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Brookeville Town Commissioners’ Meeting
April 10, 2006
Present: President of Commissioners Richard
Allan, Commissioner Robert Heritage, Commissioner Michael Acierno,
Terri Hogan, Gazette reporter.
Minutes: The minutes of the March previous
meeting were accepted as written.
Financial Reports: The Commissioners reviewed
the data and had no questions.
Announcements and Reports: Commissioner Allan
reviewed the status of a number of projects and issues and reported
on other developments. The items on the agenda were remarked
on and related actions were taken as follows:
- Former Commissioner Pam Chandler died after a long illness. Pam
was Commissioner in 1999 and 2000. The Commissioners moved
to plant a tree on the Brookeville Academy grounds in her honor.
- Rentals of the Academy are picking up as reported by Business
Manager and Clerk Diane Allan.
- Leary Trucking, Inc. has presented the Commissioners with a proposal
to continue maintenance on North, South, and Water Streets. The
Commissioners agreed to accept the proposal for $2,970.00. The
streets in question will be scraped and graded, regraveled, and
rolled. Work will commence the week of April 10, 2006.
- Excel removed four dead trees at the rear of the Brookeville
Academy. The usable wood was left for residents to use as
firewood. Additional tree work will be done on Town right-of-way
on Market Street east.
- The Commissioners agreed to have its contractor (Greenskeeper)
provide landscaping and maintenance services to Water Street as
is done on North Street. Newly planted right-of-way trees
will be mulched and tended and an area around the street lamp closest
to Market Street will be cleaned and mulched. It was also
agreed that funds be budgeted similarly to initially keep the Powers'
Wood park area under control until plans are developed for plantings
and other landscaping.
- A recent meeting at the restored schoolhouse led to a decision
to complete exterior features of the restoration. Resident
Buck Bartley volunteered to do necessary concrete work for a ramp
to the rear entrance and footings for front steps and a brick pathway. Dave
Yinger has agreed to do the brick work and architect Miche Booz
has sketched the plans. Work is to begin soon. The
Commissioners also agreed not to have four pine benches built but
rather to look for a few more period student desks and chalk or
blackboards using remaining grant funds. Commissioner Heritage
agreed to find a blacksmith or ornamental ironworker to repair
two damaged Town sign holders.
- Market Street surface repairs, both short and longer term, were
discussed along with curb replacement. The Commissioners
agreed to initiate repairs of potholes and begin plans for the
larger project of repaving, including investigating financing options.
- Storm water runoff continues to be a problem for water originating
on High Street (Rt. 97) and flowing down the Salem Church driveway
and also originating from the church parking area. This
water then floods the Kerr residence on lower Market Street. The
straw bales the Town installed last year are not sufficient to
stem the flow velocity and quantity of water. The Commissioners
will seek technical assistance from Montgomery County.
- Commissioners Allan and Acierno attended the District 14 Delegation
reception in Annapolis on April 2, 2006.
- The Town election will be held May 9, 2006, and the Annual Town
Meeting on May 15, 2006.
- An April edition of the Brookeville Times was mailed out and
distributed through email.
- The Town's website rework is still underway. Commissioner
Acierno agreed to talk to the contractor to make sure that the
project is satisfactorily completed in a timely way.
- It was reported that Darrell Mobley has been named as SHA District
3 Engineer, replacing the retired Charlie Watkins. Commissioner
Allan will contact him to congratulate him and to ask for his assistance
in removing a dead tree at the cemetery, correcting the misspelling
of the "Brookville" (sic) sign, and the need for new
curbs at the Brookeville Academy.
- Diane Allan will be resigning as Town Clerk and Business Manager
for the Brookeville Academy effective June 1, 2006. She has
suggested that recruitment of candidates for those positions or
a combined position begin immediately so that she can provide training. She
strongly emphasized the need for a person with excellent personal
skills for the Business Manager's position as well as someone who
has the flexibility to meet potential clients on weekends and on
evenings and can work closely with the Treasurer. The
Commissioners will ask the Clerk to prepare a job announcement
and to participate in the selection process.
- The Clerk met with John Joyce, State National Flood Insurance
Coordinator as part of the annual Community Assistance Visit process
under FEMA regulations. The Town was commended for effectively
discouraging development in the floodplain.
- There will be a meeting of MML's Montgomery Chapter on April
20, 2006 at which there will be a tour of the Montgomery County
Homeland Security Emergency Center.
- Funding assistance is being sought from Montgomery County for
the Thomas Mill cleanup project. Councilman Knapp has indicated
he will try to assist in this project.
New Business: Commissioner Allan reported
that a resident had requested that the question of the Iraq War be
placed on the ballot at the coming Town election. Given the
fact that Brookeville had no such procedural provision in its charter,
he discussed protocols and precedents for "advisory referenda" or "legislative
initiatives" with Jim Peck of the Maryland Municipal League. Peck
provided examples of municipal charters in Maryland that provide
for placing special questions on ballots during elections. All
five of the municipalities with provisions in Maryland also had associated
petition requirements with specific preparatory timeframes. The
consensus of the Commissioners was that as there was no provision
in the Town Charter providing for advisory referenda, and that if
there were, there was insufficient time before the next scheduled
election to exercise typical petition procedures, no further action
on this matter would be taken. The Commissioners also discussed
a request by a non-resident to place an ad on the Town web site. It
was acknowledged that the Commissioners provide free advertising
for residents and have previously agreed to allow a non-resident
to pay for "hosting" costs in exchange for an ad. The
Commissioners agreed that income to cover web site costs and related
expenses from non-residents wishing to advertise would be useful. Each
ad that might be submitted would be considered individually by the
Commissioners and placed along with resident ads.
The Commissioners indicated they would adjourn and then hold a brief
work session on the FY 2006-2007 Budget.
The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
Diane Burr Allan
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