The Town Council voted Monday to renew its hauling and recycling contract with Haden Trash Removal for one year.
The council decided that Haden's was the most reasonable of the four bids the town received.
The company offered several options, including regular trash pick-up and continued use of recyclable bags for $275 a week or for $350 a week, if the town uses Haden's plastic bins for recyclables. The hauler agreed to replace any damaged bins.
The council, hoping to reduce the cost, asked Town Clerk Kathleen D. Kreimer to look into the purchase of bins for town residents before the Haden contract expiresJuly 1.
The county's trash tipping fees would be added to those costs.
Mayor Edward L. Williar urged the council to accept the least expensive contract.
"We got by this year without any increase inthe tipping fees," he said. "That won't happen again next year."
In other business, the council voted on proposed changes to the town's water regulations. The changes call for an increase in the quarterly rate from $7 to $10 for the first 5,000 gallons of water used, plus$1.50 for each additional 1,000 gallons.
The council had voted previously to increase its water and sewer hook-up fees from $500 to $1,000.
The increase in water rates allowed the town to lower its tax rate from 72 to 68 cents per $100 of assessment. The council will vote on the proposed budget at a rescheduled May 13 session.
Elections for mayor and two council seats will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 14 in the Town Hall. Residents may register to vote weekdaysfrom 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May 13.
The town also has scheduledits spring cleanup day for 9 a.m. to noon May 18.
DELL QUESTIONS STUDY
County Commissioner President Donald I. Dell expressed concern Monday that hiring a consultant to conduct a proposed study of truck traffic on county roads could be a waste of money.
The study, which was deferred for the upcoming budget year, was proposed by the Department of Planning. The purpose of the study would be to identify themajor truck routes in Carroll, determine current truck traffic, and project volumes for the next 20 years. It would also be used to help the county establish priorities for road construction projects in itscapital program by identifying roads likely to be overburdened.
Dell said he is concerned the county is spending "big amounts of moneyfor studies we don't use," adding that such studies should be performed by county staff whenever possible. He also said a truck traffic study would be difficult to conduct because some variables, such as future industrial park development, remain undetermined.
Transportation planner Rob Yingling said a truck traffic study will allow planners to head off traffic capacity problems, rather than reacting once atraffic situation worsens.
If the study does not take place, "we'll make a lot of guesses, but they won't be educated guesses," said Yingling.
Planning Director Edmund R. "Ned" Cueman said the department does not have the personnel or the expertise to conduct the studyin-house.
ORDINANCE STUDIED
County officials discussed for two hours Monday the development of a refined adequate facilities ordinance.
The ordinance would set criteria outlining the stage at which public facilities and services such as schools, roads, water, sewer, and police and fire protection would be considered inadequate to serve any new proposed growth. At that point, the county could invoke the law to prohibit development until facilities are expanded.
The county now has an adequate facilities law, but does not have specific standards clearly identifying when the law should be invoked for such facilities as schools and roads.
County officials said criteria mustbe legally defensible to withstand challenges from developers.
Representatives from county planning, zoning, permits, public works anddevelopment review agencies attended the work session, as did the County Commissioners.
CITY ADDING 33 ACRES
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- The City Council voted Monday to annex and rezone 33 acres near the county airport for a planned upscale business park.
Theannexation and rezoning requests came from the Baltimore-based National Instrument Co., which plans to develop the parcel -- on the east side of Route 97 near the Carroll County Regional Airport, and known as the Poole property -- into the Carroll County Commerce Center, which would house a mix of office, retail and warehouse space.
The council action also rezoned the land from restricted industrial to planned industrial.
The business center will include some 233,300 square feet of business space, with about half planned as warehouse spaceand about one-quarter as office space.
Also on Monday, the council denied a request by the county school system to have the city waivefees for hooking up utilities to six portable classrooms to be placed at the Multi-Service Center this fall.
The council said it has no authority to grant such a waiver. Councilman William Haifley said the council had not been "persuaded as to when the relocatables will be withdrawn."
ANNEXATION REQUESTED
DATELINE: SYKESVILLE
SYKESVILLE-- The Town Council will give a residential request for annexation to the Planning and Zoning Commission for action next month.
A group of residents at the end of Oklahoma Road sent petitions to the townrequesting to have 23.5 acres annexed to the South Carroll town.
Approval would benefit the town through tax revenue and provide services to the eight residents involved.
The property owners also are proposing to subdivide the property into three-acre lots and build single family homes on them.
If the Planning Commission approves therequest, the Town Council can pass a resolution annexing the property.
In other action at Monday night's council meeting:
* Town Manager James L. Schumacher announced that the new Sykesville RecyclingCenter has been incorporated, and Modern Junk & Salvage of Baltimoreis planning a grand opening for May 18.
The center is in the new maintenance building on Raincliffe Road just behind the Town House.
Glass, metal, paper, plastics, used oil and batteries are among theitems that will be accepted.
* The 1991 Small Cities Community Block Development Grant application was approved for rehabilitation of several homes on Oklahoma Avenue.
Money also was requested for:
* Homeownership aid, to help first-time buyers with their purchase.
* The Oklahoma Avenue realignment.
* River front property acquisition.
* Administrative costs.
The package totaled $274,500.
LIBRARY BOARD MEETS
DATELINE: HAMPSTEAD
HAMPSTEAD -- The Carroll County Public Library board of trustees is expected to create a furlough policy at the monthly meeting this evening.
Although board members were able to avoid layoffs and shorter work weeks during this year's budget cuts, the state is expected to give libraries less money next year.
Members wish to have a policy in place if furloughs become necessary next year.
In other library news:
* Board members will be discussing a possible fee for reserving books.
The fee, to be charged patrons when they ask to have a book reserved for them after another patron returns it, will be used to cover postage costs formailing notices.
* Library legislation considered by the General Assembly will be discussed by board members.
PARKING RESTRICTION DECRIED
A Mount Airy resident presented the County Commissioners on Tuesday with a petition objecting to a county experiment prohibiting residential parking in a cul-de-sac that is part of a school bus route.
Scott Snyder, a Candice Drive resident, said about 85 Carroll residents -- including some neighbors -- signed the petition. Snyder said school buses have no problem turning around in the cul-de-sac when cars are parked there. The prohibition on parking in the cul-de-sacs,even if it is restricted to certain times, is a nuisance to residents, said Snyder.
WGRX COMMENTS SOUGHT
DATELINE: HAMPSTESD
HAMPSTEAD-- The County Commissioners will take written comments from the public through May 2 on the WGRX-FM radio tower's strobe lights.
Abouta dozen people testified at a hearing Monday night at North Carroll High.
The hearing was requested by more than 50 residents who petitioned the commissioners to force the station to change from a 24-hour white strobe to strobe during daylight and continuous red light at night.
Dwight Dingle, the station's acting general manager, said strobe lights are safer and more visible to pilots than the red lights.
DSS WANTS FEEDBACK
The board that oversees social services wantsmore direct feedback from clients and is looking for a way to get itinexpensively.
Budget constraints and a county hiring freeze prevent the board of directors of the Carroll Department of Social Services from hiring staff to coordinate a client-feedback system as sophisticated as the one in Howard.
But Chairman Richard H. Wilson and fellow member Miller Davis will work on devising a system on a smallerscale with M. Alexander Jones, Carroll DSS director.
"I've alwaysfelt it's a good idea to know what people think about you," Wilson said.
Davis, the board's newest member and director of operations at the New Windsor Service Center, said that from "a manager's point of view, feedback today is critical."
Wilson and Davis said a simple survey form could be given periodically to the 85 people who come to the DSS offices each day for help.
At present, the only system for client feedback is a state process to appeal a reduction in food stamps, welfare or other benefits.
Howard's system employs an advocacy group independent of the state and county to monitor the department's treatment of clients.
The Carroll board heard a presentation on the Howard system from Richard A. Koch, an intern in the Carroll office and graduate student at the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
"It's a very brave thing to do," Koch said of asking for public inspection of services. "Anyone embracing this notion should be commended for that."
BYRON OPPOSES GUN BILL
As a gun-control bill worksits way through House committees, U.S. Representative Beverly B. Byron, D-District 6, is registering opposition to the measure.
Calledthe Brady bill, the measure would require a seven-day waiting periodfor a person buying a handgun to allow time for a background check.
Byron remains unconvinced of the efficacy of such gun-control measures, said spokesman Beau Wright.
"She hasn't been convinced that that kind of legislation has had a significant impact on slowing downwould-be criminals," Wright said.
The bill is named after James Brady, the White House press secretary who was injured in a 1981 attempt on former President Ronald Reagan's life.
The measure was to leave the House Judiciary Committee yesterday, en route to the Rules Committee. The measure is expected to come before the House in mid-May,Wright said.
PLAN TAKING SHAPE
DATELINE: MOUNT AIRY
MOUNT AIRY --The town's Master Plan may come in a few months late, but town planners think it will be worth the wait.
The Planning Commission met at Town Hall Monday night for ongoing work on the plan, a blueprint for growth and development that is revised every 10 years.
A plan was originally scheduled to be submitted to the Town Council this spring, but the commission is now looking to late summer or early fall. The extension will give the planners time to incorporate suggestions from Town Planner Teresa Merten.
Merten, who started in the newly created post in January, has brought to the commission ideas for recreation and open space, such as bike and walking paths. Those suggestions would be added to the framework of the plan, which was put togetherby Judith Rabb, a private consultant who did planning for the town on a contractual basis before Merten was hired.
Planning CommissionChairman Fred Goundry said additional time working on the budget would be well spent.
"I'm not adverse to it at all. In fact, I welcome it," he said yesterday. "It would enhance and embellish the original plan Judy Rabb had developed."
GAS LEAK FIXED
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- No injuries were reported after a construction worker pierced a gas line serving a Route 140 car dealership Monday morning.
Police evacuated the immediate area until necessary repairs could be completed.
At about 9:50 a.m., a construction worker digging a septic-line trench in the parking lot of Bohn Pontiac inadvertently punctured a 2-inch gas line with the basket of a front-end loader. The leak was repaired within two hours.