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Now convene this July 16th meeting of
the Centerville Town Council. We'll

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start as we always do with the pledge of
allegiance and remain standing for a

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moment of silence

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to the flag of the United States of
America. and to the republic for it

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stands. One nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice

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for all.

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You all right, council. First up is
agenda review. Are there any changes to

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the agenda?
>> None.

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» Have none.
>> Okay. I just want to state the agenda

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that we had previously included
legislation about the solar arrays.

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We're doing some additional work on that
and so that's why it's not on the agenda

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for a public hearing now, but it had
been previously and it will likely be

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back in just an updated form in a
meeting or two.

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Um, all right. Next up is review of the
minutes from the June 4th meeting. Are

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there any additions or changes to the
minutes?

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» None.
>> You good?

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» All right. Do we have a motion to
approve the minutes?

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» Approve.
>> Is there a second? Second.

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» All in favor?
>> I

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» I.
>> Okay. Next up, we have a close session

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statement from this evening. The town
council met in close session on

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Thursday, July 16th, 2026 at 6 p.m. to
discuss personnel in accordance with the

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Maryland Open Meetings Act. Four members
of the town council voted to close the

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session. The authority to close the
session is found in section 3305 of the

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general provisions article. The town
council discussed the following topics.

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Personnel discussed a personnel issue,
performance review, and applications for

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boards and commissions. No actions were
taken. The following members and staff

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were present. Ashley H. Kaiser,
president. Jeffrey D. Keiel, vice

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president. Frederick E. Bu and Sandra
Lee Huffer, members. Sharon Vanberg,

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town attorney. Gay Adams, town clerk.
Crystal Eb, HR director.

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Chief Hobbes, and Carolyn Brinkley, town
manager, were both here for part. The

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close session meeting adjourned at 6:32
p.m.

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Okay. Now, we will enter a citizens
forum. Citizens are requested to keep

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their comments for 3 minutes. If you're
here to comment on specific legislation,

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either the short-term rentals moratorum
or the utility rate increase, we will

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have that public hearing in a few
minutes. So, this is for more general or

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related to other things, public comment
if anyone is interested in addressing

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the council.
>> Yeah, come on up.

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I can address.
>> Yeah.

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So, we're going to keep time tonight.
Um, but you have three minutes. If you

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could state your name for the record.
>> Okay. I just need a minute. Um, I

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understand the town council wanted
information.

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» You have come closer to the mic
>> and we need your name for the record

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first.

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[laughter]
>> There you go.

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» Now, can you hear me?
>> Yes. Good evening. Um, I'm Margaret

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Jaggley from Northbrook. Um,

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» thank you.
>> Okay.

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» Thank you. Uh, I understand the town
council wanted information on flock

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cameras. Um, and I have submitted that
information for your perusal, but a

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flock c uh camera can flock can sell you
the information gathered and one does

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not know who is monitoring the
recordings. They use facial recognition,

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read license plates, ping, and gather
information from cell phones, tablets,

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and laptops in the car, leaving them
open to hacking. This information is

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then fed and stored in federal databases
like ICE, government hot list, and then

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they keep logs of every place you go for
medical treatment, political meetings,

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religious meetings, and where you sleep
at night. This information is available

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not only to your town but the whole
country and the whole world. There are

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numerous lawsuits against flock for
fourth amendment violations. And an HOA

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can govern govern their HOA property,
but Maryland law prevents an HOA from

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violating constitutional rights of those
both in and out of HOA. Please do not

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allow flat cameras on our streets.
>> Thank you. They sound more terrifying

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than I even thought they were.
>> Mhm.

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» Um, appreciate that. All right. Next up,
we have a couple of appearances. Council

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member McNeel, are you going to read the
proclamation?

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» Okay.
>> For our wonderful Queen Ans County

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Garden Club.
>> Please come on up.

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» Susan Robin, come on up. One of the
great jo

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» Fred, you can't talk until you're at the
microphone. [laughter]

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» I have the ability to never stop
talking. So, uh, good friend of mine.

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Come on. Come on. Come on.
Yeah. Come on. Who's

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» Yes. The whole garden club.
>> Okay. There you go.

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» Everybody's in the
>> uh a good friend of mine, Bill Moore

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said, "Fred, if you live in Centerville,
little miracles happen every day. These

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people who you see here, who I've never
met before except for Susan, I think,

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right, Susan?" Okay. Uh, one day I'm
walking out of the c the coffee shop up

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town, 90 degrees. This wonderful woman
had, who was it?

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» Laura. Laura, come on. Come on. Laura
stole my heart to save the plants. Come

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on. So sweet.
>> 90 degrees. Laura had two watering cans

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and she was going around town watering
the plants around town. If you walk

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outside when you leave tonight, look at
these flowers. They're all blooming.

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They all look beautiful. What turns up,
Laura, okay, gives me a phone number and

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says, "Look, we've been doing this for
30 years, right? What the heck's going

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on?" [laughter]
Okay. And all these plants that look

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beautiful thanks to these ladies and
others. And what's even more

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interesting, uh, I go to the farmers
market every Sunday. I'm sitting there

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eating my bagel and mustard and
whatever. A husband and a wife team,

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right, Robin, came through and they were
watering plants. And in this type of

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weather, it's extremely important. Our
plants, our trees, and our senior

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citizens, by the way, right? Give them a
lot of liquid. So, you get a little

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closer. I get to hold your hand. Let me
read this. Gay does a wonderful job

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making proclamations. If I can read it,
it says, "Whereas the Queen Anne's

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County Garden Club has long served as a
steward of public spaces, enhancing the

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beauty of parks, gardens, streetscapes,
and civic landscapes that contribute to

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the charm and historic character of
center, Queen County." Rather than read

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the whole thing, and I apologize. All
right. They do a wonderful job. How

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about give them a standing ovation
before [applause]

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Thank you so much. [applause]
>> And actually, that's one of the missions

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of of of the garden club is to beautify
the county and our county seat of of

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Centerville. In in addition to the
flowers, we also do the greens at

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Christmas before your holiday parade
around the town and the county office

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buildings in the city and everything.
and we've been doing that for over 50

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years. Our club just celebrated our 90th
anniversary um last year. And so um

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that's what we give back to you and we
we just uh love our county and we we

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enjoy making it beautiful.
>> Thank you.

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[applause]

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» Let's take a picture.

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Thank you.
>> Thank you so much.

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» All right. Do we have another appearance
before we get to public hearing? So,

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we'll bring up Lisa Thompson regarding
the Main Street Market study.

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Good.
She outside.

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» Hi, thank you for being here.

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You have the um Perfect. Thank you.
>> Thank you.

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» We didn't practice this or anything.
[laughter]

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» You'll do fine. I know.
>> How are y'all doing tonight?

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» Good. How are you?
>> Good. Good. Thank you. Um I'm Lisa

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Thompson. I'm a senior program officer
with Main Street America. And um

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» would you pull your microphone just a
little bit closer to you? There you go.

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» Certainly. Um and I really um I thank
you for the invitation today to come

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talk to you all. Um this is really sort
of the uh compilation of uh a

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transformation strategy or economic
development plan that we've been working

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on with your main street program. And so
I wanted to take about eight minutes to

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sort of go over some of the highlights
of the survey, some market data. Um what

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are those strategies that the steering
committee have identified to work on for

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the next three to five years and then uh
give you all some time if you have any

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questions. Um I'm happy to help. Next
slide. Oh no, this slide. Sorry. Um so

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basically um you know Main Street when
you think about it, we start with the

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people. the people are so so important
um to this the work that we do and I

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wanted to start by thanking uh the
volunteers that have been um working on

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the steering committee. So we have
Anthony and Christy Pugzi um William

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Cheshire, Brian Johnston and Jennifer
Moore. They gave up weekends uh a lot of

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time sort of thinking about um the
market data, the studies and how we

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really sort of move downtown Centerville
forward.

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And I also want to take a time to thank
Carol. So without Carol's um dedication,

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the work that she has done for this
community for the last 14 years, she's

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really helped build the foundation. Um
so I really, you know, would be remiss

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without calling out that. Um, I also
want to recognize that as part of the

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Maryland Main Street program, which is
part of our network of coordinating

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programs, uh, Christine McFerson is here
from the state of Maryland. Um, and that

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this grant that came from, um,
Christine's office was actually what

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funded this work. So [snorts] being part
of the Maryland Main Street program um

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also has its financial benefits and
rewards in addition to the technical

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assistance and the on ground um support
that they give the communities day in

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and day out.
>> Uh next slide.

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» See if this works.

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» Maybe. No.
>> Does it turn on? Oh no, it's not. I

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didn't know there was an on. Sorry.
There we go.

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» Excellent. Okay. So, um so how did we
get here? We basically had um four steps

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that we followed. Uh the first thing was
a community survey that we launched. So,

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some of you might have filled this out.
Um we had 463

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real people in your community take the
time to fill out a survey. Um and that

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really is remarkable given the size of
your community. Um we had focus groups

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with business owners, property owners.
Um we met with town council folks. Um

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Sandy and Frederick were also
participants in a lot of the um steering

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group meetings that we did. Um we read
um and sort of analyzed some hard data

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about your community. So we looked at
Ezri data, we looked at Placer AI, so

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how are those visitors that are coming
in and out of your main street district?

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Um and we thought about like what
happens in the life cycle of your

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downtown. We also had a workshop um just
earlier today with the steering

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committee um and really thought about
what are the goals that we want to

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achieve for the next three to five
years. Next slide.

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So I really wanted to share with you a
little bit um of the sort of highlights

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from the survey. So, of those 463
responses, people overwhelmingly said

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they love your town. They love this
place. When we asked them one word about

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downtown, they said quaint, historic,
small, walkable, charming. Um, they love

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this community. The courthouse square,
the library, um, lots of your local

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businesses are what anchor daily life
here in Centerville. Um residents were

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just as clear about what's also holding
back Centerville. Um twothirds said that

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there aren't enough businesses and
destinations suited to them. 62% pointed

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to vacant storefronts. Nearly half
pointed to buildings needing

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rehabilitation.
And notice what's not on this list,

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safety. So safety was barely mentioned.
It was all about vibrancy, not about

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security. And so I think that's
important as you think about your next

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steps. Um, next slide.
So this is not just the single most

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important finding in the survey, but
it's important to to say out loud 82% of

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the people here said that they're going
to stay. They see themselves living in

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this community five years from now. 74%
feel very welcome downtown, which is

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also really important. Yet, 64% said
they would not recommend downtown to a

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friend as a place to visit.

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Yeah, think about that. So, that means
that you don't have an unhappy

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community. People feel at home here.
They love it here, but they can't point

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their friend toward enough to see or do
or buy.

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So, the people are here and they're
going to stay, but the storefronts that

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you have really haven't caught up to the
people who live here and the demand that

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they're asking for. So, that's the gap
and the strategies that we're going to

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try and fill. Next slide.
So, then we looked at market data. So,

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it's like, okay, who lives here? Who
what kind of market can your community

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support? Um, and your market's a very
affluent market. The median household

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income within five minutes of the
courthouse is over $119,000,

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headed towards $130,000
by 2030.

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More than 48,000 people live within a 25
minute drive and food spending alone in

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the trade area is projected to grow by $
8.6 million

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by the year 2030.
Yet, if you look at the employees, your

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service businesses, the employees that
would um work in those service

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businesses only represent about 13 to
16% of your area jobs.

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So what it means is when you think about
housing, affordable housing, how do you

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provide housing that's affordable for
the service worker if you want to grow

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your restaurant and retail business?
Next slide.

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So here's the part that I think really
surprised everybody um on the steering

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committee. So you already have a lot of
people downtown.

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Placer AI counted 453,000
visits last year and that's really up

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over 23% over the last two years.
So that's 105,000

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unique visitors
and they average a visit of about 79

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minutes.
So this is where two problems show up.

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The first is that visits peak on
weekdays around your court business.

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Probably no surprise to you all, okay?
And it hits its lowest visitation on the

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weekends and that's exactly when the
residents said that they wanted to

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visit.
The second issue is leakage.

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So that leakage is where are those sales
going if they're not buying goods and

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services in your main street district.
[clears throat] So more than half of

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downtown's own visitors routinely shop
at Kenttown Market in Easton and they go

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to the outlets at Queenstown.
So you have the spending power in your

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community, but most of it is being spent
12 to 18 miles away.

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Next slide.
So this really brings us kind of to the

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the insight of this whole process. So
Centerville really does not need to

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create more activity. You don't need
more festivals. You don't need more

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events. It needs to capture, connect,
and expand on the activity that you

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already have here. So capture the daily
county traffic.

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Um bring those people into your
storefronts.

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help them spend more money while they're
here. Um, and figure out how to connect

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the people to the businesses,
parking, side streets. We even talked

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about how to connect people that come by
boat to the waterfront. How do we get

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them downtown?
And so, think about how do you fill the

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vacant buildings?
How do you fill your vacant upper

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floors? and they could be with
businesses or hopefully more residents

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that might fit that need for more
workers.

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Next slide.
So, the committee chose two strategies.

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Uh the first one is just a one-year
strategy. And so, this is really

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thinking about how we build the
foundation for a strong Main Street

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program.
Stakeholders told us candidly that roles

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among Main Street, CEDA, the town and
the county are unclear

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and that lasting revitalization needs an
organization structured to lead it.

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Year one is going to deliver a committed
working board written rules framework

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for CEDA and the town and the county, a
funding strategy that includes state

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main street grants,
a public working document that is really

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going to demonstrate real
accountability,

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that transparency,
early visible wins like signage,

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storefront refreshes, and a downtown map
and directory. Those are just some of

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the things that are on the list that the
steering committee wants to work on.

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Next slide.
The second strategy is going to span

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really that three to five year goals.
And so we want to capture and grow

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downtown activity with two distinct
goals.

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Goal one is really spaces and
businesses. So we want to think about

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how do we fill vacant buildings and
upper floors through adaptive reuse,

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through popup shops.
Recruit what residents have asked for.

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They want more casual dining. They want
arts and culture. They want boutiques, a

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coffee shop, entertainment.
They're also going to focus on how do

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they connect property owners with
tenants

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and financing because we know that when
you rehabilitate a historic building

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it's noninexpensive
and so through that they want to

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encourage also not only more businesses
but also more second floor housing.

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Goal number two is really about
visibility and access. So wayfinding to

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parking to side streets. How do we think
about how 301 and 213 really connect

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with downtown? And how do you navigate
both vehicle and pedestrian foot

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traffic?
How do you connect the courthouse to the

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waterfront and all the businesses? What
does that look like? And how do we

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coordinate evening and Saturday hours
with our restaurants and our businesses

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so that downtown is open when your
residents have said they want to shop?

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[clears throat] Slide.

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So how will how will we know this is
working right? So we want to have

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measures of success so that they can
report back to you. They can report to

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the stakeholders. they can report to
funders and sponsors that they're

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meeting their goals. And so the
committee is looking at adopting some

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specific measures. So 3 to five net new
businesses over 3 to five years.

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Vacancy would be down let's say 25 to
40% from a 2026 baseline. So they're

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working on establishing what that
baseline would be.

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maybe two to three upper floor projects
with more housing or relocating

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businesses that maybe take up a an
important storefront and maybe we're

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going to move them upstairs.
We finally get wayfinding system in

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installed which I know that you all have
been working on for several years now.

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We get half of the businesses to have
coordinated hours. And this one is a

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really tough one, but if you could get
half of the businesses to have

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coordinated hours, so when someone comes
downtown, it all is open and vibrant,

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that would be a great goal.
So progress that gets reported from the

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board will also go to the council and to
the public on a regular basis. So

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there's lots more transparency
Next slide.

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So what happens next? So when I met with
the steering committee today, I

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challenged them that in the next 90
days, I want that group to adopt a work

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plan that is going to include volunteers
that are going to lead some of these

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tasks. What are the timelines? Are there
any budget implications that are

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occurring? How much that is? What do
they need to plan for?

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I challenge them to complete their
business inventory and a vacant property

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index. I want them to establish like
what that vacancy baseline is, who are

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those property owners, and what are some
of the hurdles, why those properties are

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still vacant.
If we can't get traction on wayfinding,

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I've encouraged them to think about
temporary wayfinding. So what's like a

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you know sort of gorilla kind of
wayfinding that we can at least do

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temporary to sort of pilot test it out
and then put together a downtown map

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maybe have a kiosk. There are grants for
this that are available. So think about

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how do we get that circulation and
experience to continue to grow and of

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course they need to formalize the roles
between the main street program CEDA the

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town and the county.
So here's where your partnership is

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really going to matter. So support on
signage placement and that joint

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outreach this state highway
administration is going to be key.

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Partnership on evaluating rehabilitation
incentives

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because a lot of this work doesn't
happen unless there are public funds

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that are matched.
Um we need a welcoming and predictable

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path for new investment. So, what is
that sort of like key to opening a

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business here or buying a building and
rehabilitating it? What does that look

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like for somebody who wants to make this
place home?

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00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:20,960
And it's important that we continue to
build on the investment in this program

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that you all have had for a very, very
long time and think about how we're

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going to build on that for this
foundation year. So, what is that going

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00:28:28,159 --> 00:28:37,919
to look like? So every measure that you
see is going to actually happen um

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00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:44,320
hopefully faster with the town's
support. It's really important.

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Um next slide.
And so I just really want to thank you

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for your time. It's been a really
pleasure working with this community.

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It's um coming back to the Eastern Shore
is like coming home in some ways to me.

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It feels very familiar even though I get
to work and travel all over the United

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States now in my job. Um, but if you all
have any questions, I'm happy to answer

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00:29:04,399 --> 00:29:11,440
them or as well as Carol or Christine.
Thank you.

312
00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:14,080
» Any questions, council?
>> I'd just like to say first of all, thank

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you. It's a great report.
>> This is great.

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00:29:14,559 --> 00:29:21,520
» Thank you.
>> The number that jumped out on me

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immediately was uh a little scary. 66%
your top issues

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00:29:23,039 --> 00:29:29,120
» people feel not enough businesses and
destinations suited to me. Yeah.

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» So, kind of a wakeup figure. Okay.
>> I was in a Harper's Ferry last

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00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:35,840
Wednesday. You might be familiar with
it's town of 2100

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» and they do exactly what you talk about.
They have a fed, state, county, city

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cooperative program.
>> And their key issues they said like you

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is parking,
>> pedestrian access, and the ability, all

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00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:51,840
right, to show off what makes Harper's
Ferry shine besides John Brown and

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everything else. All right. [laughter]
So, this is right up the alley. what

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they're doing with 2100 people and you
can't get in there on Saturdays.

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00:29:56,799 --> 00:30:00,480
» Yep. Yeah.
>> Thank you. It was a great job.

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00:29:58,799 --> 00:30:05,039
» Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
Appreciate it.

327
00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:07,120
» No, an excellent report. And um a lot of
this I kind of already knew.

328
00:30:06,559 --> 00:30:10,960
» Yeah.
>> I mean, because we've talked, you know,

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we've been talking this is a very
important issue for me as it relates to

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economic development for our main
downtown.

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00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:22,559
» Yes. Yes. That that drives so much a
part of our community and people want to

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do they want this and we need to give it
to them.

333
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:27,520
» Yes.
>> As a council and relating to that

334
00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:31,200
investment and supporting them.
>> Yes.

335
00:30:27,919 --> 00:30:35,840
» And supporting the board as it relates
to that and like you said um how we can

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00:30:33,919 --> 00:30:42,240
support them that we're open to what
they need in order to be successful.

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00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:46,080
» Um and that they know that. Um, so I
think this is just one of our top

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00:30:44,159 --> 00:30:52,000
priorities for me
>> for this fiscal year that we're in um

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that just started um to really make some
ground and traction on this. And I love

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00:30:54,880 --> 00:31:01,360
as far as just the the visibility and
the supporting and what's the reporting

341
00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:05,360
and having that every month
>> or if you backslide why what do you

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00:31:03,679 --> 00:31:10,559
need? How can we help? Right?
>> So but that I think that communication

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00:31:07,919 --> 00:31:14,240
is critical for success.
um and allowing the community to

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00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:20,240
participate in this process because
>> what do they want? And helping that and

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00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:24,000
the financial resources for um building
rehabilitation

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00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:29,600
» is a major thing that our town needs to
do to help people who want it and go out

347
00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:35,200
and help them and what are their
struggles and show them the programs

348
00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:39,440
that state, county provide and even
federal in order to be successful for

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00:31:37,679 --> 00:31:41,360
their capital. Yes. you know,
investments they need to do in their

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business. So,
>> absolutely. Thank you.

351
00:31:42,399 --> 00:31:49,360
» Absolutely. You're very welcome. And I
would I would encourage you as you think

352
00:31:46,159 --> 00:31:53,760
about a a board, an advisory board that
you're going to sort of appoint, I think

353
00:31:51,039 --> 00:31:57,600
is what I've heard, like think about not
just putting people on that board that

354
00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:04,320
are residents
>> of Centerville. Um it's, you know, think

355
00:32:01,039 --> 00:32:07,919
of Centerville, it's a marketplace. And
so even on the steering committee now,

356
00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:12,080
there are people there that are not
residents of Centerville, but they think

357
00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:16,240
of this as their community. It's the
place they call home. It's the place

358
00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:21,840
they shop. They might go to church here,
but they might live outside of your

359
00:32:17,919 --> 00:32:28,000
city. So think of it as a market place,
not necessarily just the geographical

360
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:32,720
boundaries of your town or even like
downtown like the Main Street District.

361
00:32:30,159 --> 00:32:38,559
like put people from your community,
people that were part of that 463 who

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00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:42,640
took the time to tell you how much they
love this place.

363
00:32:40,799 --> 00:32:48,399
» Lisa, I'd also like to compliment you
for such a wonderful presentation. And

364
00:32:46,159 --> 00:32:51,519
for folks in the audience, uh she
mentioned CEDA two or three times

365
00:32:50,159 --> 00:32:56,080
throughout that. And if you're not
familiar with that, uh, that was an

366
00:32:53,679 --> 00:33:02,559
organization that was in effect for
several years from 2013 up to about 2019

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00:33:00,159 --> 00:33:07,120
and then kind of dissolved. We've put a
lot of effort into that over the last

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00:33:03,919 --> 00:33:11,760
several months to reorganize that group
and it's seven members of either

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00:33:09,519 --> 00:33:16,960
business owners, residents, people with
economic development background. Uh, and

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00:33:14,799 --> 00:33:22,240
I'm very excited that we're got a lot of
energy in that group. and CEDA is for

371
00:33:19,919 --> 00:33:29,039
the overall community. Main Street is
for a designated 10 10 blocks in the

372
00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:34,000
downtown Main Street area, but CEDA and
Main Street are working in a very

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00:33:30,799 --> 00:33:38,159
cooperative, very close-knit manner so
that all of our efforts are going to be

374
00:33:35,519 --> 00:33:42,240
coordinated going forward. and I'm
really excited about, you know, what

375
00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:46,559
you've put together and what Main Street
currently represents and the the new

376
00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:51,360
steering committee going forward, but
also we'll see that in combination with

377
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:56,000
that. I'm very enthusiastic about
addressing some of these things about

378
00:33:53,279 --> 00:34:00,320
the 66% and some of those things that
the we know the community at large is

379
00:33:58,399 --> 00:34:05,360
looking for and we're looking for
feedback from you all the community to

380
00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:09,359
help guide us through those efforts.
there's uh a lot of energy moving in

381
00:34:07,679 --> 00:34:13,599
that direction and not to take up any
more of your time, but I just wanted to

382
00:34:11,599 --> 00:34:18,320
if you weren't familiar with CEDA that
that's stands for Centerville Economic

383
00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:23,839
Development Authority and that's a group
that we're meeting two and three times a

384
00:34:20,879 --> 00:34:30,079
month with subcommittees on specific
projects uh for desirable to help bring

385
00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:37,119
in desirable businesses that will maybe
have residences above or also uh bring

386
00:34:33,919 --> 00:34:40,960
employment into the area for um the
population that we have here. So, enough

387
00:34:39,359 --> 00:34:44,720
about that, but I really appreciate your
efforts and I just want to let everybody

388
00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:49,679
know a little bit more about what the
town is doing as a whole um in some of

389
00:34:48,159 --> 00:34:51,679
these objectives.
>> Thank you.

390
00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:54,159
» Awesome. Thanks for that, Fred. And
thank you.

391
00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:58,400
» Thank you. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you for coming. Thank you for

392
00:34:56,159 --> 00:35:02,560
everything. See you again soon.
>> All right. Next up, we have our first of

393
00:35:00,079 --> 00:35:06,960
two public hearings. This first one is
ordinance 062026, a short-term rental

394
00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:10,320
moratorum.
An ordinance of the town council of

395
00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:14,320
Centerville adopting a temporary
moratorum on the application for

396
00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:18,640
approval of, construction of, expansion
of, processing of, or issuance of any

397
00:35:17,119 --> 00:35:22,560
board of appeals, building permit, and
zoning certificate applications for any

398
00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:26,079
boarding houses, bed and breakfast, and
short-term rentals impending

399
00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:30,079
consideration and adoption of revised
zoning ordinance provisions as the town

400
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:33,760
council may consider advisable. I will
now call on Peter Flynn, our town zoning

401
00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:36,640
administrator, to provide background on
the ordinance.

402
00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:42,720
» Thanks, Peter.
>> Thanks. Um, so

403
00:35:39,599 --> 00:35:49,119
as as we say, this is a moratorum. Um,
this came about, we've had a couple of,

404
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:55,280
uh, short-term rental applications,
um, you know, various platforms, Airbnb,

405
00:35:52,480 --> 00:36:01,520
whatever. Um, the platform doesn't
really matter in the in the sense of the

406
00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:05,680
ordinance. Um, so we're not looking to
abolish short-term rentals. This came

407
00:36:03,599 --> 00:36:10,480
about because
it's very clear that our short-term

408
00:36:08,079 --> 00:36:19,440
rental ordinance was written um at the
very beginning of um of that service.

409
00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:26,800
And as it has gone on, we have very very
little um standards for property owners

410
00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:30,240
to adhere to. Um,
I guess I don't want to get too much

411
00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:32,960
into that. So, we it's very very easy to
achieve to achieve a short-term rental

412
00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:35,839
under the
>> But right now to get one, you have to go

413
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:38,880
before the board of appeals.
>> You have to go before the board of

414
00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:42,480
appeals, but the going before the board
of appeals as a special exception is a

415
00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:46,640
list of extra conditions that you need
to meet. And so, some of those

416
00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:51,839
conditions, we've lumped everything in
together with the with the hotels and

417
00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:57,119
motel and short-term rentals. and the
uses of those properties don't truly

418
00:36:54,240 --> 00:37:02,320
align with the fire marshall's office.
So, we can't even in our current

419
00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:05,839
ordinance like require people to
have a third party inspection to make

420
00:37:04,079 --> 00:37:10,560
sure they have working smoke detectors
and things of that nature. So, like real

421
00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:13,119
like life and safety issues um for some
>> So, right now the process, just so

422
00:37:11,839 --> 00:37:16,160
people know, is you would go in front of
the planning commission and they would

423
00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:19,599
make a [snorts] recommendation and then
you go to the board of appeals.

424
00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:23,440
» That's correct. Yep. And we've had some
that the planning commission recommended

425
00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:26,320
yes and some no. It's just so unclear.
>> Yes.

426
00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:29,119
» Kind of when or why these should exist.
>> Yes.

427
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:33,599
» So the moratorium is to give us time.
>> The moratorium is to give us time to

428
00:37:31,119 --> 00:37:37,839
draft. Um I've started working on the
draft and um just kind of some quick

429
00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:41,040
highlights of things that are in the
draft. Right. Um we're always talking

430
00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:45,520
about coordinating and what and all
these things. So kind of aligning our

431
00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:48,640
terms better with Queen Anne's County.
So, when you have a, you know, we don't

432
00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:54,000
have a different definition of what a
short-term rental is than Queen Anands

433
00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:57,839
County, which today we do. Um, some
third-party inspections. Again, the

434
00:37:55,760 --> 00:38:03,920
county recently redid their their
short-term rental. They're requiring a

435
00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:07,839
third party inspection. You do it upon
application. Um, they come in and make

436
00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:13,440
sure you have working smoke detectors,
carbon monoxide if necessary, all those

437
00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:16,560
types of things. And then uh you they
self-certify for a certain period of

438
00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:19,200
time, but there's like I think it's like
five years, right? So there's a time

439
00:38:17,839 --> 00:38:26,079
period where you have to get another
like physical inspection and things like

440
00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:30,960
that. Um we are also working on the
accessory dwelling unit. So it's kind of

441
00:38:28,079 --> 00:38:38,480
some policy choices where we're not
planning on having uh short-term rentals

442
00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:42,720
uh in accessory dwelling units. um just
from the policy decision of an ADU is

443
00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:48,720
kind of not really meant for that. We're
not looking to provide a easy

444
00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:53,680
opportunity for you know ADUs are for uh
you know long-term arrangements.

445
00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:58,880
Um let's see what else we didn't touch
on yet. So the certificates would be

446
00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:04,240
issued annually. They would not transfer
with the sale of the property. Um

447
00:39:01,599 --> 00:39:09,200
currently the certificate is issued one
time. There's no renewal.

448
00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:12,800
um it's it's just a onetime thing and it
has been a condition of all of them that

449
00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:17,200
have been issued so far that it does not
transfer with the property. So that will

450
00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:23,119
that will continue. [snorts]
Um it will allow for setting some clear

451
00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:28,160
guidelines for enforcement. You know if
people are constantly violating our

452
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:32,400
noise ordinances or other, you know,
other things, that's probably going to

453
00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:36,000
be the most common issue. Um and then
some other policy decisions that will

454
00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:40,880
really be sorted out at the planning
commission level and then brought here

455
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:44,560
where um you know the county has some
really large properties where they have

456
00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:47,599
where they're allow like events like
weddings and stuff to happen at a thing.

457
00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:51,680
You know that's maybe not really
appropriate for town. We don't have any

458
00:39:49,119 --> 00:39:55,599
like humongous properties. Um so those
are kind of policy decisions that will

459
00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:58,400
work out uh in the future at the
planning commission.

460
00:39:56,320 --> 00:40:02,079
» And it's a brief moratorum six months
which is

461
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:06,079
quick. It'll go by quick for the
planning commission to work on it. It's

462
00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:08,480
half the length of Annapolis's current
similar

463
00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:11,440
» Yes.
>> Yeah.

464
00:40:09,359 --> 00:40:16,320
» Peter, could I ask you? I've lived here
47 years, and Caroline woke me up this

465
00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:20,000
morning. How many boarding houses, bed
and breakfast, and short-term rentals do

466
00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:24,400
we have in town?
>> There is I don't think there's any bed

467
00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:31,040
and breakfast currently
>> anymore. Um, and there is, I think, four

468
00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:35,040
short-term rentals that have um
operating certificates that are that are

469
00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:40,079
currently operating. Um,
>> I was told you went online was surprised

470
00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:44,160
to find when you typed in Centerville
that there were people doing this that

471
00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:50,160
we didn't know.
>> Um, so yeah, I think with local zoning,

472
00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:55,440
um, you know, typically the first thing
people do when they buy a house is not

473
00:40:52,720 --> 00:40:59,520
read the zoning code. Um, so but
Centerville's pretty small. It's easy to

474
00:40:57,119 --> 00:41:03,839
monitor. I can go on, you know, the
platforms once a month or once every few

475
00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:08,960
months and look and see if there's any
new ones. Um, I've I've had really good

476
00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:13,680
luck. I just reach out to the person
who's renting. Um, and I ask them to

477
00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:18,079
contact the zoning office and they've
contacted us and, you know, complied

478
00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:22,480
with our requirements once they've
learned of the rules.

479
00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:26,800
» Perfect. All right.
>> Um, thank you.

480
00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:30,560
I will now call Gay Adams town clerk to
present evidence of the published notice

481
00:41:28,319 --> 00:41:35,200
of this hearing.
>> This is to certify Can you hear me? This

482
00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:40,400
is to certify that the annex legal
advertisement has been published in the

483
00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:44,000
publications and insertions below.
Um ordinance

484
00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:49,839
062026
was published in the Bay Times record

485
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:53,839
observer on June 19th and June 26th.
>> Okay. Thank you. We will first hear from

486
00:41:52,319 --> 00:41:57,920
all those in favor of oppose Ordinance
062026 and then hear from those opposed.

487
00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:01,920
Please keep your comments to three
minutes. You're welcome to provide

488
00:41:59,119 --> 00:42:03,920
written testimony as well.
Um, can you read the public comment

489
00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:07,680
guidelines?
>> Welcome to this meeting of the

490
00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:11,200
Centerville Town Council. This is a
public meeting and we welcome your

491
00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:15,839
participation. By attending, you
acknowledge that this session is

492
00:42:12,720 --> 00:42:20,560
recorded and aired live on QACV.
If you have the new Breezeline streaming

493
00:42:17,599 --> 00:42:23,440
box, that channel is 2001. During the
meeting, we ask that you turn your cell

494
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:27,839
phones off and hold personal
conversations outside the meeting room.

495
00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:32,960
The scheduled agenda is available just
outside on the information table. Public

496
00:42:30,240 --> 00:42:37,119
comment will be limited to three minutes
per person. The town council respects

497
00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:40,800
and appreciates your desire and right to
convey your message freely and in

498
00:42:39,119 --> 00:42:46,079
keeping with the dignity of proceedings,
we ask that all views be expressed in a

499
00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:49,200
respectful and civil manner. Comments
longer than three minutes should be

500
00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:53,520
submitted in writing. If questions are
part of your comments, we will refer

501
00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:56,960
those to the appropriate individual.
Thank you.

502
00:42:54,560 --> 00:43:02,720
» Right. Thank you. Is anyone here on
ordinance 06 2026?

503
00:43:00,319 --> 00:43:04,960
Okay. Do we have a motion to adjurnn the
hearing on this one?

504
00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:06,640
» I make a motion.
>> Is there a second?

505
00:43:06,079 --> 00:43:10,160
» Second.
>> All in favor?

506
00:43:08,079 --> 00:43:17,599
» I. All right.
Next up, we have ordinance 07206

507
00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:20,319
utility rate increase. This is an
ordinance of the town council of

508
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:24,640
Centerville establishing the town of
Centerville water and sewer user fees

509
00:43:22,079 --> 00:43:29,280
and service fees for both metered and
unmetered customers and allocation fees.

510
00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:33,119
I will now call on Carolyn Brinkley,
town manager, to provide background on

511
00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:40,079
the ordinance. So, I'm going to call
Karen, our finance officer, up as well.

512
00:43:35,359 --> 00:43:45,359
So, the town um began back in um gosh
almost a year ago. We began doing a

513
00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:52,079
utility rate study um with a company
that we have done it we he actually done

514
00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:55,440
it three times for us. So and Karen you
probably can

515
00:43:53,359 --> 00:44:00,400
» so with the new with the aging plant
that we currently have we knew as we

516
00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:05,839
invest in um bringing a new plant on
board that there was going to be some

517
00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:10,240
issues with funding and cost for rate
increases. So, we hired the consulting

518
00:44:07,839 --> 00:44:14,079
company to take our
um history in the past and for the

519
00:44:12,319 --> 00:44:19,440
future cost for the new plant into
consideration to tell us what we need

520
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:25,440
rates to be to fund the operations of
the plant. So, nothing looking to and to

521
00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:30,560
make money, you know, it's just to cover
the current bills. In the last few

522
00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:35,119
years, we also um as a council decided
to have allocations go into their own

523
00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:39,760
bank account to help fund future plants.
So we're not in this position at at some

524
00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:43,200
point later, you know, but in the in the
interim, we need to be able to do

525
00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:48,079
something now, not only to fund the
current, but as we progress to build the

526
00:44:45,599 --> 00:44:53,920
new plant and then once the new plant
comes online, how the costs will

527
00:44:52,000 --> 00:44:57,520
um come into play and and what we need
to do then, too.

528
00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:59,760
» Thank you. Good.
>> Y

529
00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:04,000
» All right. I will now call Gay Adams
Town Clerk to present evidence of the

530
00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:07,760
published notice of the hearing. This is
to certify that the annex legal

531
00:45:05,839 --> 00:45:14,960
advertisement has been published in the
publications and insertions below.

532
00:45:11,200 --> 00:45:20,800
Um, ordinance 07206
was published in the Bay Times Record

533
00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:24,480
Observer on June 19th and June 26th.
Right. Thank you. Um, and I'm sure this

534
00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:29,599
is a huge group. So, first we're going
to hear from those in favor of proposed

535
00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:34,480
ordinance 07206
>> and then from those opposed. Um, I'm

536
00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:38,800
assuming many many of you are here to
speak on this ordinance. And so, do we

537
00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:42,160
have a sign-in sheet in the hall or no?
>> Why don't we go with those people first?

538
00:45:40,160 --> 00:45:46,400
Anyone who signed in and then people of
course can just stand up. We are going

539
00:45:44,240 --> 00:45:49,680
to keep time for three minutes. You can
of course wrap up your thought. It's not

540
00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:57,280
just like the buzzer goes off. Sit down.
We're not mean. Um, also just if you've

541
00:45:54,720 --> 00:46:02,319
sent us an email, we are going to we
received 15 emails in opposition to the

542
00:45:59,839 --> 00:46:05,200
rate increase. you are welcome to stand
up and read your email, but if you sent

543
00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:09,359
us an email, know that we are each
reading all of them. And I believe Gay

544
00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:15,440
has responded um and let people know.
And so we do have those comments.

545
00:46:12,720 --> 00:46:20,079
Um
we know there are likely also going to

546
00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:24,880
be a lot of questions and so it is
certainly up to the council and we'll

547
00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:28,319
have to um act in this. But my
recommendation is going to be that we

548
00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:31,760
don't consider this tonight and that
rather at our August meeting we have our

549
00:46:30,079 --> 00:46:35,280
public works team here so they can
answer some of the questions that might

550
00:46:33,839 --> 00:46:39,119
come up tonight and some questions
frankly that council members might

551
00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:43,280
continue to have. We did have a half day
work session on this so it's not like

552
00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:47,359
we're just flying blind here and not
doing this with some thought and then

553
00:46:45,119 --> 00:46:50,960
delay actual consideration of this until
the first week. I have my volume up

554
00:46:49,599 --> 00:46:54,400
» for the timer for the
>> actual consideration of this until

555
00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:57,920
September. And so there will be time.
It's not as if you don't say everything

556
00:46:56,319 --> 00:47:01,440
you want to say to us tonight that it's
over. And so, you know, if you get up

557
00:47:00,079 --> 00:47:05,920
and do your three minutes and then you
hear something from someone else, you

558
00:47:04,079 --> 00:47:10,160
can email us. You can reach out to us at
town hall. You can come to the August or

559
00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:13,359
September meeting. So, I just want to
make clear that we want, of course, as

560
00:47:12,079 --> 00:47:17,760
many public comments and as much
conversation as we can have around this

561
00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:22,640
and frankly other issues, too. um would
love to hear from the public more than

562
00:47:19,200 --> 00:47:24,800
we do on a lot of things, but we want to
thoughtfully consider the things that

563
00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:28,000
are said. So, it's going to be my
recommendation that we don't actually

564
00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:31,040
act on the ordinance tonight. So, I
don't want anyone to feel like you have

565
00:47:29,359 --> 00:47:34,880
to say every thought you've ever had
about allocation fees or water and sewer

566
00:47:33,599 --> 00:47:39,119
bills. We're going to be talking about
this for the next several weeks. Um so,

567
00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:44,079
that I'll just put that out there and
then we will go through. Just I'm going

568
00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:48,960
to go like I said through the people who
signed up on the sheet and then others

569
00:47:46,720 --> 00:47:55,319
can get up because we don't often rely
on the sheet. So first Miss Jagley if

570
00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:55,319
you want to get up again.

571
00:47:55,839 --> 00:48:03,280
» Thank you Margaret Jaggley from
Northbrook.

572
00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:07,839
» Um regarding the water plant I think the
first thing that should happen is that

573
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:15,119
we should abolish the tiered billing
system. Um when Danworth joined the town

574
00:48:11,280 --> 00:48:19,040
council, um I at one of the first
meetings I had suggested that and he

575
00:48:17,119 --> 00:48:24,559
said it had been 10 years and it was
created by a man in Annapolis. I don't

576
00:48:21,599 --> 00:48:30,640
think it's ever been addressed. I would
like to see a fair billing system where

577
00:48:27,040 --> 00:48:36,480
we're build simply for our usage. Um, I
invite all the town council members to

578
00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:41,760
attend the July 30th Maryland municipal
league symposium, funding beyond the

579
00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:48,400
state house, which helps municipalities
navigate fiscal challenges and reveals

580
00:48:45,839 --> 00:48:52,640
innovative funding strategies. I hope
you discover something instead of our

581
00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:57,599
pocketbooks.
Um, I think the plan for this water

582
00:48:55,119 --> 00:49:02,720
plant will make Centerville right for
attracting a data center or ICE

583
00:48:59,839 --> 00:49:07,920
detention center, both which I oppose.
And the tracking from the Gallup economy

584
00:49:05,040 --> 00:49:14,559
and personal finance poll reveals that
55% of all Americans right now report

585
00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:20,079
their financial situations are actively
worsening. I've submitted document

586
00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:24,640
documentation on that as well as the
invitation to the symposium. I don't

587
00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:28,000
think Centerville should be creating
worse hardship for the residents.

588
00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:32,160
» Thank you.
>> Thank

589
00:49:30,880 --> 00:49:35,520
you put your phone in do not disturb
it'll do the time ringing.

590
00:49:34,319 --> 00:49:40,284
» Thank you.
>> I was just trying to think how could we

591
00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:42,304
All right. Fred Kersch.
[clears throat]

592
00:49:44,079 --> 00:49:51,440
First time I've ever been to a town
meeting. Uh [snorts] my name is Fred

593
00:49:48,720 --> 00:49:58,720
Kersh. I live in Queenstown
and I am the developer and builder of uh

594
00:49:55,520 --> 00:50:07,040
Frederick Drive, Weatherbe uh out on the
edge of town. And I am here on behalf of

595
00:50:03,839 --> 00:50:15,599
the seven families that rent houses from
me. And uh about half I'm sitting there

596
00:50:11,520 --> 00:50:20,559
thinking about half of uh uh parents
live in the county and work in the

597
00:50:17,520 --> 00:50:29,119
county. About half of the families the
children go to school here and the water

598
00:50:24,640 --> 00:50:35,440
bills are horrendous already. Um I saw
three of them today. 400 something,

599
00:50:31,680 --> 00:50:41,520
seven something, a thousand something.
Um these people uh love living in

600
00:50:40,000 --> 00:50:46,640
Centerville.
Um

601
00:50:43,520 --> 00:50:52,240
the today's prices of houses they can't
afford to uh to purchase and I provide a

602
00:50:50,559 --> 00:50:57,200
service to them so they can live in
Centerville.

603
00:50:53,920 --> 00:51:04,480
And uh many years ago I was a banker and
I learned about a rule of 72.

604
00:51:00,240 --> 00:51:10,160
Take 8% divided into 72
in a little over eight years the water

605
00:51:06,480 --> 00:51:16,240
bills will double. The property taxes
same thing happened this year. They

606
00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:20,720
raised almost uh 24%.
And so people that are paying,

607
00:51:19,599 --> 00:51:25,200
you know, they're going to their
property taxes are going to double in a

608
00:51:22,960 --> 00:51:29,200
little over eight years. And I venture
to say there's a lot of people that live

609
00:51:26,880 --> 00:51:36,480
in the town of Centerville that won't be
able to afford to stay here. So I

610
00:51:33,440 --> 00:51:41,680
strongly suggest that our government at
all levels take that into consideration.

611
00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:43,440
Thank you.
>> Thank you.

612
00:51:42,240 --> 00:51:47,000
» Thank you.
>> Um Lynn Hickden.

613
00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:59,920
My name is Lyn Hickden. I would just
like to know if you have any kind of

614
00:51:57,119 --> 00:52:04,800
program for senior citizens that are
being forced out of Centerville because

615
00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:08,079
we can't afford to stay here.
Um

616
00:52:06,480 --> 00:52:13,920
my daughter, her husband, and two
children lived in my house before I

617
00:52:10,559 --> 00:52:18,800
moved back in my home a year ago.
They are paying the same as I'm paying

618
00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:24,800
and I'm only a single person paying the
same amount they were charged. I want to

619
00:52:21,440 --> 00:52:29,920
know if we have meters,
why can't we go to the town office and

620
00:52:27,680 --> 00:52:35,680
find out exactly how many gallons of
water that I'm using?

621
00:52:32,800 --> 00:52:41,280
They're telling me that it's the minimum
amount.

622
00:52:38,480 --> 00:52:45,319
So, I just want to know, am I paying for
water that I'm not using?

623
00:52:47,359 --> 00:52:51,599
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

624
00:52:49,359 --> 00:52:56,839
» Next up, we have Pat Eaggan. And I
apologize if I pronounce pronounce

625
00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:56,839
anyone's name wrong.

626
00:52:56,880 --> 00:53:00,119
» I'm sorry.

627
00:53:04,079 --> 00:53:10,160
» Well, now I won't do it wrong again.
>> It's okay. Um, so I'm Pat Edgington. I

628
00:53:08,400 --> 00:53:18,640
live down on Hammond Street down at the
Warf. Um, I'm at a swimming pool since

629
00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:25,760
1992, back when it cost me $15,000.
Um, so many times I have called the town

630
00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:30,160
office. I pay water to fill up that
swimming pool to refill the swimming

631
00:53:27,599 --> 00:53:35,040
pool when it's hot. I'm also paying
sewer on that water that I'm using. And

632
00:53:33,280 --> 00:53:39,440
what I've been told over the years is
there's no way to separate it. I know in

633
00:53:37,839 --> 00:53:46,160
Queenstown
um they take up um months out of the

634
00:53:43,760 --> 00:53:51,440
winter um and that's what they bill you
in the summer for your sewer um your

635
00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:57,839
water and your sewer. So you're not
paying extra for that water. Now, if

636
00:53:54,160 --> 00:54:05,359
we're looking looking again at a rate
for sewer and water, that means I and

637
00:54:02,480 --> 00:54:11,200
anybody else that's watering their lawn
or has a swimming pool or is filling up

638
00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:18,720
a hot tub that's using the water but not
using the sewer are going to pay way

639
00:54:14,640 --> 00:54:23,119
more than people not doing that. Um, and
and it's just not fair. I know in

640
00:54:21,040 --> 00:54:27,520
Antaronda County they also have a
provision for people with swimming

641
00:54:24,720 --> 00:54:33,920
pools. Um, like I said, I don't have a
$100,000 swimming pool. I paid not a

642
00:54:30,960 --> 00:54:40,319
whole lot of money for it in 1992, but
as the years go on and I'm paying for

643
00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:46,559
water and sewer to fill up my swimming
pool, um, it's a little crazy. And if

644
00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:52,720
we're looking at a rate increase, it's
even going to be crazier. Right now, our

645
00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:57,440
water bill is a lot. Um, and you know,
we're on a fixed income like a lot of

646
00:54:54,720 --> 00:55:04,160
people in Centerville are. So, any kind
of rate increase is just not good for

647
00:55:01,200 --> 00:55:10,079
this town. You know, and and over the
years, we've heard, you know, when a new

648
00:55:07,040 --> 00:55:15,760
development goes in that, uh, well,
they're gone to offset the water and

649
00:55:12,160 --> 00:55:20,720
sewer. We hear that over and over again.
No be that never happens. You know,

650
00:55:18,480 --> 00:55:25,920
yeah, they're paying impact fees, but
you know, it never makes up for where we

651
00:55:22,960 --> 00:55:31,359
are now. We have, you know, a sewer
system that's outdated and yes, it

652
00:55:29,040 --> 00:55:36,640
probably needs work. I'm not doubting
that at all, but it's not those new

653
00:55:34,319 --> 00:55:41,520
developments that have come online that
are paying for it. Everybody's paying

654
00:55:39,119 --> 00:55:48,000
for it. And I think that's the way that
you have to look at this um this rate

655
00:55:45,040 --> 00:55:53,440
hike and new developments coming in. Are
they paying for it down the line because

656
00:55:50,400 --> 00:55:55,760
they've overburdened our our water or
our sewer?

657
00:55:55,119 --> 00:55:57,440
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

658
00:55:56,160 --> 00:56:00,760
» Thank you,
>> Lyn Knight.

659
00:56:02,960 --> 00:56:09,359
» Hello, I'm Lyn Knight. I'm a resident of
Centerville. I bought my house in 95. I

660
00:56:07,599 --> 00:56:15,920
grew up in Queen Ans County. live right
outside of town. Um, I'm more concerned

661
00:56:12,319 --> 00:56:22,799
about the the multi-year piece of this.
Your publication shows 26, 27, and 28,

662
00:56:19,920 --> 00:56:27,680
but this goes through 32. And so, even
on the face of your ordinance, you're

663
00:56:24,640 --> 00:56:35,280
being deceptive to the citizens of Queen
of Centerville because you're not

664
00:56:30,559 --> 00:56:39,520
showing how bad it's going to be in 32.
And there's no accountability. It's just

665
00:56:37,280 --> 00:56:43,839
like giving your teenager $20 this week.
They're going to spend all $20 because

666
00:56:41,200 --> 00:56:47,359
they're getting $20 next week. If you're
not accountable to the citizens, the

667
00:56:45,520 --> 00:56:52,720
residents about what you're doing with
this 8% and you automatically get it for

668
00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:55,440
six years, then that is unfair to the
residents of Centerville. And I do

669
00:56:54,160 --> 00:56:58,160
believe everybody else you're going to
run people out of town. It's

670
00:56:56,880 --> 00:56:59,920
unfortunate.
>> Thank you.

671
00:56:58,640 --> 00:57:04,280
» Thank you.
Next is Deborah Wells Cooper.

672
00:57:07,440 --> 00:57:13,839
» Good evening, town council members, and
I want to tell you I really appreciate

673
00:57:11,040 --> 00:57:16,960
all the work that you do for our town.
So, as you know, I'm Debbie Wells

674
00:57:15,359 --> 00:57:20,799
Hooper. I'm a resident here in
Centerville, and I'm a property owner.

675
00:57:19,680 --> 00:57:23,520
» Can you hear me now?
>> Yeah.

676
00:57:21,359 --> 00:57:28,319
» Okay. I hate that saying.
>> Okay. So, I also want to thank you. I

677
00:57:25,920 --> 00:57:35,520
believe I recently read that the state
legislative capital grant for 600k was

678
00:57:31,359 --> 00:57:39,359
awarded to us. Is that correct?
>> So, thank you for working on that and

679
00:57:37,440 --> 00:57:43,280
getting that for us. Hopefully, that
goes towards the wastewater treatment

680
00:57:41,119 --> 00:57:47,040
upgrades.
So, I hope that there are other grant

681
00:57:45,200 --> 00:57:53,040
applications in the works because I'm
here tonight to voice my opposition to

682
00:57:50,000 --> 00:57:58,319
to the proposed rate increases.
While I understand the town faces rising

683
00:57:55,680 --> 00:58:04,640
operational costs and infrastructure
needs, passing these burdens onto the

684
00:58:00,799 --> 00:58:12,319
backs of residents and local businesses
I feel is wrong. We are paying 5.5

685
00:58:09,119 --> 00:58:20,319
each July and now we're talking about
another 8% for the from now until from

686
00:58:16,799 --> 00:58:24,960
next year until 2032.
So,

687
00:58:21,920 --> 00:58:30,000
I'm looking at our cost of living
increase and I go to Food Lion. I wonder

688
00:58:28,079 --> 00:58:35,680
how these people actually feed their
families when I'm just paying for

689
00:58:32,240 --> 00:58:40,319
myself. I don't know how the citizens of
Centerville are going to handle this,

690
00:58:37,920 --> 00:58:45,440
but I think we need to find another way.
There has to be another approach.

691
00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:50,400
I believe families in Centerville are
already grappling with inflation and

692
00:58:47,359 --> 00:58:55,839
higher taxes. Increasing quarterly water
and sewer fees by this kind of

693
00:58:53,200 --> 00:59:00,960
percentage will stretch all of us. And
here's the thing, folks. We know there's

694
00:58:57,920 --> 00:59:06,000
been no no increase in the quality or
improvement of our water. I'm still

695
00:59:03,760 --> 00:59:11,680
getting white spots all over my clothes
in the in the washing machine.

696
00:59:08,880 --> 00:59:16,640
So um before the council votes to
increase rates, I urge you to look at

697
00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:23,040
alternative measures. We need to explore
other state and federal grants, cut

698
00:59:19,839 --> 00:59:28,480
ineffic inefficiencies if there are any
in town operations, and exhaust all

699
00:59:25,760 --> 00:59:33,280
other funding avenues before we ask
residents to pay for a wastewater

700
00:59:30,640 --> 00:59:37,920
treatment plant upgrade, which most of
us consider to be a basic essential of

701
00:59:35,440 --> 00:59:43,760
living in any town.
So, I respectfully ask the town council

702
00:59:40,160 --> 00:59:44,720
to vote no on ordinance 72026.
Thank you.

703
00:59:44,240 --> 00:59:49,280
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

704
00:59:47,119 --> 00:59:54,880
» So, I know many more people want to
speak. We need to be somewhat orderly

705
00:59:51,920 --> 00:59:58,640
about it. So, if you'd like to address
the council, just please come up and you

706
00:59:57,040 --> 01:00:01,760
can you can get in a queue if you'd
like. So, it's not just madness, but

707
01:00:00,559 --> 01:00:06,520
anyone who would like to address the
council can come forward and state their

708
01:00:03,119 --> 01:00:06,520
name for the record.

709
01:00:12,160 --> 01:00:19,839
Hi there. For the record, my name is
Herman Edward Chiki the third, but I go

710
01:00:16,559 --> 01:00:23,200
by Ted. Lived in Centerville for uh 22
years.

711
01:00:21,520 --> 01:00:28,880
Um,
nobody runs for office to screw the

712
01:00:26,160 --> 01:00:34,799
people. You don't run for fame and you
damn sure don't run for money.

713
01:00:31,920 --> 01:00:40,000
You're running to serve the people that
you live with, the people of this town,

714
01:00:37,599 --> 01:00:45,440
your constituents.
Um, the town has a problem. It doesn't

715
01:00:42,640 --> 01:00:49,359
have enough money. Simple. Reasons for
that can be debated. Is it the sewer,

716
01:00:47,359 --> 01:00:54,000
you know, whatever. However we got here,
we're here. We need enough money to

717
01:00:51,839 --> 01:00:59,119
operate. We need enough money to upgrade
the plant. That's that's the issue

718
01:00:56,319 --> 01:01:03,359
before us.
Now there are lots of ways to get that

719
01:01:01,520 --> 01:01:10,079
money.
We can look at you know I I've seen I've

720
01:01:07,040 --> 01:01:15,839
seen lots and lots and lots of problems
in my business career

721
01:01:12,640 --> 01:01:21,920
and each problem many similar problems
have many many different solutions.

722
01:01:19,280 --> 01:01:27,280
I think with this problem you guys have
come together you've come up hey this is

723
01:01:24,559 --> 01:01:33,760
a solution that we think is good. you've
taken it to your constituents, people

724
01:01:29,839 --> 01:01:40,720
you serve, and as you can see, they
don't like it.

725
01:01:35,920 --> 01:01:44,319
So, what my ask is, it's just, you know,
I I know you're not voting till

726
01:01:41,839 --> 01:01:49,119
September. Take another hard look at
this. Now, look, there's services that

727
01:01:46,400 --> 01:01:54,960
you have to have. There services that
are really good to have. There services

728
01:01:52,079 --> 01:01:59,280
that are really nice to have. Plutter's
here.

729
01:01:57,520 --> 01:02:05,280
Don't cut that. Don't Don't raise that.
Don't make that harder to get. Figure

730
01:02:01,359 --> 01:02:10,640
out what's out here, even in here. Just
take another look. I know you work hard

731
01:02:07,119 --> 01:02:15,200
at it, but maybe get a citizen council
to help you on this or to give input.

732
01:02:13,599 --> 01:02:18,960
Maybe somebody from Northbrook, somebody
from Symphony Village, somebody from in

733
01:02:16,799 --> 01:02:24,678
town to at large. That'd be a great
start. I don't know. I don't know how

734
01:02:20,400 --> 01:02:30,799
the rules work, but you know what what's
[clears throat] been proposed

735
01:02:27,520 --> 01:02:35,359
isn't is is isn't
what your people want.

736
01:02:33,119 --> 01:02:39,440
So, I'm just simple ask just take
another look, take a harder look, see if

737
01:02:37,760 --> 01:02:41,839
we can maybe come come up with something
different and maybe a little bit better.

738
01:02:41,200 --> 01:02:45,760
Thank you.
>> Thank you.

739
01:02:44,319 --> 01:02:48,920
» All right. Anyone else wish to address
the council?

740
01:02:51,680 --> 01:02:59,119
Hey, like I said, we will keep public
comment open. It will not close this

741
01:02:55,359 --> 01:03:02,880
evening. And and we truly do appreciate
when we get comments. You know, I

742
01:03:00,640 --> 01:03:07,200
received many many emails over the last
couple of days, more probably the last

743
01:03:05,280 --> 01:03:14,000
couple of days than the entire last
year. And so I appreciate when the

744
01:03:10,400 --> 01:03:17,839
citizens get involved. I
I know several of us probably want to

745
01:03:15,520 --> 01:03:21,760
address several comments. We as a
council rule and as a practice do not

746
01:03:20,000 --> 01:03:25,680
get into a back and forth with citizens.
We never want to do anything that would

747
01:03:24,000 --> 01:03:29,680
prevent citizens from wanting to come
here and speak in front of the council.

748
01:03:27,440 --> 01:03:32,400
And so we're going to go ahead and close
the public hearing, but that doesn't

749
01:03:31,039 --> 01:03:35,839
close the discussion and we'll continue
to have discussion like I said this

750
01:03:33,839 --> 01:03:40,319
evening on this issue. I'm personally
happy to meet individually with with

751
01:03:38,319 --> 01:03:44,000
anyone frankly and and I'm happy to meet
at town hall and have further discussion

752
01:03:41,839 --> 01:03:47,200
about this. And then just know that for
the next several weeks, this is going to

753
01:03:45,359 --> 01:03:51,440
be front of mind for all of us up here
and the town staff um as we work through

754
01:03:50,000 --> 01:03:56,000
it. So, got more that I want to say and
I know others do too, but we'll go ahead

755
01:03:53,200 --> 01:03:58,079
and take a motion to um adjourn the
hearing and then we can go from there.

756
01:03:57,200 --> 01:04:00,640
Is there a motion?
>> Make a motion to adjurnn the hearing.

757
01:03:59,520 --> 01:04:02,640
» Is there a second?
>> All right. All in favor?

758
01:04:01,839 --> 01:04:06,720
» I.
>> All right. The hearing is adjourned. So,

759
01:04:05,200 --> 01:04:14,799
I'll start out. So, just a couple of
things. um currently baked into the town

760
01:04:11,119 --> 01:04:18,799
code from several years ago is that 5%
increase and so this is not on top of

761
01:04:16,880 --> 01:04:24,160
this is instead of. So I want to say
that um also we are continuing to look

762
01:04:22,559 --> 01:04:28,319
for money from other sources and
continuing to have those conversations

763
01:04:26,480 --> 01:04:33,599
the price tag on the plant in my five
years on the council has gone up so

764
01:04:30,799 --> 01:04:38,640
radically it's insane how much frankly
the price tag on building the new plant

765
01:04:35,680 --> 01:04:42,240
has gone up. Um, but we continue to look
for other sources. We've received

766
01:04:40,559 --> 01:04:47,039
federal earmark money that will pay for
certain parts of it. We have allocated a

767
01:04:44,559 --> 01:04:50,720
lot of ARPA funds from during COVID
towards parts of it. We have received

768
01:04:48,960 --> 01:04:54,640
state grants, not just the small grant
this year, but another um multi-million

769
01:04:52,799 --> 01:04:58,160
dollar grant from Bay Restoration a
couple of years ago. We continue to

770
01:04:56,559 --> 01:05:01,920
apply for things and have strategic
conversations with agencies in the

771
01:05:00,480 --> 01:05:06,480
governor's office and doing all of the
things that we can to not have this

772
01:05:03,839 --> 01:05:12,799
become a total burden on the rateayer.
So, I do want to say that also, this is,

773
01:05:10,319 --> 01:05:17,520
you know, small comfort, but that it is
through 2031,

774
01:05:15,359 --> 01:05:20,799
» not 2032 in the ordinance. That's a typo
and that will be fixed on what's

775
01:05:19,039 --> 01:05:24,640
publicly available.
>> I don't have an answer for the pools and

776
01:05:22,880 --> 01:05:28,000
lawns thing, but I do want you all to
know that before I got on the council, I

777
01:05:26,160 --> 01:05:31,280
called town hall because I just assumed
I could call and say, "I'm filling my

778
01:05:29,520 --> 01:05:34,880
pool right now. I shouldn't pay sewer on
these gallons." So, I completely

779
01:05:33,039 --> 01:05:37,920
sympathize with you all. And if you've
ever driven by my house, grass is very

780
01:05:36,480 --> 01:05:42,319
very dead because it's just simply not
where I choose to allocate my personal

781
01:05:40,160 --> 01:05:46,240
water use. So I understand the decisions
that families have to make and I

782
01:05:44,079 --> 01:05:52,160
personally pay a rather high water bill
for my household of four people with a

783
01:05:48,079 --> 01:05:58,160
swimming pool and I don't I also don't
want an 8% increase. I just we're facing

784
01:05:55,520 --> 01:06:01,920
the reality of the need to upgrade not
only

785
01:05:59,760 --> 01:06:07,920
the size of the plant but the science of
the plant. And so right now the

786
01:06:04,880 --> 01:06:14,559
technology that we have does not clean
the sewer output to the extent that is

787
01:06:11,520 --> 01:06:20,160
required moving forward. I think we've
probably all read a lot more news about

788
01:06:17,039 --> 01:06:23,760
sewer effluent in the last week than
ever in our lives before given the

789
01:06:22,000 --> 01:06:28,960
current parasite outbreak that is
related in some ways to sewer effluent.

790
01:06:26,079 --> 01:06:33,359
And so we are facing the reality of the
need to improve the science, the need to

791
01:06:31,359 --> 01:06:38,559
expand the size. You all heard the Main
Street study and what people want to

792
01:06:34,880 --> 01:06:42,720
have here. We couldn't allow the
businesses that people want to have here

793
01:06:41,039 --> 01:06:48,079
until we expand the plant. So it's a
real chicken and an egg sit an egg

794
01:06:44,319 --> 01:06:51,520
situation, too. So just know that we're
we've had a lot of conversations about

795
01:06:49,839 --> 01:06:57,119
this. We're going to continue to have
conversations about it. I would love any

796
01:06:54,640 --> 01:07:01,200
and all of your ideas that you have, any
and all of your lobbying skills, any and

797
01:06:59,440 --> 01:07:04,319
all of your willingness to write to your
county commissioners and your state

798
01:07:02,480 --> 01:07:08,480
legislators and your governor and your
federal representatives to ask for them

799
01:07:06,559 --> 01:07:13,599
to weigh in here with some funding and
some support of our grant asks. We are a

800
01:07:11,839 --> 01:07:18,000
citizen council. That's what this is.
And we are citizens that live all across

801
01:07:15,280 --> 01:07:21,359
town, the five of us. But we can't and
the town staff can't do everything. And

802
01:07:19,599 --> 01:07:26,319
not every good idea that exists is up
here. So, we need you all to provide

803
01:07:24,319 --> 01:07:32,559
your input and to give us your ideas.
And this is what we've come up with in

804
01:07:29,039 --> 01:07:36,319
its current proposal, but nothing's done
until it's done. And we, like I said, we

805
01:07:34,880 --> 01:07:40,559
would love to hear more from all of you
on on this and on other issues. So,

806
01:07:39,039 --> 01:07:43,200
that's just what I wanted to say, but
I'll we'll just go down the line if

807
01:07:41,920 --> 01:07:44,640
folks have things they want to say. So,
council member Bu.

808
01:07:44,160 --> 01:07:47,839
» No, I mean,
>> we're gonna go down the line.

809
01:07:45,760 --> 01:07:51,200
» Okay. Council
member view

810
01:07:50,216 --> 01:07:56,240
[laughter]
>> I appreciate your comments president. Um

811
01:07:55,039 --> 01:08:00,640
this is something that we've been
weighing very heavily and we've been

812
01:07:58,240 --> 01:08:05,520
looking at all kinds of alternatives for
expansion of the water and the sewage

813
01:08:02,799 --> 01:08:10,720
treatment facilities. Uh it is something
that uh unfortunately did not take

814
01:08:08,480 --> 01:08:16,239
effect several years ago when the need
was first identified. And as she

815
01:08:13,520 --> 01:08:20,880
mentioned, the rate and the cost of
everything is going up exponentially.

816
01:08:18,319 --> 01:08:26,239
And but as someone else in the audience
said, we are where we are and we don't

817
01:08:23,839 --> 01:08:31,040
have any choice but to make improvements
and and there's regulations that we have

818
01:08:28,159 --> 01:08:35,920
to adhere to uh in terms of how the
sewage is being treated. So uh one way

819
01:08:34,159 --> 01:08:40,880
or another, we have to go forward with
the expansion of these facilities. and

820
01:08:38,640 --> 01:08:45,199
we're looking at every alternative on
how to either and we've looked at ways

821
01:08:42,719 --> 01:08:49,839
to scale back the size of the plant and
what that cost would be or any savings

822
01:08:47,679 --> 01:08:54,719
associated with that. We've looked at
different technologies

823
01:08:51,679 --> 01:08:59,120
uh and we'll continue to do that uh as
we go through this process. But it it's

824
01:08:57,040 --> 01:09:04,719
it's something that is weighed very
heavily on all of us and will continue

825
01:09:01,359 --> 01:09:09,600
to and I really genuinely appreciate the
openness and the courage it takes for

826
01:09:07,839 --> 01:09:14,480
people in the community to come forward
and to make your statements. We do need

827
01:09:11,600 --> 01:09:20,239
your advice and your suggestions. uh we
are looking at all kinds of alternative

828
01:09:16,319 --> 01:09:23,759
funding, grants, uh long-term financing,
uh that we're not trying to create

829
01:09:21,520 --> 01:09:30,560
additional debt for the town, but we're
also trying to diminish the uh immediate

830
01:09:26,880 --> 01:09:33,759
impact on us. Uh so I don't want to
speak too long but you know this is

831
01:09:32,080 --> 01:09:40,080
something we've taken very seriously.
We'll continue to and um uh we're open

832
01:09:37,839 --> 01:09:47,120
to other ideas and suggestions and your
assistance as uh the president suggested

833
01:09:44,080 --> 01:09:51,839
in writing to uh the the county the
state in helping us. Uh we've already

834
01:09:50,000 --> 01:09:54,960
gotten millions of dollars in grants
that we've been working on but we need

835
01:09:53,920 --> 01:10:00,000
more.
>> So

836
01:09:56,320 --> 01:10:04,719
» thank you. No. Um, yeah. I think not to
repeat what people have said um already,

837
01:10:02,320 --> 01:10:11,199
but we're in a very tough spot. We're
here because a ball has been kicked down

838
01:10:06,800 --> 01:10:16,960
the road for several years. And that's
our issue. And if we just do that again,

839
01:10:15,440 --> 01:10:21,280
it's going to be a for future
generations of what people are going to

840
01:10:18,320 --> 01:10:25,920
have to do or future town council. it
hasn't been our wastewater treatment

841
01:10:23,280 --> 01:10:32,719
plant has not been funded at the level
it should have over many many years um

842
01:10:30,000 --> 01:10:38,159
because it just hasn't and so we are in
a position where we were having to do

843
01:10:35,199 --> 01:10:43,040
something that's reasonable because
actually in the study the study said to

844
01:10:40,719 --> 01:10:48,480
actually increase the rates even more
and we said no we can't do that I mean

845
01:10:45,760 --> 01:10:53,679
they were actually higher than what's in
this proposal um and This is just

846
01:10:51,040 --> 01:11:00,640
relating to because our current plant is
over 25 going to be 30 years by the time

847
01:10:56,880 --> 01:11:06,640
our new plant opens. It's ancient and it
costs more to run an older plant. Um so

848
01:11:04,880 --> 01:11:13,360
we are wanting to do this in a
financially prudent way and we are in a

849
01:11:10,239 --> 01:11:19,280
very difficult situation to figure out
what we should do in order to do this.

850
01:11:16,480 --> 01:11:24,960
Um and it's not again it's not in these
rates everything's being paid for the

851
01:11:21,360 --> 01:11:30,159
new plant. The plant itself has not been
funded appropriately for years um from

852
01:11:27,840 --> 01:11:36,480
that perspective. So we're trying to
balance this and I agree we are open to

853
01:11:33,600 --> 01:11:40,400
your con you know your comments. I
appreciate everybody coming here because

854
01:11:38,320 --> 01:11:45,440
it's important. This is one of the
biggest um I think decisions we've had

855
01:11:42,960 --> 01:11:49,760
to make as a town council and this will
continue relating to this new plant.

856
01:11:47,280 --> 01:11:55,760
It's a large infrastructure
capital expense this town. It's not like

857
01:11:53,280 --> 01:12:00,960
it can't do it. It has to do it. So how
do we go about doing it now that we're

858
01:11:57,440 --> 01:12:06,159
in this difficult situation to do it? Um
so and we are currently our debt service

859
01:12:03,520 --> 01:12:11,199
associated with this plant has never
been funded at the level it should and

860
01:12:08,800 --> 01:12:15,440
that's a difficult situation. This
council is looking at something that

861
01:12:13,199 --> 01:12:21,920
they have to do the right thing for a
longterm process not a short term to say

862
01:12:19,520 --> 01:12:27,679
okay leave the rates alone because this
is going to happen. It's about it's not

863
01:12:24,560 --> 01:12:32,159
if it's when. And so we have to be
prudent about what is it that we can do

864
01:12:30,080 --> 01:12:38,400
and the plan itself is not all going to
come online day one. Um it's going to be

865
01:12:36,000 --> 01:12:43,120
phased in. I think someone said can you
phase this in? Believe me we're doing

866
01:12:40,480 --> 01:12:49,040
everything we can associated with the
pond relating to um the wastewater

867
01:12:46,080 --> 01:12:54,239
treatment plan increasing that with
grant dollars ARPA dollars to fund that.

868
01:12:52,080 --> 01:12:59,760
So we are doing everything we can to
delay costs associated with this and

869
01:12:56,880 --> 01:13:04,880
getting them from third parties, feds,
state, etc. So it's not just through

870
01:13:02,239 --> 01:13:08,560
your rates that this plant is being
funded. It's the it's to fund the

871
01:13:07,280 --> 01:13:13,040
current plant
>> and the cost of that plant and the

872
01:13:10,400 --> 01:13:17,920
current operations and then also looking
about the future to say what do we need

873
01:13:14,560 --> 01:13:24,000
to do associated with it. Um, so not to
repeat what others, but um, please

874
01:13:20,320 --> 01:13:28,400
continue your comments and um, this is a
this is a heavy load on this council to

875
01:13:25,840 --> 01:13:34,560
determine what the right thing is to do.
>> Thank you, Council Vice President Gil.

876
01:13:30,640 --> 01:13:38,000
» I want to repeat Council Person Huffer's
comments.

877
01:13:36,159 --> 01:13:44,080
The can has been kicked down the road so
long. This is where we ended up. It's

878
01:13:41,440 --> 01:13:48,640
been future council didn't want to spend
any money on anything. past council had

879
01:13:46,560 --> 01:13:51,600
didn't want to spend money on anything.
They wanted to save money, save money,

880
01:13:50,239 --> 01:13:58,719
save money. They didn't want to spend
any money. And I can tell you,

881
01:13:56,480 --> 01:14:03,920
people think that we're going to burden
the taxpayers with the cost of a new

882
01:14:01,360 --> 01:14:07,840
sewer plant. That we are not going to do
that. If it was up to me, I'd put it on

883
01:14:06,480 --> 01:14:11,360
the backs of the developers of
developers that want to come to the town

884
01:14:09,120 --> 01:14:15,360
and build build new subdivision. I say
they pay for it. if they want to build

885
01:14:13,280 --> 01:14:18,880
so bad in the town of Centerville, they
can come up with money for our

886
01:14:16,640 --> 01:14:23,120
wastewater treatment plant because since
we started this project, the wastewater

887
01:14:21,040 --> 01:14:27,920
treatment plant, it has almost it's
probably doubled in price. Doubled in

888
01:14:25,760 --> 01:14:32,719
price. And I'm talking about it's a lot
of money right now to build a wastewater

889
01:14:29,679 --> 01:14:38,560
treatment plant with the outfall into
the Corsa River between another farm we

890
01:14:35,760 --> 01:14:42,320
have to buy. And
believe me, this s this water rate

891
01:14:40,719 --> 01:14:45,920
increase, water and sewer rate increase
is a a hard pill for me to swallow

892
01:14:44,560 --> 01:14:52,480
because I live in town just like
everybody else does. And I I I'm against

893
01:14:48,960 --> 01:14:57,120
it, but I think it's needed, but I'm
still against it. But I don't think we

894
01:14:55,440 --> 01:15:01,280
should put it in the economic times we
live in. We're putting the burden on the

895
01:14:58,960 --> 01:15:07,199
on the the tech the the residents of the
town of Centerville. We just increased

896
01:15:04,080 --> 01:15:12,800
their the the trash rate. Not by much,
but we still had to increase it. But

897
01:15:10,080 --> 01:15:17,040
everything's going up and I
>> I just don't want to do it. But I think

898
01:15:15,199 --> 01:15:19,520
it's needed, but I'm still against it.
But I'm just one vote.

899
01:15:18,560 --> 01:15:25,120
» It's a tough situation.
>> Yes, it's a tough situation.

900
01:15:22,320 --> 01:15:29,920
» Yes. First of all, thank you. You know,
we learn from you all and we represent

901
01:15:27,760 --> 01:15:33,679
you all. All right. There's five of us.
There's 4,700 of us in the town. And if

902
01:15:32,480 --> 01:15:37,360
we work together, we're going to come up
with some solutions. What's an old

903
01:15:35,679 --> 01:15:40,800
saying? God gave you two ears and one
mouth. So certainly the priority is

904
01:15:39,199 --> 01:15:44,880
listening and we listen to you tonight.
We really appreciate that. You know, I'm

905
01:15:43,040 --> 01:15:50,800
on a fixed income just like many of you
are. We get a retirement check and it's

906
01:15:47,120 --> 01:15:53,840
only it's going up 2%. But my wife
reminds me, Fred, when you go to the

907
01:15:52,159 --> 01:16:00,480
grocery store, what cost you a hundred
bucks last week cost you 125 this week.

908
01:15:57,920 --> 01:16:04,800
Your gas, think of your gas costs, what
have they been like in the last year?

909
01:16:02,239 --> 01:16:08,880
Electric costs. McNeels almost went
broke between our heat pump and our oil.

910
01:16:07,280 --> 01:16:14,320
Our costs were unbelievable. We went
from a,000 to $2,000. I'm bringing this

911
01:16:11,760 --> 01:16:18,880
up. To run a small town, to run a
business, to run a families going to

912
01:16:16,320 --> 01:16:23,520
cost us more money is going to take
sacrifices. I like what Ted said. The

913
01:16:21,600 --> 01:16:27,679
things we've got to have Ted in my arms
were probably wrong. Things we have to

914
01:16:25,600 --> 01:16:32,400
have, things we'd like to have, and
things a little frivolous. We got to

915
01:16:29,520 --> 01:16:37,520
have water
and we might have to pay for it. And I

916
01:16:34,960 --> 01:16:42,480
spent the morning with Karen, our CFO,
and I got an education. We were in the

917
01:16:39,840 --> 01:16:46,960
front porch talking. And I learned about
this going to be tough, but thank you

918
01:16:44,719 --> 01:16:51,679
for being here. We listened to you, and
like the president said, it's not a

919
01:16:49,360 --> 01:16:56,400
closed door yet. We're still listening.
But please remember, when you go to the

920
01:16:53,120 --> 01:17:00,560
grocery store, you're paying 25% more.
When you go to the gas station, how much

921
01:16:57,920 --> 01:17:05,600
more you paying your electric bill costs
are going up and everything and

922
01:17:02,719 --> 01:17:08,480
unfortunately running small town America
becoming more and more expensive. Thank

923
01:17:07,600 --> 01:17:10,960
you.
>> Thank you.

924
01:17:09,040 --> 01:17:14,960
» I say one last thing. I also encourage
if anybody ever wants to talk to me

925
01:17:12,560 --> 01:17:18,800
about it, I'm open. You can email me,
call me on my cell phone. I will talk.

926
01:17:17,360 --> 01:17:23,199
» This is an incredibly accessible
council. Um I think we're all very

927
01:17:21,199 --> 01:17:26,640
willing to meet with and talk to
residents and so please do

928
01:17:24,660 --> 01:17:29,280
[clears throat] just reach out. anytime.
There are several of you here that I

929
01:17:27,679 --> 01:17:34,080
talk to on a somewhat regular basis and
so like please do just let us know if

930
01:17:31,760 --> 01:17:39,120
you have ideas or suggestions. We
certainly want to hear them.

931
01:17:36,640 --> 01:17:43,679
So we will move on to the next item on
our agenda which is the consideration of

932
01:17:41,360 --> 01:17:48,480
the short-term rentals moratorum. Is
there any discussion or a motion related

933
01:17:45,600 --> 01:17:50,560
to the moratorum?
>> Need a motion to accept it.

934
01:17:50,159 --> 01:17:54,000
» Motion.
>> I'll make a motion to accept ordinance

935
01:17:52,320 --> 01:17:57,120
6-206.
>> Is there a second? Second. As always

936
01:17:55,760 --> 01:18:00,159
with ordinances, we're going to take a
roll call vote. Council member Bu.

937
01:17:59,760 --> 01:18:03,920
» Yes.
>> Council member Huffer.

938
01:18:01,360 --> 01:18:07,888
» Yes. Council Vice President.
Okay.

939
01:18:05,040 --> 01:18:10,320
» Pete, you've got your moratorum.
[laughter]

940
01:18:08,880 --> 01:18:13,520
» All right. Next.
>> Next up on the agenda, and I've already

941
01:18:12,080 --> 01:18:16,560
said what I would like the council to do
here, but because it's on the agenda, I

942
01:18:15,040 --> 01:18:21,520
want us to follow the agenda that we
approved was the consideration of the

943
01:18:19,360 --> 01:18:24,880
rate increase. I would like as we said
as I said to have further discussion

944
01:18:23,520 --> 01:18:28,159
with our public works team and the
public at the August meeting with

945
01:18:26,719 --> 01:18:31,440
consideration at the September meeting
to give us all time

946
01:18:29,679 --> 01:18:34,880
» to to continue to have conversations
around this. Is there any um opposition

947
01:18:33,679 --> 01:18:40,320
to that plan?
>> Could I just make uh two statements? Um

948
01:18:38,400 --> 01:18:43,840
one I actually just received a message
from Betty Gene Hall. I don't know if

949
01:18:41,760 --> 01:18:48,239
anybody's ever talked to her. She um
does our utility billing. So she's the

950
01:18:46,080 --> 01:18:53,120
one who mails you guys all your water
sewer bills. She is happy to go over

951
01:18:50,320 --> 01:18:59,840
anybody's billing structure if you call
or email her. Um, and then I also wanted

952
01:18:57,040 --> 01:19:03,199
to you can actually go on I don't know
who it was who said it.

953
01:19:01,280 --> 01:19:07,280
» She left, but yes, you can go online and
track your usage. You can also set it up

954
01:19:05,600 --> 01:19:11,280
to email you when you go over a certain
amount, which I have set up to email me.

955
01:19:09,679 --> 01:19:14,640
And so I was out of town this whole week
for work and I got a text from my

956
01:19:13,679 --> 01:19:18,400
husband that was like, "When you get
that email, just know I've been doing

957
01:19:15,600 --> 01:19:22,719
laundry all day." So like the the
emails, you set the trigger point for

958
01:19:20,640 --> 01:19:25,840
when it tells you you've gone over. So I
have it for my family's average daily

959
01:19:24,239 --> 01:19:29,040
use and I only get the email if it's
extreme. But that can help you identify

960
01:19:27,679 --> 01:19:34,080
a leak early,
>> too. Um yeah, the system is great. And

961
01:19:31,600 --> 01:19:37,600
if you're not techsavvy, you can call
you can call town hall and your current

962
01:19:36,400 --> 01:19:42,080
usage set up.
>> You can also pay your bill in as many

963
01:19:39,360 --> 01:19:45,199
increments as you want to. So if you if
the quarterly bill because when I get

964
01:19:43,760 --> 01:19:49,040
that quarterly bill I'm like oh man
that's a lot at once. You can go to town

965
01:19:47,199 --> 01:19:52,640
hall every day if you want to and make a
payment on whatever your current usage

966
01:19:50,400 --> 01:19:56,560
is. So there are I'm not saying it's a
solve for what the total bill is but

967
01:19:54,080 --> 01:20:00,480
there are ways to hopefully um make
things more manageable for folks because

968
01:19:58,880 --> 01:20:03,920
like council member McNeel said
absolutely everything costs more. Your

969
01:20:02,320 --> 01:20:06,560
kids daycare probably costs more. I know
mine does. Like absolutely everything is

970
01:20:05,520 --> 01:20:13,280
costing more right now and we're
sympathetic to that. The reality is we

971
01:20:10,080 --> 01:20:17,920
don't have sources of revenue beyond
businesses and residents in town and we

972
01:20:16,320 --> 01:20:21,360
all want to turn on our sinks and water
come out and we all want to flush the

973
01:20:19,120 --> 01:20:24,640
toilet and at work and so that's the
reality we're up against.

974
01:20:24,080 --> 01:20:26,640
» Good there.
>> Good.

975
01:20:25,199 --> 01:20:28,880
» All right. So, we'll delay consideration
and we'll have further conversation

976
01:20:28,239 --> 01:20:31,280
about it.
>> Can we consider specific date so we

977
01:20:31,040 --> 01:20:34,159
don't
>> Yes. So we don't run into that. We'll

978
01:20:32,400 --> 01:20:37,159
delay what what is the first Thursday in
September?

979
01:20:37,360 --> 01:20:40,239
September
>> 3rd

980
01:20:39,280 --> 01:20:44,400
» 3rd.
>> Okay. We'll delay until September 3rd.

981
01:20:42,960 --> 01:20:49,840
So that per our charter, we're delaying
till a time certain.

982
01:20:47,520 --> 01:20:53,679
» Okay. Thank you for reminding us to do
that. Otherwise, we have to start

983
01:20:51,760 --> 01:20:58,159
counting days.
>> All right.

984
01:20:55,360 --> 01:21:02,560
And find where we are.
>> Next up is under new business. We have

985
01:20:59,840 --> 01:21:06,560
ordinance 08 2026. This is a zoning text
amendment related to fences. This is

986
01:21:04,800 --> 01:21:08,960
just a first reading.
This will then, right, this is the first

987
01:21:08,080 --> 01:21:11,520
reading.
>> This will then get referred to the

988
01:21:10,080 --> 01:21:13,520
planning commission or no because it
came from them.

989
01:21:12,239 --> 01:21:16,719
» Came from them.
>> Came from them. So it'll be scheduled

990
01:21:14,880 --> 01:21:20,400
for public hearing.
>> And this is just to update our fence

991
01:21:18,239 --> 01:21:22,880
code.
Do you want to say anything tonight or

992
01:21:21,600 --> 01:21:26,960
you want to wait till the hearing?
>> Whatever you want.

993
01:21:23,679 --> 01:21:31,280
» Take your poison. Um,
this does things like not allow chain

994
01:21:29,520 --> 01:21:33,600
link fences in residential communities.
Correct.

995
01:21:32,080 --> 01:21:37,199
» Yes. [clears throat]
not allow chain link fences in

996
01:21:34,960 --> 01:21:45,120
residential communities. Um there is
some caveats for

997
01:21:40,239 --> 01:21:51,440
uh industrial uh the PBD district. Um
there's height limits. Um we are

998
01:21:48,800 --> 01:21:55,600
proposing to uh go back to the times
where you're allowed to build a fence in

999
01:21:53,360 --> 01:22:00,800
your front yard. There's some additional
restrictions with the front yard

1000
01:21:57,440 --> 01:22:04,639
fencing. um a height limit and uh
transparency of 50% transparency.

1001
01:22:03,691 --> 01:22:06,159
[snorts]
Um

1002
01:22:05,679 --> 01:22:09,360
» okay.
>> Yeah,

1003
01:22:06,639 --> 01:22:13,360
» we'll have a public hearing about this.
>> When was that set for?

1004
01:22:11,280 --> 01:22:15,920
» Um it will be September. It'll probably
be the first

1005
01:22:14,000 --> 01:22:22,400
» advertise September 3rd, right?
>> We don't have time for August.

1006
01:22:18,880 --> 01:22:25,120
» Okay. Next up is resolution 12-2026.
This is a resolution of the town council

1007
01:22:24,000 --> 01:22:28,400
of Centerville to authorize the
execution of a public works agreement

1008
01:22:26,960 --> 01:22:33,600
with the county commissioners of Queen
Ans County. This is for wastewater

1009
01:22:32,080 --> 01:22:38,080
service that we are running out to White
Marsh Park for the county's back. Yeah,

1010
01:22:35,920 --> 01:22:42,560
the county is installing bathrooms at
White Marsh Park and they will be

1011
01:22:39,760 --> 01:22:46,480
running the the um lines from our
connection at at the town boundaries out

1012
01:22:45,199 --> 01:22:48,560
to the
>> Just to be clear, the county is bearing

1013
01:22:47,840 --> 01:22:52,639
the cost.
>> County is the pipe to White Mar paying

1014
01:22:51,199 --> 01:22:56,159
allocation fee.
>> They just to be very clear, county,

1015
01:22:54,960 --> 01:23:01,440
we're not this is not
>> No, we are not. Yes. No, no. They they

1016
01:22:59,440 --> 01:23:03,920
are paying for the um and they they're
also paying an allocation

1017
01:23:02,400 --> 01:23:07,840
» and they'll pay the service as well.
>> Yes.

1018
01:23:04,960 --> 01:23:11,120
Okay. So, we can act on a resolution and
this is the county would like to move

1019
01:23:09,760 --> 01:23:13,360
forward. We've been talking about this
for I mean the whole time I've been on

1020
01:23:12,800 --> 01:23:15,280
the council.
>> Well, be honest when it was first

1021
01:23:14,960 --> 01:23:18,560
proposed
>> and in September the council approved

1022
01:23:17,199 --> 01:23:23,199
the two allocation those two
allocations.

1023
01:23:20,800 --> 01:23:27,440
» Does a member of the council want to
make a motion related to this

1024
01:23:25,040 --> 01:23:27,440
resolution?

1025
01:23:30,000 --> 01:23:35,760
I make a motion to approve resolution
1226,

1026
01:23:34,080 --> 01:23:38,880
the resolution to authorize the
execution of the public works agreement

1027
01:23:37,360 --> 01:23:41,360
with the county commissioners of Queen
Ans County.

1028
01:23:40,159 --> 01:23:43,760
» Is there a second?
>> Second.

1029
01:23:42,400 --> 01:23:48,639
» Okay. And we're going to do a roll call
vote. Council member Bu approve.

1030
01:23:46,880 --> 01:23:53,679
» Council member Huffer.
>> Yes. Council member McNeel. Okay.

1031
01:23:52,000 --> 01:23:56,719
» There will be bathrooms at White Marsh
Park.

1032
01:23:55,440 --> 01:23:59,440
Okay, next.
>> Never again.

1033
01:23:57,760 --> 01:24:05,040
» Next up is an allocation request from
Lacrosse Homes for four

1034
01:24:02,719 --> 01:24:10,320
single family homes proposed on Spring
Street, 116, 118, 122, and 126 Spring

1035
01:24:08,320 --> 01:24:13,520
Street. These are vacant lots that have
no current allocations. They are

1036
01:24:11,760 --> 01:24:17,760
requesting one water allocation and one
sewer allocation for each lot. Staff is

1037
01:24:16,239 --> 01:24:22,320
recommending approval of four sewer
allocations and four water allocations

1038
01:24:20,320 --> 01:24:25,920
for that owner and they would be paying
allocation fee. just clear.

1039
01:24:24,400 --> 01:24:29,920
» And so this is just to allow that
allocation that we would execute similar

1040
01:24:27,920 --> 01:24:31,520
to what we just did later. Correct. Or
they would just come by their

1041
01:24:30,719 --> 01:24:34,960
allocation.
>> No, they're actually waiting. They'll be

1042
01:24:33,520 --> 01:24:37,840
in tomorrow morning to pay their
allocation fees. Yes. They were waiting

1043
01:24:36,400 --> 01:24:39,840
for the council's approval.
>> Do we have a motion on these

1044
01:24:38,960 --> 01:24:44,480
allocations?
>> I make a motion to approve four water

1045
01:24:41,840 --> 01:24:52,000
allocations and four sew allocations for
116, 118, 122, and 126 Spring Street.

1046
01:24:49,040 --> 01:24:55,520
Just to clarify, remember we uh adopted
that allocation distribution plan. These

1047
01:24:54,080 --> 01:24:58,159
would be coming out of the infill
bucket.

1048
01:24:55,920 --> 01:25:03,280
» Infilled bucket. Okay. Yes. So for those
curious, we have a water and sewer

1049
01:25:00,080 --> 01:25:06,480
allocation plan that spreads our limited
remaining allocation until such a time

1050
01:25:05,040 --> 01:25:10,000
we get a new plant amongst different
uses in different areas of town. So

1051
01:25:08,480 --> 01:25:13,520
residential and business to make sure
that we still have some if a business

1052
01:25:12,159 --> 01:25:17,440
wants to come that's going to you know
we have CEDA like Fred said doing a ton

1053
01:25:15,520 --> 01:25:20,400
of work to attract businesses to town.
We don't want to get to a point where we

1054
01:25:18,639 --> 01:25:23,440
have zero allocation to give them
because we've used it all for, you know,

1055
01:25:21,920 --> 01:25:26,560
one house at a time. So, there are
different buckets that the allocation

1056
01:25:25,199 --> 01:25:30,080
come from just to make sure that we can
have different uses in town during this

1057
01:25:28,320 --> 01:25:33,760
few years until we hopefully have a new
plant.

1058
01:25:31,760 --> 01:25:35,760
» All right, we have a motion and a
second.

1059
01:25:34,800 --> 01:25:42,239
» Yes.
>> Second. Okay. All in favor? I. Any

1060
01:25:38,960 --> 01:25:46,880
opposed? Okay. Next up, council, you
were sent this. This is a letter um a

1061
01:25:44,800 --> 01:25:52,159
proposed letter for us to send our
congressional congressional delegation

1062
01:25:48,800 --> 01:25:57,120
via Senator Van Golland related to the
potential for increasing the maximum

1063
01:25:54,400 --> 01:26:02,560
truck weight. So, this is about, you
know, impact on roads. Um, and there's a

1064
01:25:59,840 --> 01:26:08,400
proposal to permit vehicles weighing up
to 91,000 pounds. And a lot of

1065
01:26:04,719 --> 01:26:12,400
municipalities are sending letters um
expressing some concerns about the

1066
01:26:11,040 --> 01:26:16,239
infrastructure costs that that would
create by having even heavier trucks on

1067
01:26:14,159 --> 01:26:21,199
our roads. And as you all know, we've
been doing enforcement related to trucks

1068
01:26:18,960 --> 01:26:26,000
because we've had it's a lot of wear and
tear on our roads when overweight trucks

1069
01:26:22,800 --> 01:26:29,920
are on the roads. So, council, we need
either approval or not to sign and send

1070
01:26:28,719 --> 01:26:32,960
this letter and then we would sign it
this evening. Does anyone have any

1071
01:26:31,520 --> 01:26:38,239
opposition to sending this letter to our
congressional delegation? No opposition.

1072
01:26:35,280 --> 01:26:43,520
» Okay. Do we have a copy to sign tonight?
>> Awesome. All right. Next up is reports

1073
01:26:41,280 --> 01:26:47,440
of boards and commissions. And so, first
is Maryland Municipal League. I have

1074
01:26:45,920 --> 01:26:53,040
nothing related to Maryland Municipal
League, but I do think Yeah, we should

1075
01:26:50,400 --> 01:26:57,840
listen to the symposium on funding.
>> Yeah. No, I am um uh already already

1076
01:26:56,480 --> 01:27:02,560
signed up. Yeah,
>> I will be at the National Governor's

1077
01:26:59,840 --> 01:27:07,040
Association that day for my day job, but
I will always take an opportunity to ask

1078
01:27:05,280 --> 01:27:13,199
for money for our sewer plant when I'm
anywhere that our governor is. So, next

1079
01:27:10,480 --> 01:27:18,639
up is the Council of Governments.
>> No meeting. Next meeting is August 12th.

1080
01:27:16,639 --> 01:27:23,840
» Okay. Economic development. I know
you've had an absolute ton of activity.

1081
01:27:20,480 --> 01:27:30,000
Uh we have uh the next CEDA meeting uh
for the total group is July 21st. Uh we

1082
01:27:27,440 --> 01:27:34,960
have monthly meetings but we also have
uh now three operating subcommittees

1083
01:27:32,880 --> 01:27:39,920
within CEDA that are looking on working
on specific projects. So we have interim

1084
01:27:37,199 --> 01:27:45,520
meetings for those throughout the month.
Uh what one of the subcommittees is

1085
01:27:43,040 --> 01:27:50,639
looking at development opportunities for
the Pennsylvania Avenue uh street across

1086
01:27:48,400 --> 01:27:54,960
from where there's current development.
That's where the parking lot is now. So

1087
01:27:52,880 --> 01:28:00,480
we're looking at, you know, possible
opportunities for there. We're also have

1088
01:27:57,600 --> 01:28:05,920
another subcommittee uh that is looking
at different things that the town can do

1089
01:28:03,600 --> 01:28:12,000
and planning and zoning can do. But we
as a total community uh that would uh

1090
01:28:09,760 --> 01:28:17,920
help provide incentives or a more
welcoming approach to appropriate

1091
01:28:14,560 --> 01:28:24,560
businesses to come into town. uh you
know to help increase our our our rates

1092
01:28:20,960 --> 01:28:30,639
and our tax base uh but also to attract
the appropriate kind of business uh and

1093
01:28:26,719 --> 01:28:35,440
employers uh that we think will be well
accepted and uh invited into the

1094
01:28:33,120 --> 01:28:40,560
community. So we're looking for ways to
uh be more welcoming to a business

1095
01:28:38,800 --> 01:28:46,000
coming into town.
>> Awesome.

1096
01:28:43,120 --> 01:28:49,760
» That's thank you Park Advisory Board.
>> Much to the in a lot of people. We did

1097
01:28:48,320 --> 01:28:54,080
not meet this month. Therefore, no
slides. All right. So, some type of

1098
01:28:51,440 --> 01:28:58,239
applause, please. But we do want to say,
water your trees and plants, please. And

1099
01:28:56,880 --> 01:29:02,560
senior citizens, right?
>> Salt in the wound for real. [laughter]

1100
01:29:00,159 --> 01:29:07,040
» All right. Planning commission.
>> Yes. Um there was a couple meetings.

1101
01:29:04,560 --> 01:29:13,199
There was one on June 17th. There was
improved of two houses on uh North

1102
01:29:09,360 --> 01:29:17,440
Liberty Street at 220 North Liberty and
um

1103
01:29:15,600 --> 01:29:21,040
and right next door, but it's right near
the uh parking garage which is on

1104
01:29:18,960 --> 01:29:25,679
Liberty. It's a vacant lot. It's your
smaller homes. Um they're going to be

1105
01:29:23,920 --> 01:29:30,960
great. It's infill which is what we
want. It's in our town. It's um more

1106
01:29:28,480 --> 01:29:35,280
affordable housing. So that was approved
which is great and it's going on for

1107
01:29:32,639 --> 01:29:41,280
approval by because it's a unusual lot.
So special exception associated with

1108
01:29:37,040 --> 01:29:44,760
that. So it will be heard there. Um
there was also

1109
01:29:45,440 --> 01:29:52,560
Draper's Liquor that was this last night
as far as an extension. It is coming. Um

1110
01:29:50,560 --> 01:29:56,400
that's something to be doing a new
building, but they are they've gotten

1111
01:29:54,400 --> 01:30:00,000
their um I think their architectural
done, but they need some more time. They

1112
01:29:58,480 --> 01:30:04,239
asked for an extension of another 12
months. you don't see needing that but

1113
01:30:02,080 --> 01:30:10,320
in order to start construction on the
new um Drapers um liquor store. Um so it

1114
01:30:08,560 --> 01:30:17,120
is coming. It's just they need more time
which is to be un understood. The ADU

1115
01:30:14,159 --> 01:30:21,280
ordinance accessory dwelling units um
that ordinance I think we finally put um

1116
01:30:19,280 --> 01:30:26,400
a bow on that last night where we've
been looking at that for a couple three

1117
01:30:23,920 --> 01:30:29,840
meetings. Um, so I think that again it'
be a good thing for our town as it

1118
01:30:28,239 --> 01:30:34,320
relates to having some affordable
housing or granny flats that are behind

1119
01:30:31,840 --> 01:30:38,320
homes that have the ability to do that.
Giving giving our residents that

1120
01:30:36,080 --> 01:30:42,000
opportunity to do it and it's going to
be in compliance with the state of

1121
01:30:39,920 --> 01:30:47,280
Maryland. So we need to make certain we
have that correct the first time. So

1122
01:30:44,400 --> 01:30:52,480
that'll be coming to um town council for
review and approval. Um we also as far

1123
01:30:50,000 --> 01:30:57,520
as the approval of the bylaws was a
seven member committee. will now be

1124
01:30:54,320 --> 01:31:02,159
five. Um, seven was hard as far as
getting enough enough members. So, and

1125
01:31:00,080 --> 01:31:06,080
the five with one uh two alternates
actually two alternates. So, um I think

1126
01:31:04,880 --> 01:31:10,800
it's going to work out really well
associated with that and it's gone very

1127
01:31:08,480 --> 01:31:16,400
smoothly since um since that has gone
down to five. Um

1128
01:31:14,159 --> 01:31:20,880
there's there's the highlights.
>> All right. Thank you. Next up, we'll do

1129
01:31:19,120 --> 01:31:26,080
um reports of department heads, town
manager. Just a couple quick things. Um,

1130
01:31:23,679 --> 01:31:29,360
the farmers market, if you remember when
they were here the last time, they spoke

1131
01:31:27,440 --> 01:31:34,480
about doing an extra day of the market,
but they didn't have their dates yet.

1132
01:31:31,199 --> 01:31:39,280
So, they are asking for the use of its
parking spaces. They won't be shutting

1133
01:31:36,000 --> 01:31:44,159
down lawyers row um
uh on a on Thursdays beginning next

1134
01:31:42,000 --> 01:31:49,280
Thursday the 23rd
um from 3:00 to 5:00 for about 10 to 12

1135
01:31:46,800 --> 01:31:52,880
weeks. So, they would like the council's
um consideration to And they just use

1136
01:31:51,440 --> 01:31:55,360
like the last several parking spots on
lawyers.

1137
01:31:54,080 --> 01:31:58,560
» And the police have no problem getting
those blocked off.

1138
01:31:56,239 --> 01:32:01,840
» No chief anymore.
>> I don't know where chief is. But

1139
01:32:00,560 --> 01:32:05,760
» is there a motion to approve the request
of the farmers market?

1140
01:32:04,320 --> 01:32:06,560
» I make a motion to approve.
>> Second.

1141
01:32:06,159 --> 01:32:10,000
» That's good.
>> Okay. All in favor?

1142
01:32:09,280 --> 01:32:15,440
» All right.
>> Um the other just two more quick things.

1143
01:32:12,960 --> 01:32:20,560
Um the council usually approves during
the budget process a list of grants. We

1144
01:32:17,679 --> 01:32:27,199
were speaking with a um property owner
of a property on Water Street that we

1145
01:32:24,080 --> 01:32:31,760
would like to um
uh submit the strategic demolition grant

1146
01:32:29,760 --> 01:32:37,920
for. It would be a pass through grant.
Um only municipality or government

1147
01:32:34,000 --> 01:32:43,760
agencies or um nonprofit um development
organizations are allowed to apply. Um

1148
01:32:40,159 --> 01:32:50,239
and this would help with the um um
structural intent of their building. So,

1149
01:32:47,440 --> 01:32:51,440
um, and that application is due August
6th.

1150
01:32:50,960 --> 01:32:54,560
» Oh, wow.
>> Um, which is our next meeting. So, yeah,

1151
01:32:54,239 --> 01:32:58,639
soon.
>> And so, just for the public, we ask that

1152
01:32:56,960 --> 01:33:02,000
the staff brings grant opportunities
before the council to the extent that

1153
01:33:00,159 --> 01:33:05,920
money is policy to make sure that we're
all on one page before we just because

1154
01:33:04,080 --> 01:33:08,719
it's grant money doesn't mean it's free.
And so, just making sure we're all on

1155
01:33:07,120 --> 01:33:11,600
the same page. I'm in favor of the
strategic demolition grant. Are there is

1156
01:33:10,400 --> 01:33:18,400
there any opposition to it?
>> No, I'm all in favor.

1157
01:33:13,120 --> 01:33:23,920
» Okay. And last um thing real quick is um
most people know that um Gay, our

1158
01:33:20,960 --> 01:33:28,000
current town clerk, was um has moved to
our full-time economic development

1159
01:33:25,520 --> 01:33:32,719
manager. Uh so we had a town clerk role
to fill. Um we had two internal

1160
01:33:31,040 --> 01:33:39,199
applicants that apply that were
interviewed. Um we chose um uh Jackie

1161
01:33:37,120 --> 01:33:42,719
Payne who is currently in our public
works department as an administrative

1162
01:33:41,120 --> 01:33:48,560
assistant. She's been with the town uh
over four years. Um will be moving into

1163
01:33:46,239 --> 01:33:54,000
that role. So, we're really excited for
her. Really excited to have her. Public

1164
01:33:50,719 --> 01:33:57,760
works is a little sad, but um I told
them they come see her any day at town

1165
01:33:56,080 --> 01:34:00,159
hall. They can come see Gary's mad.
>> Yeah. Well,

1166
01:33:59,440 --> 01:34:01,600
» get it.
>> That's all I have.

1167
01:34:01,120 --> 01:34:03,840
» Okay.
>> Thank you.

1168
01:34:02,320 --> 01:34:08,560
» Did the chief leave?
>> No. This is his turn.

1169
01:34:06,400 --> 01:34:13,560
» He's up. [laughter]
>> You're You're up for your report.

1170
01:34:10,560 --> 01:34:13,560
Understanding

1171
01:34:13,760 --> 01:34:20,560
that we can all read.
>> Understand.

1172
01:34:19,199 --> 01:34:22,719
» Are there copies out in the hall if
people want them?

1173
01:34:21,360 --> 01:34:25,120
» There were. I think they might have.
>> I think people took them. Great. And we

1174
01:34:23,920 --> 01:34:28,320
put them on the website.
>> Absolutely. Absolutely. So, thank you

1175
01:34:27,120 --> 01:34:32,000
for the opportunity to address the
council tonight. I do have to get caught

1176
01:34:29,760 --> 01:34:35,360
up on a couple of department reviews uh
for the month of May and month of June.

1177
01:34:34,000 --> 01:34:39,440
So, if I could direct the council's
attention to the May report.

1178
01:34:38,159 --> 01:34:43,440
Nothing really substantial on the
numbers as far as any of the the

1179
01:34:41,440 --> 01:34:46,639
activities go. Uh but I would just like
to indicate to the council some of the

1180
01:34:45,360 --> 01:34:51,199
uh assignments and events that the
police department had attended or was a

1181
01:34:48,400 --> 01:34:53,280
part of. We had the 2026 police unity
tour come through the town of

1182
01:34:52,159 --> 01:34:57,120
Centerville which we always try to
participate or you make sure they have

1183
01:34:54,800 --> 01:35:02,719
safe travels to their destination as
they come through Centerville.

1184
01:34:59,440 --> 01:35:06,639
uh the Rotary Club presentation they we
had one of our officers nominated for

1185
01:35:04,719 --> 01:35:11,280
the officer of the year for the Rotary
Club in which our officer actually uh

1186
01:35:09,520 --> 01:35:16,800
received the officer of the year award.
So it was a great honor for not only the

1187
01:35:14,000 --> 01:35:19,679
officer but our department in the town.
Greens County High School obviously they

1188
01:35:18,239 --> 01:35:23,120
had the graduation in the month of May.
We were honored to be in attendance

1189
01:35:21,120 --> 01:35:27,280
there as well and participate in their
graduation ceremony.

1190
01:35:25,600 --> 01:35:31,520
They have a strengthening justice
through communications uh I don't really

1191
01:35:30,239 --> 01:35:34,800
want to know if we call it a committee.
It's a it's a group through the Queen

1192
01:35:32,880 --> 01:35:40,239
and County Circuit Court. It's about
providing resources to victims etc. And

1193
01:35:37,600 --> 01:35:43,520
we were uh invited to attend that which
we were more than honored to be a part

1194
01:35:41,520 --> 01:35:47,520
of.
So that is the month of May unless the

1195
01:35:46,320 --> 01:35:52,719
council has any questions on anything
that was on the May report.

1196
01:35:50,159 --> 01:35:57,360
So, looking at June,
uh, we had Centerville Elementary School

1197
01:35:55,760 --> 01:36:00,960
Field Day. Uh, we were invited out
there. We typically bring one of our K9

1198
01:35:59,520 --> 01:36:03,679
units and they either do one of a couple
of things. They either will do a K9

1199
01:36:02,320 --> 01:36:06,960
demonstration or they will do what they
call like a cash dash, which our K9's

1200
01:36:05,760 --> 01:36:10,639
name is Cash and they'll run with the
kids and they have relay races and such.

1201
01:36:08,560 --> 01:36:16,239
And usually kids kids love to interact
with the K9 units. Um, we also had the

1202
01:36:13,760 --> 01:36:19,600
Junth parade and celebration out at
Canord. We usually typically do traffic

1203
01:36:18,159 --> 01:36:22,480
control and help guide the parade to
make sure they have safe travels to

1204
01:36:20,719 --> 01:36:26,639
their destination which is the Canard
Elementary. Uh it's grown every year and

1205
01:36:25,280 --> 01:36:30,080
substantially. It's always, you know,
getting better and better. I'm glad to

1206
01:36:28,239 --> 01:36:33,360
see that.
And as council knows, we had Maryland

1207
01:36:31,840 --> 01:36:36,880
crafted event which, you know, we
typically try to assist with traffic

1208
01:36:34,639 --> 01:36:40,159
control when we can and you know, safe
traversing whether it be pedestrians or

1209
01:36:38,560 --> 01:36:44,960
the traffic to come through the area
since it's in the center of town.

1210
01:36:43,040 --> 01:36:49,840
They had a touch a truck event at White
Marsh Park. uh that was uh we were

1211
01:36:47,040 --> 01:36:54,960
invited to attend uh I think it was
maybe their first annual uh attempt at

1212
01:36:52,480 --> 01:36:57,119
that and you know they had they had okay
attendance and I think it'll get bigger

1213
01:36:56,159 --> 01:37:00,000
and bigger every year and
>> wasn't there some sort of competition

1214
01:36:58,960 --> 01:37:02,719
too for that
>> there there was a competition

1215
01:37:01,840 --> 01:37:06,639
» or something
>> yeah it was it was uh the police versus

1216
01:37:04,800 --> 01:37:09,360
the fire department as far as uh who
could raise the most money and I think

1217
01:37:07,840 --> 01:37:12,639
the fire department lost if I remember
correctly. Oh,

1218
01:37:11,280 --> 01:37:16,320
» you get expecting that.
>> Did you heard that

1219
01:37:14,560 --> 01:37:19,679
» to put the pie in the chief's face?
>> I I have not had the opportunity yet,

1220
01:37:18,320 --> 01:37:21,280
but I am so looking forward to it.
>> Okay, cool.

1221
01:37:20,159 --> 01:37:24,320
» That's if he shows up.
>> Let me know if you need help.

1222
01:37:22,800 --> 01:37:28,239
» Yeah, maybe you can help with that.
Maybe we'll do video, photos, etc.

1223
01:37:27,360 --> 01:37:32,239
» Reals.
>> Yes. [laughter]

1224
01:37:30,239 --> 01:37:35,280
» So, we we were happy to be in attendance
there and we're looking forward to that

1225
01:37:33,600 --> 01:37:40,159
growing as well and being, you know, a
better event for the community. uh the

1226
01:37:37,920 --> 01:37:44,159
American Legion Veterans Group. Uh they
meet um several times throughout the

1227
01:37:42,480 --> 01:37:46,719
year. Typically, we'll be in attendance
in their meeting groups. Kind of give

1228
01:37:45,679 --> 01:37:49,920
them the state of the state of what's
going on with the police department and

1229
01:37:47,840 --> 01:37:54,000
what we can with the town. Uh there's a
lot of questions and Q&A sessions, which

1230
01:37:52,080 --> 01:37:58,000
we love to have because I mean, we we
want the, you know, to give them the

1231
01:37:55,440 --> 01:38:03,119
answers they're looking for. So, um it's
always a good time, good turnout. Uh we

1232
01:38:01,119 --> 01:38:06,320
certainly uh appreciative of getting the
invite.

1233
01:38:04,880 --> 01:38:09,920
And also at the American Legion, they
had what they call the Gold Star

1234
01:38:07,760 --> 01:38:14,400
Memorial motorcycle ride. Uh they have
several motorcycles from the American

1235
01:38:11,840 --> 01:38:19,360
Legion riders come from all over the
area to attend this event. So we

1236
01:38:17,040 --> 01:38:22,719
provided traffic control and uh try to
assist them in and out of the Legion

1237
01:38:20,639 --> 01:38:26,800
safely uh so they can get on their way
to other locations. Uh pretty pretty

1238
01:38:24,960 --> 01:38:30,480
large turnout. So we were more than
honored to be a part of that as well. So

1239
01:38:28,400 --> 01:38:33,119
that's just a brief synopsis of some of
the things and events that we had taken

1240
01:38:32,000 --> 01:38:35,440
part in May and
>> June.

1241
01:38:34,639 --> 01:38:36,159
Thank you so much.
>> Yep.

1242
01:38:35,760 --> 01:38:37,679
» All right.
>> No problem.

1243
01:38:36,960 --> 01:38:40,320
» Town attorney.
>> I have nothing.

1244
01:38:38,560 --> 01:38:44,560
» Great.
>> Um,

1245
01:38:42,239 --> 01:38:50,480
come back to you, Gay.
Administrator, do you have anything?

1246
01:38:47,840 --> 01:38:54,000
» It's a first time for everything.
>> This is like the third time.

1247
01:38:52,080 --> 01:38:59,199
» I have talked to some of you
individually. Um, I'm working on the

1248
01:38:56,080 --> 01:39:05,040
vacant property registry
and kind of the one thing that we still

1249
01:39:02,000 --> 01:39:11,440
need to uh hash out on that is in the
ordinance there's reference to the fee

1250
01:39:06,880 --> 01:39:15,600
schedule. So, um I I guess I'll just
kind of come tell you. So, we kind of

1251
01:39:13,600 --> 01:39:22,639
modeled it after Denton. Denton's fees
are very aggressive. Um I think it goes

1252
01:39:17,679 --> 01:39:28,400
up to like $3,000 in year four. Um, so I
kind of wanted to get your feedback on

1253
01:39:24,080 --> 01:39:36,000
some fees. I'm I'm proposing uh a a
four-year tier with with that. Um, in

1254
01:39:32,400 --> 01:39:40,560
year one, $150 and that fee would be
waved if you fill out the uh if you fill

1255
01:39:38,800 --> 01:39:48,320
out all the required information within
90 days. Um, and then 300 and year two.

1256
01:39:46,239 --> 01:39:52,320
Year three is 600 and then year four
would be 1,500. And if you remember the

1257
01:39:50,880 --> 01:39:56,800
vacant property ordinance, you know, if
you have an active building permit and

1258
01:39:54,159 --> 01:40:00,719
you are, [snorts] you know, actively um
restoring your building to occupancy

1259
01:39:58,880 --> 01:40:06,159
conditions, you're not subject to that.
So, it's it's more meant for the

1260
01:40:03,199 --> 01:40:08,400
historically uh vacant, right things.
So,

1261
01:40:06,400 --> 01:40:12,480
» chronically vacant.
>> Okay. Um we will do the fee schedule by

1262
01:40:11,199 --> 01:40:15,360
resolution, I assume.
>> Yes. Yep.

1263
01:40:13,280 --> 01:40:18,320
» So,
>> I'm comfort I mean, I like the idea of

1264
01:40:16,880 --> 01:40:21,360
waving the first year. I've been saying
that since the beginning of the vacant

1265
01:40:19,760 --> 01:40:26,480
property process. I think
>> a big part of it is just collecting the

1266
01:40:23,040 --> 01:40:31,360
information right now. So we know
problems that are out there.

1267
01:40:28,560 --> 01:40:35,600
» Um
>> so so repeat again the fees on uh year

1268
01:40:34,000 --> 01:40:42,639
two, three and four.
>> So I have it doubling in year so year

1269
01:40:38,960 --> 01:40:47,920
one 150 or waved within 90 days. Um,
year two would would go to 300, year

1270
01:40:46,159 --> 01:40:52,080
three would go to 600, and then year
four. So, your building would have to be

1271
01:40:49,840 --> 01:40:56,639
vacant with no action for four
continuous years essentially. Um,

1272
01:40:54,639 --> 01:40:58,159
» because the clock would start over if it
had a use in it.

1273
01:40:57,760 --> 01:41:01,199
» Yeah.
>> It would cease to be vacant and so then

1274
01:40:59,679 --> 01:41:03,760
the next time it became vacant.
>> Fair.

1275
01:41:01,840 --> 01:41:07,199
» Yeah. That's half of Denton's fee.
>> Yeah, it's half. And the thing I want to

1276
01:41:05,600 --> 01:41:11,199
make certain of is just And we can
always adjust it, right? I mean, if

1277
01:41:09,360 --> 01:41:14,719
things don't like this is this isn't
taking traction because back to what we

1278
01:41:13,119 --> 01:41:19,840
just heard relating to our marketing
study and our citizens as far as vacant

1279
01:41:18,159 --> 01:41:23,760
buildings, it was very important to the
council to do something about that. So,

1280
01:41:22,080 --> 01:41:26,960
I just want to make certain that, you
know, things aren't going in the

1281
01:41:25,280 --> 01:41:31,920
direction that should be going that
okay, well, maybe we need to get the fee

1282
01:41:29,920 --> 01:41:36,000
up higher so people can take notice
relating to their vacant buildings.

1283
01:41:33,280 --> 01:41:40,639
That's my only comment. I mean, I'm fine
to do this initially, but rely on you to

1284
01:41:38,960 --> 01:41:43,280
say, "We're having some issues here.
People aren't complying the way they

1285
01:41:42,080 --> 01:41:47,440
should be, and maybe we should do
something different and come to us."

1286
01:41:45,119 --> 01:41:51,760
» Yeah. And so that's kind of why I chose
instead of just a flat zero in year one

1287
01:41:49,840 --> 01:41:55,520
with the waiver within a certain amount
of time, like uh kind of giving people

1288
01:41:53,679 --> 01:41:59,600
an incentive to when they're notified
that they need to fill out the forms. Um

1289
01:41:57,760 --> 01:42:02,560
you know, there's some stuff involved in
that. If they don't live within one of

1290
01:42:00,960 --> 01:42:07,119
the contiguous counties, they have to
provide a local property manager that

1291
01:42:05,600 --> 01:42:10,400
does live within one of the contiguous
counties. So there's some kind of

1292
01:42:08,880 --> 01:42:13,119
backend stuff that
>> Right. And the idea is to disincentivize

1293
01:42:12,000 --> 01:42:16,320
keeping properties vacant.
>> Right. Exactly.

1294
01:42:14,239 --> 01:42:20,400
» This is commercial and residential or
just commercial.

1295
01:42:18,800 --> 01:42:24,320
» Okay. I think prepare the resolution
with those fees and we can have further

1296
01:42:21,760 --> 01:42:28,719
discussion when we hear the resolution.
>> Thank you.

1297
01:42:25,840 --> 01:42:31,360
» All right. Gay town clerk slash economic
development manager.

1298
01:42:29,600 --> 01:42:37,360
» Yes. I have a couple things. Well, first
of all, thank you. This is my last.

1299
01:42:34,159 --> 01:42:41,440
» You think? [laughter]
last meeting up here taking the notes

1300
01:42:40,480 --> 01:42:46,320
she
>> and doing the agendas and the packets.

1301
01:42:44,400 --> 01:42:49,600
» So, and Jackie Jackie is going to do
great. So, thank you for letting me

1302
01:42:48,239 --> 01:42:52,791
serve. I didn't think I would get
emotional.

1303
01:42:50,159 --> 01:42:57,119
» I know you're getting emotional.
[laughter] Don't worry, you're still

1304
01:42:55,119 --> 01:43:01,520
» Yeah, I'll be here a lot more.
>> Yes. Yes. And um thanks to Carol

1305
01:42:59,920 --> 01:43:04,560
Dagustinino
um the mainstream market study was

1306
01:43:03,040 --> 01:43:08,960
great. So, we're gonna have a great
transformational strategy to run with. I

1307
01:43:06,560 --> 01:43:14,159
look forward to, um, meeting those
goals. A little intimidating, the

1308
01:43:11,440 --> 01:43:18,320
reporting every month. So, um, great.
>> I look forward to being accountable to

1309
01:43:15,840 --> 01:43:22,719
you all and the town. So, I can't wait.
Um, first off, um, some of the things

1310
01:43:20,880 --> 01:43:27,119
that happened this month, of course, we
had our fireworks. Turned out to be a

1311
01:43:24,639 --> 01:43:30,560
great event. Um, that was a good time in
July. We also did the Maryland crafted

1312
01:43:28,639 --> 01:43:34,320
event, which was great. Um, great
attendance. In September, I'll have a

1313
01:43:32,239 --> 01:43:40,560
report on the sip and saver trail and
that event. Um I did complete for one of

1314
01:43:38,320 --> 01:43:45,440
my goals as the town clerk the academy
for excellence. So I will get my um

1315
01:43:43,199 --> 01:43:51,840
certificate for that program in
September. I think it's September 27th.

1316
01:43:48,560 --> 01:43:56,960
» Um we are inches away from the approval
of the wayfinding signs. We had a

1317
01:43:53,760 --> 01:44:01,679
meeting yesterday. Um, we all we have to
do I know all we have to do with MD dot

1318
01:43:59,679 --> 01:44:05,360
is get some clarification on some of
their comments. Um, we should have that

1319
01:44:03,840 --> 01:44:06,239
all completed before the end of the
month.

1320
01:44:05,679 --> 01:44:08,320
» Amazing.
>> That's great.

1321
01:44:06,800 --> 01:44:12,480
» Now we just have to figure out where
they how we can attach them and then

1322
01:44:10,080 --> 01:44:16,000
we're probably going to put in a lot of
ourselves. Um,

1323
01:44:14,239 --> 01:44:18,400
» because that's some of the issue, right?
Correct.

1324
01:44:16,560 --> 01:44:21,440
» Can't do it on Demarra Power unless we
have a contact if someone wants to help

1325
01:44:19,920 --> 01:44:24,800
me reach out to them. always happy to
help um to let us put it on their their

1326
01:44:24,320 --> 01:44:27,840
polls.
>> Guys just aren't annoying enough. That's

1327
01:44:26,239 --> 01:44:33,119
the key. [laughter]
>> Um our website, we um are update in the

1328
01:44:31,040 --> 01:44:37,679
process of updating our website due to
the transition. It is slow for us to

1329
01:44:35,840 --> 01:44:43,360
make that live. We still need to review
it and I still need to train on it. Um

1330
01:44:40,800 --> 01:44:47,520
but it will happen. Um, and we're going
to try to get input from everyone on how

1331
01:44:45,760 --> 01:44:52,080
we want it to to be because I want it to
be resident facing

1332
01:44:49,280 --> 01:44:56,560
» um, so they can find things easier. Um,
and then to that we're going to have a

1333
01:44:54,880 --> 01:45:00,159
commercial
frontacing side. So it'll list all our

1334
01:44:58,719 --> 01:45:00,880
commercial properties available in the
town.

1335
01:45:00,480 --> 01:45:04,480
» Awesome.
>> That's fantastic.

1336
01:45:01,840 --> 01:45:07,280
» So that's going to be um just right on
our website. You can go there and click

1337
01:45:05,760 --> 01:45:09,040
on the property and get all the
information. So we'll have that on

1338
01:45:08,800 --> 01:45:13,119
there.
>> Very cool.

1339
01:45:10,159 --> 01:45:17,679
um July 27th through the 31st I will be
unavailable. I'll be in a Maryland

1340
01:45:15,440 --> 01:45:23,920
economic development basic economic
development course and it's 9 to5 um

1341
01:45:21,199 --> 01:45:27,119
those five week five days um and once I
complete that that can go to

1342
01:45:25,040 --> 01:45:33,360
certification to get my economic
development s

1343
01:45:29,520 --> 01:45:37,679
um we are once again a 20 26 accredited
designated main street. So, we received

1344
01:45:35,360 --> 01:45:41,040
our accreditation. Again, with that,
what we talked about today comes with

1345
01:45:39,119 --> 01:45:44,480
those facade grants and some other great
things, M.Y.I.P. and some of the other

1346
01:45:42,960 --> 01:45:48,400
things that come. I can't really talk
about that yet until it's announced from

1347
01:45:46,639 --> 01:45:52,719
the governor's office, but soon as I
that happens, I'll tell you the number.

1348
01:45:50,639 --> 01:45:57,760
Um, and then August 12th through the
15th, I will be attending Mako. It'll be

1349
01:45:55,280 --> 01:46:02,480
my first Mako conference. Um, I'm
coordinating with the county and we're

1350
01:46:00,159 --> 01:46:07,199
um heading into a lot of u meetings and
networking opportunities for me to meet

1351
01:46:04,320 --> 01:46:12,239
the players that actually will help us
uh with the goals that Main Street has

1352
01:46:08,800 --> 01:46:15,600
set forth and CEDA that's for and I look
forward to stepping into that role full

1353
01:46:14,239 --> 01:46:20,880
time
>> uh instead of halftime. So um more to

1354
01:46:18,480 --> 01:46:24,639
come. Well, we're so excited and
>> you know, I I do want to thank Carol for

1355
01:46:23,199 --> 01:46:28,320
all the work that she put in, not just
the Main Street study, but to Main

1356
01:46:26,000 --> 01:46:32,960
Street over the years. And I think she
created something that was so big that

1357
01:46:30,800 --> 01:46:36,320
we needed full-time attention on our
main street and economic development.

1358
01:46:34,320 --> 01:46:41,600
And so, just really grateful that you're
stepping into the role because we know

1359
01:46:38,239 --> 01:46:46,719
you're going to be so so good at it.
>> And we're here to help. That's

1360
01:46:43,840 --> 01:46:52,159
important, too, as it relates to
communicating. Fred's a great We all

1361
01:46:49,199 --> 01:46:57,040
want to be partners to help them be
successful on their main street over the

1362
01:46:54,639 --> 01:47:02,080
next few years. So, we're here for you.
Thank you. Thank you very much.

1363
01:46:59,600 --> 01:47:05,520
» All right. Next up, we have our final
citizens forum of the evening. Citizens

1364
01:47:04,000 --> 01:47:08,320
are requested to keep their comments to
three minutes, but if anyone wishes to

1365
01:47:07,040 --> 01:47:13,000
address the council, you can just come
on up to the mic and state your name for

1366
01:47:09,840 --> 01:47:13,000
the record.

1367
01:47:13,484 --> 01:47:19,600
[laughter]
>> Curious about the project.

1368
01:47:17,440 --> 01:47:24,480
got a letter that Belvadier was going to
be worked on early spring

1369
01:47:21,840 --> 01:47:27,360
» and we've heard nothing since.
>> So, everybody wants to know what's

1370
01:47:25,920 --> 01:47:32,560
happening on Belvadier.
>> So, we got grant funding to do that. Um

1371
01:47:30,239 --> 01:47:36,480
the federal earmark funding, it requires
a preliminary engineering report to be

1372
01:47:34,719 --> 01:47:42,159
completed and that's what we're waiting
for the completion of so that we can

1373
01:47:38,800 --> 01:47:46,080
move forward with the actual project. Um
but that's that was a requirement of the

1374
01:47:44,239 --> 01:47:50,719
federal government for the funds. We had
to do the preliminary engineering report

1375
01:47:48,239 --> 01:47:53,280
for Belvadier and we're and Tilman.
>> They're still in the queue.

1376
01:47:51,679 --> 01:47:57,679
» It's still in the queue. Yes, it's
coming. We just have to wait for this

1377
01:47:54,880 --> 01:48:01,920
engineering report to get done.
>> Um I have to check with public works. I

1378
01:48:00,400 --> 01:48:06,400
know
um I think it was last week we had a

1379
01:48:04,239 --> 01:48:10,480
meeting that they were reaching out to
the um engineer who was completing it

1380
01:48:08,480 --> 01:48:15,600
just to get his timeline. So I'll I'll
follow up with with Kip and I'll get

1381
01:48:12,719 --> 01:48:18,560
back with you on that. Yeah. any other
citizens that wish to address the

1382
01:48:16,800 --> 01:48:23,280
council?
Well, we thank you so much for hanging

1383
01:48:20,800 --> 01:48:26,960
in um for the whole meeting and we
really do value citizen engagement and

1384
01:48:25,679 --> 01:48:31,600
hope that you'll continue to reach out
to us. Um now, the last thing on our

1385
01:48:30,000 --> 01:48:35,760
agenda is council round table. Council
vice president Ke.

1386
01:48:33,199 --> 01:48:40,480
» First, I want to thank Gay for awesome
work you did with the fireworks. I want

1387
01:48:38,080 --> 01:48:45,199
to thank everybody said they loved it
was awesome. The show was awesome. Um, I

1388
01:48:43,760 --> 01:48:50,000
also want to thank the police department
for their help, public works department

1389
01:48:47,440 --> 01:48:54,080
for their all their help, too.
>> Yes, it was awesome show. A lot of

1390
01:48:52,000 --> 01:48:56,639
people turned out for it.
>> So, that's the only thing I have.

1391
01:48:55,360 --> 01:49:00,719
» That's all you've got. All right.
>> And hopefully get money for next year.

1392
01:48:59,840 --> 01:49:03,840
» Oh my gosh.
>> Council member fundraising.

1393
01:49:03,199 --> 01:49:05,520
» Yeah.
>> Right.

1394
01:49:04,239 --> 01:49:10,400
» Right.
>> I've had enough to say one.

1395
01:49:09,119 --> 01:49:14,400
» Council member McNeel.
>> Thank you. I'd never have enough to say.

1396
01:49:12,000 --> 01:49:21,280
Couple thank yous. First to Kip. Got a
phone call 700 a.m. Wednesday. The town

1397
01:49:17,199 --> 01:49:25,119
hadn't cut grass. Uh of citizens grass.
Rode my bike down to see Kip at 8. The

1398
01:49:23,760 --> 01:49:27,920
town cut the grass. At night,
>> not a citizen's grass.

1399
01:49:27,280 --> 01:49:30,000
» I'm sorry.
>> Not a citizen.

1400
01:49:28,719 --> 01:49:34,400
» A citizen's grass.
>> Yes. The citizen's property that is

1401
01:49:32,000 --> 01:49:39,199
right in the town property.
>> The town's grass. Town had to cut it

1402
01:49:36,320 --> 01:49:43,199
grass. Uh thank the town staff. the
first round of the new company's trash

1403
01:49:41,119 --> 01:49:47,679
pickup. The new company made some
mistakes. They recall me. I'd refer to

1404
01:49:46,080 --> 01:49:52,400
the town office. Bingo was taken care
of. So, I appreciate that. Uh Karen, if

1405
01:49:50,880 --> 01:49:56,480
you're still here, she's not hanging in
here. Karen and Carolyn, thank you for

1406
01:49:55,280 --> 01:50:00,639
this morning's meeting. Very
enlightening. And for everyone that

1407
01:49:57,920 --> 01:50:04,480
knows the mill project,
the Porsche is gone.

1408
01:50:02,400 --> 01:50:08,719
» There's progress going on. There's a lot
of good things. It's slow progress, but

1409
01:50:06,480 --> 01:50:12,719
it's going on. Thank you very much. And
the last thing, uh,

1410
01:50:10,239 --> 01:50:15,760
» farmers market 9 to 12 on Sundays. Come
on. We have a great time, great food.

1411
01:50:14,800 --> 01:50:17,679
That's a great place to be.
>> 9 to1.

1412
01:50:16,400 --> 01:50:20,719
» 9 to1.
>> No, she changed at 9 to 12.

1413
01:50:19,119 --> 01:50:22,239
» Only during heat advisories.
>> Okay.

1414
01:50:21,119 --> 01:50:26,719
» Yeah.
>> 9 to1 if it's not hot,

1415
01:50:24,000 --> 01:50:30,560
» right? Okay.
>> Council member Huffer.

1416
01:50:27,760 --> 01:50:35,679
» Great. So, real quick. So, um, myself
and others here went to the MML summer

1417
01:50:32,719 --> 01:50:39,760
conference in June, June 15th. It was
excellent. Good. A good conference. a

1418
01:50:38,080 --> 01:50:44,000
lot of good sessions, a lot on
governance that I uh participated in

1419
01:50:41,600 --> 01:50:49,360
this year and um so that was good.
Another one was an access to capital

1420
01:50:45,920 --> 01:50:53,920
workshop June 30th that was um actually
by the county um which again some other

1421
01:50:52,256 --> 01:50:57,679
[snorts] members here um also with
Queens County Economic and Tourism

1422
01:50:55,760 --> 01:51:00,560
Department did it. So we learned some
stuff and actually took some stuff in

1423
01:50:59,119 --> 01:51:03,920
action after that meeting. So I was
happy about going to that. That was

1424
01:51:02,000 --> 01:51:09,040
great and finding opportunities for
local businesses. Um, one of the others,

1425
01:51:06,880 --> 01:51:13,920
um, trees. So, last year we planted
trees. There's a grant with the Shore

1426
01:51:10,880 --> 01:51:18,320
Rivers, um, where communities can get
replantings of trees in their in their

1427
01:51:16,000 --> 01:51:22,880
towns. And I kind of spearheaded that
last year. We did about 25 trees. And

1428
01:51:21,199 --> 01:51:27,920
we're going to do about 25 trees this
year in our town. And trees are

1429
01:51:25,360 --> 01:51:33,679
important for shade, especially now.
It's really hot. And we really need to

1430
01:51:30,400 --> 01:51:37,920
have tree canopy in our town to to get
the heat down in our town. So it'll be,

1431
01:51:36,239 --> 01:51:43,040
you know, on Liberty Commerce, the
trail, Milstream Park, and a couple on

1432
01:51:41,040 --> 01:51:48,560
Lawyers Row. So I look forward to that.
They will be planted in the fall by

1433
01:51:45,040 --> 01:51:53,920
12:31 so they can survive. Um you don't
want to plant them now. So um those are

1434
01:51:51,199 --> 01:51:57,599
just a few things.
>> Okay. And I just have a couple things.

1435
01:51:55,920 --> 01:52:03,360
One, just a reminder that first Friday
is August 7th and we hope the community

1436
01:51:59,440 --> 01:52:07,040
will come out. And um then just another,
this is a little bit random and I'll be

1437
01:52:05,280 --> 01:52:11,360
quick because it's been a somewhat long
meeting, but I this week was in DC with

1438
01:52:09,280 --> 01:52:15,840
350 teenagers from all over the country
for my day job and it was exhausting,

1439
01:52:13,920 --> 01:52:18,800
but also really encouraging. And one of
the things the teens have to do to be

1440
01:52:17,119 --> 01:52:22,719
able to come on the trip is an advocacy
project that they do in small groups. It

1441
01:52:20,960 --> 01:52:27,679
has to have an impact on their community
at some level. So, some of them do, you

1442
01:52:24,800 --> 01:52:30,000
know, beach cleanups in Miami or mental
health things or just different things

1443
01:52:28,800 --> 01:52:33,920
depending on what they are. And one of
these groups of teens in a small town,

1444
01:52:31,760 --> 01:52:37,760
and I don't remember what state, had a
beautifification project that they did

1445
01:52:35,679 --> 01:52:42,560
where they as a group of teenagers
helped senior citizens cut their grass

1446
01:52:39,679 --> 01:52:46,480
and pull weeds and plant plants. And
then they award a lawn of the week and a

1447
01:52:45,040 --> 01:52:50,800
neighborhood of the month. And they've
seen like market improvement in

1448
01:52:48,320 --> 01:52:54,800
community pride. And so just when I
think about the things that we can do as

1449
01:52:52,880 --> 01:52:58,880
a town and as a council, there's
certainly a lot and a lot that we try to

1450
01:52:57,599 --> 01:53:02,239
do, but there's also a ton that
residents can do even if you're the

1451
01:53:00,880 --> 01:53:06,400
majority of the kids in this group were
like 14 years old. So, I just found it

1452
01:53:04,719 --> 01:53:10,639
so encouraging and I, you know, I said
to them like, I'm uh on the town council

1453
01:53:08,719 --> 01:53:14,400
in a small town and I wish there was a a
group of teenagers who, you know, wanted

1454
01:53:12,719 --> 01:53:17,520
to take that up. And so, I just, I was,
I left this week so like I said,

1455
01:53:16,000 --> 01:53:21,599
exhausted, but also just wildly
encouraged. And I don't think when I was

1456
01:53:19,840 --> 01:53:25,679
a teenager, I would have thought like,
how can I at that micro level do

1457
01:53:24,159 --> 01:53:29,040
something to improve my town? So, I just
share that to say there's tons of

1458
01:53:27,599 --> 01:53:32,639
opportunities whether it's, you know,
running for town council or doing public

1459
01:53:31,280 --> 01:53:36,560
service in some other way that there's
plenty of ways that everybody, no matter

1460
01:53:33,920 --> 01:53:39,920
how old you are, can pitch in. So, that
is all I have. Do we have a motion to

1461
01:53:39,040 --> 01:53:43,599
adjurnn?
>> Motion to adjurnn.

1462
01:53:40,960 --> 01:53:43,599
» All right.