval. The Friends of Homerun Baker will put up $2,000.00 and will start next month.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

May 5, 2003 - Candidates night Trappe Methodist Church - 7:00 p.m. May 13, 2003 - General Election 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Town Hall May 26, 2003 - Town office will be closed for Memorial Day

Motion was made by Com. Niemeyer to retire to executive session and seconded by Vice President Lewis.

Vote:

Lewis - Y English - Y Harrison - Y Niemeyer - Y Adams - Y

The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 and moved to executive session for legal advice on annexation.

Respectfully submitted:

C. Donald English, President

Joedy Cecil, Town Clerk