WORK SE
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
Monday, January 31, 2005
7:35 A.M.
Present: Mayor Lee N. Fiedler, Council Members Floyd Pete Elliott, Edward C. Hedrick, Jr., Harold L. Hendershot, Jr., and Terance J. Rephann.
Also Present: Jeffrey E. Repp, City Administrator; H. Jack Price, Jr., City Solicitor; Kevin Hagerich, Director of Public Works; and Sharon S. Clark, City Clerk.
I. Public Meeting Agenda Review:
Mr. Repp reviewed the public meeting agenda as follows:
Reports:
Routine:
1. Personnel Activity Report submitted by April Howser, Human Resources Officer, for the period January 8 – 22, 2005
2. 2004 Annual Report for the Parks and Recreation Department submitted by Diane Johnson, Director of Park and Recreation
Orders (Consent Agenda):
Item 1 To authorize Jeffrey E. Repp, City Administrator, to execute a proposal between the City and Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP for engineering services for evaluation of industrial/commercial impacts on the City’s WWTP facilities - $20,000.00
Item 2 To authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a services agreement by and between the City of Cumberland and Interfaith Housing Alliance, Inc. for the Community Legacy funded self-help program.
Mr. Repp noted this program is being done with last year’s funds.
item 3 To accept the sole source proposal of Tri-State Electric for the purchase of a motor control center for the Wills Creek pumping station - $21,689.00
item 4 That the recommendation from the Community Development Department for the Upper Story Redevelopment Grant Program and the Deferred Loan Program be approved - $175,500 Community Legacy Funding
Councilman Hedrick asked if these funds would be disbursed now or at a later date. Mr. Repp advised these projects are being done with last year’s funds and with the passing of this order the applicants approved can begin requesting funds.
item 5 To authorize Jeffrey E. Repp, City Administrator, to execute a 2005 Main Street Improvement Program Grant between the Dept. of Housing & Comm. Dev. and the City of Cumberland Downtown Development Commission for Holiday Decorations - $4,000.00
Mr. Repp advised this grant is a pass-through. The Downtown Development Commission has received this grant for holiday decorations.
item 6 To authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an Agreement between the Mayor and City Council of Cumberland and the County Commissioners of Allegany County concerning the consolidation of dispatch services
Mr. Repp advised there was a draft of the agreement being proposed to be executed as well as an attachment spelling out minimum expectations. He reviewed language in the agreement and asked for questions.
Councilman Hendershot asked about the vacation benefits of the City dispatchers. Mr. Repp advised that in accordance with the agreement the City will be compensating the County for the amount of current vacation. He added that he didn’t know if the County schedule, which the dispatchers would enter into, would make vacation benefits different from what they would get with the City, but they are taking with them the number of days of vacation they now have. Mayor Fiedler pointed out that they will be getting other benefits, one of which is a different retirement system. Upon question from Councilman Hendershot, Mr. Repp said he felt AFSCME was interested in seeing the financial relationship of the employees when they move to the County more than the specifics of the agreement and his understanding is that it has been worked out between the County and AFSCME – representing their dispatchers as well as ours.
Upon question from Councilman Rephann, Mr. Repp advised everyone is sharing the same software for incident reports – making it a county-wide incident reporting system where everyone can share information.
Mr. Repp reviewed the changes made to the agreement sent to the City from the County.
Councilman Hendershot asked if the County had seen the modifications. Mr. Repp advised he sent a copy on Wednesday to both the County Administrator and Attorney, and that after City approval today it will be sent to the County for their signature.
Letters:
1. Letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development that the Chapel Hill Historic District and the Decatur Street Historic District will be considered by the Governor’s Consulting Committee for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places Tuesday, February 15, 2005
2. Letter of Resignation from Carolyn D. Sharer – Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority.
Mayor Fiedler asked Mr. Repp to advertise for letters of interest for this position, which is the only City representative on this Authority.
II. Miscellaneous Discussion:
Mayor Fiedler asked Mr. Hagerich, Director of Public Works, how the snow removal process went during the recent snow storm. Mr. Hagerich said he felt it went good and confirmed we are using a new chemical for the second year where if it is applied prior to the salt it will keep the salt from bonding to the surface and that as you throw it out with the salt it helps disbursement confining it more to the roadway surface.
Councilman Hedrick inquired about and there was discussion of possible options to insure demolition projects are completed in a more timely manner.
Councilman Hendershot discussed with the Council his concerns with the security of our building and what some other agencies are doing. He asked they give some thought to enhancing our security in the City Hall building.
Mr. Repp pointed out that with the number of entries in the building it is one of the most accessible buildings in Cumberland, but that both the Police Department and Staff are looking into the security of it. Councilman Hendershot asked to be provided information as to what is being done and what can be done to enhance the security for everyone’s safety. Mr. Repp agreed to provide Councilman Hendershot a summary of what is being done.
III. Executive Session:
Mr. Repp requested an executive session for the purpose of discussing pending litigation involving the West Side Drainage and an economic development related matter. Councilman Elliott made a motion, seconded by Councilman Hendershot, and the vote unanimously carried to enter into executive session.
IV. Adjournment:
With no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 7:58 A.M.