Bel Air commissioners, employees, volunteers will have to report gifts

All Bel Air town commissioners, town employees and even volunteers who receive gifts will have to provide detailed reports about them if their values go over a certain amount.

It's one of several changes to the town's ethics law, which Bel Air commissioners discussed during the work session Tuesday evening.

When the town submitted its ethics code for review to the Maryland State Ethics Commission in September, it was notified the code did not meet the new state law, according to Director of Administration Joyce Oliver, who said a draft of the changes necessary was submitted to the commission in November.

Among the changes is a stipulation that requires anyone running for election as commissioner, including incumbents, to provide financial statements, Oliver said.

Other changes impact how town employees, commissioners and volunteers receive gifts. If the gift values more than $20 or if a series of gifts received totals more than $100 in a year, the recipient will have to provide a detailed description of the value. They cannot solicit gifts either, she said.

Calling the changes "dramatic," Oliver said they would have to conduct training once commissioners approve the draft.

Bid awards

The commissioners will also vote on two contract awards at the upcoming town meeting this Tuesday.

The first, to Apple Ford, is $29,346 for a 2013 Ford Explorer utility vehicle with four-wheel drive. The money, Police Chief Leo Matrangola said, will come from the remaining part of the budget set aside for replacing vehicles this year.

The vehicle, he added, will replace a 1999 Jeep Cherokee that is on its "very, very last leg" and was in the repair shop at the time of the meeting.

There is also a contract to award $59,500 to inspect sewer lines in the Homestead community as part of the $300,000 inflow and infiltration project the town is starting, according to Public Works Director Randolph Robertson.

This particular part of the project is looking at the lines to evaluate them and provide the town with recommendations for repairs, which Robertson said is where they'll likely spend the remaining money for the project.

Other business

Bel Air commissioners also expect to receive the county growth report at their next meeting, as well as vote on a resolution for the Sustainable Maryland Certified program, so the town can begin the application process.

Town Administrator Chris Schlehr announced that between the end of January and the end of February, local police and fire departments will be using the interior of the former Branch Banking and Trust building for training purposes. This will push the demolition project's start date into March.

Bel Air High School Senior Christine McIntyre will be recognized at the next meeting, according to Schlehr.

The next town meeting is a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in town hall at 39 N. Hickory Ave.

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